Clarion School, Al Quoz

• Clarion School location
• Years offered
• Clarion School curriculum
• KHDA rating
• How to apply?
• Fee structure
• Clarion School scholarships
• Clarion School transportation
• PTA and contact information

Clarion School is one of the leading co-education American schools in the UAE. Following the US common core curriculum, Clarion School’s top leadership is passionate to create and establish a top-notch quality educational institution. The school aims to produce students who are efficient problem solvers and planners.

The newly built school was formally established in 2016 with classes from Pre – K to Grade 5. Each year, a new grade becomes functional and the school plans to offer education until Grade 12. The educational program at Clarion is developed in collaboration with the US Graduate School of Education (Bank Street College of Education) – the leader in Progressive Education for over 100 years and the co-author of IB PYP framework, Dr Paul Lieblich.

Students at Clarion School benefit from well-experienced and learned teachers. Regardless of age group, Clarion develops active learners who are not only passionate and curious but also have exceptional critical thinking skills. These students are trained beyond the norms of the UK National curriculum or the holistic IB framework.

Scholars International Group (SIG) is the parent corporation of Clarion School. This organisation was founded four decades ago to support achievement-oriented schools. Clarion School is its newest educational institute with 254 students.

• Location: Al Quoz
• School fees: AED 43,000 - AED 76,500
• Curriculum: American Curriculum
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-ed
• KHDA rating: Good
• Years offered: Pre-KG - Grade 12 (right now Pre-K to Grade 7)

Since the school is located in Al Quoz, it is close to several popular residential communities in the emirate.

• Business Bay
• Nad Al Sheba
• Downtown Dubai
• Al Safa

The bustling residential and commercial district of Business Bay area is the closest to Clarion School, Al Quoz campus. Popular for housing the Meyden Racecourse, Nad Al Sheba is toward the east. Al Safa and Dubai Downtown are the two other popular areas near the school.

Families looking for residential options near Clarion School can check out:

• Apartments for rent near Clarion School
• Apartments for sale near Clarion School
• Villas for rent near Clarion School

The school campus, without a doubt, is one of the most attractive campuses in Dubai. It has been designed keeping modern aesthetics in mind. There are expansive outdoor spaces making the perfect use of natural materials, including bamboo and wood.

Pre-K section can accommodate 18 students. KG1 and KG2 have room for 20 students. Grade 1 to Grade 3 classrooms have room for 24 students.

The school is set on a large rectangular plot. Classrooms in Clarion School enjoy quick access to the expansive outdoor area. Three sides of the building are covered by greenery.

Unlike traditional classrooms where teachers get a desk, Clarion School teachers sit with students on a mat in front of the whiteboard.

The administration block is at the back of the campus and has an open outdoor corridor. This block has a double-height entrance foyer that can be used for school assemblies and gatherings. The second floor of the building has been dedicated to resemble the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Specialist music, art, design and technology rooms optimise the learning experience and make playtime activities more fun. Further developments are underway to accommodate middle and high school students.

The campus has an indoor swimming pool and a huge multi-purpose gymnasium. All the classrooms are spacious and remain open during the cooler months to extend the learning space for students. The corridors and wide hallways are sorts of an extension of the classrooms. One key school facility is the Clarion library; students not only get books but multimedia files as well for learning.

Clarion School is located in Al Quoz, specifically Al Quoz 1. Burj Khalifa can be seen from the school and the high-rise towers on Sheikh Zayed Road stand tall in the background. Downtown Dubai, Al Safa 2 and Umm Suqeim are in proximity to Clarion School.

Other popular residential communities including Al Manara, Nad Al Sheba and Al Wasl are a few minutes away. Al Khail Road is towards the East, which helps connect the school with other major areas of Dubai. Clarion is one of the many schools in Al Quoz.

With three years of experience, Clarion Dubai has established quite a reputation in the industry as a Progressive American institution. In a short time, Clarion School made its place as the finalist out of 40 schools in a competition. One of the top school-related websites in the UAE ranked Clarion among the three best American schools in the country and it also has a place among 10 top American Schools in Dubai.

DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) and the Government of Dubai gave Clarion School Dubai the award for Distinguished Educational Institutions in Conservation. The school stood out among hundreds of participating schools and received a trophy and monetary award. This money will be utilised for sustainability projects across the school.

The school spent the first two years on building and strengthening the foundation of progressive education in an environment that predominantly showcased traditional education models. Nurturing intellectual curiosity and working on constructive teaching practice are measures that are still in progress at Clarion School.

Other than extracurricular activities, the school has organised a program called Clarion Commons that hosts annual Harvard/Oxbridge debate programs, annual Innovation in Education talk with global speakers and film screenings.

The school offers classes from Pre-K to Grade 7 but it has plans of adding a grade every year till Grade 12. All classes are divided into the following sections.

Early Years involve Pre-K, KG1 and KG2. Learning and development go hand in hand during the early years. Teachers work closely with parents to achieve the very best results for young students. Children at Clarion School are encouraged to learn from their experiences and exposure to new things.

The elementary section includes Grade 1 to Grade 5. The study method used in these classes facilitates students and is based on the foundation laid at the kindergarten level. Learning is systematically integrated across all the subjects through The Study method. The Study method is followed in Middle and High school as well.

Following the US curriculum adjusted for Progressive education, Clarion School Al Quoz Dubai uses the same educational approach adopted by top private schools in the US. The curriculum is aligned with the highest level of US standards that includes New York State Common Core +15 and Partnership for 21st Century Learning.

Curriculum also focuses on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Students graduate with a High School Diploma or IB Diploma in Grade 11 and Grade 12. The curriculum complies with the requirement set by KHDA that includes Arabic and Islamic Studies. French emergent will start from Pre-K.

Unique to Clarion School Dubai, the curriculum focuses on developing the individual instead of just building skills and competences.

The Early Year program has five learning and developmental domains, including:

• Social and emotional development
• Communication, language and literacy
• Physical development and health
• Approaches to learning
• Cognition and knowledge of the world

These domains are in line with Standards of New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core. These areas are also enriched with New York State Early Learning Guidelines.

Early year students are quick learners, so the school chooses a purposeful and exploratory lesson approach. Children engage actively and openly with the environment. They ask questions, observe, investigate and interact that helps build their knowledge foundation.

Master Educators spend significant time in creating rich learning experiences and making connections between different fields of study.

The Study method is used from KG2 to Grade 5. It is an interdisciplinary learning method systematically integrated across different subjects. The Study method enables teachers to use relevant, knowledge-rich and engaging lessons.

Even when students progress to Middle School, The Study is still enforced. Additional language elective options are also available from Middle School. In High school, students can choose from different academic fields and electives. The main form of learning is through subjects and creating cross-disciplinary links between them. Students at Clarion School also benefit from STEAM and Entrepreneurial Studies.

The curriculum followed throughout the school is more process-oriented than being result-oriented.

Graduating High School students are expected to have a minimum of 22 credits. They should also have completed 80 hours of community service reflecting their school values at the time of graduating.

Students willing to pursue Grade 11 can opt for an IB Diploma besides the American high school program/diploma.

The KHDA inspected Clarion School from 23 to 27 October 2022 and rated it as “Acceptable.”

As per the latest Clarion School KHDA rating and report, students’ progress and attainment in Mathematics, English and Science are good. In the elementary phase, students show acceptable attainment in Mathematics. Their progress in Arabic is weak but acceptable in Islamic Education. Students’ learning skills are overall good.

Children show very good personal development. Their attitude, behaviour and innovation skills are very good. Students’ attitude towards school is positive, but their attendance fails to meet expectations. They also show an acceptable understanding of Islamic values, UAE heritage and world culture.

The teaching quality is good across the school. It is better in the KG section compared to the Elementary phase. Lessons are well-planned, but learning results are not consistently clear and expressed or linked to Common Core Standards. Teachers know their students well. Assessment is acceptable, but the information derived is not efficiently utilised to influence curriculum and teaching.

NYCCSS is followed at the school and is supplemented with NGSS and the UAE Ministry of Education standards. Special attention is given to Arabic and Islamic Education.

The curriculum lacks cohesion as it is not aligned to meet Common Core Standards. But that for students of Determination is appropriate. However, the school should work on the identification and provision of Gifted and Talented students.

Students’ health and safety arrangement and protection are very good. Minor issues that were raised during the inspection were quickly addressed. Parents are satisfied that their children are safe at school.

The school principal is committed to improvement. Senior leaders acknowledge their strengths, weaknesses and address them effectively in the development plan. Morale is high at the school, and relationships are strong in all phases. Leaders are held accountable by the governors.

The best features of Clarion School are:

• Very good maintenance for health and safety for students’ protection
• A very positive partnership between parents and the school
• Principal’s professional and determined leadership
• Students’ very good personal development, social responsibility and behaviour

Key recommendations made by KHDA include these:

• Leaders at all levels should ensure that:
  • students' attainment and progress improve rapidly
  • the process of self-evaluation is closely informed by students' outcomes
  • improvement plans are more measurable and specific
  • there is a shared understanding of what good quality assessments, curriculum and teaching look like and of how to monitor them in classrooms.

• The first term begins in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December when students go on a 3-week winter vacation.
• The second term starts in the first week of January and concludes in the last week of March, followed by a 2-week spring break.
• The third term commences in the second week of April and ends in the last week of June. Students then enjoy a 2-month summer holiday.

Clarion School academic calendar is available on their official website.

To initiate the admissions process interested candidates can register online using the form available on the school’s official website. Clarion School welcomes applications throughout the year provided seats are available.

After online registration, the school invites the candidate for an interview and assessment. This is for gathering information about the students. Parents can be asked to appear for an interview as well to discuss the school program.

Once the candidate has passed the assessment and interview is conducted, the school sends the assessment result within five working days. The acceptance letter is sent via email. A non-refundable seat deposit of AED 7,000 should be submitted within 7 days, which is deductible from the first-semester fee.

The placement of the student is confirmed once the admission fee is received. An application fee of AED 500 is due at the time of assessment.

After submission of admission fee, below mentioned documents should be submitted:

• Transfer certificate for Grade 2 and above (Should be in English or Arabic)
• Photocopy of the child’s recent report for KG1 and up
• Photocopy of child’s passport (first page and visa)
• Emirates ID card (front and back)
• Photocopy of parent’s passport (first page and visa)
• Photocopy of Emirates ID card of parents
• Original Emirates ID card is also required after tuition fee has been paid to complete the registration with KHDA.
• Standardised testing (MAP/ CAT4) for students applying for Grade 2 and up
• Photocopy of a passport-sized photograph of the child
• Four original photographs of the child are also required at the time of admission
• If the child has any learning difficulty, they require a copy of difficulty diagnostic testing or education assessment.
• Copy of any psychological assessment (if applicable)
• Copy of Custody paper (if applicable)
• Copy of Immunisation card

Students coming from countries other than Canada, UK, US, Australia and New Zealand are required to get their transfer certificate attested by the Ministry of Education, Department of Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy of the issuing country.

However, parents must ensure that their child meets the following age-placement criteria.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st March (for schools beginning in April) and 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: KHDA

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

The below-mentioned Clarion School fees include the charges for all resources and have been approved by KHDA:

The above-mentioned fee includes all resources and uniform charges.

Clarion School has a sibling discount policy: 10% for the second child and 15% for the third child. A 5% discount on tuition fee applies if the fee is paid in full before the start of the academic year.

The fee can be paid by cash or cheque at Clarion School’s account office. It can also be paid through credit card or wire transfer.

The fee includes book charges, examination fee, uniform and PE kit. Students may not be allowed in the school unless the first-semester fee has been paid in full. Re-enrolment fee of 10% of the annual tuition fee is non-refundable. It is due on March 31st of each academic year.

The following rules apply to tuition fee refunds:

• A month’s fee is charged if the student attends school for two weeks or fewer.
• If any student attends school for over a month, three months’ fee is charged
• If any student attends schools for over six calendar weeks, no fee will be refunded.
• Tuition fee is only refunded after parent/guardian makes a written request to the Clarion School admission office.

In line with its vision to incorporate positive change into the learning ecosystem, Clarion Dubai has introduced its first scholarship programme. Clarion’s Positive Change Scholarship programme began in the academic year 2023-2024 to provide 25% off on annual tuition fees to eligible and deserving students.

Students of Grade 3 and above are eligible for the scholarship and the scholarship will be reviewed every year. The ideal candidate for the scholarships must have a global mindset. He/she should be involved in positive initiatives such as volunteer work and activities and must have proven qualities to be a role model for the Clarion community.

The process involves submitting an online application with positive references from the initiative supervisor and member of the Senior Leadership Team. The applicant has to then appear for an interview with the Principal and the Senior Leadership Team. The final decision is then made by the Clarion Scholarship Committee.

Clarion School works with SwissCanonica to provide healthy and nutritive food to students. Students also have a choice to bring lunch and snacks from home, or they can buy food from SwissCanonica at the canteen.

The campus canteen is nut-free and offers a balanced menu designed keeping young children in mind. Each meal includes a vegetable starter, a protein-based main course, a side dish and a healthy dessert. The food is freshly cooked and looks appealing.

Those interested to benefit from SwissCanonica meals can sign up during the first week of school.

Clarion School provides transport service to all year groups and they are committed to delivering the highest quality school transport service.

To enable parents to monitor their child's entry and exit, the school has affiliated with Smart Bus Attendance System (SBAS). 

You can request more information regarding the school bus service on admin@clarionschool.com.

An expansive playground is used for different sports at Clarion School Dubai. Students play football and are trained by a football coach. Tennis and basketball courts are the other sports facilities at Clarion School.

Clarion School takes pride in building curiosity and creativity in students. The creativity connected with the core-curriculum is STEAM-based.

Clarion School uses innovative technologies and resources in innovative education. Students are encouraged to use computers, musical instruments, paintbrushes, hammers, clay and robots.

Being a progressive education institute, Clarion School focuses on learning through different sources and field trips are one of the most effective ways to do that. Field trips spark ideas and trigger learning in students.

Before planning a trip, teachers collaborate with educators at museums and cultural institutions to tailor their visit as per the age group of students. Post-trip activities are also designed for students when they return to the classroom. Field trips planned by Clarion School provide sensory experiences and social interactions.

The school offers full-day classes for Pre-K from 07:45 am to 03:00 pm. However, parents can opt for an early pickup option at 12:30 pm.

Co-curricular activities are planned after school for students of Pre-K onwards. It extends the learning and helps students explore their interest. These activities are offered in five blocks for 6 weeks. Programs are offered in the following areas:

• Athletics
• Arts – Performing and Visual
• Academics
• Community

Pre-K to KG-2 students can involve themselves in dance, gymnastics, Lego, art and craft, soccer and adventure playground. Grade 1 to Grade 5 students can choose from music, soccer, tennis, book club, art and craft, yoga, robotics, gymnastics, puzzle club and strategy games.

All these activities take place every day from 03:00 pm to 04:00 pm except Tuesdays where they are scheduled from 02:00 pm to 03:00 pm. They also provide late bus services to students who take part in after-school activities.

The school has a clinic with a full-time nurse to administer first aid and any necessary medication with the consent of parents. A pediatric specialist also visits the school twice a week.

The parent portal on the official website is where parents can receive notifications regarding their child’s progress and the latest school updates. The school portal operates on Mograsys Information system. The application is available on phones and desktop. Teachers communicate about the events and classroom activities through the SeeSaw app. Class teachers provide relevant information regarding the app. Clarion Parent Community is the parent association of Clarion School.

• Telephone Number: +971-4-407-3000
• WhatsApp: +971-52-396-5335
• General Enquiries: info@clarionschool.com
• Admission Enquiries: admissions@clarionschool.com
• Clarion School Website
• Clarion School Facebook
• Clarion School Instagram
• Clarion School LinkedIn
• Clarion School YouTube

Note that the cover image belongs to Clarion School

What are the timings of the school?

The official working hours are from 7:45 am to 3 pm.

Does the school conduct after-school activities?

Yes, Clarion School Dubai has a set of after-school activities held from 3 pm to 4 pm.

How many grades are there in the school?

Pre-K to Grade 12 but it currently offers classes from Pre-K to Grade 7.

Does the school follow a co-education model?

Yes, Clarion has a co-education model.

Please describe the academic calendar of the school.

The school year starts in August and ends in June.

Please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by the school.

AED 43,000 to AED 76,500.

Does the school offer scholarship programmes to needy and deserving students?

Yes, Clarion has a scholarship programme that offers 25% off on the annual tuition fee.

How does the school communicate with parents?

Clarion School has a portal where parents can access school and student-related information. Teachers use SeeSaw application for communicating activities and other events.

Does the school have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

Students can purchase lunch from the canteen provider of the school.

How often does the school arrange field trips?

Yes, Clarion School takes students on field trips throughout the year.

How many teachers are currently teaching in the school?

There are 34 teachers and 15 teaching assistants in Clarion School.