GEMS Education has announced the opening of its newest school, GEMS Metropole School – Al Waha (MTW), set to welcome students from the start of the 2023-24 academic year in September 2023. MTW is the private education provider’s second Metropole-branded school and its first in the popular Al Waha area of Dubai.

The purpose-built school, occupying an area of 26,383 sqm, is designed to accommodate a total of 3,450 students, with 600 pupils in FS1 to Year 8 expected in its first year of operation. The school will eventually become a through school, serving students all the way up to Year 13, pending regulatory approvals.

Dino Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer, GEMS Education, said: “We are committed to providing the highest quality education to students in the UAE and beyond, and GEMS Metropole School – Al Waha is the newest member of our family of world-class schools. We are proud to be able to serve the Dubai community in this way, offering our young learners exceptional learning environments and delivering the best teaching standards via our passionate and highly qualified educators.

“Additionally, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jeremy Hallum as the school’s principal. Jeremy has been a member of the GEMS Education leadership team since 2018 when he joined GEMS Founders School – Al Mizhar. There, he has played a major role in the school’s success, and he is is therefore optimally placed to take MTW forward and ensure its students grow and flourish.”

Jeremy Hallum, Principal of GEMS Metropole School – Al Waha, said: “Our goal is to create a sustainable and inclusive community hub that nurtures tomorrow’s leaders. Our values are centred around curiosity, confidence, creativity, respect and kindness that serve as the foundation for everything we do. We are strongly committed to the overall development of our students, with the goal of helping them to succeed in all areas of their lives. We look forward to a productive and successful partnership with our parent community.”

The new campus, located adjacent to The Sustainable City and within easy reach of the Dubailand neighbourhood, offers state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities. These encompass:

• A forest school, farm and biodome

• A 25-metre swimming pool and separate learner pool

• Science, ICT, food technology and robotics labs

• Art, drama and music rooms

• An auditorium and dance studio

• Sports halls, cricket nets, a football pitch and a gym

• A dedicated BTEC department and sixth form area

• An Early Years indoor play area and multi-use games areas

MTW students will receive a well-rounded education based on the National Curriculum for England, designed to foster curiosity, confidence and creativity in future leaders. The school’s motto, ‘Nurturing Leadership’, underscores its mission to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where students can grow, succeed and realise their full potential.

In addition to a comprehensive academic curriculum, the school will offer a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports, performing arts, music and drama, to ensure students have every opportunity to develop their talents and interests.

The school will be divided into four stages, each focusing on a specific area of development. The Forest School (FS1-Year 2) will nurture curiosity through outdoor learning and exploration, the Values School (Years 3-6) will focus on building confidence, creativity and career success, the Active School (Years 7-9) will foster creativity through a variety of programmes, while the Future School (Years 10-13) will prioritise career success and opportunities.

Speaking about the school’s structure, Jeremy Hallum added: “Our Forest School, Junior School curriculum and enrichment programmes provide the strong foundations of curiosity and confidence. All children will learn to care for themselves, their community and the globe while also developing the personal discipline to master English, mathematics and science. In our Prep School and Futures School, built on the earlier educational foundations, students will have a wide variety of pathways to explore, to further develop creativity and the careers and opportunities to be successful and happy.”