Opening in September 2016 in Al Barsha, the school will offer an enhanced American curriculum that combines rigorous academic preparation and innovative teaching methods. GEMS Nations Academy will provide students with an unparalleled American academic experience, preparing them to fully realize their potential and contribute meaningfully to the communities where they live. In the first year of operation, GEMS Nations Academy will offer places for students from Kindergarten through Grade 8, with natural expansion to higher grades over time.
Arabic language learning is a key area of focus and the school will offer engaging and modern teaching of Arabic to all students, tailoring the program to challenge those for whom Arabic is a first or second language. Computer programming language will be a focus in the school for all students, providing them with extensive experience in machine control languages, digital creation, and maker fabrication. Coding, robotics, projects and inquiry-based learning will enrich the program.
Dino Varkey, Group Executive Director and Board Member, GEMS Education, said, “With GEMS Nations Academy, we aim to provide that next generation educational environment for students, preparing them with 21st century skills for a dynamically evolving world.”
All teachers who will be teaching in this school would be required to submit a YouTube video about themselves to be considered.”
Tom Farquhar, currently Dean of American Curriculum Schools with GEMS Education, will lead the school as the Founding Head. Mr Farquhar has previously led some of the most prestigious K-12 schools in the United States, including Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC, where he helped draft a strategic map for the American curriculum of the future.
The new school will build on the internationally acclaimed success of GEMS schools to create a learning environment that blends innovative program designs and advanced teaching pedagogy based on Harvard Project Zero, a system developed at Harvard University School of Education dedicated to enhancing the development of learning and thinking skills.
The world-class academic leadership and teachers drawn from the top ranks of American educators will form a faculty of educational expertise previously unseen in the region. The enhanced American curriculum will include a balance of academic rigor and a broad range of extra-curricular experiences to develop intellectual, social, emotional, artistic, and physical competencies. GEMS Nations Academy will offer its students a personalized learning experience– the individual needs of each student will be identified and appropriate experiences will support both academic and social outcomes.
This commitment to developing the whole person and exploring the full potential of every child, is supported by facilities designed to maximize opportunities for deep inquiry and collaboration. The campus, when completed, will include a full provision for athletics and performing arts, with a 50-meter Olympic sized pool, 400-meter running track, large gymnasium, playing fields, theatres, and dedicated studios for music, arts, and design for all grade levels.
Students from GEMS American curriculum schools have been accepted into some of the best universities and colleges in the world including 7 of the 8 Ivy League schools in the United States as well as 12 of the top 15 in the world. They have also received recognition and won numerous awards at international, regional and national level in academics, sports and arts.