Our nursery, a home from home

Due to very strong demand, we opened a new class in our nursery earlier this month. We were so pleased to do so; the youngest children stand to benefit as much as any from the smallest classes and attention from expert teachers that are the hallmarks of a QE education.

There is something uniquely exciting about a nursery: children taking their first steps into formal education, and often their first steps away from home. Every great school journey, however far it travels, begins with a single, small, brave first day.

What makes this moment special is not only that we have opened a new nursery class, but that we have done so within an all-through school. A child who joins us in the nursery can remain with Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City right through to the end of Year 13, and we believe that this continuity matters. The education becomes not a series of disconnected stages but one carefully designed journey: the values and sense of belonging that begin in the nursery are the very same ones that carry through the Prep School and into our Senior School, and the relationships built in those earliest years have the space to deepen over more than a decade, as the grow in a community that will know, challenge, support and celebrate them for years to come.

Our Early Years Foundation Stage is built around a simple but powerful idea: that young children learn best through play, exploration and discovery. Through storytelling, songs, sensory play and outdoor learning, our children develop across the seven areas of learning, from language and early mathematics to physical development and their understanding of the world. Play is not a break from learning; it is how the deepest learning happens. As children build, imagine and explore, they develop concentration, problem-solving, language and confidence, while our teachers plan purposeful experiences that stretch each child.

All of this is supported by an environment designed specifically for our youngest children: purpose-built classrooms, a dedicated activity space where children can move and explore, and a quiet sleeping room where our very youngest can rest during the day. Every detail has been thought through with their comfort, safety and curiosity in mind.

Language sits at the heart of the early years, which is why we are so proud of our Arabic immersion programme. Rather than treating Arabic as a subject to be studied, we weave it naturally through the nursery day, through songs, stories, play and everyday routines, so that children absorb the language as they live it. This English-based immersion model gives every child, whether or not Arabic is spoken at home, the chance to become a confident communicator in both languages and to develop an early love of language that lasts a lifetime.

None of this happens by chance. I am delighted that our Early Years are led by Rebecca Howells, our Founding Head of Pre-Prep. Rebecca brings a passion for high-quality early education and deep experience: five years leading an outstanding Early Years department in Dubai and, before that, a distinguished career across three outstanding schools in the UK, most recently as a Deputy Headteacher and SENCO.

Her approach is warm and child-centred, rooted in play-based provision that nurtures wellbeing while thoughtfully stretching and challenging every child at their own stage. She places curiosity, independence and emotional security at the heart of her practice, and is a firm believer in the power of the home-school partnership, welcoming the whole family into the journey and supporting them long after their child leaves the Early Years.

As Rebecca herself puts it: ’Together, we will build a happy and purposeful Pre-Prep grounded in strong relationships, playful experiences, and a genuine love of learning, ensuring every child feels secure, confident, and ready to thrive.’

Whether a child is two or fourteen, our promise is the same: that they will feel known, valued and part of something larger than themselves. In the nursery, that looks like a warm welcome each morning, a teacher who understands each child as an individual, and an environment where curiosity is encouraged and small achievements celebrated. These are the foundations of confidence and the foundation of everything that follows in a QE education.

Put another way: a new nursery class is not a small thing at all. It is where a great many long and remarkable journeys quietly begin.

A practical note for families: our nursery welcomes children from the age of two, and places are filling quickly. If you would like to visit, meet our Early Years team and see where your child’s journey could begin, please contact our admissions team to arrange a tour.

Until next time, 
Dan Clark