Last week marked an important milestone in our project, when I visited our site with the Heads of Senior and Prep Schools. We took delivery of the first two classrooms, on time, and we are delighted with what we have seen. We are deeply grateful to the projects team who, working strictly in line with the best safety advice and government guidance, have kept the project on track in recent weeks. It is a great joy to see the ideas move from the architect’s drawings to reality. We were delighted with the quality of the finish, especially the fact that every classroom on the ground floor has direct access to a dedicated outdoor space for that class, and I’m so excited to see the creative use our teachers will make of this.
Standing in those classrooms, you begin to visualise what it will be in just a few short months – a vibrant and exciting learning environment. No matter how impressive those spaces are, my experience in some of the UK’s best schools has shown me that outstanding facilities can only have their fullest impact when serving classes in which students feel truly known. When a teacher notices their effort, stretches them appropriately and takes an interest in their progress, students’ progress is maximised. My view is that this can only be achieved in classrooms, and schools, built on a human scale.
That is why, from the outset of this project, we decided to keep classes deliberately small, with 12 in our nursery, 14-16 in FS, and 20 in the Prep and Senior Schools. That choice is not about optics, but rather about ensuring that learning works for every child. The culture at QE Dubai Sports City, like that of QE Barnet, will be founded on academic ambition and inclusion, and small class sizes are a key part of realising that vision. In a smaller class, our teachers will get to know every student well; how they think, where they can be extended or supported, and what motivates them to learn. We’re also committing to a Teaching Assistant in every class in the Prep School, so that every student is visible and no child slips through unnoticed.
These ratios also give the teaching team the chance to build the relationships that we know will accelerate students’ academic and personal growth. A sense of belonging and of being understood as a learner, are the foundations upon which Elizabethans will develop the confidence, ability and responsibility that are the hallmarks of a QE education.
Elsewhere, three big announcements in the past week have really brought our commitment to sport to the fore. David Pendleton-Nash has been appointed as our Founding Director of Sport. David joins us from an outstanding school in Dubai and has had a career spanning professional sport and teaching, with a particular passion for sport pedagogy for prep-age children. Connected to that, we also announced our close-knit partnership with ISD for the provision of outstanding facilities for our students across the sporting spectrum. Following on from my theme of people first, we were also delighted to announce our partnership with Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program, whose talented coaches will support our football programme, ensuring that Elizabethans have not only the equipment, but the expertise needed to flourish.
In the meantime, we are conscious that this will have been an uncertain time for many, especially those with young children. We are very keen to support our founding families, and those at an earlier stage in their admissions journey, in whatever way we can. For any enquiries, please do reach out to Louise Newman in admissions at admissions@qedubaisportscity.com or on +971 58 832 5609. She will be pleased to support you.