Queen Elizabeth’s School Dubai Launches New Student Health and Wellness Model

Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City to appoint a dedicated Health and Wellness Coordinator for students, parents and staff

Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, through its partnership with King’s College Hospital Dubai, has introduced a wellbeing model, including being the first UAE school partner to appoint a dedicated on-site Health and Wellness Coordinator. Serving students, parents, and staff, this additional resource reinforces the school’s commitment to educating the whole child and its school community by placing physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing at the heart of the overall education experience.

While doctor and nurse provision remains an important part of school healthcare, this partnership is designed to create a more connected model, bringing clinical expertise into the heart of the school community. King’s dietitians, lifestyle consultants, and occupational health specialists will design and implement age-appropriate wellness programmes, nutrition initiatives, staff health assessments, and family seminars.

According to the World Health Organization, half of all mental health conditions begin before the age of 14, while research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that children who are obese between the ages of seven and 13 face a significantly greater risk of premature cardiovascular disease before the age of 55 years. Together, these findings highlight childhood as a critical window for early intervention, where schools can play a transformative role in identifying concerns early, promoting healthy habits, and building the foundations for lifelong wellbeing.

Dan Clark, Founding Principal of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, says: “Our ambition is to develop confident, capable, and compassionate young people who are equipped to thrive in an ever-changing world. We believe that children learn best when they feel healthy, supported and emotionally secure, which is why wellbeing is woven into every aspect of school life rather than sitting alongside it. Our partnership with King’s College Hospital Dubai allows us to extend that support beyond our students to parents and staff, creating a connected community that works together to help every child flourish. That is what a truly whole-child education looks like.”

Dr. Hasan Alogaily, Family Medicine Consultant at King’s College Hospital Dubai, adds: “A child does not exist in compartments. Their physical health, emotional wellbeing and learning are deeply connected. Parents are their children’s health architects, teachers understand how they develop every day in school, and clinicians bring medical expertise. By bringing these perspectives together, we can identify concerns earlier, intervene sooner and support children in developing healthier habits that benefit them throughout their lives.”

The appointment forms part of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City’s wider wellbeing strategy, where emotional safety is viewed as the foundation for learning rather than simply a pastoral initiative. Parents remain central to this approach. Alongside regular parent workshops and community engagement initiatives, the partnership with King’s College Hospital Dubai will provide families with access to expert-led seminars and practical guidance, ensuring the language and principles of wellbeing are consistently reinforced both at school and at home.

The school further strengthens this whole-child approach through programmes such as QE Flourish and QE House, which focus on nurturing character, belonging and pastoral support. This is complemented by QE Futures and QE Connect, which encourage students to think ambitiously about their pathways beyond school and the wider networks that can support them. The broader experience is further enhanced by the school’s strategic partnerships with ISD Dubai Sports City and the Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program, giving students access to world-class fitness facilities and professional coaching through the Elite Football Programme.

For further information about Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, please visit: www.qedubaisportscity.com