Aldar Academies: Empowering the next generation

Over the course of 15 years, the UAE-based education provider continue to deliver the highest standards of education whilst inspiring a love for learning among its students

The UAE has emerged as one of the best education destinations in the world. While there are top-notch institutes in the Emirates, there is no substitute for a good education. A good education can only come from an experienced educationist. Aldar Academies scores brownie points when it comes to this. Providing good education has been at the heart of Aldar Academies’ rapid rise as one of the leading providers of private education in the UAE. From the opening of the first school, The Pearl Academy in 2007, the institution has developed a name built on educational excellence through a network of seven academies and one nursery.

Aldar Academies continues to work towards its promise of ‘delivering the highest standards of education and inspiring a love of learning’, with plans to grow its current schools and build new ones, which will expand its student capacity to over 14,000 in the coming years. Aldar Academies take pride in its inclusive policy, ensuring that all students received endless and unparalleled opportunities to grow, succeed and achieve. The institute works hand-in-hand with families to ensure that the placement of every student has their best educational, social and emotional interests at heart.

To date, Aldar Academies have invested more than Dh450 million in Abu Dhabi’s education sector as part of its commitment to the UAE’s 2030 vision. The institution sees this as a long-term investment and is committed to continuing to invest in this sector as it expands.

Over the course of its journey, Aldar Academies have grown into seven academies and one nursery, that provide leading education in three curricula including English national curriculum, International Baccalaureate (IB) and American Massachusetts state curriculum. The institutions currently have more than 8,000 students studying between the ages of two to eighteen. All students get the opportunity to participate in activities that complement their day-to-day academia, be it recreational sports, enhancing their mother tongue or picking up a new language or even trying out new activities such as Lego robotics or Model United Nations.

Aldar Academies’ outstanding educational results including in GCSE, A levels and IB DP are a testament to the high standards that the institute abides by. The school works closely with families and specialists to ensure that the placement of every student has its best educational, social and emotional interests at heart. Abiding by the values of excellence, creativity, passion, respect and collaboration, the educational institutes comprising Aldar Academies strive to inculcate its students with the highest ideals required of responsible citizens and future leaders. Students with exceptional abilities are encouraged to further enhance their skills and shine by undertaking prestigious, tailor-made learning programmes and activities.

The flexible, multi-purpose learning spaces within all academies blend traditional classroom learning with ‘Makers’ Spaces’ to give students real-life experiences and build cognitive competencies that lead to academic and lifetime success. These facilities support all students, from FS2 to Year 13, to access the very latest technology and independence to discover their individual unique skills, nurturing pupils to become leaders, sustainability ambassadors and communicators.

Al Muna Academy is a vibrant, busy school where children are encouraged to be independent thinkers and are highly valued, well-cared for and encouraged to reach their potential. It is an outstanding and intimate primary school that has a primary STEAM hub, and has been lauded as an ‘Apple Distinguished School’. Home to the youngest coder programme, Al Muna is known for the excellence of its coding curriculum and has received consecutive ratings of ‘Outstanding’ by Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). The inspection report highlighted not only the excellent academic attainment of the students but praised the sense of school community and innovation amongst the students. Aldar places a very high emphasis on the school ensuring that children can reach high standards and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

The Pearl Academy is a high-performance learning school with an integrated enriched enquiry curriculum, located in the heart of the Abu Dhabi city. Known for its excellence in language learning, especially in Arabic, The Pearl — An ‘Apple Distinguished School’ — was proud to be rated ‘Outstanding’ in all six performance standards in their latest ADEK inspection. The Pearl is also rated ‘Outstanding’ by British Schools Overseas (BSO). The school focuses on creative learning opportunities, teaching children through the identified cognitive domains and values needed for lifelong success.

A family-oriented and a technologically forward school, Al Bateen Academy welcomes students from all cultures and religions. The curriculum at Al Bateen is based on an adapted English National Curriculum and progresses through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) in Primary School, through I/GCSE in Middle School, and culminates with the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB DP) programme in Senior School. Through its impressive PYP Early Years programme, the academy aims to provide learning opportunities that challenge every child, allowing them to learn in a safe and caring environment. The highly qualified staff endeavours to utilise the best pedagogical practices to provide students with a wide variety of opportunities for success both inside and outside the classroom and inculcates a love for creative arts through its Design and Technology Hub. Al Bateen Academy was rated as ‘Very Good’ as evaluated by ADEK in the most recent round of school inspections (December 2019). Bateen’s exam result at IB DP far exceeded the global average point score achieved by students.

In line with its vision, Al Mamoura Academy, a faculty based middle school, strives to give every student a high-quality education and learning experience. The school, boasting of Dual Curriculum Pathways, aims to encourage international mindedness; strong interpersonal skills; confidence and cooperation; leadership and social responsibility; innovation and creativity. Al Mamoura Academy strongly believes that learning environment is vital to inspire young minds, develop creative thoughts and engage students to truly immerse them in their learning. Al Mamoura Academy provides a dynamic learning environment with a girls only secondary school from year 7 onwards offering a dual curriculum through American or British pathways. The boys are guaranteed a spot at Al Bateen Academy when graduating form primary school. In addition to this, Al Mamoura is a green flag school noted for sustainability and promotes industry-based learning. In the BSO inspection report 2020, Al Mamoura Academy was noted to have many outstanding features including its first cohort of IGCSE exams in summer 2019, with a total pass rate of 97 per cent, with 75 per cent of students achieving five 9-5/A*-B Grades. Among those completing their IGCSE studies, 33 per cent of students achieved 9-7 grades (A*/A), while 52 per cent of students achieved 9-6 grades (A*/B). The academy has a state-of-the-art Gaming Design Hub which allows students to learn by doing and gives rise to free-flow thinking, a sign of a healthy and creative mind.

West Yas Academy, located on Yas Island, follows the prestigious American Massachusetts State curriculum, enabling students to make phenomenal progress through inquiry-based learning and project-based classrooms. Through the perfect balance between holistic wellness and sporting excellence, the academy is fully developed to match the needs and interests of the students now and in the future. The school specialises in creative technologies such as engineering computing, robotics, electronics, STEAM and art. West Yas Academy also boasts sporting opportunities with a state-of-the-art sporting facility for all students. The Class of 2022 have secured places in some of the very best US universities such as Drexel University, Howard University, Spelman College and Virginia Tech. West Yas also boasts of having the flagship US school curriculum, along with encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship to its students. Students have the opportunity to participate in both recreational and competitive sports such as soccer, basketball, swimming, and track and field.

Al Yasmina Academy, a private international school is an exciting, diverse and progressive learning community that annually produces some of the very best I/GCSE and A Level results in the UAE. Al Yasmina Academy is entirely focused on the development of confident, independent and flexible learners, who are fully prepared for advanced study and work within the ever-changing demands of the third millennium. Believing in academic excellence beyond the ordinary, Al Yasmina academy is renowned for its focus on the arts and unlocking the imagination of its students through arts specialisation. The academy believes in nurturing an active life philosophy and developing global citizens and future leaders. Al Yasmina Academy is very proud of its achievements to date and is looking forward to become a leading Academy of excellence within the region. The academy was rated ‘Outstanding’ by ADEK in all six performance standards in 2019. Al Yasmina Academy is also rated as ‘Outstanding’ by BSO.

Al Ain Academy is a vibrant learning community following the English National Curriculum that provides top-quality education from nursery to year 13 through its Dual Curriculum Pathways approach. The school provides all students access to cutting-edge technology along with being a centre for digital excellence. A forward-thinking school, the academy aims to not just help students grow academically but also prepare them to be active, confident and caring members of the society with its cultural and community hub atmosphere. The school prides itself in nurturing a truly international community, where students can succeed in all areas of school life whilst maintaining principles and values, such as mutual respect and responsibility. The internationally recognised curriculum enables students to achieve some of the very best results at GCSE and A Levels. The academy takes prides in its sports facilities which produces well-rounded individuals.

Al Forsan Nursery offers a pre-nursery and nursery provision to students from 1 and half years old until four years old. The nursery aims to provide children with a warm and happy environment, delivering optimum conditions for natural development; emotionally, socially, and academically. Graduates from Nursery in Al Forsan Nursery will be granted with priority placement of their choice in one of Aldar Academy for FS2.