
Spring break in UAE: How schools are preparing for next term, new academic year
Spring break for most international curriculum schools will last for three weeks, from March 24 to April 14, 2024, with Indian schools closing for the end of their academic year.
The schools will be utilising the time to set up classrooms, ensuring a smooth transition for students into the next school year.
This break also aligns with the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, which will be observed from March 29 to April 1.
Mohammedali Kottakkulam, Principal, The Central School Dubai, said, 'As this period is the end of academic year for CBSE schools, we are busy preparing the New Year curriculum and getting classrooms ready for our students in order to ease their step into a fresh learning year.'
Principals are advising students to use this time to set academic or personal goals for the upcoming year.
'They must reflect on what worked and what didn't in the past year and create a plan for improvement, catch up on reading to relax and stimulate their mind. We suggest they use the break as an excellent opportunity to reconnect with loved ones.'
Finalising year-end results
In the interim period, the school staff are busy finalising year-end results, tracking student progress in internal and external assessments.
'They are also preparing scheme of work for the new lessons, organising parent-teacher meet, orientation for both existing and new parents and providing professional development sessions to equip the staff with essential skills to deal with challenges. On the whole, we are all geared up to step into a promising new academic year of 2025-26,' added Kottakkulam.
Educators are also highlighting that students find a balance between rest and light productivity during the break.
Belle Wagner, Academy Principal, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis, said: 'While relaxation is essential, it's also a great opportunity to stay engaged and keep the mind active. Reading, hobbies, or educational activities can keep the mind active without being overwhelming.'
'Older students may want to set aside some time for revision to prepare for upcoming exams, ensuring a smoother return to school. Additionally, some of our staff members are running revision sessions for their students to provide extra support during the break,' added Wagner.
Several high-stake exams after spring break
Many high-stake exams like IGCSEs/GCSEs, IB, or SAT/ACT exams tend to take place shortly after the spring break.
Therefore, school leaders emphasise the importance of students focusing on preparation while maintaining a healthy balance to manage stress.
Dara Devereaux, Head of Secondary Boys at GEMS Wesgreen International School – Sharjah, said, 'For students in exam classes, there has been a strong focus on intensive revision prior to the spring break. Students have been working hard on past papers and refining their exam techniques. Teachers have tailored intervention work, ensuring that any gaps identified during mock exams are addressed, allowing students to enter the break with more confidence.'
Other headteachers also emphasised the importance of students spending time outdoors, enjoying fresh air, and reconnecting with family to support overall well-being and mental clarity.
Devereaux added, 'We always encourage our students to take a balanced approach during their school breaks and ensure they get time to enjoy their surroundings and spend time with family and friends. We emphasise that they should balance their studies with rest and relaxation, and ensure they are physically and mentally ready for the challenges ahead. It's important to create a targeted study schedule that allows for focused work on areas that need improvement while also incorporating relaxation.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Gulf Today
14 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Crowd surge at Hindu temple in India leaves 6 dead
A crowd surge at a popular Hindu temple in northern India left at least six people dead and dozens injured, local authorities said on Sunday. The incident in the pilgrimage city of Haridwar occurred after a high-voltage electric wire reportedly fell on a temple path, triggering panic among the large crowd of devotees. Vinay Shankar Pandey, a senior government official in Uttarakhand state where the incident happened, confirmed the deaths and said worshippers scrambled for safety following the incident. Some 29 people were injured, according to Haridwar city's senior police official Pramendra Singh Doval. Thousands of pilgrims had gathered at the Mansa Devi hilltop temple, which is a major site for Hindu devotees, especially on weekends and festival days, local officials said. They were celebrating the holy month of Shravan. Someone in the crowd shouted about an electric current on the pathway around 9 a.m. "Since the path is narrow and meant only for foot traffic, confusion and panic spread instantly,' said local priest Ujjwal Pandit. Relatives stand outside a hospital as the injured from temple stampede were brought, in Haridwar, India, on Sunday. AP "A wall along the path is also suspected to have worsened the crowd bottleneck,' he added. Police and emergency services rushed to the scene and launched a rescue operation. The injured were transported to a nearby hospital, officials said. "The situation is now under control,' Pandey told the Associated Press by phone from Haridwar. "But the panic led to tragic consequences.' Authorities are investigating what caused the overhead wire to collapse, and whether proper crowd management protocols were in place. The town of Haridwar draws millions of visitors each year. The Mansa Devi temple, which is accessible by cable car or foot, is a major pilgrimage site that draws thousands of visitors daily during Shravan. Crowd surges at religious gatherings are not uncommon in India, where massive groups often congregate at temples or pilgrimage sites, sometimes overwhelming local infrastructure and security measures. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the victims and their families in a social media post and wished for a fast recovery for those who were injured. Associated Press


Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: How to prevent 'learning loss' and help kids study during summer holidays
With summer in full swing, families across the UAE are juggling holidays, travel plans, and downtime at home. But behind the relaxed pace of July and August lies a concern that educators have long warned about — the 'summer slide.' Studies show that children can lose 20-30 per cent of their academic progress over the summer break, particularly in math, where an average dip of up to 2.6 months is common over just six weeks. This learning loss can quietly build up over the years, putting some students as much as two years behind by middle school. Recognising this, many UAE schools heads are actively encouraging parents to incorporate learning into their children's daily routines, even during vacation. 'For some students there may be a slight loss of learning over the summer however we do encourage all of our students to read for a minimum of 30 minutes daily to develop literacy skills further which in turn enables access to all curriculum areas,' said Stephen Brecken, Principal/CEO of GEMS Cambridge International School, Dubai. 'Students are encouraged to access online platforms daily, such as Century Tech and Times Table Rock Stars, to prevent regression in learning, especially in the core subjects. We assign work over the summer for students joining us in Year 12 from the CBSE curriculum. We do find that the large majority of our parents encourage their children to undertake some form of academic learning over the summer holidays, which does go a long way to prevent summer regress," Brecken said. "Schools and educators could collaborate to develop early intervention programmes which would enable parents and children to learn together in a fun and engaging way over the summer, whilst also being mindful of the need for us all to take time to focus on wellbeing and Family First," he added. Learning through life, not just lessons From digital tools to shared reading time, many families are doing their best to keep young minds ticking. Maryssa O'Connor, Executive Vice President of Quality Assurance and Principal of GEMS Wellington International School Dubai, pointed out that learning doesn't have to be confined to books or devices. 'Mathematics curricula and assessment in schools are designed to ensure any gaps or difficulties are noted by teachers and addressed. Over time this should prevent children falling significantly behind and our schools have excellent intervention and teaching practices to support children who need extra guidance," O'Connor said. She explained parents can support by ensuring children regularly practise their maths using the resources shared by the teacher, this includes the holiday period. Just like reading, short periods of regular practice will help children remember. Real life application is also a great way to keep maths alive in the holidays. 'Parents can involve children in daily maths through counting, measuring and time planning. Try converting currency when travelling and working out the bill in restaurants and when shopping together. Planning routes, how long a journey will take and calculating time differences are all good ways to keep maths skills working hard in the holidays. Playing board games that involve counting and even keeping score of a ball game at the beach can help maths be fun for younger children too,' added O'Connor. The summer break also brings emotional shifts, especially for children who've travelled back to their home countries or had disrupted routines. School leaders say this can affect how students reintegrate into the classroom. Creative holiday homework and tech tools 'Being an educator for 30 years, I've seen that summer learning loss is a real and recurring challenge,' said Shiny Davison, Principal of Woodlem Park School Hamidiya. 'To address this, we dedicate the first week to informal assessments to identify learning gaps. With students returning from diverse backgrounds and experiences, especially after travel to home countries, we focus on restoring consistent routines, revisiting core concepts, and applying real-life learning strategies. These practices have proven effective over the years," Davison added. "To keep students and parents engaged during the summer break, many institutions continue the tried-and-tested practice of assigning holiday homework — designed in fun, creative formats to reinforce previously learned concepts. 'This ensures children remain connected to their learning while involving parents in the process. Additionally, we incorporate educational apps in English, math, and science, leveraging the tech-savvy nature of today's alpha generation. These platforms make revision interactive and enjoyable. To boost motivation, we implement a reward system that appreciates completion and effort. This not only encourages children to stay on track academically but also builds a sense of responsibility and enthusiasm throughout the summer," Davison said.


Gulf Today
4 days ago
- Gulf Today
Families received wrong remains of Air India crash victims: Lawyer
Relatives of a British victim killed in last month's Air India crash received a casket that contained mixed remains, a lawyer representing several families and UK media said on Wednesday. The family of a separate victim received the remains of another person, according to James Healy-Pratt, who is representing 20 British families who lost loved ones in the disaster. A total of 241 people on board the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner died when the plane crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad in western India on June 12. Some 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals were killed, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British fatalities. Several people on the ground also died while only one passenger, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the crash. Firefighters carry a victim's body after the Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area. File / AFP Healy-Pratt told the Press Association news agency that the return of victims' remains had been marred by serious errors, which had been identified following a probe by a British coroner. "In the first two caskets that were repatriated, in one of the caskets, there was co-mingling of DNA which did not relate to the deceased in that casket or the casket that accompanied it," he said. The lawyer added the coroner was then "able to determine that one particular loved one was not at all who the family thought they were." Miten Patel, whose mother Shobhana Patel died along with her husband in the disaster, told the BBC that "other remains" were found in her casket after her body was returned to Britain. Health workers shift the body of a victim, who died in the plane crash, to a cold storage at a hospital, in the aftermath of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash during take-off from an airport, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi "People were tired and there was a lot of pressure. But there has to be a level of responsibility that you're sending the right bodies to the UK," he told the broadcaster. The Daily Mail newspaper first reported two cases in which the wrong remains were apparently returned to families in Britain. India's foreign ministry said all remains "were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased." "We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue," the statement added. Agence France-Presse