Cranleigh on target to open in autumn

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi has selected 64 academic staff, 36 teaching assistants and 20 support staff from a pool of 1,800 applicants. Courtesy Samia

ABU DHABI // Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, the first school on Saadiyat Island and the first boarding school in the emirate, is on track to open its doors to pupils in September.

More than 900 enrolment applications had been made to enter the private UK-curriculum school, but only 650 pupils representing nearly 50 nationalities had so far been admitted, said Brendan Law, Cranleigh’s headmaster.

“I’ve always known that this would be the type of school that would attract a lot of people but, even by my levels of positivity, I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” he said.

About 35 per cent of the school’s roll will be British nationals, 17 per cent North Americans, 12 per cent Emiratis, 9 per cent Europeans and 8 per cent Arabs. The rest will come from all over the world.

“I am very, very grateful for the families within Abu Dhabi who are transferring from other schools, and for those joining us from abroad,” Mr Law said. “It is going to be a great family.”

Three main buildings – the junior school, science building and sports centre, including a multiple-purpose gymnasium, a 25-metre swimming pool and a 10-metre junior pool – are nearing completion on the campus and are on schedule for the autumn opening.

The senior school and a 650-seat auditorium are expected to open in January, marking the completion of phase one of building plan.

Phase two, due to open in 2017, will add AstroTurf and tennis courts, a three-storey arts and technology centre, and full boarding facilities at the seven-hectare grounds.

“We’re running an extended-day programme, and the structure of the school day is such that it will lend itself to a boarding programme because children will be very actively involved in school until 7.30pm or so,” said Mr Law.

“We’d like to think that we will become the leading school, especially in Abu Dhabi, if not in the Emirates.”

The school has selected 64 academic staff, 36 teaching assistants and 20 support staff from a pool of 1,800 applicants.

They will be temporarily housed at the Eastern Mangroves Suites by Jannah until the completion of their apartment complex on Saadiyat, expected in October.

Most of the staff have experience of the British curriculum. Others are from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Middle East, including one Emirati.

Fees will be between Dh65,000 and Dh80,000. The first year will open for pupils in Foundation Stage 1 up to year 9.

When the school is in full operation by 2017, it will be home to 1,550 pupils aged from three to 18.