CURRICULUM

Curriculum Overview

At home with the traditions and culture of the UAE and embracing the best of current educational practices within the American Curriculum (Common Core State Standards), HPS-Br. carries the interests of each child at the heart of everything it does.

Our sense of community and care for each other is tangible and helps us to ensure that all of our students develop the character and skills required for life-long learning, alongside a deep sense of tolerance, respect, and social responsibility.

Pre-KG

Pre-KG does not only expose the children to school life, it also introduces them to the world of education and learning. In this foundational year, children nurture a sense of wonder as they get a feel of what school is about while developing their physical, intellectual and social, and emotional abilities. In short, it is the start of lifelong learning.

In Pre-KG, children learn to nurture their linguistic skills by talking, asking questions, interacting with peers, and being introduced to the world of books and stories. Despite parents’ reservations about the value of Pre-KG education, enrolling kids in Pre-KG ensures a smoother transition into Kindergarten as they can comfortably and at their own pace adjust to school life and routines.

At Horizon Private School – American Branch, our professional teaching staff helps our Pre-KG learners develop by providing them with an exciting and positive learning environment that implements a well-rounded skill-based curriculum.

We provide a self-directed experiential educational environment that not only caters to children’s individual learning needs and interests, but also challenges them while they play, explore, and learn. To make teaching and learning a wonderful experience for our students, our teachers individualize and facilitate learning by focusing on the process along with the outcome.

Kindergarten

Our warm and welcoming classrooms provide an inspiring environment where students can enjoy inquiry-based learning, which poses questions, problems, or scenarios rather than simply presenting dry facts. It is about triggering and activating students’ curiosity to learn about and discover the world.

HPS-Br. Provides an American Curriculum (Common Core State Standards) education within an international context in Abu Dhabi. It is a curriculum that responds to each individual child’s personality, so he or she can learn, mature, and develop in different ways. Each student is known personally to the teachers and is nurtured and encouraged to do his/her very best.
Students are supported in their mission to explore and think creatively. They are involved in a goal-setting process that follows a very clear and straightforward pathway that helps to provide specific feedback and self-evaluation.

Our broad and balanced curriculum gives students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, concepts, skills, and attitudes. Through cross-curricular integration, they benefit from the My Identity Program and obtain essential knowledge of the Emirate culture.

Lower & Upper Elementary School (Grades 1–5)

As our students continue their journey through school, our curriculum and expectations grow and change to ensure that everyone has the best possible education and is equipped to take advantage of the many opportunities available at HPS-Br.

There is a balance between academic life, social life, and personal interests. We recognize and value the uniqueness of our individual students and the importance of nurturing every aspect of their lives—intellectual, creative, emotional, and physical. Furthermore, we believe in encouraging students to seize opportunities from the broad range of activities on offer. Consequently, the foundation of a student’s character is formed and the vital quality of confidence is being developed.

Being a community-based school located in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, HPS-Br. Also focuses on healthy living and safety. Students exercise every morning, and routine discussions are held on healthy foods and the vitamins they contain. There is no junk food in our students’ lunchboxes. In addition, our students learn about and practice safety measures aboard the school bus as well as in the playground, classroom, and laboratory.

By the time they leave Elementary School, our students will have had the chance to sing in a choir, speak and write three languages (English, Arabic, and French), play a variety of sports, conduct their own experiments in the science laboratories, dance, learn origami and sign language, and so much more besides!

Middle School (Grades 6–8)

Continuing to cultivate a love for learning, curiosity, creativity, and resourcefulness, students in Grades 6 to 8 are exposed to a wide range of subjects, from the sciences and social sciences through to the arts and languages. We actively endeavor to develop each child’s individual talents, build his/her self-esteem, and encourage his/her leadership skills.

At HPS-Br., the opinions of students are heard and there is zero tolerance for bullying. We ensure that students enjoy their education and reach their full potential. Whether by stretching academic high-flyers to even greater heights or supporting students to achieve things they never thought possible, we are committed to preparing students for the High School years, rewarding their progress with a variety of awards, prizes, and initiatives.

Parents are partners with us on this journey, too. Their voices are heard, and their opinions are taken into consideration. Parents understand that at HPS-Br. their children are unique individuals and not just numbers. They are kept in the loop regarding their children’s progress and receive progress reports from teachers on a regular basis.

Being an Abu Dhabi-Based school with an international vision and an American Curriculum (Common Core State Standards), HPS-Br. encourages its students to think outside of the box and take responsibility for their own lives, emphasizing individuality alongside a sense of community.

Our teachers provide personalized attention, support, and care, thus making sure that students learn the values and skills that will sustain them wherever they find themselves in the future.

High School (Grades 9–12)

HPS-Br. High School offers students a carefully balanced combination of challenge and support, with the goal of preparing them effectively for higher education.

As part of the curriculum, students are prepared to sit for the SAT and IELTS/TOEFL examinations. It is also mandatory for all students in Grade 10 to take the PSAT exam. Advanced Placement (AP) classes are optional for students and registering in them depends on the individual student’s academic ability. Moreover, HPS-Br. is an AP exam and a SAT exam test center.

Our Guidance Counselor assists the students in choosing their courses based on their college and career goals, interests, and academic performance. Moreover, the counselor helps students with the university application process and with meeting college/university entrance requirements by:

  • Arranging campus college visits and university fairs
  • Providing school transcripts showing subjects taken and grades earned
  • Assisting with personal statements and college entrance essays and registering for standardized tests.

With a 100% success rate in Arabic and Islamic Ministry exams, SAT, TOEFL, and IELTS, we are justifiably proud of our academic results, as year after year, our students get accepted at leading universities all over the world.

We expect high standards of achievement, and our students are able to manage assignments and research independently and communicate confidently and effectively. We recognize the value, dignity, and contribution of each student, fostering self-discipline, a sense of worth, mutual respect, and co-operation within an atmosphere of friendship and an appreciation of the ambitions and gifts of others.

INCLUSION

Horizon Private School – American Branch prides itself in the ‘Practice of Inclusion’.

Our dedicated inclusion team in collaboration with the school community caters to Students of Determination (SOD) within a range of mild to moderate physical, cognitive, and/or socioemotional barriers to learning as well as to students of exceptional abilities and/or talents.

In so doing, our commitment to inclusion implements a tiered or staggered model approach to learning, where educational provision is made available to all our students in a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment.

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