Guiding Statements
Our Vision
Advanced Learning Schools prepare global citizens to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world while honoring their own cultural heritage and identity.
Our Mission
Advanced Learning Schools offer a high-quality education in a safe and caring environment, with a commitment to life-long learning and digital citizenship, while inspiring students to become creative, compassionate, and analytical thinkers.
Our Core Values (CREM Framework)
IB Learner Profile
We have adopted the IB Learner Profile as a guide at ALS. All members of the ALS community strive to be:
Our Partnership: Rights & Responsibilities
A child’s education flourishes best when home and school work hand in hand. Our relationship with families is built on mutual respect, open communication, and a shared commitment to student success, expressing our CREM values.
Parents’ Rights
- To be treated with care and respect by all members of the school community.
- To receive timely and accurate information about their child’s academic progress, wellbeing, and school life.
- To have concerns listened to and addressed responsibly through transparent communication.
- To expect the school upholds the highest standards of safeguarding, professionalism, and educational excellence.
Parents’ Responsibilities
- To support the school’s mission, values, and policies, modelling responsibility and respect for staff and other families.
- To ensure their child’s regular attendance, punctuality, and readiness to learn each day.
- To engage positively with teachers and leadership using designated channels (e.g. Toddle, email).
- To encourage their child’s independence, resilience, and personal responsibility as learners.
School & Teachers’ Responsibilities
- To provide a high-quality, inclusive education that nurtures each student’s potential with care and dedication.
- To maintain open, respectful, and timely communication with parents.
- To create a safe, caring environment that promotes wellbeing, academic progress, and character development.
- To model integrity, fairness, and professionalism while striving for excellence.
Readiness & Responsibility
Families support their child’s readiness by ensuring rest and alertness (healthy sleep routines), punctuality, presentation (correct uniform and appearance), preparedness (necessary books and materials), and a mindset of focus, curiosity, and willingness to engage. Attendance alone is not enough — what matters is engagement, readiness, and the belief that education is a collaborative effort between home and school.
Daily Schedule & Calendar
The ALS day runs Sunday through Thursday. School gates open at 7:10 a.m. and classes begin promptly at 7:30 a.m.
KG1 & KG2 / Grades 1-5
| Time | KG1 & KG2 | Grades 1-5 |
|---|---|---|
| 7:10 AM | Gates open | Gates open |
| 7:30–7:40 | Homeroom | Homeroom |
| 7:45–8:35 | Period 1 | Period 1 |
| 8:40–9:30 | Period 2 | Period 2 |
| 9:35–10:05 | Snack & Break | Snack & Break |
| 10:10–11:00 | Period 3 | Period 3 |
| 11:05–11:55 | Period 4 | Period 4 |
| 12:00–12:40 | Lunch, Prayer & Break | Lunch, Prayer & Break |
| 12:45–1:35 | Period 5 | Period 5 |
| 1:35 PM | KG1 & KG2 Dismissal | — |
| 1:40–2:30 | — | Period 6 |
| 2:30 PM | — | Grades 1-5 Dismissal |
Grades 6-12
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 7:10 AM | Gates open |
| 7:30–8:25 | Period 1 |
| 8:30–9:25 | Period 2 |
| 9:30–10:25 | Period 3 |
| 10:25–10:50 | Break |
| 10:55–11:50 | Period 4 |
| 11:55–12:50 | Period 5 |
| 12:50–1:25 | Break |
| 1:30–2:25 | Period 6 |
| 2:25 PM | Dismissal |
2025/2026 Calendar — Key Dates
Communication
ALS values parents and encourages them to communicate and be involved. Any time parents have questions or concerns, they are encouraged to make an appointment. The school communicates in the following ways:
Curriculum Overview
The curriculum places the student at the center of the learning process, developing the whole student — intellectual, physical, emotional and creative — and encouraging exploration, discovery and experimentation. ALS is an IB World School authorized to offer the PYP, MYP, and DP (ibo.org).
6.1 Primary Years Programme (PYP)
For students aged 3 to 11, the PYP focuses on developing the whole child as an inquirer. Its most distinctive feature is six transdisciplinary themes — Who we are; Where we are in place and time; How we express ourselves; How the world works; How we organize ourselves; and Sharing the planet — which frame substantial, in-depth units of inquiry. Assessment is integral to each unit, enhancing learning and supporting reflection.
6.2 Middle Years Programme (MYP)
For students aged 11 to 16, the MYP provides a framework of academic challenge connecting traditional subjects to the real world. It comprises eight subject groups integrated through six global contexts (fairness and development; globalization and sustainability; personal and cultural expression; scientific and technical innovation; orientation in space and time; identities and relationships). Students study their mother tongue, a second language, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical & health education and design/technology. In the final year, students complete a Personal Project, and a service and action component runs throughout.
6.3 Diploma Programme (DP)
A two-year, rigorous programme for Grades 11 and 12, highly regarded by universities worldwide. Students study six subjects (three at higher level, three at standard level) plus the three core elements — the Extended Essay (a 4,000-word independent research project), Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) — all compulsory. External exams are sat in May of Grade 12.
Assessment
Assessment at ALS is a nurturing, constructive process that empowers students to enhance their learning, helps teachers refine their methods, and enables parents to monitor and support progress.
Principles & Responsibilities
- Provide information about how students learn; highlight strengths and evaluate learning needs; align outcomes with IB goals; and act as a feedback mechanism for curriculum development.
- Include a range of formative and summative activities with clear success criteria known in advance, encouraging reflection and self/peer evaluation.
- Teachers communicate criteria and expectations and give clear, timely feedback — within three days of an assessment (or the next class period), and within two weeks for major work such as the DP Extended Essay and IAs.
- Teachers have 1-2 graded tasks each week (depending on class frequency); all graded tasks are entered into Toddle within 3 working days.
Monitoring, Homework & Reporting
The academic team monitors progress each term through formative and summative internal assessments aligned with IB criteria. Progress may also be measured with external benchmarking (MAP, PSAT). Homework extends and reinforces learning, prepares and consolidates skills, supports revision, and builds independent study habits. Reporting includes end-of-semester report cards, regular conferences, parent-student-teacher communication, progress reports as needed, and PYP three-way conferences, fulfilling all Ministry of Education requirements.
Use of AI in Learning
Students are encouraged to see AI as a resource to enhance understanding, support research and stimulate inquiry, but must not use AI to complete assignments on their behalf, to plagiarize, or to undermine authentic learning. Responsible use is guided by the Academic Integrity Policy; any misuse is addressed as an academic integrity issue.
Achievement Grades — Grades K-5 (PYP)
| Code | Level | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|
| EE | Exceeding Expectations | Consistently exceeds grade-level expectations; work usually completed independently; communicates complex ideas confidently, clearly and precisely with practically no errors. |
| ME | Meeting Expectations | Meets grade-level expectations with limited assistance; applies most skills, concepts and techniques with few errors; communication is complete, clear and precise. |
| AE | Approaching Expectations | Developing the competencies needed; teacher assistance required; some understanding with errors/omissions; communication not yet complete, clear or precise. |
| NI | Needs Improvement | Has not yet reached understanding of skills, content and concepts; frequent assistance required; limited understanding and often incomplete work. |
| N/A | Not Applicable | Progress in this area does not apply at this time. |
Final Achievement Grades — Grades 6-12 (MYP & DP)
| Grade | Level | Descriptor (summary) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Excellent | Consistent, thorough understanding applied almost faultlessly across a wide variety of situations; consistent originality and insight; high-quality work. |
| 6 | Very good | Consistent, thorough understanding applied in a wide variety of situations; generally demonstrates originality and insight. |
| 5 | Good | Consistent, thorough understanding applied in a variety of situations; generally shows analysis, synthesis and evaluation. |
| 4 | Satisfactory | Good general understanding applied effectively in normal situations; occasional analysis, synthesis and evaluation. |
| 3 | Mediocre | Limited achievement; limited understanding; applies knowledge fully only in normal situations with support. |
| 2 | Poor | Very limited achievement; difficulty understanding; unable to apply fully even with support. |
| 1 | Very poor | Minimal achievement in terms of the objectives. |
Programme Assessment Notes
- PYP: assessment is an ongoing process; in their final year students complete the PYP Exhibition, a collaborative inquiry synthesizing the programme.
- MYP: all four criteria are assessed each semester; an Incomplete (INC) means an assessment was not completed; the Personal Project is graded Pass/No Pass and is required for promotion to the DP.
- DP: Grade 11 and 12 students receive grades for Semester 1 and 2; in May of Grade 12, students not taking IB exams sit ALS finals (all sit finals in Islamic Studies and SSAW). The IB DP Core (Extended Essay, CAS, TOK) is an ALS graduation requirement; an unsubmitted Extended Essay in Grade 12 puts graduation at risk.
Code of Conduct & Attendance
ALS aligns its Code of Conduct and Attendance with Ministry of Education regulations and local laws to promote regular attendance and a consistent, optimal learning environment. Learning only happens when students are present; consistent attendance is expected, not just encouraged.
Absence Types
| Category | Examples | Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Excused | Sehaty-verified illness, ALS-approved events, bereavement (limit of 20 excused days) | Official documentation, provided within 5 days |
| Unexcused | Holiday travel, late returns, non-urgent appointments, oversleeping | None or insufficient documentation |
Escalation Framework (per term)
| Unexcused Days | Response | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Student discussion and counselor referral | Teacher / Counselor |
| 5 days | Written notice to parents | Admin / Principal |
| 10 days | Formal parent meeting and attendance warning | Principal / Counselor |
| 15+ days | Meeting with Superintendent to review enrollment status | Superintendent |
| 20+ days | Referred to MoE Child Protection Unit or school transfer | Ministry of Education |
Tardiness, Leaving School & Missed Work
- Students arriving after the start of class are marked tardy; late arrivals to the first class report to the office for an admittance slip. Chronic tardiness is addressed by the Student Guidance Committee.
- Any student leaving during the day must be signed out by the office; parents give 24 hours’ written notice and arrange pickup during the 1st or 2nd break. Routine appointments should be outside school hours. Students who leave without permission face disciplinary action.
- Excused absences: it is the student’s responsibility to complete missed work within the same number of days as the absence (extensions at teacher discretion); assessments are arranged on return and not taken prior to absence.
- Unexcused absences: teachers are not obligated to provide materials; missed assessments cannot be made up, resulting in a grade of zero/no credit.
- All students attend until the last day of the year; Grade 12 students attend until their final/DP exams are complete.
Behavior Management
ALS guides students to take responsibility for their behavior based on treating others as we would like to be treated, self-reflection, and putting right any harm caused. Minor issues are managed in the classroom; repetitive or severe difficulties are addressed by administration and may involve teachers, parents, the Counselor, and the Student Guidance Committee. Behavior concerns and disciplinary actions are documented; extreme or repetitive violations may lead to referral to external agencies and put continued enrollment at risk.
Mobile Phones on Campus
Student mobile phones are banned on school grounds at all times. If seen with a phone, even if not in use, a student is asked to turn it off and it is confiscated to the Principal’s office.
| Offense | Consequence |
|---|---|
| 1st | Confiscation until end of day; guardian contact. |
| 2nd | Confiscation until end of day; guardian contact; warning that next time the phone is released only to a guardian. |
| 3rd | Confiscation; phone released only to a guardian. |
Graduation, Promotion & Retention
To earn the ALS International High School Diploma, students must earn 26 high-school credits across Grades 9-12, demonstrate adequate progress toward graduation each year, and complete the MYP Personal Project, Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS.
Subject Distribution (Grades 9-12)
| Subject Group | Required Credits (G9-12) |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Arabic | 4 |
| Mathematics | 4 |
| Sciences | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 |
| Arts * | 3* |
| Islamic Studies | 2 |
| Design | 1 |
| PE | 1 |
| Social Studies of the Arab World | 1 |
| Total | 26 |
Promotion & Retention (Grades 6-12)
- Students failing any course receive a mid-semester progress report; parents are informed in writing at the end of Semester 1; DP students failing any course at year end take a makeup exam.
- Students who pass all subjects (3 or above) are promoted. Students who fail two or more courses (2 or below) risk promotion and cannot be promoted on probation more than once in consecutive years.
- Students may be retained if they fail two or more subjects, or fail the same subject for two consecutive years, and may not repeat any grade level more than once.
- Only Grade 12 students who have fulfilled all coursework and graduation requirements may participate in graduation ceremonies.
General Information
Appendix: Other Policies & Agreement Form
Important school policies are available in full on Toddle, the school website, and in the appendices, including the Academic Integrity Policy, Admissions Policy, Child Protection Policy, Language Policy, and Inclusion Policy.
Parent Agreement Form (MoE Requirement)
A Ministry of Education acknowledgment form is signed at the beginning of the school year by both the student and guardian, confirming they have reviewed the Rules of Conduct and Attendance and pledging to abide by and cooperate with them. The guardian also confirms the accuracy of their contact numbers. The forms are kept in a special file by the Student Affairs Deputy.