School name: Horizon English school
School system: British
Current rating: Outstanding
Grade: Kindergarten-Primary
Horizon English School is a British curriculum primary school located in the heart of Jumeirah. Rated "Outstanding" by KHDA for its inclusive community since 2018-19, the school now has over 1,000 children registered at Horizon, and the school's commitment to children and the school's ethos of developing children through engaging, innovative learning remain unchanged. The school has been welcomed in more than 80 countries, and in early 2021, the school became a member of the Cognita global family of schools.
Since opening in 1989, the school's community spirit and unconditional focus on well-being and children's happiness have earned the school the trust of parents and staff. The school follows the National Curriculum for England and caters to students aged 3 to 11 years (FS1-6).
At Horizon English School, the school's guiding principle is an ever-expanding horizon, symbolizing the school's relentless pursuit of excellence in education. The school's mission focuses on three key areas: fostering a thriving school environment where the well-being and happiness of students and adults provide the foundation for academic success; continually refining an evolving curriculum to ensure relevance and effectiveness; and fostering a sense of community where enrolling a child means bringing a family into the school's network of support.
1 Early Years Foundation Stage: A curriculum designed for children aged 3-5 years
Both FS1 and FS2 year groups at Horizon English School benefit from their own vibrant and well-resourced central area where they are encouraged to learn through play during free flow time each day. Children have access to:, a playground with age-appropriate equipment, a shaded courtyard garden, and The Curiousity Cove indoor soft play space.
Each classroom has its own dedicated outdoor area to encourage children to spend as much time learning outdoors as possible (weather permitting). In addition to the Nursery Class Teacher, each class has its own teaching assistant and there are weekly Arabic, Music, PE and Library classes with specialist teachers.
In Early Years, the school's curriculum focuses on leading children through seven core areas of learning:
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Communication and Language
Literacy and Numeracy
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts
In these areas, children will take part in a variety of problem-solving activities designed to help them develop critical thinking skills and increase their curiosity about the world around them. While safety is paramount, the school hopes to create a nurturing environment where children are encouraged to take on tasks and challenges that push them out of their comfort zones.
2 Lower Primary/Key Stage 1 Curriculum: Years 1-2
Horizon English School sees the Lower Primary (KS1) as an important bridge between the fundamentals mastered in the Foundation Stage and the more rigorous concepts mastered in Key Stage 2, and the school works hard to make the transition smooth for students.
The school's curriculum includes: English, Mathematics, Science, Arabic (Islamic Studies for Muslim students), French, Music, PE, Swimming, Subjects (including Geography and History), Art and Design, Social Studies and Moral Education, with specialist teachers providing Computing, French, Music, Swimming, PE, Arabic and Islamic Studies.
The timetable changes over the three terms as the school tailors learning to the rapid development of children at this stage. In the Autumn term of Year 1, the curriculum is tailored to FS2, with a child-initiated play schedule in a carefully designed central area, with a focus on STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). As children adjust to more formal teaching and develop their learning stamina, the lesson times are extended so that by the summer term the timetable replicates the second year, allowing children to start the next stage as confident, enthusiastic learners
3 Upper Primary Years/Key Stage 2 Curriculum: Years 3-6
“Which person, living or dead, has had the greatest impact on the world we live in? What does it take to be a CSI investigator? Do superheroes really exist in everyday life?” These are some of the questions the school asks Key Stage Two students to consider as they are encouraged to make connections between what they learn and the world they live in
The school continues to follow the National Curriculum for England and Wales, increasing the time children spend with specialist subject teachers (French, Arabic, Islamic Studies – for Muslim pupils) Computing, Art and Design, Music, PE and Swimming, and extending the depth of their knowledge in the core subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Moral Education. The school makes connections between themes wherever possible and provides enriching learning opportunities through school trips, outdoor adventure opportunities and residential trips (Years 5 and 6).
Computing is a focus across the school and is introduced as a specialist subject earlier than many of the school’s contemporaries. In Years 3-6 the school goes a step further and introduces unlimited learning by providing every child with an iPad pro device. The iPad is for learning only and is modified to ensure complete safety for children online. The school encourages students to continue learning after class and develop an independent approach to knowledge.
As well as working hard to ensure that every child has understanding, preparation and knowledge for the final years of school and beyond, it is at this stage that the school consolidates the values of leadership and communication that we instil in our children from an early age. The school offers a range of leadership roles in the Senior Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6), giving children the opportunity to become Sports Leaders, House Captains or Prefects, or be selected as Head Boy or Head Girl. Children across the school can also take on leadership roles by representing their class on the School Council and Green Team. One child in the school’s Sixth Form will also receive the ‘Spirit of the Horizon’ award, a highly coveted award that recognises students who demonstrate self-reliance and tenacity to better themselves while thinking of others.
Grade\Year Annual Fee
FS1 43126
FS2 51440
YEARS1-6 57812