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STUDENT CARE AND WELLBEING
JAS is well-known and well-respected for our holistic approach to education, we have a reputation for our student care and know that student's wellbeing and their academics go hand in hand. We know that when students are happy and healthy they will be better placed to truly believe in themselves, to take on new challenges, and experience increased success both inside and outside of the classroom. JAS has a strong culture of community, care and support, driven by wonderful relationships built on trust and respect amongst staff, students and parents. These genuine relationships allow us to really get to know our students on an individual level and personalise their learning experience.
“99% of the students reported having high levels of emotional engagement with their teachers"
- Dubai Schools Wellbeing Census, 2020
“Students' attitudes and behaviour are exemplary. Their sense of responsibility and their respect for others make a significant contribution to the school’s inclusive, welcoming and purposeful learning atmosphere”
- KHDA Inspection Report, 2020
“Perhaps the most overwhelming proof of parents' appreciation of JAS is that 94% of respondents to our survey would recommend it to other parents”
- Which School Adviser
"94% of students reported a strong connection with adults at school”
- Dubai Schools Wellbeing Census, 2020
“84% of parents say that the school has significantly improved the confidence of their child”
- Which School Adviser
HOUSE SYSTEM
The Jebel Ali School houses are Water, Earth, Fire and Air.
At JAS the pastoral house system is used to encourage and develop teamwork, camaraderie and friendly competition. Cross-phase house events including; House Bake Off, House Photo Competition and House Picnics instil a sense of belonging and community at JAS. Our Sports Days and Swimming Galas are run in year groups and all students earn points for their house teams during these events, leading to an overall Year Group House winner. These events allow students to work collaboratively and develop relationships with other children within their houses. Each house has a House Captain and Vice Captain in the primary school who are chosen annually from our Year 6 cohort.
Our rewards programme includes house points that students are able to earn for positive contributions to the school, outstanding work, consistent levels of effort.
THRIVE @ JAS
THRIVE is our Positive Education Programme which blends academic learning with character and wellbeing development. Preparing students with life skills allows them to not only cope with the pressures of everyday life, but take on challenges and achieve aspirational goals. These skills include grit, optimism, resilience, growth mindset, engagement, and mindfulness amongst others. We encourage our students to take ownership of their happiness and well-being and give them the tools to do so.
“Students who demonstrate high levels of perseverance, growth mindset, grit, and school engagement also perform better academically” (White, M. A., & Kern, M. L., (2018). Positive education: Learning and teaching for wellbeing and academic mastery. International Journal of Wellbeing, 8(1), 1-17.)
We have designed a bespoke curriculum following the science-based PERMAH framework from the field of positive psychology. PERMAH encompasses six main elements that have been identified as critical for long-term wellbeing:
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Positive Emotions: Feeling positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, interest, and hope;
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Engagement: Being fully absorbed in activities that use your skills but still challenge you;
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Relationships: Having positive relationships; being able to connect with others
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Meaning: Belonging to and serving something you believe is bigger than yourself;
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Accomplishment: Pursuing success, winning achievement, and mastery.
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Health: understanding the importance of aspects such as sleep, exercise, and diet.
PRIMARY CARE AND WELLBEING
Our bespoke multi-faceted pastoral curriculum includes Moral Education that encourages students to reflect on their own morals and values and promotes mutual respect, cultural engagement and inclusivity. This coupled with our Positive Education programme that gives the students the skills to build positive relationships, regulate their emotions, engage in their environment and find purpose in living a meaningful life.
The holistic learning experience at JAS is further enhanced through the broad range of extracurricular opportunities available to our students, which includes sports, music, creative arts. STEM projects, inter-school competitions, and a variety of local and overseas trips. One such example is the Junior Duke Award that encourages students to be independent and allows the children to develop their life skills.
We have a variety of support services to meet the needs of our students including our Medical Team, Inclusion Team, School Counsellor, IT Support Team and of course, the class teachers. The first port of call is always with the child’s class teacher who is always available at drop off and pick up to help establish the home-school links. Class teachers are supported by experienced Year Group Leaders with a wealth of pastoral experience and our Primary Leadership Team provide guidance
Positive actions and behaviours are reinforced through our House system and the prestigious Star of the Week awards where children are rewarded for exceptional effort in their specialist subjects.
We believe the learning experience at JAS will give our students the confidence, independence and life skills to prepare the children for the next phase in their educational journey and beyond.
