West Yas Academy, Abu Dhabi

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

West Yas Academy, a school project by Aldar Academies, was inaugurated in September 2016. Aldar Academies is one of the reputable education providers in the UAE with seven academies in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. It is the first school in Abu Dhabi to follow the Massachusetts State Curriculum.

All academic and non-academic activities are planned considering students’ interests. Currently, West Yas Academy has 638 students enrolled in three phases of education. It has plans to expand the school until the high school phase with a capacity of 1,500 students. Most students at this school are Emiratis, followed by a considerable portion of students from the USA, Egypt and Jordan. The teaching staff of 74 full-time teachers and 26 teaching assistants teaches them. Boys and girls study together till grade 5 and then are taught in separate sections.

Like most Aldar Academies in the UAE, West Yas Academy has a range of high-end facilities. The availability of the latest technology aids in students’ learning. Here, students have access to many indoor and outdoor facilities for enrichment activities. That is how the school cultivates all-round skills. Besides, the school has many other facilities that allure parents towards West Yas Academy.

Read this comprehensive guide by Bayut to learn more about the education, facilities and admission process and fees structure.

West Yas Academy, as the name suggests, is on the main Yas Island. It is a popular residential area that offers a vibrant lifestyle. Yas Island is renowned for its luxurious residential options, hotels and other recreational opportunities. It serves as an ideal location for locals and tourists alike.

If you are looking for more options, many similar islands are 15 to 30 minutes away from Yas Island. The nearby communities are:

• Saadiyat Island
• Al Reem Island
• Al Maryah Island

Saadiyat Island, one of the iconic and scenic locations of Abu Dhabi, is the closest island to West Yas Academy. It is an uprising community that is gaining popularity as a residential spot in the capital. It is a villa-based community with many projects are under development.

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West Yas Academy sprawls over a large plot with state-of-the-art school facilities. All the facilities at this school are labelled 21st century and aid in students’ learning. It is a purpose-built campus, which is safe for students and staff. The school has well-trained security personnel that ensure safety at arrival and departure points. CCTV cameras are also installed throughout the campus.

Classrooms are spacious and are have innovative technologies including:

• Interactive whiteboards
• 3D projectors
• Green screens
• Use of tablets and smartphones

The facilities mentioned above are a cornerstone to learning at West Yas Academy. These facilities help students visualise objects before their eyes that help in understanding. It has only invested in technology that it can embed with the curriculum. The school has also invested in Abobe Creative Studio, Microsoft Office, Raspberry Pi, etc., for developing technical skills. Additionally, the academy has purpose-built play areas for kindergarten and elementary stage students.

Students at this educational facility can find computer labs with fast-processing PCs and high-speed internet connections. It also has a science lab to support the syllabus. The school has a library with academic and non-academic books to build reading habits. There are music rooms with recording facilities. A large-sized auditorium is used for assemblies, performances and other extracurricular activities. Other noteworthy facilities at West Yas Academy are:

• Electronic laboratories
• Food Technology lab
• Art, Design and Textile Studios
• Canteen
• Prayer room for Muslim students and staff members

The sports facilities at the campus include two swimming pools: one for boys and the other for girls. It also has large and small playing fields for American sports, such as softball, soccer, volleyball and basketball. These playing fields have AstroTurf that is usable in all weathers and conditions. Also, the elementary, middle and high school sections have indoor and outdoor viewing galleries. The school also has a clinic equipped with proper medical staff to cater to the needs of students.

The school is opposite the West Yas Mosque near West Yas Plaza in Zone K. Zone K lies in the West Yas community of Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Those interested in visiting the school can access it through Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Highway and Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street connecting most parts of Abu Dhabi with the school.

West Yas Academy is one of the seven academies managed by Aldar Academies in the UAE. Aldar Academies, a part of renowned Aldar Properties, is a leading education provider in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with around 7,500 students. Most of their academies are rated highly by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). All their academies, including West Yas Academy, is dedicated to offering the best quality education to students and helping them in succeeding in their future lives.

West Yas Academy, Abu Dhabi, offers quality education to its students. The syllabus is broad and covers a wide range of subjects. It follows the Massachusetts Common Core Curriculum as a US curriculum standard to shape its syllabus. It is the most rigorous and academically challenging education standard in the US recognised internationally. Students completing their schooling following this standard of education are accepted in top colleges and universities around the globe, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). ADEK last inspected the performance of the school as Good.

The main feature of this school that separates it from most schools in Abu Dhabi is the quality of school facilities. West Yas Academy has invested heavily in its infrastructure to offer some of the finest school facilities in the capital city. Innovative technologies are well-adapted throughout the school and aid in student learning. Well-equipped science and computer labs, libraries, music rooms, etc. fully cover the academic needs of students. Moreover, several sports facilities ensure students of this academy are physically fit and active.

The facilities allow the school to run comprehensive extra-curricular and after-school care programmes. These programmes include a range of activities that contribute to the development of well-rounded students. The school also takes the health and safety of its students seriously. For this purpose, it has a strong pastoral and safety programme that focuses on the health of students and the hygiene of the academy.

The senior leadership of West Yas Academy is highly experienced. Most teachers at the school have previously taught in renowned schools globally. The experience helps them develop a sound educational programme built around inquiry and project-based learning. Moreover, it employs a highly diverse teaching staff that belongs to English speaking countries like the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK.

Another strong point of West Yas Academy is its inclusive admission policy. The school offers admission to all that can adjust to the academic requirements of this academy, including students of determination. It is evident from the fact that the school has about 19% of students with special education needs. The student force at this academy is predominantly Emirati; however, it represents over 30 nationalities.

ADEK has issued a revised set of guidelines and protocols for the safe reopening of schools for the academic year 2021-2022. Most COVID-19 protocols remain the same; however, some changes are made to facilitate the learning process. The revised protocols are as follows:

• At the start of the academic year, ADEK was offering flexible learning modes to students. However, from January 2022, all schools in the UAE  are discontinuing distance learning..
• All students, faculty members and administrative staff, irrespective of their age or vaccination status, have to produce a negative nasal PCR or Saliva test 14 days prior to returning to school. Same applies for third-party contractors.
• ADEK has issued new vaccination guidelines for the academic year 2021-2022. Students aged 3 to 15 years old do not need to get vaccinated to physically return to schools. However, students above 16 years of age need to get two doses of vaccine and must complete 28 days of the second dose before returning to schools. Vaccination certificates must be verified on the Al Hosn App.
• Parents can now pick up and drop off their children from the classroom if the school allows. However, schools should ensure that parents do not have access to other facilities on campus.
• Moreover, ADEK has reduced the minimum physical distance from 1.5 metres to 1 metre. However, schools should continue to take precautions by maintaining a safe distance. Staff members and students above six years old should wear a mask at all times.
• Schools are now allowed to conduct swimming and sports lessons, holiday camps, extracurricular activities, after-school clubs and catering services under strict health and safety measures. Schools must clean and sanitise the changing and sports areas after each group of children.
• Students are asked to enter the specific gates wearing facemasks. The school has to check their temperatures at the entry points. Students with body temperatures over 37.5-degree centigrade are not allowed to enter. They will be sent home with their parents.

Aldar West Yas Academy currently educates children from KG1 to Grade 11. However, the school plans to expand it until Grade 12. The education system at the school is split into the following phases of education:

At West Yas Academy, the US curriculum based on the Massachusetts State Curriculum is followed. It is one of the most highly regarded state educational standards in America and has close ties with Harvard and MIT.

This curriculum is academically rigorous, comprehensive and promotes forward-thinking. It is a highly challenging yet rewarding choice of study for students as it yields admission to top colleges and universities across the globe. There are clear guidelines and expectations for each grade at this school.

The syllabus is student-centric, and assessments are used to gauge progress in each subject. Besides education, the school targets the well-rounded development of students from a very young age. For this purpose, the school uses inquiry-based learning, extra-curricular activities and physical education.

Students work their way through different phases of education to acquire the American High School Diploma – offered after clearing Grade 12. The school has adopted a student competency framework linked with units of inquiry. The framework instils important values in children, such as integrity, respect, resilience, empathy, honesty, etc. All these promote lifelong learners to become respectable and globally aware citizens.

Additionally, West Yas Academy integrated programmes like My Identity and Digital Literacy Computer Science (DLCS) to strengthen the curriculum. My Identity deals with Arabic, citizenship, culture, values and traditions. On the other hand, DLSC focuses on providing 21st-century resources and knowledge to students related to computers. The following are the specifics of the syllabus for each phase of education.

Kindergarten Curriculum

Kindergarten is the most crucial stage of education. In this stage, the school develops an understanding of fundamental concepts that helps in future phases of education. The school follows the Massachusetts State Curriculum and teaches the following subjects:

In the kindergarten stage, West Yas Academy teaches a yearly curriculum based on six units of inquiry. These units are split into three units per semester. The school uses play-based activities, guest appearances, excursions, parental engagement and theme days to build concepts in KG1 and KG2.

Elementary Stage Curriculum

The school follows the Elementary Stage curriculum for students in Grade 1 to Grade 5. It is also based on the Massachusetts State Curriculum and focuses on strengthening the foundations. The curriculum also has six units of inquiry split into two per term. The school also ensures excursions, guest appearances, parental engagement, themes celebrations and much more. My Identity programmes, DLSC and the competency framework assist teachers in providing the best and updated knowledge to students.

The elementary stage curriculum revolves around the inquiry-based approach. It allows students to question and explore the concepts taught in the classrooms. The inquiry-based approach is for social science, numeracy, physical science, history, Arabic, arts and physical education.

The Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLSC) programme used at West Yas Academy fully supports the Massachusetts curriculum framework. Most of DLSC abilities overlap with the features of the state curriculum followed at this academy. Moreover, it adds value to the elementary education programme by building skills in computational thinking, engineering, science and mathematics. The subjects offered in Grade 1 to Grade 5 are:

Please note that the school has two Arabic programmes: one for native speakers and the other for foreigners. Islamic Studies is only for Muslim students. UAE Social Studies is offered from Grade 2 onwards. Arts as a subject consists of concepts and teaching related to ICT, Drama, Art and Music.

Middle School Curriculum

It continues the Massachusetts State Curriculum as the standard of education in middle school. The level of complexity increases with each grade. West Yas Academy has a range of elective courses for students. These courses are designed to inspire interest and help students choose the appropriate direction for high school studies. The core subjects taught in Grade 6 to Grade 8 are:

Besides, the elective courses options available to students are:

Currently, the school only educates until the middle school phase.

High School Curriculum

West Yas Academy will initiate the high school phase soon. The programme will include a range of core subjects and elective options leading to the American High School Diploma. Furthermore, the academy will introduce the Advanced Placement (AP) test to help students get admission to universities and colleges in the USA and Canada.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) discontinues distance learning for all schools across the UAE from January 2022.

ADEK is a governmental entity that regulates the education sector in Abu Dhabi. It aims to improve and sustain the quality of education offered by educational institutes in the capital City. Through the Irtiqaa Programme, it inspects the performance of schools and issues a report on it every two years.

The report highlights the performance of schools as per the six standards of performance. These standards are as follows:

• Students’ Achievement
• Students’ Personal and Social Development, and their Innovation Skills
• Teaching and Assessment
• Curriculum
• The Protection, Care, Guidance and Support of Students
• Leadership and Management

It judges the performance based on a specifically designed six-point scale. The scale varies from outstanding (best) to very weak (worst) rating. Here is a brief explanation of each rating:

 The school was last inspected for the academic year 2018-19. ADEK judged the performance of the school as Good. It was also rated the same for the academic year 2016-17. ADEK reported improvements in the personal and social development standards of the school. The rest of the performance standards were rated the same.

The main strengths of West Yas School are:

• The school has shown improvements in the attainment of students in English in all phases of education. Also, improvements in students’ attainment in mathematics were observed for the primary stage and science in the kindergarten phase.
• ADEK observed a strong relationship of students with teachers and faculty members. Consequently, resulting in the improved social and personal development of students.
• Another strength of this school is its system that assesses students’ progress and attainment.
• The school provides effective protection, care, guidance, the support provided to the students.
• The role of the principal and senior leadership team is also commendable.

Nevertheless, ADEK recommended West Yas Academy the following to improve its rating in the future:

• The school should further raise the attainment in all subjects, especially Arabic, and in middle school. For this purpose, it should develop learning activities in line with the learning needs of students. Also, it should provide opportunities for students to read and write in Arabic. The school should also share good practices adopted for other subjects.
• It can also improve students’ attainment via effective teaching. For this purpose, it must focus on monitoring teaching to identify the most effective techniques. Teachers can also provide peer support to students and focus on the professional development of other teachers.
• West Yas Academy can also work on the behaviour of a few students in middle school and improve punctuality. For this purpose, the school needs to ensure the effectiveness of additional resources for improving students’ behaviour. It should also work with parents to raise awareness regarding the importance of attendance and punctuality.
• It should work on innovation, research, enterprise and critical thinking skills. Training must be offered to promote 21st-century skills. Teachers can also use assessment data to improve students’ attainment.

The academic year at West Yas Academy starts in August and ends in July. It is split into three terms:

• The first term starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December. It is followed by a three-week winter holiday until the last week of December.
• The second term starts in the first week of January and ends in the fourth week of March. After the second term, students go on a two-week spring break till the first week of April.
• The final term starts in the second week of April and concludes in the first week of July.

For more information, check out the academic calendar of West Yas Academy.

All the Aldar Academies schools, including West Yas Academy, are inclusive and accept admission applications from all. The admission is given on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The enrollment process at West Yas Academy is based on four easy steps. The first step involves filling out the online enquiry form. The Parent Relation Executive of this school will contact you in two business days to assist you in completing the admission process.

After that, the school encourages parents to book a school tour with the senior leadership. It is the best opportunity for parents to understand the environment and see the facilities.

Once you are satisfied with the resources and environment, you can start the registration process by completing the application form. Please fill out the form with the correct information as the school reserves the right to cancel the admission request upon false information. The admission team will reach you in two working days and ask you to bring your child for an assessment.

Afterwards, the school will inform you of the assessment result and admission decision in two working days. After accepting the admission offer, parents have to pay the registration fee to secure a seat for their child.

The age-grade guidelines are:

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

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

The required documents to be submitted at the time of registration include:

• Completed acceptance letter
• Birth certificate (copy)
• Proof of registration and or tuition fee paid
• Passport size photograph of the candidate
• The candidate’s Emirate ID card
• Passport of the candidate and parents
• Proof of address
• Residence visa of the candidate and parents (not applicable to Emiratis, citizens of GCC countries and diplomats)

For more information, read the admission process at West Yas Academy.

The West Yas Academy fees are given below:

For more information, view the fees structure of West Yas Academy.

The school does not offer any scholarship programme to its students.

There is a canteen that provides scrumptious, healthy and nutritious food items to children. Both hot and cold lunch items are available at affordable prices. These food items are prepared in a hygienic environment and care is taken while selecting the raw materials. The menu is designed in a way to ensure both vegetarian and non-vegetarian students have ample options.

The academy provides a safe, reliable and efficient transport service to students. The service is ideal for students living far from school. Since efficient transport is hard to manage by schools themselves, West Yas Academy outsourced it to an ADEK approved contractor. The contractor manages a well-maintained fleet of air-conditioned buses with safety and security features. Drivers and conductors are well-trained and fully comply with the Department of Transport Abu Dhabi.

It is a day-only school and does not offer any boarding facility to students. Those living far from the school can take benefit of the transport service provided by the school.

There are no holiday camps offered by the school.

Several sports facilities are available to students at West Yas Academy. These facilities include

The school hosts annual sports competitions where students have the opportunity to shine and showcase their athletic skills in front of their peers and parents.

Extra-curricular activity is an important part of the education programme of Aldar Academies, including West Yas Academy. These activities serve as a refreshing counterbalance to academic activities. The activities are planned in a way to ensure the development of 21st-century skills among students. These skills have become an inevitable part of students’ life that help them to thrive in the modern world. To diversify the range of activities offered to students, the school adopts the best practices of other curricula, including the International Baccalaureate (IB). The Community, Action and Service (CAS) programme, practised in many IB curriculum schools, inspire most activities at West Yas Academy.

The extra-curricular activities are planned in such a way to meet the following learning outcomes:

• Developing new skills
• Accepting new challenges
• Understanding strengths and areas for growth
• Engaging with global issues
• Planning, managing and initiating activities
• Collaborative working
• Considering ethical implications
• Perseverance and commitment

The following extra-curricular options are available to students of West Yas Academy:

Academics

Some extracurricular activities at the school support the academic progress and achievement of students. Students interested in particular subjects or have special skills usually prefer academics-related extra-curricular activities. These activities allow them to pursue their interest at the highest level. Besides, these activities are available in the after-school programme. These activities include:

All these activities are available in the form of the after-school programme and are charged separately.

Creative Activities

Creative activities are also a part of the extra-curricular programme at this academy. These activities are suitable for students that are interested in painting, drawing and other forms of creative arts. Each programme is specifically tailored to inspire the creative thinking and imaginative skills of students. These activities further support the lectures provided in the school as part of the syllabus and build the foundation for artistic-minded students to pursue their careers as future artists. The major creative arts activities offered to students are:

Students participating in creative activities are given a chance to perform in school choirs and orchestra performances.

Sports

Another important part of the extra-curricular programme at West Yas Academy is sports. The school connects with ‘Action’ – a part of the CAS programme followed in IB schools. Despite being an IB school, West Yas Academy has integrated the concepts of the CAS programme into its extra-curricular programme. Those active in sports activities are given chances to participate in international expeditions and competitive sports competitions.

Some noteworthy sports-related extra-curricular activities include:

Music School

The school also offers music education to its students outside its syllabus. West Yas Academy considers music as a vital component in the development of communication, reasoning and language skills. Therefore, the academy has collaborated with the Internal Music Institute (IMI) that provides professional music learning lessons. The lessons taught by IMI are:

School Community and Other Activities

The school also arranges school community-based activities for students. These activities include newspaper club, student council, yearbook club, celebrating of national and international events and recycling club.

Besides, the school has collaborated with computers 4 Kids, Esports 4 Kids and 365Edu to introduce exciting new activities to students. One of the exciting new extra-curricular activities introduced at West Yas Academy is the Minecraft Anytime, Anywhere Challenge. Minecraft is one of the popular video games in the world that has the learning potential, especially for kids. This video simulation game of surviving into the real world teaches children many skills. This is a 10-day programme that teaches activities related to maths, science, social studies and coding and rewards high-scoring participants. The school charges AED 275 with a bonus of two sessions for students of Aldar Academies.

Field trips are an important part of the comprehensive extra-curricular programme at the school. It ensures students’ learning beyond the walls of classrooms. Such experiences help children to link the lecture taught in classrooms with the practical world. Moreover, it acts as an opportunity for children to relax and spend quality time with their teachers and peers. Some noteworthy field trips arranged by West Yas Academy include:

• Recreational visit to Fun Works Dubai for Grade 1 students
• Cooking workshop at Wagamamas for Grade 1 students
• Hay Festival 2019 in Manarat Al Saadiyat for Grade 2 students
• International trips to elder students
• Food training at Wagamama Dubai

Currently, the after-school care programme at West Yas Academy is merged with the extra-curricular programme. Most of the extracurricular activities offered to students are available as after-school care activities.

There is a school clinic equipped with necessary instruments and medical facilities to take care of injured and ill children and staff. The academy has employed a full-time school nurse who takes care of patients throughout the day. The school has collaborated with the largest health provider company in the UAE and all the medical staff, including the full-time nurse, is registered with Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD). The medical staff is equipped to handle cases of Asthma and Diabetes. Moreover, the nurse also conducts weight, height and visual screening of students of West Yas Academy and maintains a record of their health profiles. The clinic is also used to support government-initiated vaccination and health programmes.

At this academy, there are several modes of communication available for teachers and parents. Parents and teachers can discuss the progress made by their children in the parent-teacher meeting. These meetings serve as an opportunity to discuss the roadmap that leads to the effective development of learning of the child.

Besides, the school has a parent portal through which parents can access vital information. The portal includes information about the assessments, feedback, attendance record, circulars, notification, and updates on coming events.

Additionally, the school’s official website is another source of information for teachers, parents and the wider community. The website is well-updated and informative for parents. The website has a parental guide tab that has reading materials to help parents in the admission and after-admission processes. Moreover, the website also has newsletters, academic diaries, social walls, gallery and much more.

Other modes of communication at this academy are social media platforms and WhatsApp groups.

Location: Behind West Yas Mosque, Near West Yas Plaza, Zone K, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Telephone Numbers

• For general information: +971 2 885 7000

Email Addresses

• For Public Relations: PRE@westyasacademy.sch.ae

Official Website and Social Media

• Official Website
• Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to West Yas Academy