Durham School for Girls Doha, described as Qatar’s “first truly international British school just for girls” delivering a British curriculum while being deeply rooted in Qatari values and culture, has announced its opening in Qatar in September 2019.
The school opening announcement was made at an official signing ceremony hosted between Durham International Schools and Saad al-Muhannadi, chairman of Durham School for Girls Doha who is leading a group of investors in the education sector in Qatar.
The event took place in London recently in the presence of Yousef Ali al-Khater, Qatar’s ambassador to the UK, as well as Kieran McLaughlin, headmaster of Durham School UK.
Situated in Al Messila, Durham School for Girls Doha will open its doors in September next year, with the timing for admissions to be announced in the near future.
Durham School for Girls Doha is a sister school of Durham School UK and “will draw its inspiration from both the Qatari national and wider Islamic culture and tradition as well as Durham School’s 600-year heritage of outstanding British education”, a press statement noted.
Pupils of Durham School for Girls Doha will benefit from a governance overlap and shared co-curricular programmes with Durham School UK, as well as a provision of pastoral care that is to the same high standards in both Durham School and Doha.
The school will have a House system linked with that in Durham School UK. “Both schools have a shared vision, espouse the same values and so develop an ethos and character that, despite being over 7,000km apart, deliver a sense of one school in two places,” the statement added.
Al-Muhannadi said, “Durham School for Girls Doha reflects the need to educate young women in Qatar with the very best British education available in the region in order to support the country’s vision for its young women, to empower them and prepare them for the opportunities and challenges of life across the world.”
Vanessa Jane Whay, founding head of Durham School for Girls Doha, noted: “The curriculum of Durham School for Girls Doha will be set in an international context while being deeply rooted in the Qatari culture and tradition. The girls and young women of Durham School for Girls Doha will be broadly educated while being imbued with a rich sense of Qatari national heritage and Islamic values.”
McLaughlin added, “This initiative marks the beginning of a partnership that will deliver a great school for the girls and young women of Doha, helping instil a ‘confidence for life’ and empowering them for the opportunities and challenges of life in the 21st century.”
As part of its Phase 1 opening in 2019, the school – which will operate in full partnership with Durham School UK – will be open for the Early Years Foundation Stage Programme as well as for Primary Stage, including Years 1 to 6.
Starting from 2020, the school will be open for secondary levels, and will be fully operational and open for all academic years by 2022.
For more information,visit www.durhamqatar.com
