What a truly exciting time it is for GEMS Wellington School – Qatar (WSQ). With a highly experienced and ambitious Senior Leadership team and an aspirational vision for all students, the future is bright as we continue our journey as a truly world-class school. We offer an engaging, personalised, and authentic British education following the National Curriculum for England. Our curriculum culminates in the highly sought-after GCSE and A-level qualifications, recognised by all the top universities worldwide.
Our Vision
We believe in success for all and aim to be an "aspirational and globally minded community of happy, high performing learners who achieve personal and academic excellence”.
To achieve this, we believe in the importance of being inclusive, with a clear emphasis on traditional moral values and positive behaviours. Our community embraces diversity, and our staff and students contribute to maintaining a consistently positive, harmonious, and vibrant environment conducive to high-quality learning.
"A GEMS Wellington education will empower each individual to be well-equipped academically, socially and emotionally, so they can take their place, with confidence, in an ever-changing world. They will understand the importance of their own actions and possess a strong sense of personal responsibility and resilience. I have the amazing privilege to be part of that.”
David Wilson, Principal/CEO of GEMS Wellington School – Qatar
Council of International Schools
(CIS) accreditation: Pioneering
excellence and wellbeing
GEMS Wellington School – Qatar is a fully accredited CIS school, reflecting its commitment to high-quality education and student wellbeing. Over the past two years, the school has integrated the CIS framework, leading to significant developments and a student-focused learning environment.
WSQ’s meticulous staff recruitment and retention processes, and high expectations contribute to a positive and organised environment that prioritises student safety and wellbeing, as well as academic excellence.
Our unique GroWell wellbeing curriculum, implemented across the whole school, equips students with the skills and knowledge required to maintain their own wellbeing, understand their emotions and make decisions that contribute to positive self-worth and personal wellness. Staff also benefit from high quality professional development and collaboration within the CIS network, ensuring ongoing improvement and educational excellence.
The power of school-based Early
Years education
A school-based Early Years setting gives children the very best start to their education journey. At GEMS Wellington School – Qatar, for example, we have expert Early Years practitioners who are well-versed in the UK curriculum and aim to ensure all children are happy and engaged. We put a lot of thought and consideration into ensuring every child learns and makes excellent progress towards their Early Learning Goals while, most importantly, enjoying their time with us.
Each child’s wellbeing is placed at the centre of all we do. Our school is well-resourced, both in terms of specialist staff and teaching aids, enabling them to provide personalised learning support, guidance, and care.
Early Years learning helps children develop the skills they will need for life. At this young age, teachers achieve this by encouraging them to interact and play. Playing encourages children to learn naturally because they enjoy creativity and fun. Interacting with other children in a safe and secure environment is important during these formative years. They experience many new things and acquire positive learning habits, along with developing a sense of community and routine.
Our school also offers a seamless transition from early years to primary education and helps parents understand the key developmental milestones. Parents have the opportunity to work in partnership with our highly skilled practitioners, focusing on their own child’s development.
Preparing students for success in
university and beyond
At GEMS Wellington School – Qatar, our Sixth Form programme is designed to offer students a comprehensive and dynamic educational experience that prepares them for university and beyond. We provide a broad range of A-level subjects, enabling students to tailor their studies to their interests and career aspirations. Our dedicated Sixth Form team offers personalised guidance and support, helping students make informed decisions about their academic and professional futures.
In addition to outstanding academic excellence, our Sixth Form students benefit from numerous enrichment opportunities. These include leadership roles within the school, participation in extra-curricular activities, access to work experience placements and opportunities to get involved in service orientated programmes.
Furthermore, our focus on developing essential skills such as critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving means that our students are well-prepared for the challenges of higher education and their future careers, consistently gain access to their university of choice. The supportive and stimulating environment of our Sixth Form empowers students to become confident, well-rounded individuals ready to make a positive impact on the world.
Prioritising teacher development
to drive educational excellence
At GEMS Wellington School – Qatar, we place significant emphasis on the personalised development of our teachers. We have developed separate performance pathways for teachers depending on their level of experience, roles and responsibilities. Teaching and learning are regularly monitored, with teachers receiving direct feedback and coaching, along with simple strategies to further develop their practice. This process is critical for anyone involved in strategic school improvement and senior leadership roles. Therefore, as we focus on developing our teachers, we are also shaping our future school leaders.
Our teacher retention rates also significantly surpass the average within international schools. Several factors contribute to this success, but we believe a crucial element is that our teachers feel respected, supported, and fully valued.
As a highly ambitious school, we are constantly exploring ways to further develop and enhance the student experience. Over the past three years, our focus on improving teaching and learning has consistently resulted in outstanding student outcomes across the school. Notable examples include our GCSE and A-level results, which significantly surpass both the UK and international averages. Equally, our student survey results reflect very positive feedback, indicating high levels of satisfaction with the school.
Offering hands-on and real-world
experience
We aim to reshape the educational landscape by combining academic rigour with real-world experiences, believing that education should provide students with high-quality, engaging, and purposeful learning opportunities that prepare them for life beyond school.
Just one example of this, is that GEMS Wellington School – Qatar has recently collaborated with the Hilton Hotel group to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering students unparalleled opportunities for hands-on training, site visits, and the invaluable sharing of expertise.
The Hilton partnership includes opportunities for our Food Technology students to observe live cooking demonstrations by prominent chefs in the school’s food technology lab, as well as tours of the hotel’s kitchens and restaurants. Our Business Studies students benefit from summer and winter training programmes and internships in the various hotel departments such as Sales & Marketing, Human Resources, Engineering and Finance. This initiative is designed to provide students with essential insights into possible future careers and the hospitality industry.
What is the Curriculum at GEMS
Wellington School – Qatar?
Early Years:
Foundation Stage One and Two
The curriculum is based on the English Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) and provides all students with a journey of learning, guided by our nurturing and dedicated team of Early Years specialists. Learning focuses on self-development in partnership with cognitive and physical development. Learning is child-centred, multi-sensory, collaborative, and fun. Teachers expertly personalise the learning experiences to meet the needs of each student.
Primary School: Key Stage 1 and 2
Year 1 to Year 6
We follow the National Curriculum for England, which we have modified to meet the needs of our international students. The curriculum supports our students’ natural curiosity and interests, providing opportunities for them to consolidate the fundamentals of learning using a variety of approaches. Our dedicated teachers bring the curriculum to life through exciting and skilfully planned topics, making learning engaging and enjoyable.
Key Stage 3
Year 7 to Year 9
Our Key Stage 3 curriculum further deepens the knowledge gained in primary and takes students on a journey to explore a broad range of subjects in preparation for them to undertake their GCSEs. They will continue to develop more advanced knowledge and skills including practical application to real-life situations, while starting to further develop awareness of their own interests and strengths.
Key Stage 4 and 5 (IGCSEs and A-levels)
Years 10 to 13
In Key Stage 4 and 5, students follow the IGCSE and A-level qualifications. Our IGCSE qualifications (Years 10 and 11) are internationally recognised and respected, providing excellent preparation for further study. Students study the core IGCSEs in English, mathematics and science, further complemented by a number of optional IGCSEs. This gives our students the flexibility to choose subjects that are right for them while providing each individual with a broad knowledge base.
A-level qualifications (Years 12 and 13) are highly regarded worldwide and allow students to access undergraduate courses at universities without the need for a foundation programme, depending on the grades achieved. Our small A-level classes ensure each student receives fantastic levels of personal support from their teachers.
Facilities
GEMS Wellington School – Qatar is located in Al Wukair, Al Wakra. Our facilities are of high quality and support our highly skilled team of teachers. Facilities include: ICT Apple Mac Suite, music rooms, science laboratories, multipurpose sports halls, dance studio, drama studio, food technology room, design technology room, innovation zone, full size Astro football pitch, art, textile and 3D sculpture rooms and various outdoor areas. These facilities create a stimulating and supportive environment that engages students and promotes learning and development.
For more information, visit our website: www.gemswellingtonschool-qatar.com
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