All in
all, our extracurricular program allows students to
enrich themselves in areas outside the normal academic
curriculum, to become more well-rounded, interested
and interesting people.
What are the major stages of
education in your school? What distinguishes each stage?
Education at the Sultan’s School is from Kindergarten
to Grade 12 therefore the associated traumas of changing
schools perhaps three or four times during a child’s
educational career are eliminated. The educational process
is as seamless as possible from year to year, with much
planning and thought going into any transitional phase.
The majority of students spend their whole school career
at the school and there is very much “a family
atmosphere” with our students and staff. We now
have the pleasure of seeing our alumni as parents and
generations of families passing through the school.
School fees are considered high,
what services do you offer in return?
As stated previously parents are assured that their
hard earned money is buying the best bilingual education
in the country with guaranteed outcomes. As for school
fees, it is true especially in the educational world
that “you get what you pay for”. Comparison
must be made, because of the structure, curriculum,
staffing and the outcomes of our school, with the community
schools in Oman. If we then make that comparison, then
parents realize they are getting a very favourable deal
and real value for money.
What sort of co-operation is there
between the school and parents? How successful is this
co-operation?
If the school is “a family”, as previously
stated, then we consider ourselves a very close family.
Many parents have had a long association with the school,
in some cases as students and there is an inevitable
bond of mutual trust, understanding and cooperation.
For new parents who are not quite as familiar with the
school as others, we encourage them to join us as partners
in their child’s education. Open days, newsletters, curriculum
evenings, parent consultations, contact books and our
comprehensive reporting system are all designed to create
a meaningful two-way flow of information with parents.
The school has run a “Help Centre” for several
years, where parents can “drop in” or telephone,
during the morning or afternoon every school day, to
get information or to talk over problems or share concerns
with specialist members of the senior staff. This has
been a highly successful venture that is now being used
by people from the wider community too, who value the
unique educational expertise the school has to offer.
What sort of opportunities do
your graduates have, especially the outstanding ones?
The Sultan's School offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBD), a challenging and comprehensive pre-university course, for students entering year 12. The successful completion of the IBD progamme leads to acceptance into the world's top colleges and universities without the need for a foundation year. Over 90% of our
graduates go on to higher education and in recent years,
they have gained places at a range of prestigious universities
worldwide including Oxford, Yale, Cornell, Stanford,
Georgetown, London, Glasgow, Nottingham, Dublin, The
American University of Beirut, Alexandria University
and of course Sultan Qaboos University.
How do you develop your curriculum and teaching team
in order to keep pace with continuous development in
education?
Although the school employs highly qualified teachers,
it encourages staff development by funding regular in-service training and encouraging teachers to study further
as individuals and keep their experience current. The
school has also committed substantial sums in the current
five-year plan for future in-service needs. Regular
departmental and section meetings take place where curricular
issues are discussed and plans made. Staff handbooks
are issued so everyone has a clear and accurate picture
of the curriculum and its objectives. A staff
library with educational books and current publications
has been resourced for teachers to use for reference.
Are there boarding facilities
available?
As part of the school’s planned growth, the demand
for boarding places will be catered for, in the future
by expanding the boarding facilities, so that students
from outside the capital area can take advantage of
the special programme, with intensive English, in grades
six, seven and eight. Boarding facilities will also
be available in the future for those older students
who wish to follow I.G.C.S.E.’s and The International
Baccalaureate programmes of study.
How do I apply for a place
at the school?
Ms. Gillian Horsley Admissions Officer,
would be pleased to talk to any interested parties
and arrange for a visit to the school. There is a
“Visitors Day”, usually in March, which
prospective parents and students can come to view
our campus facilities and talk to the staff about
the school and the programmes of study.
Click
here for ONLINE REGISTRATION
Contact details
Gillian Horsley
The Sultan’s School, PO Box 665,
Seeb,
Postal Code 121,
Sultanate of Oman.
Telephone: ++968 24536777 ext 307
Fax: ++968 24536273
Email: admissions@sultansschool.org