SABIS International School

• SIS location
• Years offered
• SIS curriculum
• ADEK rating
• How to apply?
• Fee structure
• SIS scholarships
• SIS transportation
• PTA and contact information

SABIS International School (SIS) Abu Dhabi is one of the three schools in the capital offering SABIS Education Programme to students. The other two SABIS Network schools are the International School of Choueifat Abu Dhabi and International School of Choueifat Khalifa City. This is the only SABIS School branded with the official name of the education Group. The school was founded in 2015 to meet the increasing demands of students willing to study the SABIS curriculum.

As stated above, it follows the SABIS Education Programme – an education programme emerged from Lebanon. The curriculum dates back over 130 years and today; it is followed by schools across the globe. The school is located on the Eastern side of Yas Island – 25 kilometres away from the centre of Abu Dhabi. It educates students from kindergarten to Grade 12. Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) rated the performance of the school as ‘good’.

As per the ADEK’s report, around 600 students are studying in this school. Majority of students are local Emiratis however, a small proportion of Egyptian, Jordanian and Korean students also co-exists. The teaching staff of 46 full-time teachers and 12 teaching assistants teach them. Most of the teachers are from Ireland and have relevant experience and educational background. The teacher to student ratio at SIS Abu Dhabi is 1:13, ensuring individual attention and care. The school has all the facilities that are found in high-end schools. Read the comprehensive guide on SIS Abu Dhabi by Bayut to learn about the educational programme, admission and fee details and much more.

SABIS International School is located in Yas Island. Yas Island is a hustling community of Abu Dhabi that has something for everyone. Whether you are a tourist or a resident, one can find trendy restaurants and recreational spots like Yas Marina and Ferrari World. It is surrounded by the following residential communities:

• Al Zeina, Al Raha Beach
• Al Danah
• Masdar City

Al Zeina is the nearest residential community from the school. It is a mix-used development within the Al Raha Beach community. Those interested in moving to Al Zeina have apartments, villas and townhouses as residential options. Other options for people interested in moving near the school are Al Danah and Masdar City that are at 17 to 20 minutes away from SABIS International School.

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The SABIS International School Yas Island has a purpose-built campus sprawling over 60,000 Sq. m. The campus houses spacious and bright classrooms, modern computer labs, well-equipped science labs and an auditorium.

There also exists a range of sports facilities including athletic tracks, Olympic-sized soccer field, semi-Olympic pool, basketball courts and tennis courts. Besides, the school has an indoor multipurpose hall, KG car track and outdoor play areas.

SABIS International School is located near the intersection of Yas Dr Street and Al Abraj Street in Yas Island North, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Those interested in visiting the school can access it Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abu Dhabi – Al Falah Road. It is at a 6-minute drive from Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi and a 9-minute drive from Yas Mall.

SABIS International School Yas Island is one of the few schools in Abu Dhabi belonging to SABIS Network. The school was opened to meet the increasing need for schools following SABIS Education. As a global educational body, SABIS Network ensures that all of its school maintains high educational standards.

Another key feature of this school is its education programme. The educational programme based on SABIS Educational System – known for its academic rigour. The curriculum focuses on preparing students for college and university life. This curriculum resembles the National Curriculum of England. However, they have refined the curriculum to keep the education modern and updated. The SABIS Educational programme exists for over 130 years and is constantly revolutionised to meet the academic needs of students.

Another attractive feature of this school is its pool of experienced teachers. Most teachers at this school are from Ireland and have the relevant educational background and teaching experience. The school also has a low teacher to student ratio of 1:13. Such a low teacher to student ratio ensures that teachers can focus on the individual development of students. This is important, especially in the higher education stage where students are making decisions to choose correct options for higher education.

The campus has a range of high-end school facilities that supports the provision of academic and non-academic activities (sports). Technology is an important part of the school campus as tech gadgets are available in classrooms and computer labs. Availability of outdoor sports courts, indoor sports hall and swimming pool ensure students live a healthy and active life.

Since the government has decided to re-open school for the academic year 2020-2021, SABIS School has issued covid-19 protocols that are in line with ADEK’s recommendations. The protocols are as follows:

• Students must be in UAE at least 14 days before start of the academic year.
• Parents can opt for distance learning for the first term of the academic year. However, parents should remain committed to this method.
• Sterilise the campus and school facilities regularly. Sanitisers must be available throughout the campus.
• Take the temperature of students and staff entering the school premises
• Students above 12 years old have to undergo a COVID-19 PCR test before school re-opening. Students with a negative result are allowed to enter the school.
• Limit activities that lead to crowd gathering. For instance, schools can temporarily suspend sports gala, extra-curricular events and field trips.
• Furthermore, the school must reduce the school bus capacity to avoid large gathering
• Prepare isolation rooms for staff and students with COVID-19 like symptoms

For more information, read the parents’ guidelines to school re-opening by ADEK.

SABIS International School is a K-12 school that educates children aged 4 to 18 years old. As a part of SABIS Network, the grades are split into the following three stages:

The SABIS School, as the name suggests, follows the SABIS Education System. It is a comprehensive educational programme that focuses on maintaining a balance between academics, life preparation and self-development. The curriculum exists for more than 130 years and has been refined over the years to meet modern educational standards. Today, it is acclaimed as an academically rigorous curriculum that prepares students for success in university life. The curriculum resembles the National Curriculum of England, which is enriched to keep the education modern and relevant.

The distinctive philosophy and goals of the SABIS Education System make it a unique proposition for parents. These goals are an amalgamation of academic and non-academic goals that are also followed by SABIS International School (SIS-Yas Island).

The academic goals of this curriculum are:

• To assist every student to get admission in colleges and universities around the world
• To deliver quality education to students focusing on building skills in English, mathematics and Arabic
• To help students reaping the benefits of the bilingual education system
• To develop critical thinking and logical reasoning skills among students
• To inspire students to sustain intellectual efforts and become lifelong learners

The non-academic goals of SABIS Education System are:

• To help students in making an informed decision on social issues. Students are also educated to uphold high moral, ethical and civic conduct.
• To get students participating in extracurricular activities, management work and other non-curricular tasks.
• To develop tolerance, teamwork and cooperation skills and to defend and reverse negative peer pressure
• To understand the world by understanding the similarities and differences among people from different backgrounds.

The SABIS Education Model is a distinct educational system that has four different steps:

SABIS Curriculum is prepared after careful planning and preparation. There exists a plan for each subject made after research and planning. The plan encompasses all the points, objectives and skills that must be developed by teachers. This is to ensure that all the relevant topics and sub-topics are taught to students in different phases of education at SABIS International School.

The teaching method adopted by teachers in SABIS School is distinctive and effective. Time and successful learning environment are paramount to the success of children. Time is considered as a limited resource that must be maximised to teach various concepts to students. To assist teachers in their distinct teaching method, SIS-Yas Island uses the SABIS Point System. It is an assessment evaluation technique used for the precise identification of learning objectives for each subject.

Teachers present one point (learning objective) to students at a time. After the lecture, teachers ask students to demonstrate their understanding through a written assignment. Afterwards, students act as a community of learners and assess each other’s work in small manageable groups. Once every student shows mastery of a point, teachers resume the instruction and the cycle continues.

Students are tested and monitored in many ways to ensure that each student understands all the learning objectives. For this purpose, the school uses the SABIS Academic Monitoring System, (SABIS AMS). It highlights the gaps in the understanding of students. These gaps are bridged by the efforts of teachers and the community of learners. Additionally, the school also uses the international examination as a form of assessment.

The progress made by every student is carefully monitored. The follow up allows the school to provide support to students requiring additional support. At this stage, every available support is used for students’ progress. This may include support by academic staff, peer-tutors and teachers.

Besides the regular educational programme, SABIS International School offers a special education programme for students requiring additional support. These programmes are ideal for students to bridge the academic gap to get admission in the schools following the SABIS Education Programme. Summer School is the first of the three special education programmes offered from June to August. It is a six-week academic programme ideal for students to make up for academic gaps. Special Lessons are offered to students for separate subjects. Students weak in a specific subject can attend the special lessons to understand the concepts. Full-Special Class is another special programme at SIS Yas Island. It is an accelerated programme for students in which students complete the course work for two years in an academic year.

Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is a governmental entity for regulating the education sector of Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra and Al Ain region. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan established ADEK in 2005 to sustain and improve the quality of education in the regions mentioned above. Through its Irtiqaa programme, ADEK inspects the performance of schools every 18 to 24 months and issues a detailed report based on the performance. The performance is measured against the following six performance standards:

• Students’ achievements
• Students’ social and personal development and innovation skills
• Teaching and Assessment
• The care, protection, guidance and support of students
• Leadership and Management
• Curriculum

The rating is based on a specifically designed 6-point scale. The brief explanation of ratings in the ADEK’s 6-point scale is as follows:

ADEK inspected the performance of SABIS International School for the academic year 2018-2019. In this inspection report, ADEK rated the performance of the school as good. This indicates that SABIS International School meets the expected level of performance set by the ADEK. This is the first time SIS-Yas Island is inspected by the ADEK. In terms of the performance standards, the care, protection, guidance and support of students is rated as very good. Whereas, the rest of the performance standards are rated good.

The main strengths of the SABIS International School Abu Dhabi identified by the ADEK are:

• The progress made by the students
• Attendance and punctuality of students
• Attitude towards learning and engagement towards lessons
• Strategic vision and promotion of caring ethos by the school’s leadership
• Use of assessment information by teachers to improve learning

Nevertheless, ADEK drew recommendations to improve the performance of SABIS International School:

• SIS-Yas Island needs to raise the attainment of students in all subjects, especially Arabic writing and reading. For this purpose, the school should ensure the ample time is given in teaching writing and reading. They must provide opportunities to develop independent learning skills. The school must ensure that students respond to written feedback offered by the teachers. Lastly, the school must plan additional opportunities to improve attainment in science and mathematics.
• They need to improve teaching and learning by setting challenging tasks and planning and delivering lessons to promote innovative skills.
• SABIS International School needs to work on leadership and management. For this purpose, they need to accurately judge the school against the UAE inspection framework. They also need to work on reducing the staff turnover rate.

The academic year at SIS Yas Island starts in late August for the infant stage and early September for the elementary and secondary stage. There are three terms in the academic year of SABIS International School.

• The first term starts in the last week of August for KG1 and KG2 students and the First week of September for the rest of the grades. The term ends in the first week of December. This is followed by a 3-week winter break.
• The second term starts in the first week of January and ends in the last week of March. Students then go on a two-week spring break.
• Students return for the last term in the third week of April. The school concludes in the last week of June.

Please note that the academic calendar mentioned above does not account for holidays on national and religious events. The exact dates for some of these events are subjected to moon sighting. For more information, check out the academic calendar of SABIS International School (SIS) Yas Island.

SABIS International School follows a non-selective admission policy. To apply, fill the online application form available on the school’s website. Please ensure that all the provided information is authentic. Failure to do so would result in cancellation of admission form. The following documents are required along with the application form:

• Passport of the candidate and parents (1 copy)
• Valid UAE residence of the candidate and parents
• Passport-size photograph of the candidate (white background)
• Emirates ID card of the candidate and parent
• Birth certificate
• Vaccination record
• Recent school report

After submitting the application and document, the school contacts parents for assessment. There are no previous academic requisites for admission in the infant (kindergarten) stage. For admission in KG2 to Grade 2, the school conducts an online interview. For Grade 3 and above, the school conducts an online diagnostic test. The outcome of the assessment and interview will be communicated to the parents. The decision to grant admission depends on the outcome of the assessment and previous academic record. Parents of the successful candidates need to pay a required deposit to secure a seat for their child. For more information, read the admission process of SABIS International School.

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

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

The SABIS International School fee is as follow:

Currently, there are no scholarship programmes at SABIS International School Yas Island.

SABIS International School offers a safe transport facility to its students. It hired experienced employees for its transportation department that are experts in handling transportation operations. Bus drivers and conductors are trained to handle children. The school buses are in excellent shape and have modern safety and security features. To apply for the transport service, submit the completed transport form.

The school bus capacity has been reduced to comply with COVID-19 regulations. For more information, contact the transport department of SABIS International School Abu Dhabi.

SABIS International School is a day-only school and does not entertain boarding or hostelling requests. Those living far from the school can opt for the transport facility offered by the school. Parents can also relocate to communities near the school. If interested, read the residential communities near the SABIS International School section within the guide.

Holidays are an opportunity for students to engage in non-curricular activity and develop skills in other aspects of life. SABIS International School offers interesting and engaging holiday camps for students, especially during the summer holidays. Last year, the school arranged a holiday camp for its students in Bath, United Kingdom. Students have the option to enrol students in a 2-week programme, 4-week programme, 2-week university orientation programme and the Manchester City Football Performance Programme.

Currently, the school has postponed holiday camps for the current academic year. The school will let you know about the status of holiday camps before the start of seasonal holidays.

Sport is an important part of the extra-curricular programme at SIS-Yas Island. By taking part in sport-related activities, students live a healthy and active life. The school has a range of sports facilities to encourage students to spend their leisure time learning different indoor and outdoor sports. These facilities include:

Some sports facilities, such as swimming pool, are closed to avoid large gathering.

The school has an extensive extra-curricular programme that caters to the non-curricular needs of students. Numerous activities are made part of the extra-curricular programme for all-round development of students. Some activities are conducted after the regular school timings to ensure that students can spend enough time on those.

Some noteworthy extra-curricular activities at this educational institute are:

Please note that the school has currently suspended some extra-curricular activities as per the COVID-19 restrictions.

Field trips are another important part of the extra-curricular programme at SABIS International School. It serves as an opportunity for the school to expose students to the practical environment. Students learn and link the lessons taught in classrooms with practical observations. Some popular field trips arranged by the school are visits to:

• Bounce
• Emirates Park Zoo
• Fun Works
• KidZania
• Warner Bros

The school has currently suspended all field trips for students. The school will inform you about their resumption on their official platforms.

Most after-school activities at the school are in the form of extra-curricular activities. The school offers interesting activities every Saturday including badminton, tennis, Karate and ballet.

After-school care is suspended to comply with the covid-19 protocols issued by ADEK.

Several modes of communication are available for parents and teachers at SABIS International School. Parent-teacher meetings allow both teachers and parents to discuss the progress made by students. Reports are sent to parents thrice a year (each term). For the current academic year, the school might not arrange face-to-face parent-teacher meetings. The school will let you know about the details on their platforms.

The official school website is another source of communication for the school. Here, parents can access the information related to the curriculum, admission and much more.

Another popular mode of communication at SABIS International School is the SABIS Digital Platform. It is a password-protected digital platform for parents to access attendance records, academic performance, news, circulars and much more.

Other modes of communication at this school are the social media profiles and WhatsApp groups. The school adds teachers and parents of students studying in the same classrooms in a group. This is an excellent source of urgent enquiries.

Address: Yas East, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Telephone Number

• For general information: +971 2 5650065

Email Address

• For general enquiry: sisyasisland@sabis.net

Official Website and Social Media

• SABIS School Website
• Facebook

Note that the cover image belongs to SABIS International School