A day in the life

We hosted a super open day this past weekend, attended by founding families, friends, and families considering QE Dubai Sports City for their children. We were able to take tours of the completed Phase one of the school, while the project team were working on Phase two. 

One of our Founding Scholars was there, and he asked me a lot of very good questions (the scholarship panel clearly chose well!). He was super enthusiastic which was impressive, but more impressive still was the nature of his questions; he wanted to understand some of the day-to-day practicalities of being an Elizabethan, and this is my inspiration for this week’s blog – thank you Momo! 

Another young soon-to-be Elizabethan asked me a question about who their teacher would be, which points to something equally important: who students experience their day with. 

Students will interact with a wide range of adults across the day: subject teachers, personal tutors, pastoral staff, and importantly, members of the senior team. This is something we are designing deliberately. 

The most important connection for a student in the prep school will be their class teacher. Through daily contact and through dedicated weekly Personal Development Time, they will play a big role in supporting students’ to achieve their potential. 

Subject specialist teachers, chosen for their experience and expertise in UK and UAE settings, will supply ample inspiration and attention. Their knowledge of the curriculum, mixed with the additional requirements of the National Agenda and future focused initiatives will make learning feel purposeful and effective. Our small class sizes make a genuine connection possible; teachers can respond to individuals, and relationships form quickly. As one colleague said to me recently, “you don’t just teach lessons - you teach people.” That belief underpins everything we are building. 

In our school, leadership will be visible. It is present in corridors, at breaktime, in assemblies, and in the everyday conversations that shape a young person’s experience. Students will feel known, not just academically, but personally. We have underscored this commitment by having a complete leadership team for the senior school, whilst opening only Years 7 and 8. That means that a Head of Senior School, Deputy Heads for Academic and Pastoral and a Whole School Assistant Head will be in place right from the outset- something that is very rarely seen in a founding senior school setting.

Academically, the day is structured to provide both rigour and variety. 

Students in the Pre-Prep and Prep can access the experience and expertise of senior specialists. Whilst the form teacher leads the core conceptual learning journey with academic rigour, specialist teachers in Art, Arabic and Islamic Studies, Drama, PE, MFL, and STEAM extend and deepen these concepts through interdisciplinary learning experiences, creative outcomes, and exhibitions of learning.  

In the senior school, a typical timetable shows students moving through the school between these subjects, each requiring different forms of thinking and skills. 

This texture is important to young people developing essential skills; discussion in English demands skills distinct to those needed from a science investigation or a mathematics problem-solving session. It keeps students intellectually engaged and ensures that learning feels active, not passive. 

With our classrooms and specialist spaces developing quickly, and construction firmly on track, it is exciting to see how these experiences will soon be brought to life. 

In our model, sport is not an afterthought. It is a core part of a curriculum designed for character development. 

Students will experience PE, swimming, fixtures, and skill development as part of their regular rhythm and partnerships take this further. Through our collaboration with Real Madrid, students will encounter a coaching philosophy rooted in excellence, discipline, and ambition. Alongside this, our work with ISD Dubai provides access to outstanding facilities and opportunities to compete within Dubai Sports City. 

This means that within a single day, or certainly across a week, a student will shift from classroom to field, from individual focus to team collaboration. These moments are about building confidence, ability and responsibility. 

School does not stop at the final academic lesson. 

Our Flourish programme extends the day into a wider set of opportunities—allowing students to create, compete, challenge, and care. Whether through sport, the arts, academic extension, or service, these experiences add further layers to the day. They allow each student to discover new interests and to develop a broader sense of who they are. 

We will be offering families a choice when it comes to dining in our dining hall. Students can bring a packed lunch, but working with Tuck Shop, we will be providing hot meals too. The same company have catered several events for our founding team, and I am delighted that we will host our founding families for a tasting event on June 5th. This will offer a chance to experience another important aspect of daily life at the school and, just as importantly, to spend time together as a growing community. You can sign up for this event here.

A great school is not defined by occasional highlights, but by the quality of its everyday experience and our ambition is simple: to ensure that every student’s day is rich in experience, full of interaction, and carefully designed to support both achievement and wellbeing. 

Our team are making rapid progress with the phase two construction works. This week, the external works have been focused on replacing the windows and a new look for the exterior, while inside, our new reception is starting to take shape, including the parent café. 

Next week, Mr Neil Enright, Headmaster of QE Barnet will be visiting us, and would be delighted to meet Founding and prospective families for coffee on Tuesday morning at 9am. Do sign up!