Learning Partners | Australian International School

A fundamental belief AIS centres around is the timeless saying: ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’

Enhancing student learning and wellbeing through partnerships is at the core of all programs and policies within the AIS framework.

Through seeking out and collaboratively working with parents and families, external education and training institutions, local businesses and the community, AIS has accumulated a formidable suite of learning partners designed to accommodate the diverse needs of students and most importantly, enhance their educational outcomes. In this way, every student at AIS is given every possible opportunity to reach for the stars.

At AIS we believe in:

supporting parents to be positively involved with their child's learning at home and at school.
leveraging community, industry and business knowledge and skills.
developing partnerships with parents and the community that can deliver more innovative models of partnership development, education and training.
staff understanding and learning about students, including their home and community contributions, their culture and experiences.
accessing support from local institutions to deliver real world learning opportunities for students.
meeting the needs and building the strength of our community.
building the skills of our students to meet the needs of our community, including industry and business.

Our Whole School learning partnerships include:

Partners as Governing Bodies

Queensland Government - Department of Education & Training
QCAA - Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
EQI - Education Queensland International
SPEA - Sharjah Private Education Authority
MOE - UAE Ministry of Education
MOHAP - UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention

Formal Curriculum Partners

ACARA - Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
QCAA - Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
IB - International Baccalaureate Organisation
MEIBA - Middle East IB Association

System Partners

Learning and Wellbeing Partners

SPAA - Sharjah Performing Arts Academy
Stymie
The Arab Culturalist
Knowledge WorkxED Foundation - Global Leadership
Knowledge Workx

Our Clubs and Community Partners

Reading Partners

Magrudy's Books
Kalimat Books
Sharjah Book Authority - Sharjah Children's Reading Festival and International Book Fair

Volunteer and Charity Partners

Student Partnerships

Alumni
Student Leadership

Excursion Partners

Student Teacher Placements

QUT - Queensland University of Technology

Our Primary School Learning Partnerships:

Building relationships with local early years services, especially AIN - Australian International Nursery
Practical literacy and numeracy activities that involve parents in key priority areas, such as reading through our weekly Parent Education Sessions, newsletters and year level information sessions.
Parent/teacher workshops targeting identified areas of need such as student resilience, literacy and numeracy professional development and staff learning lounges.
Involving parents in goal setting and monitoring discussions with their children.
Culture and learning by partnering with elders in educational experiences.
Developing local strategies to support transitions between early childhood education and care, primary school and secondary school, higher education and the workforce.
An English Department which utilises MYON reading program
An Arabic Department which utilises I Read Arabic reading program
An Arabic and Islamic Department that works with Sajaya (Young Ladies of Sharjah) and the AIS Volunteer and Charity Partners
An Arts Department which engages with Artists in Residence with S4K Shakespeare for Kids and Kevali Productions

Our Secondary School Learning Partnerships:

secondary learning programs associated with Murdoch University (for Murdoch Maths, IT and learning skills), Curtin University, American University of Sharjah, Knowledge Workx (for Global Leadership Track)
wellbeing team including Guidance officer and school psychologist aligned with Stymie,
guidance officers for career pathways aligned with a wide variety of UAE, UK, US and Australian Universities including Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, Bond University.
guidance officers also partner with outside providers to establish real world experiences and pathways, including work experiences; UK Medical Work Experience, Immerse Cambridge.
IB DP CAS program associated with World Challenge Expeditions, MUN (Model United Nations training and Development), Red Crescent UAE, Old People’s Home Sharjah, Ro’yati Family Society, Bee’ah, Skibound, Sharjah Ladies Club, Al Thiqah Club for the Handicapped, Sharjah Dogs Shelter, Sharjah Equestrian Club, Posh Paws Animal Shelter, Al Jalila Foundation.
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation
an Arts Department which engages with Artists in Residence S4K Shakespeare for Kids, Poetry In Action, Kevali, Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, "In Touch" Arts activity provider, "ISTA" IB Theatre education provider, "Gecko Physical Theatre", London, "Trestle Theatre", London.
a Physical Education Department which engages with The Adventure Centre Hatta, Sharjah Women’s College Community - Higher Colleges of Technology, Emirates International Sporting Schools Association, Australian International Schools Association and Abu Dhabi Sporting Schools.
a Science/Mathematics Department which engages AUS (American University Sharjah Science and Engineering Department),
an English Department who engages with Emirates Literature Foundation, The World Scholar’s Cup, Model United Nations providers, In Touch.
an Arabic and Islamic Department that works with Sajaya (Young Ladies of Sharjah)
Sheikh Sultan Spirit of the Youth Award The Sheikh Sultan Award for Celebrating the Spirit of Youth is the first of its kind in the region. It aims to enhance the talents and skills of young people in the UAE by challenging youth to enhance and improve their skills in fields other than academics.

AIS Corporate and Community Partnerships:

We partner with corporations and our community through:

Generating and maintaining contact with relevant health professionals in the area to support referrals.
Developing and supporting a school alumni group
Developing marketing materials
Opening school facilities for community use including adult learning, community meetings and community interest groups.
Building networks to establish community-integrated student support.
Offering discounts and incentives.
Participating in events.