Raffles World Academy (RWA)

Welcome to the Raffles World Academy (RWA). We hope that what you find here gives you a flavour of life in our vibrant school community, as well as the information about us that you are seeking.

Our Guiding Statements are critical to understanding what we are about and why we do things the way we do. Take a good look at our Vision, Mission, Philosophy and Core Values.

RWA is an independent, co-educational KG – G12 (pre-school – Year 13) IB World School. We offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP), up to G5 (Year 6), International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) in G6 -10 (Years 7 -11) and the IB Diploma and Courses in G11 -12 (Years 12 -13). We offer a hybrid curriculum taking the best from the IB Examinations. We provide a personalized education, acknowledging that every student is different, as a person and as a learner. We have a dedicated Learning Support team that can meet the needs of students with mild – moderate learning difficulties and also those who face the challenges of being gifted and talented. We seek to challenge students whatever their abilities to reach their full potential. Our aim is to develop young people who exemplify the attributes of the IB Learner Profile which is central to the ethos of our school.

The school is located in a residential area close to Jumeirah Beach Road, within close proximity to the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel and within a few minutes of the Sheikh Zayed arterial road and the Mall of the Emirates. We have a purpose-built site that boasts 3 atria (cool and naturally lit meeting and display areas), two swimming pools, a sports field, sports hall, gym, dance and black box studios, specialist science laboratories, IT suites, classrooms, cafeteria and dedicated play areas to meet the needs of over 2,000 students. We are an accredited member of the Council of International Schools (CIS).

The student voice is expressed through the Student Representative Council (SRC), Interact Club, Wellness Committee (anti-bullying), Model United Nations (MUN), the Learning Council, among other groups. The school is active with the World Scholar’s Cup and sent a team to the finals at Yale University in November 2015. RWA is also active in Inter-School Sport, including athletics, basketball, cricket, soccer, swimming, and tennis, including table tennis. The school also offers a wide range of sporting and cultural co-curricular activities, including drama, talent show, ‘X’ Factor, re-cycled fashion show, eco-teams and others.

When we talk about ‘world class’ education, our parent community, students and teachers have ‘unpacked’ what this means in terms of measurable outcomes and characteristics that ensure that the Raffles experience meets the highest international standards.

When we say that we ‘empower students’, we mean that students have a real voice that drives school improvement and makes a difference to their development as rounded and broadly-based global citizens, who understand the values and traditions of their own cultures.

Student development is at the centre of all school decisions and we have a thriving partnership with our parent community which is recognized as a reservoir of professional expertise and commitment. Our motto is: ‘Towards Excellence’ – and the accent is on moving forwards through achievement and pushing the envelope of what may yet be achieved. We are a young school but we are committed to exceed our expectations.

Our mission is to empower students with a rigorous, holistic and international education for success in an ever-changing world. These words, though few in number, are powerful in intent. Every aspect of the student learning experience from the core curriculum to our co-curricular activities, to our faculty and facilities is intended to align with our guiding statements. In line with our school's guiding statements, we endorse an approach to educating the whole child as opposed to only the academic side.

RWA offers an inclusive international community in which each student is valued in their own right. Students are encouraged to develop their talents, to realise their potential and to strive to achieve their personal best in all they set out to do. The well-being of every student is at the heart of all we do. While we want our students to develop a genuine love for learning, we also want them to be resilient, optimistic and confident.

Raffles World Academy (RWA) was founded in September 2008. It is an independent co-educational private international day school operated by Innoventures Education Investments LLC (aka Innoventures Education). The school began its history as Raffles International School (West Campus) and changed its name to Raffles World Academy in September 2012.

RWA is an authorised IB World School that offers a continuum IB curriculum (PYP, MYP, IBDP) from KG 1 to Grade 12. The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) is offered from KG 1 to Grade 5, the MYP in secondary school from grades 6 to 10 and the IB Diploma Programme (DP) and Courses Programme is offered in grades 11 and 12. The school has an international population of over 1990 pupils from more than 85 nationalities and an equally diverse academic and administrative team.

RWA is accredited by the Council of International School (CIS) and the IB. It is a member of the Middle East IB Association (MEIBA) and one of the first schools to receive the prestigious Green Flag from Eco-Schools UAE.

The rigour of the IB curriculum and the IB Diploma Programme challenges students to meet internationally recognised standards in academic achievement while preparing them for the higher education and the knowledge economy. Students graduate from RWA with a broadened world-view and the mental agility to pursue their dreams in an ever-changing global landscape.