Arabic and Islamic Studies

The school’s management promotes Arabic through the following measures:

1. prioritising Arabic teaching and learning in the curriculum goals and in heightened professional development
2. adoption of challenging expectations for student progress in Arabic
3. ensuring the culture, language and values of the UAE are continuously built into curriculum modules, such as history and English, as starting points and reference points for learning
4. appointment of talented and progressive teachers of Arabic, willing to engage in their own professional development and in collaboration across the curriculum
5. introduction of Arabic in FS1
6. promotion of special support for Emirati students
7. regularly reviewing the quality in Arabic and Islamic Studies
8. setting an example on the part of senior staff by daily reference to the environment of Dubai and its cultural context, including use of the Arabic language
9. promotion of the local culture through assembly, events, visits and school communications
10. recruiting senior staff where possible with Dubai or GCC experience
11. championing best practices and supporting KHDA ‘what works?’ events

Arabic – Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1

Students arrive at the school with very different Arabic language skills and we plan to accommodate the full range of prior knowledge and understanding. Arabic is taught in Foundation Stage (FS) classrooms, partly by ensuring everyday use of the language in presentations, conversations and display. Young children are introduced to letters and simple words, first through speaking and listening and then in writing and reading. They are encouraged to build very simple sentences and to communicate and role-play in simple situations, such as in school, family, shop and travel settings, and for meetings and greetings.




Arabic – Key Stage 2

Our main aim by Year 7 is to ensure students can read and write in the Arabic language (beginner level). The prime goal is for all students to practise speaking and listening in Arabic throughout their primary school experience and to reach at least level A2 on the CEFR. Many students progress towards level B1, which includes (a) understanding main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in school, leisure etc.,(b) dealing with most situations while travelling where the language is spoken, (c) producing connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest, (d) describe experiences, events, dreams, hopes and ambitions, and (e) give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.




By the end of their primary school years, all students should also meet the key A2 requirements, which are to:

1. Learn the alphabet
2. Become proficient in joining letters into words and breaking up words into individual letters
3. Develop and improve a broad vocabulary
4. Study topics such as numbers, days of the week, months, colours, animals, ordering at restaurants, describing people and places, and learning about road directions, instructions and occupations
5. Communicate in simple sentences and on simple tasks
6. Communicate – in simple terms – aspects of their background, environment and needs

Arabic – Key Stage 3

By the end of Year 7, students are able to write a short essay in Arabic that includes personal information such as name, nationality, age, parents’ names, school, the food and drink they like, pets and information about where they live.
In Years 8 and 9, the students’ understanding of grammar is developed to include possessives and the conjugation of the present tense. Vocabulary is strengthened so that students learn greetings at different times of the day and can identify parts of the face, school items, rooms in the house and aspects of a daily routine. By the end of Year 9, they should be able to:



1. Ask and respond to various questions about countries and capitals
2. Fill in an immigration form
3. Tell the time
4. Discuss the hobbies and activities that they do in their leisure time
5. Communicate as if a traveller to an Arabic speaking country



They are introduced to restaurants and food items and learn how to express their opinions about likes and dislikes. In Year 9, students are taught the past tense and they learn how to communicate in various situations when travelling in the Middle East. Arabic culture is part of the curriculum in each Key Stage, with children and students encountering resources, visitors and experiences that give insight into home life and leisure, local history, trade and employment, Arabic literature (Adab), art and music. In literature, the students encounter a broad range of writers and works