The English College Dubai

The English College Dubai uses a whole‑school approach to wellbeing and social and emotional learning (SEL) through its Inclusion & pastoral care framework. The Inclusion Team provides early intervention, personalised learning plans, in‑class support and collaborates with families to support each student's social and emotional development. The THRIVE Wellbeing Programme is part of Health, Relationships and Wellbeing education, offering age‑appropriate, scientifically grounded health and relationship discussions with opt‑out options for families. Safeguarding policies reinforce SEL by ensuring a safe environment with a Designated Safeguarding Lead, staff training and clear policies on student support, online safety and health and safety. KHDA describes strong personal and social development across year groups as a reflection of these provisions.

The Inclusion & pastoral care framework states tailored strategies to meet the needs of students of determination, English language learners and more able and talented pupils. Identification at admissions begins early, with robust referral processes and ongoing monitoring and progress reviews, and parent collaboration supports timely intervention. The Inclusion Team provides early intervention in Foundation Stage and Primary, with specialist support in Secondary, and works closely with families to ensure smooth transitions. The More Able and Talented (MAT) programme identifies and supports high‑potential students across Foundation Stage to Year 13, led by a MAT Coordinator and Head of Inclusion. The school notes collaboration with external specialists to provide targeted interventions for needs, including therapies and educational psychology.

The Multilingualism page confirms English as the instructional language, with Arabic, French and Spanish offered and EAL programmes supported by native-language guidance and weekly lessons. The Flash Academy language progress‑tracking programme monitors progress in English and other languages with termly assessments. English language learners are reported to make significant progress, with nearly all improving by at least one proficiency level in 2024‑25. EAL provision runs across Early Years to Sixth Form as part of the multilingual framework.

The Inclusion & pastoral care framework describes a whole‑school approach to wellbeing with the Inclusion Team providing early intervention and ongoing progress reviews. The THRIVE Wellbeing Programme includes health and relationship education tailored to age groups and aligned with learning outcomes, with an opt‑out option for families. The school clinic is staffed by a full‑time doctor and nurses and follows Dubai Health Authority guidelines to support health and wellbeing. Safeguarding, online safety and dedicated pastoral care are integral to maintaining mental wellbeing, together with health and safety policies and regular risk assessments. KHDA inspection notes also highlight strong personal and social development across the school.

Safeguarding is a core priority at The English College, with a robust policy and ongoing staff training in safeguarding and child protection. The safeguarding team includes a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and deputies across the primary and secondary sections, plus a Learning Support Teacher. All staff undergo safeguarding and child protection training, and safeguarding procedures include visitor management, secure premises and clear policies accessible to staff, families and students. The school provides dedicated pastoral care, counselling and wellbeing services to students, with clear channels for reporting concerns. Online safety education, safer recruitment and whistleblowing procedures, along with health and safety practices, underpin safeguarding across the campus.