Abu Dhabi Grammar School

Infobox School
name = Abu Dhabi Grammar School
native_name = أبـــوظبـــي جــرامــر سكـــول


imagesize =
caption =
streetaddress = P.O. Box 27161
city = Abu Dhabi
country = UAE
coordinates =
schoolnumber = 02-6444703
principal = Fatima H. Assad
staff = Rania Tayfour, Sibel
faculty =
teaching_staff =
avg_class_size = 27 students
ratio = equal
schooltype = English
fundingtype =
type =
system = Canadian [Nova Scotia]
grades = PK-12
language = English , Arabic and French
campus =
campus size = 500m2
campus type =
slogan = Canadian Maple Leaf with AGS written inside
motto = Together We Make The Difference
accreditation = Nova Scotia Department of Education
mascot = None
school_colours = Red and White
established = 1994
enrollment =
footnotes =
picture =
homepage = [http://www.agsgrmmr.sch.ae/ Abu Dhabi Grammar School]

Abu Dhabi Grammar School (AGS) is a grammar school in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates located in Nadi Al Siyahi Road close to Abu Dhabi Mall , it is one of the most popular schools in A.D . We, at Abu Dhabi Grammar School (Canada) (AGS), believe strongly that:

* Teaching is based on the students’ cognitive abilities,
* Teaching is the art of conveying information, and
* Teaching is a message of honour.

and based on this belief, we have devoted ourselves to promote teaching and education, and consequently, teaching has become our profession and industry.

Although this prospectus may not provide you with sufficient information, or in other words, may not answer all of the questions you might be having, we extend our invitation to all of you to visit our School and to have an open discussion regarding education in general and teaching at AGS in particular.

Teaching, as we understand it, does not mean, by any means, covering with the students the pages of the textbooks from cover to cover during a certain academic year; and then by the end of the year providing the students with a few questions and answers to memorize, regardless of the quantity and quality of information they have received.

Teaching at AGS aims at developing the analytical capabilities and study skills of the students through an enriched curriculum designed basically to challenge them to broaden their knowledge beyond their basic needs and to instill in them the scholarly curiosity which will encourage them to study subjects in depth.

This is AGS and the way it functions and how it differs from all other educational and teaching institutions ... and,

Together ....We Make the Difference!

Although the AGS has existed to help children become literate, well-rounded citizens, capable of using all their talents, the School still have a few other objectives to achieve in the long run:

* Participating in promoting the process of Education and Teaching in the country by instilling the Curriculum of Nova Scotia, Canada which is one of the leading curricula in the world educational systems.

* Encouraging and motivating the students to develop a marked degree of intellectual self-discipline and self-confidence. * Emphasis on the value of learning, the need to understand, to think, to be imaginative and creative. Effective communication, oral and written, is stressed at all times. * Limitation on class sizes (range 20 - 25 ): much consideration and personal attention to the academic and general growth of each student * Regular and timely communication with parents through report cards, effort reports, parent-teacher interviews, news bulletins, open house and informal contacts. * Teaching and training the students to be decision makers especially when selecting their own courses at the Senior High School level Secondary School Education. * Preparation of students to meet the demands of University Entrance Requirements. Students who accumulate successfully a minimum of (18 credits) during their Senior High School Education (without any mark below 60% in any subject in Grades: 10 and 11 and below 65% in Grade: 12) will be awarded the official High School Graduation Diploma of Nova Scotia, by the Department of Education for the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Having had the powerful will and the promising wish which were embodied in their common thoughts of and their beliefs in education and teaching, the founders of the AGS had preliminary established the School in Mid 1994,against License No. 45371 issued by the Municipality of Abu Dhabi on 20th July, 1994, followed by a membership of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry against Registration No. 45076 issued by the Chamber on 17th September, 1994. The School was finally licensed by the Ministry of Education on 1st October, 1994 against No. 400.

As the School was still attempting to find an appropriate place within a very short time limit, before the academic year: 1994 / 1995 began in September, 1994, the School had to start functioning from a very small building outside the city just to lay its cornerstone, and thus enrolment of the School stood at 40 students.

By the beginning of the second academic year: 1995 / 1996, the School moved towards the city and started functioning on 23rd August, 1995 from a considerably reasonable building; by the end of the year enrolment stood at 260 students. Due to the limited space available at the old building of the School, enrolment remained ranging between 250-270 students during the following four academic years.

By the beginning of the academic year: 1996 / 1997, the AGS introduced the program of Grade: 12, whereby students who accumulate successfully a minimum of 18 Credits starting from Grade: 10 (with not More than 7 Credits at Grade: 10 level) up to Grade: 12 (with not Less than 5 Credits at Grade: 12 level) are awarded the High School Graduation Diploma of Nova Scotia. H.E Minister of Education in the United Arab Emirates issued on 10th June, 1998 the (Ministerial Decree No. 1603/2 – 1998) confirming that this Diploma is equivalent to the Official General Secondary Certificate of the U.A.E.

By the beginning of 1999 / 2000 academic year and due to the increasing number of Applications for Admission, we had no chance but to limit our enrolment at 325 students, but as the third millennium approached and despite the fact that the Second Term had started, the number of enrolment stood at 360 students, and consequently the school had to move to a more spacious campus (where it is now) much earlier than the scheduled date to meet this increasing demand.

The enrolment stood by the end of 2005 / 2006 at 523 students, while by the end of the first semester of 2006 / 2007, enrolment stood at 593 students of almost 40 different nationalities .

This continued increasing demand of the Canadian Education has now encouraged us to search for a much more spacious campus inside the town of Abu Dhabi.

The AGS offers an enriched and challenging integrated program for students in Pre-School to Grade: 12. At the Senior High School Level (Grades: 10, 11 and 12),we, at the AGS do not spare any effort to study and explore areas where we can develop and design new schedules that would meet the students’ needs, interests and abilities and allow them to complete: 20, 21, or even more than 22 credits. Generally, the AGS functions to help children become literate, well-rounded citizens capable of using all their talents.

Just before the AGS has completed its third year, 9 of its students graduated in 1997 with the High School Graduation Diploma of Nova Scotia. By end of the academic year 2005 / 2006, the total number of students who graduated with this diploma stood at 189 students. There are now 37 more students standing on the graduation line next June, 2007. This will bring the total number of students who have already graduated with the High School Graduation Diploma to 226 students.

Each year, the Queen Elizabeth II medal is awarded to a grade 12 student who has fulfilled the requirements for a Nova Scotia High School Graduation Diploma, having demonstrated superior academic achievement in grades 10, 11 and 12 and maintained an outstanding record in school and community involvement.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Medal is awarded to one female student and one male student in grade 11 who have demonstrated qualities of leadership and service in the school and community, and commendable performance in the courses in which they are enrolled.

The Governor General’s Academic Medal is awarded to a grade 12 student who achieves the highest average upon graduation. This average must include all grades 11 and 12 courses studied at the AGS as listed on Nova Scotia Public School Programs.

This academic performance and quality of education embodied in our enriched integrated program, no doubt, characterizes ABU DHABI GRAMMAR SCHOOL (CANADA) (AGS), as:

“The Tradition of Excellence!!”

The AGS functions as an educational community comprising students, staff and parents. Students are expected to work to standards which will challenge their full potential. We hope that attitudes fostered in the school will be supported at home. Our teachers are prepared to give additional individual attention to those students who are serious and prepared to work.

The AGS is organized into four parts. These are:

1. The Pre-School,

2. The Elementary,

3. The Junior High School (Intermediate), and

4. The Senior High School (Secondary).

Each of the Pre-School as well as the Elementary classes (up to Grade: 06) are taught English Language and Social Studies, Mathematics and Science, Arabic Language and Islamic Studies by qualified specialized teachers. However, Art, Physical Education, French Language and Computer Related Studies are taught by Specialist. Starting in Grade: 03, the latter two subjects become Compulsory subjects until grade: 10, when both of them become Elective subjects.

The Junior and Senior High School classes (Intermediate and Secondary) are taught by Subject Specialists. Each class will have a homeroom teacher who will, in addition to teaching a specific subject, be responsible for the academic personal growth of the individual students in the class.

At the Senior High School (Secondary level), Grades: 10, 11 and 12, students will start to study some Core subjects and select some other of their own courses. Both of English Language and Mathematics are core subjects; and each student has to select two of the Science subjects (Physics, Biology, or Chemistry) as these are pre-requisites for graduation with the High School Graduation Diploma of Nova Scotia. The Senior High School students at the AGS receive their lectures through an internal network. They are required to use their own laptops.

The AGS is equipped with a library, a swimming pool, gymnasium stadium, an arts studio and a music room to meet the demands of the students in Grade: 1 to Grade: 12 to develop their talents in addition to two Bio-Chemistry and Physics Laboratories and two Computer Rooms connected to the Internet network.

Parents are encouraged to contact the homeroom teachers through the Principal or either one of the Vice-Principals during the teaching hours of the School ( i.e: 08:00 hrs - 15:00 hrs from Sunday to Thursday) for reports on the progress of their children or to discuss any problems pertaining to them.

This section of the AGS prospectus consists of four documents:

1. The Pre-School Program,

2. The Elementary School Curriculum Guide,

3. The Junior High School (Intermediate) Curriculum Guide,

4. The Senior High School (Secondary) Curriculum Guide.

The Pre-School Program is a full-day Pre-School (Sunday to Thursday).

The Elementary School consists of Grades: 1 - 6. Each class will accommodate up to a maximum of 20 students. If the number of students of a certain class exceeded the maximum, the students of that class would be split into two sections. At this level, students are taught: English Language and Social Studies, Mathematics and Science, Arabic Language and Islamic Studies by Specialized Teachers; however, Art, Physical Education, French Language and Computer Related Studies are taught by Specialists The latter two become core subjects for Grades: 3 and above.

The Junior High School (Intermediate School) consists of Grades: 7, 8 and 9.At this level students are taught Arabic, English and French Languages, Islamic Studies, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Computer Related Studies, Art and Physical Education by Subject Specialists.

The Senior High School (Secondary School) consists of Grades: 10, 11 and 12. At this level, the students will have to accumulate successfully a minimum of (18 Credits). The AGS encourages the students to accumulate more credits; and aim at courses that meet their interests, needs and abilities. In addition to the Core subjects, the students may select some Elective subjects. Each student must accumulate successfully a minimum of (6 Credits) each year.

The AGS retains the right to delete any elective class if the number of students registered in that class does not exceed (10 students).

The Teaching Staff of the AGS are all highly qualified teachers. They have a wide diversity of backgrounds and experience. They are all very much devoted to fostering excellence in education. Core subject teachers of the High School classes are all certified and accredited by the Department of Education for the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Only present students (Grades : 03 - 11) of the AGS who are registered for the next academic year and obtain at the end of the current academic year an overall average above 90% will be granted a special cash reward according to the following table:

90% - 95% in AED 500.00 Dhs

96% - 97% 750.00 Dhs

98% and Above 1000.00 Dhs

External links

* [http://www.agsgrmmr.sch.ae/ Abu Dhabi Grammar School]
* [http://yp.theemiratesnetwork.com/browse/schools/united_arab_emirates-az-abu_dhabi/-/all/ Schools in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - TEN Yellow Pages]