Taaleem owned Greenfield Community School (GCS) is a K-12 school located in Dubai Investment Park, Dubai. The school was established in September 2007 and offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme.  It is an “International Baccalaureate World Continuum School”.

The ‘continuum’ is used to describe the structure of three combined programmes, which can be implemented from prekindergarten through grade 12. More specifically, a continuum school will offer the IB Primary Years Programme (ages 3 through 12), IB Middle Years Programme (ages 11 through 16) and the IB Diploma Programme (ages 16 through 19). GCS is IB through and through.

Something WSA particularly likes is that Greenfield Community School also offers the IB Career Certificate (IBCC). The IBCC is an education framework for students aged 16 to 19 incorporating the” vision and educational principles of the IB into a programme tailored for students who wish to engage in career-related learning”. It provides “academic and practical foundation to support both their further studies and specialized training, thereby ensuring their success in the workforce”.

The IB is an increasingly popular choice as a curriculum, noted for its greater breadth than, for example, A’ Levels. It has as much currency as A’ Levels with UK university applications, and, arguably, more value for applications to universities in the U.S. and continental Europe.

GCS had its first graduating class of 13 students in 2012, and its second in 2013.  Its students have been accepted at universities in North America, the United Kingdom and the UAE.

GCS currently consists of 1116 students with over 120 teaching staff, four fifths of whom hold a teaching qualification. Students are grouped in 52 classes with smaller numbers in Grade 11 and Grade 12 Classes; which rounds up to a ratio of under 10 students per teacher, and 21 students in each classroom.  Actual class sizes range from 20 to 25 students per class. These are small classroom sizes – indicative of an IB based school.

The school’s student body is represented by over 80 nationalities.

The school does not appear to publish the results of its students for IB examinations, something WSA strongly encourages all schools to do. Exam success is a key criteria parents use when choosing a school.

After three years of a KHDA ‘Good’ rating, in 2011-2012 Greenfield Community School slipped to an inspection rating of ‘Acceptable’, a rating that continued into the 2012/13 inspection year. The KHDA 2011/12 report noted the school had experienced rapid expansion, and that it had introduced a new leadership structure, sharing responsibilities across subject and grade leaders.

The school has since stabilised, improved, and is now again rated Good by the KHDA (2014). This is its second highest grade.

Key issues for Greenfield during this period had been posts not filled, while other key staff lacked sufficient time to “fill in” and strengthen the monitoring of teaching and learning. Governance had been good, but limited by the lack of direct representation of parents. There were concerns with the Mid Year Programme (Grades 6 to 10) with a note that the curriculum “needed to improve, and teachers given more time to make those improvements”.  In the last academic year however there have been improvements in a range of subjects in various parts of the school, notably in English and mathematics in KG and MYP, and in science in MYP. There have also been improvements in teaching, learning and assessment in MYP and DP. School self-evaluation has also improved.

The school still needs further improvement in English in PYP and in DP writing and composition; in science in DP; and in mathematics in reasoning and problem-solving throughout the school.

As a school Greenfield is now marked by strong partnerships between key stakeholders; records outstanding attainment in both mathematics and Islamic values in KG; demonstrates outstanding personal responsibility and community and environmental responsibility in KG and PYP. Students are said to take responsibility for and show independence in their learning. There is outstanding curriculum design in DP and quality of support in MYP and the DP.

Facilities include two swimming pools, auditorium, design technology, information technology and science laboratories, drama, music and art studios, two libraries, tennis courts, gymnasium, sports field, shaded outdoor play areas and indoor play areas, two cafeterias. GCS sits on over 10 acres of land.

Feedback to WhichSchoolAdvisor.com is predominantly positive. The school makes it easy for parents – children look forward to going to school. Parents seem positive regarding the progress and attainment made by their children. More below in “the buzz”.

As of 2014 the fees for Greenfield Community School range from 38,000 AED per year for KG students to 70,000 AED per year for grade 12 students – which places the school in the premium end of the Dubai education market.