Across the UAE and the wider Middle East, families are facing increasing uncertainty as ongoing disruption continues to affect schools and students. Many UAE schools are temporarily operating online, summer exams have been cancelled, and some expat families are facing difficult decisions around whether to relocate from the area on a temporary – or even a permanent – basis.
For students following globally recognised programmes, the situation is even more challenging. In several areas, GCSE, A level and IB examinations have been cancelled, creating uncertainty around final grades and university progression. Students who have spent two years preparing for these assessments face uncertainty and are now going to be assessed in alternative ways that may not always reflect their full potential. The modular nature of international A levels brings added complications, as each exam sitting plays an important role in building a student’s final results. With the May exam series no longer taking place in the Middle East, many students are unable to improve previous scores, adding pressure to an already uncertain situation.
As a result, many families are beginning to reassess their options. While some consider relocating their children to UK boarding schools, this can be a significant step emotionally, financially, and logistically, particularly during a period of instability. Others are looking at online schooling as a way of providing continuity of education. Online schooling can be a helpful way of navigating uncertain times, allowing consistency throughout periods of upheaval, and delivering academic quality and long-term outcomes.
Some families have concerns about the quality of online learning, but it is important to recognise that the provision from a traditional school moving lessons online is not the same as the education provided by a purpose-built online school. Emergency remote teaching is a helpful way of providing a stopgap, but by virtue of its temporary nature, it can lack the structure, engagement, and delivery methods required for long-term effective learning. A dedicated online school is designed from the ground up to deliver high-quality education in a virtual environment, with systems, teaching methods and technology specifically tailored for online success.
Highgrove Education offers an online secondary school education for pupils aiming for strong academic results and progression to world-leading universities. It is a more flexible alternative than boarding schools, providing a comprehensive online education for approximately a quarter of the price of British boarding schools and allowing families to stay together regardless of where they are located.
A Purpose-Built Online School with Proven Results
Highgrove Online School provides a fully structured British curriculum, designed specifically for online delivery. With live lessons, experienced British qualified teachers and small class sizes, students benefit from a focused and supportive learning environment that maintains high academic standards.
Unlike schools that have recently moved online, Highgrove’s leadership team has extensive experience in delivering online education. The principal, Heather Rhodes, and core teaching staff were instrumental in launching Harrow School Online in 2019, building one of the leading online learning models at the time. Within just two years, their ground-breaking flipped learning approach achieved outstanding academic results, with 78% of grades at A* and A.
This experience underpins Highgrove’s approach today, ensuring that students are not simply adapting to online learning, but thriving within a system designed for it from the outset. Highgrove’s provision offers continuity through year 7 to GCSEs and A levels, with a clear academic structure that is not affected by local disruptions, school closures or changes to exam schedules. Students can remain at home and travel around the world while continuing to receive a high-quality, stable education aligned with UK standards. Highgrove offers Pearson Edexcel international GCSE and A level exams through remote invigilation, which means pupils are not impacted by local examination cancellations.
Supporting Families Through Uncertainty
We have already received a number of enquiries from families across the UAE and the wider Middle East who are seeking an alternative solution for their children’s education. At Highgrove Education, we understand that every student’s situation is different. Highgrove can support mid-year and mid-GCSE or A level transfers, designing bespoke transition programmes for pupils who need continuity in uncertain times. Whether you are looking for a short-term solution while waiting for stability to return, or a long-term alternative that offers greater reliability, our team is here to support you.
Get in touch with our head of admissions, Rosie, today for your Discovery Call.
