Inclusion and Wellbeing

Inclusion and wellbeing is the heartbeat of Dubai Heights Academy and we are committed to developing cultures, policies and personalised curricula that are inclusive of every child, every mind and everybody. We have systems to identify when children have barriers which affect their learning and tailor specific interventions to enable students to overcome these barriers. Likewise, our systems identify when children need additional challenge and enrichment.

"Due to the unwavering commitment of school leaders, the school's outstanding vision for wellbeing has become a cornerstone of its culture. Members of staff, benefit from comprehensive training and support, and feel both appreciated and highly valued. This fosters a robust capability to not only maintain but also expand this nurturing environment." KHDA 2024

In class challenges, enrichment ECAs, leadership roles within school, as well as opportunities to attend external events are part of the provision offered for students to enrich their particular gifts and talents. We are part of the Dubai Enrichment League which provides opportunities for our more able, gifted and talented students to attend competitions and workshops with students from schools across Dubai.

Through assessments, observations and discussions with parents, students may be placed on the inclusion register at some point in their school career. The inclusion register highlights the amount of support the child needs at school. We have an impressive inclusion team to ensure that each child’s needs are appropriately catered for and that any relevant outside agencies are involved in providing guidance and support. For many, this involves a short burst of targeted intervention which may lead to them being removed from the register, while for others the support process is a longer one. In all cases our aim is to provide the very best education for students, allowing all children to fully achieve their potential.

We are delighted to offer Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy to our students. If it is identified that your child may benefit from therapeutic support, your class teacher and the Inclusion Team will be in contact with you to support your understanding of the services provided and help you to set up next steps. We also offer the unique MbodE programme which is delivered by our on-site Child Development Specialist. The MbodE programme focuses on developing gross motor skills connected to improving concentration skills and coordination.

As part of our Inclusion support at Dubai Heights Academy we offer ASDAN as an alternative curriculum pathway. We strive to choose an ASDAN module that is suited to the child’s needs but also explores their individual interests. This becomes a passion project that excites and engages the child in their learning, whilst also incorporating fundamental life skills as well as preparing a portfolio towards employment opportunities.

Our full time school counsellor is dedicated to supporting all of our students to develop positive emotional regulation and social skills, as well as supporting students to develop strategies to help them to deal with barriers that may exist in their learning. She helps students to identify their capabilities and interests, as well as developing coping skills, building self-esteem, resilience, confidence and independence. Similarly, students that may be going through a difficult period of time or experiencing significant life changes may also receive support from the School Counsellor. Our School Counsellor leads our anti-bullying campaign and also runs regular workshops to empower and inform parents. We have an open door policy and always encourage our parents to come and talk to our wellbeing team if they would like to chat about any concerns or seek guidance to support their child’s wellbeing.

Wellbeing and pastoral care is our number one priority at DHA and every Wednesday we celebrate and raise awareness about wellbeing through various activities and challenges for students and staff. The students come up with great ideas and encourage their fellow students to practise various strategies to support improving their wellbeing. We even have ECAs related to wellbeing where we use our wonderful Snoezelen Sensory room to practise mindfulness, meditation and yoga.

We are proud to be the first school in the UAE to offer the UK well-being curriculum ‘My Happy Mind’ for all students from FS to Year 6. My Happy Mind provides an evidence based programme which is supported by the NHS in the UK, and aims to enable students, staff and parents with essential resilience, emotional intelligence and wellbeing skills.