Dubai Homeschool Options for Parents – Why a British Online School may be the answer
For parents considering a new future of education for their children or for those long term converts of the Dubai homeschool movement, homeschooling in UAE and Online Schools Dubai, are rising in popularity among expatriate families due to the unsatisfied demand for private school places. Due to changes in employment and expatriate packages on offer, rising fees for private schooling in the UAE and concerns from parents about safety protocols and disruptions as an outcome of the COVID19 pandemic, many families are now opting for homeschooling in Dubai and homeschooling in UAE options.
According to a paper by Brian D. Ray published in the US-based National Home Education Research Institute, “78 per cent of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievement show homeschool students perform statistically significantly better than those in institutional schools.”
Homeschooling in Dubai and opting to enrol children in online schools in UAE, gives the freedom and time to expose children to a wide range of activities and dive deep into the ones that children are interested in. Many parents opt out of conventional schools as they wish to equip children with life skills that are not a priority in typical physical school settings.
In the UAE there are thousands of students who are opting to homeschool in dubai, the Facebook Group Dubai and Northern Emirates Homeschool Association (DUNEHA) has over 6000 members and pockets of families choosing a new future of education are creating their own social interest groups for their children.
The trend towards Homeschooling is not confined to the UAE or Dubai alone. Home education in the UK rose by 75% last year, the BBC recently reported. That’s 40,000 pupils taken out of formal school, compared to 23,000 on average over the previous two years. Some parents put the increase down to ‘covid anxiety’ – parents not wanting to risk the health of either their child or vulnerable others in the family, or hoping to ensure an education free from the interruptions of self-isolation and school closures.
The trend towards online education has also not been missed by the UK Department for Education, who are set to announce the launch of the Online Education Provider Accreditation Scheme in early January 2022 and the movement of the globally recognised Council of International Schools to formally offer membership and accreditation to Online School providers.
As parents, homeschooling in UAE, gives expat parents freedom and flexibility to structure learning around life and lifestyle and offers a more personalised approach to teaching and learning. The rise of the Anywhere School, where kids no longer have to go to school, school comes to them. With an expat population that is frequently on the move, Online Schools in UAE provide parents with a flexible school option whilst not compromising on the quality of education.
But home education (or ‘home schooling in dubai’) is not the only way to educate a child at home in the United Arab Emirates, UK or wider expat locations. There are several online British schools offering a British curriculum which also allow for remote learning. It’s easy to understand why these terms are sometimes used interchangeably – both home schooling and online schools involve studying flexibly from home without attending a physical school.
The Good Schools Guide says: “online schools promise to develop into a potentially brilliant resource.”
In homeschooling, the parent is responsible for all lessons and formal and informal assessments. This might mean joining forces with other home educators, or employing tutors, as well as teaching themselves. At a British Online School UAE, qualified teachers specialise in each subject area, and are responsible for all teaching and assessment. In this scenario, parents play more of a mentoring or coaching role and are involved day-to-day to keep their child motivated and on track.
When opting for homeschooling Dubai or home schooling UAE, parents are fully responsible for scheduling sporting and social opportunities for children, including clubs, camps, activities, and volunteering. In choosing a leading Online British School, children are encouraged to take up activities locally but are also provided with the opportunity during their online school experience to work with others on projects and competitions, take part in Beyond the Curriculum courses and experiences, join the Changemaker student leadership group, or make friends through online school clubs, student led activities and societies and plan meet ups with wider students in their peer group who are based in the same geographic online school uae location
Whilst some countries including the Netherlands, Spain and Germany have laws against home education, Online Schooling, with the correct documentation and approvals sought is a valid legal option for families, this includes Home Education in the UK, Online Schooling in the UK, Homeschooling Dubai and Homeschooling in UAE. Parents should always make sure they check with their local education authorities for any documentation, school reports or transfer certificates that may be required should they wish to transition back to a traditional school setting in the future, and ensure their chosen online education provider can share these.
If you are thinking about applying for a place at Sophia High School for your child, email us at admissions@sophiahigh.school call us on +44 20 4547 5870 or complete the Registration Form to arrange a call back.
Alternatively you could schedule a video call with one of our Education Team.