GEMS Westminster School Sharjah

GEMS Westminster School, Sharjah is located in Muweilah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The campus sits in the Muweilah district, a residential area with good road links to Maliha Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road. The school is part of the GEMS Education network.

The school follows the National Curriculum for England. It offers Key Stage 1 (KG1–G1), Key Stage 2 (Grades 2–5), Key Stage 3 and 4 (Grades 6–10), and Key Stage 5 (Grades 11–12). The curriculum supports IGCSE, AS and A Level examinations as part of its programme.

Co-educational day school.

The student body is cosmopolitan, with representation from many nationalities. Public sources indicate the school serves students from over 70 nationalities.

GEMS Westminster School Sharjah is inclusive and provides support for a range of learners, including students with SEN (Students of Determination), English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented students. It operates an SEN policy with an Inclusion approach and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) coordinated by a SENCO, with access to a school counselor for wellbeing.

Country affiliation: None stated; the school follows the National Curriculum for England (British Curriculum) and is part of GEMS Education.

Religious affiliation: None stated; the school follows a secular British/English National Curriculum framework.

The school day runs from 07:30 to 16:00, Sunday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday are weekends in this location.

The school outsources its transport to Bright Bus Transport (BBT), part of STS Group. The service uses a large, safe fleet with CCTV, ADAS cameras, GPS tracking, RFID, and motion sensors, monitored by a 24/7 Operations Control Centre. Registration is handled through the school via a dedicated Service Delivery Executive; contact the school at +971 6 5426323 (Ext 212) or the SDE at +971 552378382.

GEMS Westminster School Sharjah teaches in English and follows the National Curriculum for England, with enquiry-based learning, a broad co-curricular program, and a strong emphasis on wellbeing and inclusion. The curriculum is organised into Key Stage 1 (KG1–G1), Key Stage 2 (Grades 2–5), Key Stage 3 and 4 (Grades 6–10), and Key Stage 5 (Grades 11–12). IGCSE examinations are taken in Grade 11, with AS Level and A Level options available in Key Stage 5. Kindergarten (KG) follows the UK Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning outcomes, with KG1–G1 building core competencies in English and Arabic (KG2). In Key Stage 5, Arabic options (Special Arabic for Arabs and Regular Arabic for non-Arabs), Islamic Studies, and MOE Social Studies are offered for Arab and non-Arab speakers.

The school defines wellbeing as the holistic interplay of physical, mental, emotional and social health, and it promotes happiness, a sense of belonging, healthy lifestyle choices, positive relationships, and access to mental health support. SEL is supported through the Wellbeing program and access to a School Counselor, with counselors available via voluntary attendance or teacher referrals and confidentiality maintained. The counselor process includes referral, discussion, observation, counseling interviews, and progress reviews, with records kept in the student's portfolio. The Inclusion policy recognises Students of Determination, Gifted & Talented, and English Language Learners, and uses adjustments and tailored teaching strategies to support social and emotional as well as academic development. The SEN policy explicitly aims to promote mental and emotional health and a safe environment across the school.

The school is described as an inclusive school, delivering SEN support within a mainstream environment rather than as a specialist SEN institution. The WSS SEN Policy aims to promote strategies for being physically healthy, promoting mental and emotional health, staying safe, and providing a safe environment to enable all learners to achieve their potential. The SENCO oversees the day-to-day operation of the school's SEN policy, coordinates provision for students with SEN, and liaises with parents, support staff and other teachers. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is used to underpin SEN intervention, is SMART, and is developed with the student, the parents and any external agencies, then shared in a child-friendly format. A graduated response matches student need with interventions and progress is tracked through termly reviews, class screens, and formal records, with confidential handling of SEN documentation; the policy also covers Gifted & Talented (G&T) provision.

English Language Learners are recognised as a learner category within inclusion, with staff educating all students in a common learning environment and using adjustments and teaching strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners, including ELL. Parents are asked to share details of any EAL needs, IEPs and external specialist reports to inform assessment and resourcing. Movement up through the ELL steps/stages is tracked as part of the school's monitoring within the SEN framework. Public materials identify ELL as a category but do not describe a dedicated EAL program or staff.

Wellbeing at WSS is defined as the holistic health of students, including physical, mental, emotional and social dimensions, with a focus on happiness, belonging, healthy living and mental health support. The school provides mental wellbeing support through a School Counselor and wellbeing resources, including digital safety guidance and wellbeing-related materials for families. The Counselor's role includes voluntary or referral-based meetings, confidential records, and regular progress reviews, with documented Follow-up and SAR reports for parents. The SEN Policy also emphasizes mental and emotional health as core aims, ensuring a supportive environment for wellbeing. Public wellbeing resources and articles (eg, WSS Wellbeing materials) are available to support wellbeing education and activities.

The GEMS Safeguarding Policy POLCSG001V5 (POLCSG001V5) governs safeguarding and child protection across GEMS, effective August 1, 2025 through August 1, 2026. The policy aligns with UAE Wadeema's Law (Federal Law No. 3 of 2016) and UAE MOE safeguarding guidance, and outlines safeguarding roles and responsibilities, including a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and safeguarding team. It sets out safeguarding procedures, including logging concerns on the Guard safeguarding case management platform and prompt recording and reporting of concerns. The policy covers disclosures, allegations against adults, whistleblowing, complaints, and safer recruitment, with safeguarding implementation overseen by MOE inspections.

Screening / Assessment: The admission process includes academic and developmental assessments to determine placement; the placement is decided by the admission committee, and the outcome can be a seat offer, waitlist, or denial. Step 1: To begin the application process, submit your enquiry through the GEMS Online Student Enquiry and Registration page. Step 2: After completing the online application, you receive an Enquiry number; print a copy of the receipt or note the Enquiry Number, and an acknowledgement email with next steps will be sent. Step 3: After online registration is completed, a parent receives an invitation to visit or contact the school for the admission assessment. Step 4: If a seat is offered, it is subject to availability. The seat booking fee is 5% of the annual tuition and must be paid within 24 hours to reserve the seat; the parent must submit all required documents and Emirates ID. The 5% seat booking fee is non-refundable but deductible against the first term tuition. Required documents include immunization records, attested final report cards, attested transfer certificate, and copies of passports, visas and Emirates IDs for student and parents; for Year 11–13, additional documents such as prior two years' report cards and IGCSE/GCSE certificates may be required. New Admissions fee is 5% of annual tuition, non-refundable but deductible against the first term, and all fees are subject to SPEA approval and change.

Waitlist: The admission process may place applicants on a waitlist; outcomes after screening include a seat offer, waitlist, or denial.