Frequently Asked Questions
How does the school communicate with parents?
All individual information is sent to parents via email and teachers will request a convenient email address from you at the beginning of each academic year. All general information, newsletters and claendar information is available on this website. We are doing our best to ensure that only essential information is sent directly to you. This website is updated weekly, sometimes daily and contains a huge amount of current, relevant information relating to the school.
Is there a Parent Teacher association at the school?
There is no permanent PTA however throughout the your we do have working groups made up of parents who support events at the school. In addition, from January 2009 in the Primary and Junior School we will have Class Parent representatives for each class.
Will my child have the opportunity to swim at school?
Our PE programme is varied and challenging for all children. We have a 20 metre, 6 lane indoor pool at the school and all children from Grade 3 upwards will swim as part of their PE lessons. Junior School children will have approximately 6 weeks of swimming per year. In addition, private lessons may be available for younger children during the year.
How do I make a suggestion, report a problem or make inquiries about my child's progress?
We encourage parents and guardians to consider the content / extent of the matter and approach the Form or Subject Teacher, Heads of Department, the Deputy Principal or the Principal.
Can my child who has a physical disability be enrolled at EIS?
Depending on the level of assistance required by a physically disabled child, consideration can be given in individual cases. At all times we seek to be transparent and practical in assessing such matters.
Can my child who has a learning disability be accommodated at EIS Meadows?
The school has limited places for children requiring Learning Support and at this time we are unable to accept any more children in the Primary and Junior School with learning difficulties. High School education focuses on preparing students for nine IGCSE subjects at Grade 11 and parents are therefore encouraged to be realistic in terms of academic expectations.
My child does not speak or understand English: will they be accepted at the school and if so, how will they cope?
Any truly international school must be prepared to welcome children from countries worldwide, whether English is spoken or not. At EIS Meadows, we have a special ENL (English as a New Language) team of teachers who work with small groups of children, out of regular class, to develop vocabulary, language skills and self-confidence. ENL children will spend the majority of the school day with their regular class but will have time out on a daily basis to work with their ENL teacher. Unfortunately, because of curriculum demands associated with the IGCSE and IB it becomes increasingly unlikely that students from Grade 8 onwards with little or no English would be able to cope with the academic programme at the school. Absolutely no ENL students can be accepted in to Grade 10 (first year of IGCSE).
What should I do if my child is ill or cannot attend school for a specific reason?
In the event of illness, notify the office of the relevant secretary or Form Teacher by email or phone on the first day of absence or write a letter to send to school with your child. Parents seeking to remove their children from school for any period of time are required to obtain written permission from the Principal. (By law the Ministry of Education permits a student a total of no more than 17 days absence from school.)
What should I do if my child falls ill at school?
A qualified, full time doctor and two nursing staff attend to students between 08:00 and 15:00 each day. They are on hand to deal with illness and emergencies. They will contact a parent where a referral to a hospital or more specific care may be required.
Do I need to pay for field trips?
Yes, field trips are all linked to the curriculum or part of the personal development of students and are funded by parents. Depending on the destination, the cost may vary from Dhs. 20 for local trips to Dhs. 7,000 for overseas visits (historically, these have included Thailand, Cyprus, Mauritius and Switzerland).
Do I need to buy stationery, textbooks and exercise / copybooks?
Basic stationery items must be brought to school each day by children from Grade 1 onwards. Form or class teachers will provide a list of specialist stationery items and equipment in the first few days of school. Copy books, exercise books and text books are provided by the school. Some IGCSE and IB subjects also require students to purchase copies of set texts in order that they can annotate them.