About DBGS

Introduction

At Dhahran British Grammar School our mission is to provide a high quality, child centred education which will equip students with the skills needed for life-long learning. We invite you to visit our school website at www.dhahranbritish.com for further information.

Mission

Our mission is to provide a high quality, child centred education which will equip students with the skills needed for life-long learning. The school follows the British National Curriculum and delivers an externally assessed (I)GCSE programme.

Beliefs

• Achievement: Foster self-esteem, confidence and high achievement
• Challenge: Provide a challenging, stimulating education
• Tolerance: Establish an environment of co-operation, tolerance and mutual respect
• Individualism: Recognise the unique needs of the individual whilst promoting international and intercultural understanding
• Vision: Provide a safe space for the development of life-long learning
• Equality: Celebrate the values of equal opportunities, racial harmony and a positive school climate

The foundation of our work is an emphasis upon high achievement and our academic results compare favourably with the very best National Curriculum schools in the UK and across the world. We are proud of our students’ ability to work hard, establish sensitive relationships with those around them and to seek new skills and knowledge.

If you would like to contact me directly to discuss aspects of the school further I can be contacted on +966 13 330 0555 ext. 2007. Alternatively email the school on dbgs.parents@isg.edu.sa

Location

The school is located next to the US Consulate and occupies a well-resourced 40-acre campus shared with two American schools. Each school operates independently and Dhahran British Grammar teaches according to the precepts of the National Curriculum.

The school accommodates pupils from Pre-Reception to Year 11 and currently has a school population of 580+ pupils. The school is in its 7th year of (I)GCSE examinations and is an accredited examination centre for Cambridge International Examinations and Edexcel.

National tests are taken at the end of Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 and all school results are made public to the parents and broader community. The school population is predominantly British and pupils are taught by suitably qualified and experienced staff who themselves are largely British in origin.

The school has a relatively high percentage of sponsored teachers at a figure of 66% with 34% of teachers locally employed. This is to ensure the continuity and stability of the teaching programme and enables a large number of specialist subjects to be taught across the school.

Class and Programme Overview

Class sizes typically comprise 15 – 22 pupils and each class in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 has a full time Teaching Assistant to work alongside the teacher. The Pre-Reception programme is housed in a specialist area and the childen are supervised by three members of staff. The Key Stage 1 programme is child-centred and child-friendly with the needs of young children at the forefront of the delivered curriculum.

The school provides specialist teaching and resources throughout the school and these include physical education, music, design technology, information communication technology, French, science, Arabic, art, as well as business studies and the range of GCSE specialist subjects. Physical resources are excellent in all classrooms and specialist areas. Key Stages 1 & 2 perform annual productions and a full musical programme feeds into concerts performed during the school year.

School Hours

School hours are from 07:55 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Children from Years 3 – 11 who take advantage of the school’s After-School Activity programme leave school at 15.30.

The first break is from 10:10a.m.-10:50a.m. and a shorter second break from 12:50pm-1:10pm.

The children are largely bussed to and from school by compound supervised transport. Children typically leave compounds at 07:15 and return home by 15:00 unless they stay for after school activities.

School Uniform

A school uniform is compulsory and all items must be purchased from the campus Academy Store to ensure consistency of appearance.

Management Structure

The school has a clear management structure that defines expectations for the taught programme at each Key Stage. The school’s Senior Management Team is comprised of key managers representing the different phases of the school.  In Key Stages 3 & 4 there are two managers in the form of a Deputy Headteacher and a Senior School Coordinator to oversee this expanding area of the school. Key Stages 1 & 2 are supervised by dedicated Key Stage Coordinators to ensure consistency and continuity of educational experiences.

Expectations of homework and discipline are clearly defined but the emphasis is very much on praise with a merit award system established throughout the school to reinforce positive behaviour and approaches to learning.

Regular parent conferences take place and parent communication is encouraged at all levels. There is a strong tradition of a Parent Volunteer Group (PVG) where volunteer parents are closely involved in the life of the school.

The International Schools Group of Saudi Arabia

The school is one of seven schools which comprise the International Schools Group of Saudi Arabia. One school follows the British National Curriculum, three follow an American Curriculum, one provides the International Primary Curriculum and two provide an International Curriculum. Total pupils are in excess of 2,700.

Inspection and Accreditation

During the 1997/1998 the school was inspected under the OFSTED framework. Qualified inspectors visited the school and the inspection was administered by CfBT, an external contracting agency who satisfied OFSTED’s criteria in carrying out UK inspections. This full OFSTED-style inspection followed the same procedures and requirements as those of a U.K. school undergoing an inspection. The results of the inspection were of a very high standard with 96% of lessons seen being at the expected levels and of these lessons 63% were seen to be from good to excellent. The school is currently embarking on an accreditation process with CIS.

The school undertakes all UK style statutory and non-statutory pupil and teacher assessment arrangements. School results are consistently at a very high level and would match high-performing schools in the UK. Along with these assessments selective standardised testing is undertaken annually. Written reports are sent to parents in Terms 1 and 3 and two parent/teacher conferences take place annually.

The Association of British Schools in the Middle East

The school has membership of the Association of British Schools in the Middle East (BSME), and district membership of the Association of Near East/South Asia Schools (N.E.S.A.) The school is also a member of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) a well-known and reputable school organization servicing the needs of international schools in many key areas.