Sharjah English School
Sharjah English School (SES) is a British-curriculum school in Sharjah, UAE. It is one of the longest-established private, Not-for-Profit, coeducational schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With a current enrolment of 850 students across primary and secondary (with ages from 3 to 18), it remains an intimate and exclusive school. The student cohort is English-speaking expatriate children, with UK citizens being the largest national group. Outside of Arabic and Islamic Studies departments, all teaching staff is UK qualified and experienced. SES has been inspected most recently in March 2019: it emerged  as "an outstanding school", described as being "very effective" with "high standards across all areas". Students are prepared for British GCSE and A-Level qualifications, with many alumni continuing their higher education abroad. SES has been included among the top British schools in the UAE by "The Telegraph" among the likes of Repton School Dubai and Jumeirah College, and has been described as being the top choice for British expats in Sharjah, while "Khaleej Times" acknowledged the school as "one of the leading educational institutions in the Emirates". It has been credited by Which School Advisor as enjoying unusually high  levels of parental approval. A sizeable minority of parents are also part of the school teaching staff. The school is under the auspices of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and is accredited to British Schools Overseas (BSO) and British Schools of the Middle East (BSME). History. A group of British companies wishing to provide educational services to their employees' children opened the school in 1974 in downtown Sharjah. SES remained a primary school only until 2005, when the secondary school opened on a large, new site on Maleha Road, near University City. The first GCSE cohort sat for exams  in 2008, and the first A-Level class graduated in 2010. Growing in a gradual and controlled fashion, which has maintained the school's character, a new secondary block was added in 2011, and a new Foundation and Infants building was opened in October 2017. September 2019 sees the first three-form cohort start Year 7 in Secondary; the Primary school is now three-form intake throughout. Admissions. Admission to Sharjah English School is competitive and early applications are essential. The school is non-selective academically, but fluency in English is expected. Admission for students requiring Learning Support is dependent  on the school's ability to provide the necessary staffing and support, in the context of other demands on the LS staff at any one time. Priority is mainly given to UK nationals and families of the school's supporting companies and institutions (Petrofac, American University of Sharjah, Higher Colleges of Technology, etc.). The fees ranged from AED 26,400 (Foundation stage) to AED 67,600 (Sixth Form), as of September 2021. Campus. The school's campus next to Sharjah University City houses a range of facilities on one of the largest school sites in the UAE. Two secondary buildings have been  complemented in 2018 with a new Studio for art and drama. There is a large Sports Hall and an outdoor swimming pool. Outdoor grass playing areas are unequalled by other schools in the country. Facilities also music rooms and a spacious auditorium that seats 400 people, and a range of specialist classrooms such as science labs and Design and Technology workshops. The primary school consists of two specialist buildings, a separate Sports Hall, and cramped outdoor play areas.  Primary education. The primary school, which was established in 1974 and now includes three form intake from Foundation to Year 6, currently  has just over 500 pupils. These follow the EYFS and UK National Curriculum. The EYFS curriculum has been described as "outstanding" (BSO 2019). Primary children learn in bright, stimulating, and attractive learning spaces, where common shared areas complement traditional classroom teaching, and where there are dedicated primary facilities for sports, music, etc. Over 90% of pupils transition from Primary to SES Secondary.