Dunecrest American School

Dunecrest American School has a Wellbeing Policy that places student wellbeing at the center of its approach to learning. It implements a comprehensive counseling program offering individual and group counseling for students, staff, and parents, and provides professional development opportunities for staff on mental health and wellbeing. Social-emotional learning is promoted through established programs and workshops, and a peer support system helps students seek help from peers. Wellbeing is integrated into daily routines and timetables, including advisory/moral education and the Second Step Program alongside UAE Moral Education. Data on wellbeing are regularly collected and reviewed using the Komodo platform, student surveys with a wellbeing component, and targeted interventions based on results. The school also runs wellbeing awareness events and collaborates with mental health professionals outside the school to support students.

Dunecrest's Inclusion Program emphasizes inclusive mainstream education, with a philosophy that all students are valued and able to learn in integrated settings. The program uses data to plan and influence learning outcomes, with a focus on narrowing attainment gaps and providing support across the curriculum through collaboration with specialists. Categories of need recognised in practice include communication/interaction (e.g., Autistic spectrum conditions such as Autistic and Asperger's), and specific learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia), among others; Additional Language Needs (ALN) are not included within Inclusion. There is an Inclusion Capacity limit of roughly 10% of each grade's cohort, determined by the number of qualified learning support teachers and available hours. The school is not a specialist SEN institution; Inclusion services are delivered within mainstream settings, with planning led by the Student Support Team and coordinated with the IB program when applicable.

Dunecrest provides an English Language Learners (ELL) program designed to support non-native English speakers as they acquire and refine the language skills necessary for academic success. The school describes its language policy as promoting inclusive education and multilingualism, with language diversity viewed as an instructional resource. ELL support is integrated to help students access the curriculum and participate fully in classes from Pre-KG through Grade 12. The program is positioned within the broader language and inclusion framework to facilitate continued language development alongside subject learning. The school explicitly states it admits students with varying language backgrounds and treats language diversity as a strength of the community.

Mental wellbeing at Dunecrest is guided by the Wellbeing Policy, which outlines a focus on mental and emotional health through multiple channels. A comprehensive counseling program provides individualized support, and staff professional development enhances understanding of mental health and wellbeing. Social-emotional learning is reinforced through planned programs and workshops, alongside a peer support system to encourage help-seeking. Wellbeing initiatives include classroom-level supports via advisory sessions and the UAE Moral Education curriculum, as well as school-wide awareness events and wellness activities. The school uses data (including Komodo wellbeing data, PASS results, and wellbeing surveys) to identify needs and guide interventions, with involvement from school counselors and a wellbeing committee. External mental health professionals are engaged as needed to support the school community.

Dunecrest maintains a Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy to ensure a child-safe environment for all students. Safeguarding aligns with UAE Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 (Wadeema's Law) and is designed to prevent abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harassment. The policy outlines protective aims to safeguard at-risk children and provide appropriate support to those involved in safeguarding situations. It establishes procedures for reporting concerns and responding to safeguarding issues in a timely and appropriate manner. The policy is part of the school's formal commitments to safeguarding across staff and students.