Doha British School
Doha British School (DBS), established and opened in October 1997, is a co-educational comprehensive International school in the Ain Khaled area of Doha, in the State of Qatar. It offers international education to students from pre-school to Year 13.[1] British Schools Overseas has rated DBS as an "outstanding" school in Qatar in its 2017 report.[2][3] DBS is recognized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) world school by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).[4] The students are of over 85 nationalities.
| Doha British School (DBS) مدرسة الدوحة البريطانية | |
|---|---|
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| Address | |
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Rawdat Al Sagah Street Ain Khaled Doha , P.O.Box 6142 Qatar | |
| Coordinates | 25.241408°N 51.466571°E |
| Information | |
| Former name | Doha Montessori British School (DMBS) |
| Type | International School |
| Mottoes | Learning for Life |
| Religious affiliation(s) | none |
| Established | 1997 |
| Principal | Paul Sherlock (Ain Khaled) Steven Miles (Al-Wakra) |
| Head teacher | Head Teacher Primary: Jordan Davies (Ain Khaled) and Stephen Braithwaite (Al Wakra) Head Teacher Secondary - David Walton (Al Wakra) |
| Grades | Preschool - Year 13 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 3 to 18 |
| Number of students | 2000 |
| Classes offered |
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| Language | English (UK) |
| Houses |
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| Mascot | Lions |
| Accreditations | Edexcel, Council of International Schools, BSME, IB World School, British Schools Overseas (BSO), BTEC |
| Website | www |
History
Doha British School was originally known as Doha Montessori and British School (DMBS) before it was re-branded in Spring 2011. The school delivers the National Curriculum for England throughout primary and secondary school, giving students the opportunity to complete International General Certificate of Secondary Education (International GCSE) qualifications during Years 10 and 11.
Doha British School offers both the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and national A Level to its sixth form students in Years 12 and 13. The institution became an IB World School in March 2010 and has since been delivering the Diploma Programme with a wide range of subjects from different disciplines for its students as a school-leaving qualification option. In September 2015, the AS Level (first year of the GCE A Level) award was introduced as another option for students to provide students with choice.
The school has been an active member of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
The school has also been a driving force in founding the inter-school organization The British Schools of Qatar, and played an active role in the organization of the first ever BISQ Games, hosted at Aspire Zone in early 2018.
As of September 2018, the school celebrated 21 Years of Excellence in Education since opening its doors in September 1997, a significant milestone in DBS offering the highest quality education possible in Qatar.
Starting September 2019, DBS will begin offering the final year of the A Level Programme (A2 Level) as well as the BTEC Extended Diploma, alongside the already established IB Diploma Programme and AS Level, becoming the only British School in Qatar to offer such a wide variety of pathways in post-16 education.
In September 2022, DBS will hold a Silver Jubilee, celebrating 25 Years of Excellence in Education.
Ain Khaled - Main Campus
In February 2008, DBS moved into a state-of-the-art campus in the Ain Khaled area, with purpose-built facilities accommodating up to over 2000 students and providing classrooms and equipment for specialist subject teaching.
This campus is the main campus of DBS, and hosts education from Pre-School to Year 13.
Facilities
- Conference room, used for Senior Leadership meetings.
- Eighteen offices for:
- Heads of Year Groups and Subject Departments.
- Heads of Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form Schools.
- Principal's and Vice Principal's offices.
- Admissions and Finance offices.
- Two staff rooms for Primary and Secondary Staff use.
- Resources room, filled with textbooks and educational resources for teachers and students
- Photocopying and Supplies room
- Learning Support Classroom for English as a Second Language students
- School canteen (shared amongst Primary and Secondary students, opened September 2009)
- Large playground shared between Primary and Secondary Students
Primary School Facilities
- Multiple classrooms for each Primary School Year Group Primary Library
- A music classroom with instruments including keyboards, percussion and strings.
- Adventure Playground (opened March 2011 by former principal Sandra Williams) for Preschool and Reception students
Secondary School Facilities
Department of the English Language and English Literature
- Seven English Classrooms
- Six in the main campus building
- One in the Sixth Form Building adjacent to main campus building
- Secondary Library.
Department of Mathematics
- Seven Maths classrooms
Department of Natural Sciences
- Five science laboratories and four science classrooms
Department of Visual Art, Design and Technology
- Four Design and Technology workshops
- CAD Studio
- Graphics Workshop
- Two Resistant Materials Workshops
- Modern Fine Art Classroom
- New Textiles Art Classroom (opened September 2017)
Department of Physical Education
- Two multi-sports gymnasia with the latest sports equipment
- Astro-turf games pitch and bitumen courts for basketball and volleyball.
- 20-metre indoor swimming pool.
Department of Performing Arts
- The Doha British School Theatre, fitted with state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology (closed January 2017, reopened October 2019).
- Two state-of-the-art Music classrooms with musical instruments including keyboards, percussion and strings.
Department of Humanities
- Three History classrooms
- Two Geography classrooms
- Three Computer Science classrooms
- Three Business Studies classrooms
Department for Sixth Form Education
- Dedicated Sixth Form Centre for IB Diploma and A Level students (original centre opened September 2011; relocated to new Sixth Form building (campus extension, September 2015))
- Careers Centre for Higher Education and Beyond (opened September 2016)
- School Canteen for Sixth Form Students (opened January 2016).
Curriculum of Doha British School
The curriculum in Pre-School is based on a modified Montessori method of teaching. Reception students follow the foundation stage of the National Curriculum of England and Wales. Mathematics, English, and Science form the core subjects of the curriculum. The term Montessori, however, has been subtitled in the institution's name since April 2011, and has been removed since September 2014.
Subjects offered across Primary and Early Secondary (Reception to Year 9)[5]
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Spanish
- French
- Arabic (offered only to native speakers)
- History
- Geography
- Computer Science
- Physical Education
- Design and Technology
- Art and Design
- Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)
- Islamic Studies (for Muslim students only)
IGCSE Subjects (Years 10-11)
Subject choices depend on group listings per academic year. English, Mathematics and Science are core subjects of the IGCSE Programme at Doha British School.
- English Language and Literature
- Mathematics
- Science (Double/Triple Award)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- History
- Geography
- Design and Technology
- Graphic Products
- Resistant Materials
- Art and Design
- Fine Art
- Textiles
- Music
- Drama (cancelled September 2013)
- Physical Education
- Computer Science
- Arabic
- Spanish
- French
- Business Studies
- Islamic Studies (for Arabic students only)
IB Diploma Subjects (Years 12-13)
The IB Diploma Programme is one of the most rigorous programmes worldwide, and DBS is proud to be an IB World School. The Extended Essay, C.A.S. and Theory of Knowledge (ToK) are core aspects of the IB Diploma Programme that must be completed alongside the six subjects chosen according to their fixed group listing.[6]
Group 1: Language A
- English A
- Language and Literature SL/HL
- Literature SL/HL
- Arabic A SL/HL
- Self-taught Language A SL/HL
Group 2: Language B
- English B SL/HL
- Spanish
- Spanish B SL/HL
- Spanish ab initio SL
- French
- French B SL/HL
- French ab initio SL
- Arabic
- Arabic B SL/HL
- Self-taught Language B SL/HL
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
- History SL/HL
- Geography SL/HL
- Business Management SL/HL
- Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) SL/HL
Group 4: Natural Sciences
- Biology SL/HL
- Chemistry SL/HL
- Physics SL/HL
- Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) SL
Group 5: Mathematics
- Mathematics SL/HL (ending with the Class of 2020)
- Mathematical Studies SL/HL (ending with the Class of 2020)
- Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL/HL (starting with the Class of 2021)
- Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL/HL (starting with the Class of 2021)
Group 6: The Arts and Electives
- Visual Arts SL/HL
- Music SL/HL
- Electives from Groups 3 and 4
AS Subjects (since September 2015)[7]
- English Language and Literature
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Design and Technology (Product Design)
- Geography
- Business Studies
- Arabic
- Physical Education
A Level Subjects (since September 2019)[7]
- English Literature
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Arabic
- Business Management
- Music
- Applied ICT
Other Campuses
Al Wakrah Campus
There is a second campus situated in the area of Al Wakra, which offers education for children from the levels of pre-school to Year 7, as of the 2017–18 academic year. DBS is set to open a Secondary School in Al Wakrah from Year 7 to Year 11, starting classes in September 2020.
Future Campus at Rawdat Al Hamam
Another school campus, complete from Pre-School to Year 13, has been commissioned at Rawdat Al Hamam, a suburb of Lusail City.[8] The school has not announced an opening date yet.
References
- "Doha British School". Doha British School. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- "Doha British School Inspection Report" (PDF).
- "British Schools Overseas Inspection Reports".
- "Find an IB World School". IBO.
- "Doha British School - Ain Khaled". www.dohabritishschool.com. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
- "Doha British School - Ain Khaled". www.dohabritishschool.com. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
- "Doha British School - Ain Khaled". www.dohabritishschool.com. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
- "Doha British School | Future Projects". www.dohabritishschool.com. Retrieved 2019-01-24.