Parent's Review of Dubai American Academy in Dubai, UAE

What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)

Dubai American Academy

In what town or city is this school located?

Dubai

How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)

American International

What grade levels are represented at this school?

KG1 - Secondary

How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)

either school bus, taxi or parent drop of.

How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?

We have been at the school for 3 years now and have watched it grow. They have an amphitheatre, gymnasium, cafeteria, swimming pool, after school activities from soccer, dance and movement, cooking to name just a few

What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?

My two children ajusted very well. As they already speak english there was no language barrier. European children are offered english lessons, from what I have seen, these have been very effect and the children are talking english within weeks.

How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?

The school encourages the parents to participate in everything from staying and watching the morning assemblies to sometimes sitting in on a class and helping out. I did do this myself once and understood more of what my child was learning so it helped me put things into prospective. DAPA is the parents association and they work hard to produce Halloween nights, BBQ's on the beach etc.

What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?

Just to do it. I had some bad experiences from the British schools here when I first arrived. They were not helpful, I just got told about the lenght of the waiting list, there was no help from them to even direct me to another school. We stumbled on to DAA by way of word of mouth. From the moment we walked into the school we were made to feel welcome, shown around the school and even shown the class rooms that our children would be in if we decided to send them there. We went away to discuss our options of which there weren't many and felt very comfortable with sending them there. At the start of the school year 2003, I think there was something like 61 different nationalities enrolled at the school. The school has the capacity for around 1200 students. They are trying to keep the class to 20 students, sometimes this does over run, but not for long. My childrend have never looked back. I think its says a lot when you pick your child up from school and they have a smile on there face, it might be a tired smile but its there. There maybe little things that may rub you the wrong way - but thats just it- they are little things. The kids seem to be very happy going there everyday. So I am happy.

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