(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
The new campus of Qatar Academy Al Khor, located at the west of Al Khor, provides the environment required for a world-class education in a bilingual environment. The new campus is built to accommodate 1,800 students and designed to ensure students have the best environment to support their learning and development. The academy is under Qatar Foundation's Pre-University Education and the school's academic programmes are accredited by international agencies like; International Baccalaureate and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA).
At present, 84 percent of its students are Qataris and 16 percent are non-Qataris. The student population represents 15 different nationalities.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Aisha Al Megbali, Principal of Qatar Academy Al Khor, shared information about the new campus building and the outstanding features of the school.
'Our new campus is built to accommodate 1,800 students. The building covers 62,000sqm and is very close to our old site. The campus itself consists of nine connected buildings spread over landscaped grounds. It is designed to ensure our students have the best environment to support their learning and development, said Al Megbali.
'The school is built with specially designed learning spaces for early years students through to grade 12. These areas provide an opportunity for different modalities of learning to occur, such as independent study and group work outside the classroom, to cater to the individual needs of our students. For example, the design of the internal spaces supports collaboration and student-centered learning. The new school provides the environment required for a world-class education in a bilingual environment and supports the delivery of the IB programme, she added.
Other than the indoor and outdoor sports facilities and the well-equipped media centres, Qatar Academy Al Khor's new campus also hosts a state-of-the-art recreation centre which includes a generous dining space, swimming pool, gymnasiums, sports halls, and sports fields.
Qatar Academy Al Khor through its facilities and academic offering aims to fulfil the needs of children in today's diverse community.
'We inspire excellence in learning and promote intercultural understanding. Qatar Academy Al Khor is proud to be a passionate learning community. We aim to create unique opportunities that open pupils' minds to new experiences and learning strategies. As citizens with deep moral purpose, our aim is to use education as a force for good, both in our local and global community through our CAS program, said Al Megbali.
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) is a mandatory core component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. It aims to provide a ‘counterbalance' to the academic rigour of the educational programme
'We aim to nurture and develop students, personally and academically, to excel and to become global citizens who are equally aware of themselves and the world around them. As educators at Qatar Academy Al Khor, through personalised learning, we aim to provide our students with opportunities to develop their talents and find their authentic voice in whatever field they choose to join, said Al Megbali.
Qatar Academy Al Khor has an international community of teachers, representing 32 different nations. The Academy is an authorised IB school offering the Middle Years Program (MYP), the Diploma Program (DP) and is currently a candidate school for the Primary Years Program (PYP). Other than the International Baccalaureate, the school is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA).
Referring to the admission process Al Megbali said,Qatar Academy Al Khor considers all applicants who meet the age requirements for specific grade levels and who pass the entrance exams. At elementary level, students enrolled are expected to have Arabic as their mother tongue and a good level of English, since it is the language of instruction.
'However, at secondary level, and for the first time since QAK opened, the academy will be offering an extra language for those students whose mother tongue is other than Arabic, she added. At present, Qatar Academy Al Khor serves students from pre-3 to grade 12 and offers a dual-language program giving special attention to the reinforcement of the Arabic language as the mother tongue and English as the language of instruction. The secondary school also offers French as a second language instead of Arabic for those students who do not need Arabic as a college requirement.
'Qatar Academy Al Khor students are set, and expected to meet, high achievement goals in both personal and academic development within a supportive environment. Each student is encouraged to strive for academic excellence through the development of essential skills in critical thinking, acquiring and applying knowledge, working independently and collaboratively, and effective communications, said Al Megbali.
'These goals are set by our teaching community and achieved as a result of team work and triangular parent, student, teacher relationships based on trust, mutual understanding and positive feedback, she added.
Qatar Academy Al Khor as an international school offers a unique language program that builds the foundation for a lifetime of continuous learning. Furthermore, on a daily basis, the Qatar Academy Al Khor environment encourages students to remain engaged and experience different curricular and extracurricular activities which provide them with academic, emotional, physical and social support.
'The academy is well known in our community for its rigorous Arabic program, Islamic Studies, and Qatar history curriculum, known as The National Programs which encourages our Qatari students to be proud of their identity while opening their minds to other cultures, said Al Megbali.
With the new facilities of a state-of-the-art campus, activities at the school will not be limited to school time, but students will be offered an exciting after-school program that includes educational local and international trips.
'Students are not only taught to collaborate and work together, but to also be responsible citizens who give back to their society through a variety of charity projects and community services, said Al Megbali.
'Additionally, to maintain our standards, all our staff members are provided with professional development opportunities to ensure that all strategies and approaches are aligned with the teaching methods of the 21st century. To complete the circle, we are also a school that believes in a strong home-school connection where parents are always kept informed of their child's progress. To sum up, at QAK, everyone works together for the utmost benefit of our students, she added.
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