Durham School for Girls Doha, a sister school of renowned British school, Durham School UK, will open its doors from September 2019, it was announced yesterday.
With the heritage of over 600 years and the age-old values of MARK (Moral Integration, Ambition, Responsibility and Kindness) of its parent school, the Durham School for Girls Doha is expected to offer the very best British education available in the Middle East.
The details of the upcoming school were announced yesterday at a special event attended by HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi, British ambassador Ajay Sharma, Durham School UK headmaster Kieran McLaughlin, and Durham School for Girls Qatar founding principal Vanessa Jane Whay, among others.
The school building is located at Al Messila in Doha and will be opened in phases.
As part of its phase one opening in 2019, the school will be open for the Early Years Foundation Stage Programme as well as for Primary Stage including years 1 to 6, and will have more than 25 British female teaching staff.
Starting from 2020, the school will be open for secondary levels, add a 6th Form in 2021, and will be fully operational and open for all academic years by 2022.
The school will deliver a UK-based curriculum at foundation and primary stages, and at secondary level it will prepare for and deliver IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) and A Level programmes.
Mclaughlin noted that the Durham School for Girls Doha is the first truly international British school in Doha just for girls.
“The school will bring the legacy of great academic excellence to Qatar and we have great reputation in extracurricular activities,” he said. “This is not just a name but a commitment between two schools and a genuine partnership.”
According to Whay, the school aims to have about 1,200 students when it is fully operational.
“We will have about 20 students in a class and the student teacher ratio will be 1:8. The school will provide a curriculum and range of co-curricular programmes that will enrich its pupils’ sense of self belief and foster leadership, collaboration and teamwork.”
“We will deliver a rounded education with the Qatari culture and values embedded at its core,” she said. “We will also adopt suitable Qatari names for the House System in the school.”
“All girls are encouraged to participate in the school’s co-curricular programme – a broad spectrum of activities ranging from a comprehensive sports programme to extensive visual and performance arts opportunities, to a leadership and individual development agenda,” she added.



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