Dubai Schools announces launch of flagship school

The school will enrol pupils on a day and boarding basis from kindergarten through to Y13 and will deliver a UK curriculum with the option of the International Baccalaureate at Sixth Form level.

Developed by Dubai Schools in collaboration with Repton School, Derby - one of the UK's oldest and most prestigious public schools - Repton School Dubai will be the first school in the emirate to offer full boarding facilities.

The school aims to have an initial intake of 500, eventually doubling the figure. It is hoped that the boarding population will eventually account for up to half of the total pupils enrolled in the school.

DEC has dedicated 1.36 million square feet in Nad Al Sheba for the construction of this co-educational school. Construction will start in early June this year and the school will open in the 2007 academic year.

"The launch of Repton School Dubai is in line with our vision of developing a primary education hub that will nurture a new generation of individuals who can be leaders and high achievers in this fast-evolving society and economy," said Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Secretary General, Dubai Education Council. "Repton School Dubai offers academic standards comparable to the best in the world and we are proud to have them as our flagship school,"

he added.

"We are delighted to be part of the ambitious Dubai Schools project, and honoured to be the flagship school," said Robert Holroyd, Headmaster of Repton School UK. "An international dimension is central to the future success of Repton as we travel into the global world of the 21st century. Within the Middle East region, Dubai is the ideal location, and within Dubai, DEC's Dubai Schools, the ideal platform for us to establish. Together, we hope to nurture well-rounded individuals who can contribute to this fast-evolving region," he added.

"We are extremely happy to welcome Repton School to Dubai," said Jamilah Al Mehairi, Director of Dubai Schools. "With its vast and long years of expertise in providing primary education, Repton will add considerable value to the educational sector in Dubai. Their approaches and standards will greatly contribute to producing individuals with values and skills that will help them succeed in a global environment," she added.

Located in a rapidly growing city with a large expatriate community, Repton School Dubai will give parents in the region the opportunity to educate their children at a world-class boarding school.

Construction will start in early June this year, with the school scheduled to open its doors in the 2007 academic year, 450 years after the establishment of the original Repton School in Derby, UK.