How is the boarding school system beneficial to children

Like many things in Dubai, the education sector is evolving rapidly to meet the growing and ever-changing demands of the local and expat community. Dubai now has the highest number of international schools of any city in the world, which cater for every budget and curriculum. Up until recently, boarding schools in the Middle East had been considered a niche offering, but there is a growing demand from parents who are searching for a boarding school closer to home.

The motivation to send a child to board can vary from family to family. Dubai is a city that never sleeps and many parents lead fast-paced lives, often juggling work commitments, long school runs, after-school activities, sports fixtures and ensuring that the homework has been completed. The practical benefits of boarding can help to create a good balance between school and home life, but there are also numerous long-term benefits, which are equally important.

Some of the key practical and long-term benefits of boarding are summarised below:

Practical benefits:

• No long commutes to school, which means more time can be spent focusing on academic studies, or pursuing interests and activities
• Boarders have access to support from academic tutors in the evenings to help with their studies
• Very strong numeracy
• Access to the facilities on campus after school hours (e.g. gym, sports hall, pool)
• General IT skills

Long-term benefits:

• Builds confidence, leadership skills, and independence
• Creates a tight-knit global network which will become invaluable in later life
• Encourages personal responsibility and helps to develop organizational skills
• Develops emotional intelligence and the ability to integrate successfully in a group

The benefits of boarding ensure that the students are invariably well equipped to manage the transition from school to university and they are often well placed to deal with the challenges of life beyond the comfort of the family home. Boarding in the 21st Century is about choice and meeting the family’s personal needs.

Swiss International School Dubai’s (SISD) boarding school facilities are unlike any other in the UAE and the Middle East. What sets it apart is both the standards of its facilities and the approach to pupil care and learning. The design of the boarding houses, the multi-talented staff and how it has followed the Swiss tradition of providing an exceptional boarding experience are all new to the Middle East, offering parents a greater diversity in terms of their children’s education.

About Beat Sommer

Beat Sommer is the Head of School Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai. As far back as he can remember Beat has been involved in education. Born and raised in Zurich, he followed the highly reputable classic Swiss state educational system. Interested in literature, linguistics, and languages, Beat was lucky to have open-minded parents who believed in self-will. Motivated by his desire to “educate rather than lecture”, he started his career in education with the ambition to improve the model of teaching he had been given. Throughout his career in Brazil and Switzerland, Beat has tried to share his passion to accompany and inspire children in their learning process.

Because of his constant desire to move forward in his career, when the Lyceum Alpinum asked him to become Headmaster, Beat did not hesitate to go back to Zuoz. He repositioned the school internationally making the necessary changes needed in management, staff, and curriculum. Mission accomplished, Beat was now definitely “ready for a change”. It was time to use all these enriching experiences to set up the first Swiss school in the Gulf region. “Right away, I liked the fact that it was an independent initiative where I could share my passion with the founders. Immediately I felt comfortable with the people behind the project.”