FirstPoint School – Dubai

• Location: Dubai, UAE
• Year of foundation: 2014
• Number of students: more than 1500
• Language of instruction: English
• Type: mixed.

FirstPoint School – Dubai is a non-public day school that offers programs based on the national educational system of England. The institution stands out as an institution that focuses on the individual development of each of its students.

About 1500 students from 3 to 18 years old study here. Among the students there are many foreigners - representatives of about 93 nationalities. Training takes place in small classes, where the ratio of teachers to students is 1:13.

The school annually proves the effectiveness and success of its highly qualified teachers, their approach to learning and various programs with the results of graduates: 75% of students receive A * -B grades on A-Level, about 50% deserve A * -A points on GCSE.

There are quite a lot of children with diagnosed learning difficulties in the institution, but this is not an obstacle to their success - teachers create a professional support group as a guarantee of maximum attention and a careful approach to the characteristics of each student.

The school works in the daytime mode, so it does not provide a place to stay.

There are several canteens and cafes on campus where students can purchase hot meals, snacks, salads and drinks.

During the academic year, students have the opportunity to engage in one of the 12 sports that are taught by highly qualified coaches. More than a third of students choose physical education as one of the subjects of the final class, which is a testament to excellent teaching and visible success.

Students can try themselves in the following activities:

• Athletics
• Aquaton,
• Basketball
• Cricket
• Cross-country,
• Soccer
• Netball
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Rugby
• Mountaineering
• Yoga.

Every year, more than 700 matches are held for athletes, in which 88 teams participate.

Also on campus there are many thematic circles, where each student will be able to find like-minded people and develop in his favorite business. Some of them are:

• Art, design,
• Philosophy
• Chess
• Calligraphy
• Cookery
• Programming
• Animation
• Chorus
• Musical technologies, playing musical instruments,
• Horticulture
• Enterprise.

The Faculty of Performing Arts is open to those students who want to try themselves in the performing arts: acting, dancing, choral singing or music. For future artists, there are a lot of opportunities to show their skills: for example, a global art exhibition with images, photographs, needlework or graphic design objects is held annually on campus.

Extracurricular activities contribute to the development of horizons and self-knowledge, so during the year students will be able to participate in theatrical performances, sports matches, excursions and expeditions. Day trips are available to students from the fourth grade and involve exploring nearby attractions and natural beauties. Longer journeys are carried out by the visiting teams Eco Venture and North Star, offering to take part in rock climbing, mountain biking, canoeing, acquaintance with the wildlife of the UAE. High school students travel for several days, going, for example, to Kenya or Cambodia, Tokyo, Italy or other countries.

• Accreditation of all COBIC (Council of British International Schools) programmes.
• Member of the Network of British Schools in the Middle East (BSME), association of British schools abroad (AoBSO).
• The quality of education is marked by the PSQM Mark.
• It has a rating of "Good" and "Outstanding" from the main Inspections of British schools abroad.
• Proven high level of knowledge of students in mathematics.
• 13% of the total number of students are especially capable and talented.

The FirstPoint campus is located in The Villa Community in Dubai. The territory of the school is closed by a fence, so it is completely safe for walking, playing and relaxing children of all ages. Near the buildings there is also a parking lot for bicycles, scooters and several cars.

The Villa Community is a prestigious village located near the Al Ain Road. It has several pharmacies, supermarkets, cafes and public areas. The area is landscaped for young residents: there are bicycle paths, playgrounds, a skatepark, play areas for basketball, volleyball and tennis.

For training on campus prepared:

• Specialized laboratories: biology, chemistry, electronics, robotics, etc.,
• Theatre studios,
• Assembly hall for 500 seats,
• Cabinets of music, food technology,
• Computer labs,
• Recording studio, design and graphics classes,
• Libraries with literature for junior, middle and high schools,
• Immersive room with 4D installations,
• Center for learning English as a foreign language,
• Workshops for woodworking, metalworking.

Sports classes take place at many venues:

• 25-meter swimming pool,
• Multi-purpose sports hall,
• Climbing walls,
• Cricket nets,
• Outdoor stadium,
• Tennis courts,
• Netball courts.

Dates of the academic year:

• Autumn term: August-December,
• Holidays: October 17-21, December 10-January 1,
• Spring trimester: January-March,
• Holidays: February 13-17, March 25-April 9,
• Summer trimester: April-July,
• Vacation: July 8-August 28.

Additional costs:

• Nutrition
• School uniform,
• Books, consumables,
• Non-refundable fee upon admission – 143$,
• Registration fee – 10% of the total cost of the academic year,
• Activities and trips not included in the program.

Step-by-step entry to FirstPoint:

• Filling out an online application,
• Registration fee = 143$,
• Uploading copies of required documents,
• Passing an interview or exam. Tests can take place both individually and in groups - the process depends on the age of the student. Children of the youngest age are tested in the format of a game that will show the level of motor, mathematical knowledge, the differences in colors and shapes,
• Confirmation of enrollment from the admissions committee.

About 50% of FirstPoint students enter the best universities in the UK: Oxford, Trinity College, King's College London, Birmingham and others. The rest of the graduates choose one of the universities in the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Canada.

For admission, all foreign applicants must provide:

• Personal documents of the child and one of the parents,
• Emirates ID cards,
• Medical documents: vaccination certificate, insurance,
• Evaluation report card for the last two academic years,
• Certificate of transfer from another school.

The institution provides discounts for children from the same family:

• 10% – third child,
• 25% – fourth child,
• 50% is the fifth child.

Students also have the opportunity to participate in the International Prize of the Duke of Edinburgh. Pupils engage in community service, sports or the development of personal skills, then are awarded one of three types of prizes: gold, silver or bronze.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision