The Cambridge High School, Abu Dhabi

• CHS Abu Dhabi location
• Years offered
• CHS Abu Dhabi curriculum
• ADEK rating
• How to apply?
• Fee structure
• CHS Abu Dhabi transportation
• PTA and contact information

The Cambridge High School (CHS), Abu Dhabi delivers the National Curriculum for England from Foundation Stage 2 to Year 13. Since its inception in 1988, the school provides students with quality education through a holistic curriculum. The curriculum also includes a wide range of activities that complement the academic program.

CHS Abu Dhabi prepares students for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations, A-Levels and AS-Levels. CHS students have produced test results consistently above the recorded U.K national average.

The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi is set in a spacious campus located in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi. CHS provides quality education to families located in and around MBZ City and is considered to be one of the best schools in Mussafah.

CHS is also part of the GEMS Education Group and is one of the many GEMS schools located in Abu Dhabi. After more than three decades of existence, the school has curated a diverse campus that is home to students from more than 45 countries. The community fostered at Cambridge High School is characterised by unity, support, encouragement and celebration of one another.

The Cambridge High School is located in Mohammed Bin Zayed City. A popular neighbourhood in Abu Dhabi, MBZ City is in close proximity to a number of family-friendly communities such as:

• Al Maqtaa
• Mussafah
• Baniyas East

Mohammed Bin Zayed City offers affordable housing options set in a peaceful and secure environment. Parents looking to relocate closer to the school can consider the following options:

• Apartments for rent near Cambridge High School
• Villas for rent near Cambridge High School
• Townhouses for rent near Cambridge High School
• Villas for sale near Cambridge High School

CHS Abu Dhabi operates from a spacious campus located in MBZ City. The school is divided into the Junior and Senior schools. Both sections of the school are equipped with the latest technology and amenities that facilitate enhanced teaching as well as learning. Some of the facilities found on the premises are:

• Early Years Playground: EYFS students have access to their own separate shaded playgrounds. 
• Swimming Pool: CHS has an indoor heated pool on campus.
• Science Labs: The school has dedicated science laboratories for Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The labs are decked with modern equipment that assists with research and experimentation. 
• Computer Facilities: CHS has four Information and Communication Technology labs that are equipped with high-speed internet access, smart-boards, multimedia projectors and laptops. 
• Music Studios: CHS’ music studio is equipped with keyboards, steel drums, percussion and wind instruments. 
• Multipurpose Court: The multipurpose court includes cricket nets, basketball courts, hockey and playing field. 
• Auditorium: The school houses a spacious, airconditioned auditorium that doubles as a multi-purpose hall used for assemblies, performances and school functions. 
• Library: CHS’ well-stacked library is equipped with computers that have access to high-speed internet. 
• Art Studios: The school has two art studios that support a myriad of artistic abilities. 
• Cafeteria: There are two canteens on-campus– one for boys and one for girls.

Other facilities available on the premises are special language rooms, prayer rooms and a school store that supplies stationery, books and more.

The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi is located in Shabia 9, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi.

The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi is a co-educational institution established in 1988 in MBZ City, Abu Dhabi. The school delivers the National Curriculum for England from Foundation Stage 2 to Year 13.

A British-curriculum school, CHS Abu Dhabi prepares students for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations, as well as AS/A-Level examinations. Cambridge High School is also an approved centre for the University of Cambridge International Examinations and for London University.

CHS operates from a spacious campus situated in Shabia 9, Abu Dhabi. The classes are split into two sections– Junior School and Senior School. Both sections benefit from the state-of-the-art facilities the school has to offer, such as swimming pool, specialist classrooms, multipurpose hall and more. Students also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of co-curricular activities that contribute to their all-round development.

Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi has been recognised by the following global accrediting bodies:

• Cambridge International Examinations (CIE)
• Cambridge International Schools (CIS)
• Oxford AQA
• Edexcel

The school is home to students from all over the world– making the campus a truly international arena. CHS celebrates cultural diversity and encourages the values of community among students. Every student attending the school feel a sense of belonging, encouragement and support from their peers. Moreover, CHS is an inclusive school that carries out the GEMS vision for Inclusive Education.

The school actively works to ensure that every students’ academic, cultural, social and emotional needs are fulfilled. The school welcomes students of determination, gifted and talented students. CHS ensures that the learning needs of students that face challenges or disabilities are met by providing additional accessibility and support.

ADEK has worked extensively with schools, parents councils, staff members and policymakers to design effective safety measures to implement once schools reopen for the 2021 – 2022 academic session. Here’s a summary of SOPs to give you a better understanding.

• Those entering the school premises must wear a face mask. KG students are exempted. Students and staff who cannot wear masks due to medical conditions must provide a supportive medical certificate.
• Daily temperature and symptoms screening is recommended before leaving the house. Individuals who exhibit symptoms or feel unwell must stay at home. They must see a doctor for assessment and possible COVID-19 testing if required.
• Individuals aged 16 and above who have completed 28 days following the second dose with a UAE-approved vaccine are authorised to enter the school premises upon presenting their vaccination status on the ALHOSN app.
• Children below 16 are authorised to enter the school premises without vaccination.
• The school shall implement physical distancing of 1 to 2 metres between all individuals.
• Schools may follow three operating models: A full school day, attending on a rotational basis or blended learning model.
• Schools are authorised to reopen all athletic facilities for use during physical education (PE), extracurricular activities, and for private use by staff outside of regular school hours.
• Schools shall reinstate PE (including swimming) classes and all sports activities, provided they are implemented with the relevant risk mitigation controls in place.
• Whether organised by the school or by an external provider, extracurricular activities shall be permitted for students enrolled in the school only.
• Events within the school consisting of large assemblies mixing different student groups are not permitted.
• School trips, holiday camps and inter-school events shall be resumed.
• Cooking on the school premises is authorised and schools are recommended to reopen canteens if they were previously closed. However, food must be served by a designated staff member to avoid sharing serving utensils.
• Prayer rooms may be reopened.
• Schools are recommended to reopen libraries if they were previously closed.
• Bus capacity has been increased from 50% to between 59% and 66%.

Cambridge High School imparts education from Foundation Stage 2 to Year 13. The school is split into two sections– Junior School and Senior School. Junior School comprises of classes from Year 1 to Year 6 and Senior School comprises of classes from Year 7 to Year 13.

CHS delivers the National Curriculum for England (NCE) from Foundation Stage to Year 13. The programmes offered at the school encourage the personal, social, physical and academic development of the students.

The British National Curriculum is recognised around the world as a skill-based curriculum that well prepares students for the GCSE, AS and A-Level Examinations. Moreover, at Cambridge, students also participate in a wide variety of co-curricular activities along with their core subjects.

The curriculum is organised into seven stages– Foundation Stage, Lower Primary, Upper Primary, Key Stage 3 (Secondary), Key Stage 4, Advanced Subsidiary Sixth Form (AS), Advanced Sixth Form (A).

The Ministry of Education mandated subjects Arabic, Islamic and UAE Social Studies subjects are also integrated into the curriculum. For non-Muslim students, Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship education is mandatory till Year 9. Arabic is compulsory for all Arab and non-Arab students from Year 2 till Year 13. There are two levels of Arabic studies offered at each grade level– Language Arabic and Second Language Arabic.

Foundation Stage Curriculum

The curriculum at the FS level is child-centred and focuses on practical application. Students social and skill development are of prime importance. The core subjects offered are:

• English (Reading and Writing)
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies

Foundation subjects include:

• Art
• Music
• Physical Education (P.E)
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Junior School Curriculum

At the junior school level, the programme follows the modules set by the National Curriculum for England for Foundation Stage, Lower Primary and Upper Primary. Subjects offered from Year 2 to Year 6 are as follows:

• Core Subjects:
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • History
  • Geography
  • Information and Communication Technology
• Foundation Stage:
  • Art
  • Music
  • Physical Education
  • Arabic
  • Personal and Social Education
  • Islamic Studies (for Muslims only)
  • Moral Education

Senior School Curriculum

In Year 10, the secondary lays down the IGCSE options for the students. Year 9 students sit for the Check Point Examinations– an internal examination conducted by the school to test the students’ readiness for IGCSE.

Key Stage 3 (Year 7 to Year 9) subjects are as follows:

• Core Subjects:
  • English Language
  • English Literature
  • Mathematics
  • History
  • Geography
  • Science
  • Computer Science
• Foundation Subjects:
  • Art & Design
  • Physical Education (P.E)
  • Arabic
  • Islamic Studies/Moral Education
  • UAE Social Studies

During Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and Year 11), the school introduces the IGCSE curriculum. Students are then required to select eight subjects out of the following options:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• English Literature
• History
• Geography
• Art & Design
• Computer Studies
• IT
• Business Studies
• Economics
• Psychology
• Arabic
• Accounting

English and Mathematics are compulsory subjects at this level.

Sixth Form Curriculum

Students in Year 12 appear AS-Levels and Year 13 appear for A-Levels. Subjects options at this level include:

• English Literature
• Mathematics
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Biology
• Computer Studies (IT)
• Business Studies
• Geography
• History
• Accounting

As per the instructions of The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), all schools across the UAE will discontinue distance learning from January 2022.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is a government entity that is responsible for licensing all private education institutes and monitoring their commitment to providing high-quality service in accordance with regulations. Through the Irtiqaa Programme, they carry out periodic evaluations of all schools and are based on six basic criteria as listed below:

1. Quality of students’ achievement.
2. Quality of personal and social development as well as innovation skills of the students.
3. Quality of teaching and assessment.
4. Quality of curriculum.
5. Quality of student safety and wellbeing, as well as the guidance and support provided to them.
6. Quality of school leadership and management.

International evaluators use a scale comprising of six quality levels, as shown below:

The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi has been rated Good for its overall effectiveness by the Abu Dhabi Department of Knowledge and Education (ADEK).

According to the inspection report, key areas of strength at the school are:

• The very good attainment of students overall in the IGCSE examination, and their outstanding attainment in mathematics.
• Students’ exemplary behaviour, their responsible and conscientious attitude to their studies and their positive response to the school’s exemplary promotion of safe, healthy lifestyles.
• The school’s robust assessment procedures which provide accurate and comprehensive information on students ‘attainment and progress.
• The school’s well-planned and effective cross-curricular links and the extensive range of extra-curricular clubs and activities.
• School leaders’ rigorous and accurate self-evaluation and the involvement of all members of the school community in improvement planning and implementation.

However, CHS Abu Dhabi could improve in the following ways:

• Improve students’ achievement in Arabic as a second language (ASL).
• Ensure more consistent support in lessons for students with identified special educational needs (SEN).
• Develop further students’ innovation skills and their skills in the use of educational technology.

An academic year at CHS Abu Dhabi is split into three terms– Autumn Term, Spring Term and Summer Term. These take place as follows:

• The first term starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December, followed by a 3-week winter vacation.
• The second term begins in the first week of January and ends in the last week of March, followed by a 2-week spring break.
• The third term starts in the second week of April and concludes in the first week of July, followed by a 2-month summer holiday.

For more details regarding the term holidays and dates, view the Academic Calendar.

To enrol at the Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi, complete the following admission process:

• Prospective students must first enrol online. Parents must ensure that their child meets the age requirements before enrolment. 
• The school will then prompt parents to upload the necessary documents online, which are:
  • Sponsor’s Emirates ID/Qatar ID (Both Sides)
  • Parent (Sponsor) Passport
  • Parent (Sponsor) Visa
  • Applicant’s Photo
  • Applicant’s Emirates ID/Qatar ID (Both Sides)
  • Applicant’s Passport
  • Applicant’s Immunisation records
  • Applicant’s Recent School/Nursery Report (Attestations required from MOE/MOFA/UAE Embassy from the transferred country for overseas admission)
  • Applicant’s Visa
  • Transfer Certificate T.C (if applicable. Attestations required from MOE/MOFA/UAE Embassy from the transferred country)
  • Birth Certificate (Attestations required from MOE/MOFA/UAE Embassy from the transferred country)
• Once the filled application and documents are submitted, the school will invite the child for an assessment. The assessments tests are carried out by the school’s trained education team.
• Upon successful completion of the assessment, students will be moved to the waiting list and will be offered a seat depending on the assessment results as well as the availability of seats.

For new students, a registration fee equivalent to 5% of the annual tuition fee is due upon acceptance of the offer letter. This fee is non-refundable/non-transferable but can be adjusted with the first term tuition fee. For more information regarding the admission process, contact the school’s registrar on +971 2 552 1621

Nevertheless, parents must ensure that their child meets the following age criteria before initiating the admission process.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for the school beginning in September). Source: The Cambridge High School, Abu Dhabi

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi fee for the current academic year is as follows:

Fees can be paid a year in advance or a term in advance. Year 6,9,11,12 and 13 students are expected to pay the Cambridge University Public Examinations fees.

Payments can be made through Cash, Cheque, Credit Card or Online through www.gems.ae. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Cambridge High School, Abu Dhabi’.

The school has two canteen facilities on-campus– one for boys and one for girls. The canteens are clean and well-stocked to provide healthy, nutritious snacks and drinks during break times.

The Cambridge High School transportation had been outsourced to a trusted third-party provider– Bright Bus Transport (BBT). The transportation facility covers routes in Mussafah, Al Reef and other prominent routes around Abu Dhabi. Transportation charges are separate from the tuition fees and are paid per term. Students availing one-way travel must also pay the full fees.

The transportation facility incurs the following charges:

• Mussafah: AED 450
• Al Reef: AED 500
• Other routes in Abu Dhabi: AED 500

For more information, contact james@bbt.ae or visit www.brightbustransport.com

CHS organises interactive holiday camps during summer, winter and spring breaks. Students can sign up for these camps and take part in a number of sports and recreational activities during their vacations.

The Cambridge High School students also visited the United States of America in 2019 where they attended a Model United Nations (MUN) conference organised by Harvard University.

CHS encourages students to actively participate in sports activities so as to promote physical fitness and health from a young age. The school’s state-of-the-art campus houses top-grade sports facilities to serve this purpose, such as:

• Indoor Swimming Pool
• Multipurpose Court
• EYFS Playground

The Multipurpose Court features amenities such as Cricket Nets, Basketball Courts, Hockey Field and Playing Field. The school elects a boys’ Sports Caption and girls’ Sports Captain that assist in the organisation of intramural sports competitions and programs, including Golf Sessions, annual Sports Day, Football tournaments, Badminton Cups and more.

CHS students also participate in the GEMS Special Olympics that take place in Abu Dhabi every year.

In addition to the rigorous curriculum module, CHS also provides students with a wide range of extracurricular activities that encourage them to explore their interests and develop their talents. Some extracurricular activities support academia, whereas others are sports-related or interest-based, such as:

Cambridge High School follows a House System– students are sorted into houses and participate in inter-house competitions as listed above.

All student endeavours– both academic and non-academic are supported by the school’s library, computer labs, music and art studios, audio-visual room and sports facilities. The school also conducts other fun-filled activities and events throughout the academic year, such as:

The co-scholastic program offered at CHS includes regular field trips and educational excursions. Students visit culturally and historically significant locations situated around the country, as well as museums, zoos and amusement parks for some fun and leisure activities.

Year 5 students visited the Louvre Museum to receive some beyond the classroom learning experience. Younger students also visited the Emirates Park Zoo and Resort, Abu Dhabi.

In addition to the extracurricular activities conducted during school hours, CHS also provides options ECA that are available after regular school hours. Students can opt for extra-classes in subjects they are struggling with or sign up for sports activities or any of the various interest-based clubs such as Cooking, Journalism, Drama, Art and Craft, Fashion Design, Computers, Pottery and more.

CHS has a well-equipped medical clinic on campus. The clinic is managed by two qualified full-time nurses that tend to injuries, illnesses and other medical needs of the students. This facility operates in full compliance with the Department of Health and Medical Services.

In the event that specialised medical attention is required, the school provides emergency transport to the nearest hospital.

The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi believes that every students’ academic journey can be enriched through active parental involvement. CHS follows the close communication approach– parents are kept informed regarding their child’s progress in the school.

The school also has an open-door policy that invites guardians to discuss their child’s attainment during consultation evening, one-on-one parent-teacher meetings and more. Parents can address any concerns and suggestions they have through any one of the school’s open channels.

Additionally, parents can access important documents and circulars regarding their child through the GEMS Parent Portal. The school also regularly publishes Newsletters on its website so as to keep parents updated regarding the events and activities taking place at the school.

• Telephone: +971-2-552-1621
• Email Address: info_chs@gemsedu.com
• The Cambridge High School Website
• The Cambridge High School Facebook

Note that the cover image belongs to The Cambridge High School