Kent College Dubai

Kent College Dubai maintains a formal wellbeing and pastoral framework that underpins social and emotional learning (SEL). The Wellbeing team includes two School Counsellors (Emily Partridge and Georgia Charitaki) who provide emotional and social wellbeing support, with a defined referral process and a counselling pathway that is not always linear. A Parent Wellbeing Committee collaborates with the counselling team to promote mental, emotional and physical wellbeing and to organise wellbeing events for the school community. The school integrates wellbeing into its tutor system, with Heads of Year and form tutors maintaining close home–school links, and every pupil participates in three dedicated 20‑minute wellbeing sessions during form-time each week addressing attitudes, relationships, safety, organisation, study skills and target setting. Student leadership includes Wellbeing Ambassadors within the leadership structure to promote wellbeing initiatives across the school.

Kent College Dubai provides inclusive SEN support through the KCD Inclusion Team and the Achievement Centre (ACe). Interventions span literacy, numeracy, motor and social skills, emotional regulation and essential life skills, and services are tailored for SEND, ELL and Gifted & Talented students. The ACe is the hub of inclusive education and houses the dedicated inclusion team, promoting academic success and student wellbeing across the school. The Elevate programme offers three-tier provision for Gifted and Talented learners, including in‑lesson provision, enrichment activities and opportunities to participate in competitions. The Rising Stars Programme provides bespoke, personalised support for individual learners. The school collaborates with outside agencies (Insights Psychology, Kidsfirst and Widad Dubai) to provide therapies and assessments such as Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language, and ABA.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) is recognised at Kent College Dubai, with tailored support to help non‑native English speakers thrive and fully access the curriculum. The EAL programme provides structured guidance and uses Bell Foundation Levels of Proficiency, ranging from New to English to Fluent, to determine in‑class support or targeted interventions. Students receive support aimed at developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. EAL specialists work closely with class teachers to ensure vocabulary and curriculum content are accessible to all learners. The aim is to empower every student to succeed academically and socially, regardless of linguistic background.

Kent College Dubai places a strong emphasis on mental wellbeing as part of its Wellbeing provision. The School Counsellors (Emily Partridge and Georgia Charitaki) focus on supporting students' emotional and social wellbeing as part of the wellbeing team. A structured referral process exists, with parental consent and an understanding that counselling pathways may be non‑linear. A Parent Wellbeing Committee collaborates with the counselling team to develop wellbeing initiatives and organise events for students and families. Form-time includes three 20‑minute wellbeing sessions each week that cover issues such as attitudes, behaviour, relationships, internet safety and study skills. The school provides contact details for the Wellbeing team and maintains regular safeguarding and wellbeing communications with families.

Safeguarding is formalised as part of Kent College Dubai's official policy framework; the School Policies page lists a Safeguarding Policy among its key policies. The Pastoral Care page describes a tutor system that identifies issues early and maintains regular communication with parents to support pupils' safety and wellbeing. The Wellbeing pages outline a counselling referral process and parent involvement through a Parent Wellbeing Committee, reflecting safeguarding considerations within the wellbeing framework. The school's safeguarding policy presence indicates formal safeguarding arrangements are in place as part of its policy suite.