Multilingualism
Multilingualism

Celebrating multilingualism

Students at The Aquila School flourish in a dynamic multilingual community, representing 92 nationalities and celebrating every linguistic and cultural identity. In this enriching environment, they develop robust language skills and global awareness through daily Arabic and English instruction, alongside early exposure to additional languages.  

Students also honour their mother tongue in home language classes led by certified native-speaking teachers, deepening cultural understanding and enriching our vibrant community. 

Languages offered

Discover our language programmes from Early Years through Post-16 Pathways, guiding students from their very first words to their highest achievements. 

Early Years Foundation Stage

 

From their very first day, our youngest learners thrive in an immersive English environment, naturally acquiring this global language through daily interactions and play.

Simultaneously, all students - regardless of background, engage with the UAE's rich cultural heritage through an immersive approach where Arabic teachers collaborate directly within the classroom, providing seamless language support without separate lessons.

For native speakers of French, German, Spanish or Russian, our home language programme provides meaningful opportunities to maintain linguistic fluency and cultural identity, while adding vibrant diversity to our school community.

Together, these interconnected language experiences create a truly multilingual learning environment where every student's journey is valued and nurtured.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Primary School

 

At our British and international school in Dubai, students continue to learn English as the primary language of instruction, approaching increasingly complex language structures and vocabulary with confidence.

All students carry on with their journey into Arabic, while starting from year 3, they also begin to explore Spanish.

Through language qualifications in a wide range of home languages, students deepen their linguistic skills beyond the regular curriculum, embracing also literature exams.

Primary School

Secondary School

 

Students refine their English and Arabic linguistic skills, building a broad global outlook while embracing the cultural roots of the UAE and further expanding their communication abilities through elective Spanish studies.

Secondary School

Post-16 Pathways

 

All our students finalise their studies reaching full English mastery, while Arab learners advance in Arabic gaining proficiency in the main language of the Middle East.

IB Diploma Programme students select from Arabic, Spanish B, German, Mandarin or French Ab Initio, completing practice tasks and further fine-tuning their linguistic skills. 

Post-16 Pathways
Home language programme

Home language programme

 

At our school in Dubailand, students thrive in home language classes led by certified native-speaking teachers, preserving their language skills and enriching their cultural knowledge. In small groups, they receive personalised attention, following a curriculum adapted from their home country. 

 

This programme empowers students to connect with their heritage, build a strong cultural identity and prepare for future education or careers in their home country. 

Empowering every learner

At our international curriculum school in Dubai, students develop the skills and resilience to thrive in a connected world, embrace cultural diversity and become confident global citizens.

English Language Learning

Students whose first language is not English receive tailored support through our English Language Learning (ELL) programme, with regular personalised individual or small group lessons, interactive language games, guided reading sessions, listening exercises and writing practices that build vocabulary, guided by qualified teachers who regularly track each student's progress.

English Language Learning

Students whose first language is not English receive tailored support through our English Language Learning (ELL) programme, with regular personalised individual or small group lessons, interactive language games, guided reading sessions, listening exercises and writing practices that build vocabulary, guided by qualified teachers who regularly track each student's progress.

Language certifications

Students celebrate multilingual achievement through internal and external assessments, including GL Assessments for English, Arabic Benchmark Test (ABT) and IB-style exams in French and Arabic.

Language certifications

Students celebrate multilingual achievement through internal and external assessments, including GL Assessments for English, Arabic Benchmark Test (ABT) and IB-style exams in French and Arabic.

Focus on home languages

Students can also obtain language and literature qualifications in over 30 home languages with an extra-curricular programme.  

Current qualifications include: Afrikaans, Dutch, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, Arabic, French, Hindi, Malay, Spanish, Bahasa Indonesia, German, Indonesian, Punjabi, Swahili, Bengali, Greek, IsiZulu, Persian, Thai, Chinese Cantonese, Gujarati, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, Portuguese and Urdu. 

Focus on home languages

Students can also obtain language and literature qualifications in over 30 home languages with an extra-curricular programme.  

Current qualifications include: Afrikaans, Dutch, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, Arabic, French, Hindi, Malay, Spanish, Bahasa Indonesia, German, Indonesian, Punjabi, Swahili, Bengali, Greek, IsiZulu, Persian, Thai, Chinese Cantonese, Gujarati, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, Portuguese and Urdu. 

Certified educators

Students learn English from UK-qualified teachers, Arabic from regional educators and receive ELL and home language support from certified native-speaking tutors with CELTA or DELTA credentials, ensuring authentic multilingual learning.

Certified educators

Students learn English from UK-qualified teachers, Arabic from regional educators and receive ELL and home language support from certified native-speaking tutors with CELTA or DELTA credentials, ensuring authentic multilingual learning.

Dr. Mahmoud Khallil

At The Aquila School, we believe that language is more than communication - it is identity, culture and a bridge to understanding others.

Dr. Mahmoud Khallil

Head of Arabic and Islamic and whole school multilingualism lead

Joy  Year 9

Learning Arabic helped me understand more about the Arabic culture, and it made me feel proud to speak it even if it’s not perfect yet!

Joy Year 9

Student

Aida Rambod

As a primary teacher at The Aquila School, I can confidently say it’s a truly special place for children to learn and grow.

Aida Rambod

German Tutor/French teacher

Dr. Mahmoud Khallil

Head of Arabic and Islamic and whole school multilingualism lead

Joy  Year 9

Student

Aida Rambod

German Tutor/French teacher

Dr. Mahmoud Khallil

Head of Arabic and Islamic and whole school multilingualism lead

Joy  Year 9

Student

Aida Rambod

German Tutor/French teacher

Enquire now

Embrace our multilingual learning environment at The Aquila School, where students build an international mindset and grow up as global citizens.

Enquire now