Secondary School

The Secondary School program is based on the US Common Core Standards and International aims – with a focus on deep understandings and transferable skills. American curriculum offers a wide range of academic subjects along with a holistic approach to learning. The core academic program intends to build knowledge, skills and understandings around literacy, numeracy, creativity and sustainability. This core is supplemented by instruction in Visual Arts, Music, Drama, Informational Technology, World Languages and Physical Education.

The American approach offers more than a larger selection of course offerings and activities; this American education can be described as a student-centered, inclusive and adaptive approach to learning. Curriculum and instruction at GAA celebrates and cultivates students’ ability to problem-solve, and use their imagination while developing critical thinking skills. Our students also develop important social/emotional skills and confidence that is essential in personal development.

At GAA, each student’s program is made up of a combination of different courses:

• GAA Core Academic Courses/IBDP Courses
• ADEK Required Courses
• GAA Elective Courses

For promising Grade 11 and 12 students we offer the opportunity to take the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. 

GAA also offers honors classes in English and in Mathematics courses for grades 7-10. Placement in honors is determined by recent trends in standardized tests, school academic achievement, approaches to learning/behavior, and teacher recommendation.

Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) requirements vary depending upon a child’s nationality and religion. (Our school uses information provided by parents during the school registration process.)  

In order to comply with ADEK regulations, every student has specific course requirements for Arabic Language, Islamic Studies and UAE Social Studies according to one of the following four categories:

• Group 1 – Arab Muslim
• Group 2 – Arab Non-Muslim
• Group 3 – Non-Arab Muslim
• Group 4 – Non-Arab Non-Muslim

Please click on the links below to view our Secondary School Program of Studies and UAE/ADEK High School Equivalency Requirements:

• Secondary School Program of Studies
• UAE High School Equivalency Requirements

Please click the following links for our Course Options for 2023/2024

• Middle School
  • Grade 6 Group 4 Course Selection Form
  • Grade 7 Course Options
  • Grade 8 Course Options
• High School
  • Grade 9 Course Options
  • Grade 10 Course Options
  • Grade 11 Course Options
  • Grade 12 Course Options

Our IB Diploma students study native and acquired languages, sciences, mathematics and a range of social studies and arts offerings. The rigour of the Programme is maintained through external moderation and assessment from the IB, who carefully guard the high standards required from thousands of schools worldwide. IB Students at GAA learn to become lifelong learners as they progress through their final two years. Building on a foundation developed from as early as kindergarten, students develop skills such as communication, collaboration, thinking and self-management. These transferable skills will be vital in the lives of this generation as an adapting world requires a generation taught to be creative, resilient and innovative.

In addition to taught academic subjects, our IB Diploma Programme seeks to develop the whole student through the embedding of skills referred to as Approaches to Learning and through three core elements; CAS, ToK (Theory of Knowledge) and Extended Essay (EE).

Currently at GAA we deliver 18 taught courses from which students must choose 6 in order to obtain an IB Diploma. There must be at least one course from each of Groups 1 to 5 as well as a 6th choice from Groups 2 to 6. Three subjects must be taken at Higher Level (HL) with the other three subjects taken at Standard Level (SL).

This list is subject to change based on student demand.

All students take a DP Core class which covers areas such as Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), the Extended Essay (EE) and the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) which are all requirements of the Diploma Programme.