Continuing the Tradition of Learning since 1557
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Mission Statement To establish Repton School in Dubai as the leading boarding and day school in the Middle East, with a reputation of excellence in all academic and extra-curricular fields.
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Letter from the Head
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The Best for every Child
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A New Educational Community for Dubai
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The Repton Teacher
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Recognising Potential and Achieving Goals
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Co-education and Boarding at Repton
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Independent Thinkers - for Themselves and for Others
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Activities, Activities and more Activies
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The Enrichment of Learning through our Local and Regional Environment
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A Partnership with Parents
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Student Mission
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Repton Dubai occupies a 35-acre site in Nad al Sheba, close to the centre of Dubai.
From the Headmaster Welcome to Repton School in Dubai.
environment, where everybody can develop their abilities and talents, and, possibly most important of all, enjoy whatever they are doing. There will be a
Along with the website, which I would encourage you all to log onto at
genuine sense of community at the school. Parents will be a crucial factor in
www.reptondubai.org, if you have not already, this prospectus is probably your
developing this and everybody involved in setting up and starting this exciting
first direct association with the school. I hope it encourages you to discover
project desires an open and friendly relationship. We will seek to further this on
more about a school, which, I believe, will offer a unique educational
every possible occasion and here I am speaking as both the Head and also a par-
opportunity for your children. In the course of 2007 and 2008 Repton will open
ent. My door will always be open to you if you have any concerns or questions.
the Junior School (3 to 10 year olds) and the Senior School and boarding programes (11 to 18 year olds). The school occupies a 35-acre site in Nad al Sheba,
I am a great believer in the 'hands-on' approach to education, wanting to know
and is housed in the most modern of facilities. Though the school is only at the
all parents and students alike, whether directly through the classroom and
start of what I know will be a long and illustrious history, our ethos and values,
boarding houses or by supporting the wide variety of extra-curricular activities
as illustrated in the Mission Statement, which is enclosed in the information
on offer at the school. There will always be a warm welcome at Repton. No
package at the end of this prospectus, and our philosophy of 'the best for every
prospectus or website can ever fully convey the essence of any school, so please
child', are firmly traditional in nature, being built upon our partnership with the
do not hesitate to come and see me, and I can expand on this most exciting
prestigious 450 year old Repton School in the UK.
educational opportunity for Dubai, the Gulf region and, most important, you and your children.
Repton prides itself on offering continuity of education from nursery level to university entrance for both boys and girls. Once a student enters the school, the challenge for all the teaching and non-academic staff will be to provide every
Yours faithfully,
opportunity for individual academic and extra-curricular success. At the very heart of school life will be the boarding programme, which will open in September 2008. But, whether our students are boarding or day, boy or girl, very young or older, our aim at Repton is to provide a happy, caring and stimulating
David Cook
David Cook Head Master
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The Best for every Child Welcoming families from all nationalities, Repton School in Dubai offers the very best in British education, all within the context of an international boarding community, and epitomised by the school's philosophy of 'the best for every child'. In combining the educational traditions and expertise of Repton UK and the dynamism of Dubai's multi-cultural diversity, Repton will bring a new quality of learning to the Middle East. Providing the best for our students has also been the yardstick for the state-of-the-art facilities to be found in every corner of the school campus. It is apparent too in the many and varied strengths of the Repton teaching staff. Repton aims to give all our students the educational tools to succeed in whatever field they choose to further their path of learning. Through our encouragement of achievement and, equally important, independence of thought as well as action, students will develop a sense of personal responsibility and readiness for the demands of a rapidly changing world.
Repton’s Ten Values (I) "To instil our students with the determination and self-confidence to meet the challenges of an ever-changing technological world".
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A New Educational Community for Dubai Repton School is a dynamic British boarding school built for an international student body. Positioned at the leading edge of educational expertise and innovation, it is closely based on the model of excellence provided by its partner school, Repton UK. Students aged between three years and eighteen years benefit from an international curriculum deeply rooted in the English National curriculum, but also reflecting the very best in other curricula, notably those of the International Baccalaureate Organisation. We never lose sight of our geographical location and we offer a comprehensive Arabic Studies programme. But new skills are increasingly to the fore and Repton prides itself on its provision in the visual arts, media studies and the performing arts. These are cornerstones of our comprehensive extra-curricular activities programme, which, taken with everything else, demonstrates our desire to create a new educational community in Dubai. At the very heart of this community is the individual student, and our mission to realise his or her potential in whatever field of learning he or she wishes to pursue.
Repton’s Ten Values (II) "To develop a sense of dignity and respect for others".
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The Repton Teacher We want our students to remember their time at school with happiness and pride: the best days of their lives. When they look back, they will remember, first and foremost, their teachers, the people who inspired and led them through the various challenges and hurdles that make up a school education. We at Repton School believe our teachers are simply the best. They are all English native-speakers, except the various language teachers, all fully qualified, and have experience of teaching in the UK and abroad. Most important of all, they care passionately about what they are doing and the responsibility they have in realising the potential of their students. All of our teachers fully embrace the Repton ethos and this provides the basic framework for the team spirit that inspires all of them to realise the high expectations they have for all the students and for themselves. Residing on campus enables them to bring even greater substance to the boarding programme, the level of pastoral care and the extra-curricular activities. These are the men and women who Dubai Old Reptonians will remember with fondness, affection and, most important, respect in future years.
Repton’s Ten Values (III) "To enable students to display real dexterity of thought and action when faced with changing circumstances".
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Recognising Potential and Achieving Goals The realisation of potential is a fundamental aspect of the Repton ethos. In this way we encourage the highest standards of development for each child in the school through activities both inside and outside the classroom. Repton is a school of selection and, in the admission process, we look for such potential, not just specific to particular activities, but also to character, behaviour and attitude. In all of these areas we believe in setting goals, which the individual student can achieve, given the high level of support and encouragement the school provides. It is vital that the student and his or her parents are kept informed of progress towards such goals, and this is where the Repton reporting and assessment procedures come into their own. These come in a great many forms, such as homework diaries, full subject reports, parental meetings or examination results. We believe a healthy sense of competition brings out the best in all our students, whether it is in tests, house matches or, for many the highest accolade, representing the school. We all like to win, but everybody at Repton recognises that we cannot all win all of the time, and an important aspect of our education is to learn that there is a right way to lose, just as there is a right way to win.
Repton’s Ten Values (IV) "To encourage the development of a sense of inquiry, independence of thought and a willingness to take risks in a rational fashion".
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Co-education and Boarding at Repton It is our belief at Repton that co-education offers the richest opportunities for the children of the 21st century because it brings out the best in everybody. Yet we never lose sight of the many differences between boys and girls, and we are fully aware that on occasions both want and need to be separate. This is where the sensitive approach of the school co-educatioal pastoral programme, centred on the boarding system, benefits everybody. Boarding lies at the very heart of Repton, setting the standards for so much of life at the school, such as the facilities, pastoral care and the house system. The names of the houses are derived from Repton UK and every student becomes a member of a particular house from Year 3. The school intends providing a boarding experience for our students, which will compare with any other in the world, and based on our responsibility of being in locis parentis. Each boarding house is like a large family, a community in its own right, reflecting one of Repton's basic values, that of the family, which the school seeks to promote at every opportunity. Repton’s Ten Values (V) "To demonstrate initiative when faced by the challenge of leadership and responsibility".
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Independent Thinkers - for Themselves and for Others Education at Repton School is a continual process of discovering, learning and maturing, as students, supported by their teachers and their parents, progress through the various key stages of their school life. Probably our greatest challenge as a school is to develop in our students the capacity for independent thought and action, and then combine this with rational and responsible decision-making. This challenge is the essential basis for academic success in the Junior School and, even more so, at IGCSE and the IB Diploma. It is indeed a core element in the Theory of Knowledge component of the Diploma programme, but we at Repton believe strongly that such learning skills have to be developed as early as possible and, for this reason, your children will be acquiring them throughout their time at the school. Subject knowledge is important, but, for success, whether academic or non-academic, learning and study skills are essential. Going to a school such as Repton is in many ways a privilege, providing what is often called 'an excellent start in life'. With such an opportunity goes a sense of responsibility, and perspective, and it is vital our students develop the ability not just to think for themselves but also for others, both within the school community and further afield. This is something we pursue at Repton in a multitude of ways at all levels of the school. Repton’s Ten Values (VI) "To promote internationalism by developing an understanding of the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations".
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Activities, Activities and More Activities Everybody at Repton School believes that it is the duty of any good school, particularly a boarding one, to guide the students in the discovery of lifelong interests and extra-curricular opportunities for self-expression. In short a Repton education goes much further than the classroom. The facilities at Repton, with the Arts and Culture Centre, based around the 700-seat Amphitheatre, the Sports Complex and the Equestrian Club, are designed to support the most wide-ranging activity programme possible, both after school and at the weekends. There will be all the major school activities, such as sports, art, music, drama and dance, in addition to a multitude of other crafts and pursuit, many of them representing a specific interest of the member of staff overseeing the activity. Repton students will find in the activity programme a process of self-discovery. Hidden skills and aptitudes will often come to light, giving students a genuine sense of achievement from succeeding in a totally unexpected area. It is also great fun and an opportunity to make new friends away from the classroom and their school house.
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The Enrichment of Learning through our Local and Regional Environment It is a long way from Repton in Derbyshire, England, to Repton School in Dubai. Very different environments, some three thousand miles apart, but home to two schools, partners in producing the leaders and architects of tomorrow's world. The true meaning of this partnership is that our students can benefit from both environments. Repton UK becomes only too close through staff and student exchanges and video-conference classes; while Dubai and the Middle East offer extraordinary potential for our students, and their Repton UK counterparts, to further their learning. We at Repton School in Dubai seek to exploit that potential at every available opportunity. This is one reason why we put such an emphasis on all our students mastering the intricacies of the Arabic language, whether as native or second-language speakers. But it goes much further and, whether through sports events, cultural performances, visits to historic sites or work experience programmes, to name just a few, we want our students to learn more about this fascinating part of the world. In later life they will always be Old Reptonians, but, equally important, they will also be from Repton School in Dubai. Repton’s Ten Values (VII) "To instill in our students a sense of pride and commitment to the values and achievements of the school, both during and after their time there".
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A Partnership with Parents Education at Repton School is a partnership between teachers, students and parents. In order to offer a continuity of learning from nursery to university level, based on the creation of a stimulating and caring environment for all, the school requires full parental support. In this way the learning processes initiated at school are maintained and encouraged, at home. An essential component of education is developing the right work values and practices, and in this parents can play a vital, if not definitive, role. Sound habits at home are invariably translated into good habits, whether academic, social and disciplinary, at school. By choosing to send your children to Repton, you are giving your children the opportunity to become enquiring, creative and motivated learners capable of thriving academically, socially and emotionally. You have also made a commitment that involves certain obligations as parents, and partners, to help us in the education of your children. For instance, there are throughout the academic year parents' meetings, which we require you to attend, when you can discuss either your child's progress with his or her teachers or more general matters relating to the school.
Repton’s Ten Values (VIII) "To present opportunities for our students to express their creativity, develop a joy of learning and gain self-confidence".
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Student Mission The responsibility of Repton School in Dubai is to prepare students for adulthood through the pursuit of the highest standards in academic studies and the varied activities that comprise student life in a boarding environment. In achieving this mission, the realisation of every student's academic potential is always central, whilst acknowledging that the building of responsibility, consideration for others and self-esteem, so vital in adulthood, comes equally from participation in sport, music, drama, art and other extra-curricular activities.
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www.reptondubai.org