GEMS Founders School, Dubai are proud to offer a range of IGCSE, GCSE and BTEC subjects accredited by OxfordAQA International Examinations, AQA and Pearson. All Key Stage 4 qualifications GFS offers are recognised by schools, colleges and universities internationally, thus enabling all of the students to gain access to the best academic institutions in the world. Please view our curriculum options above for further information. 

Our Learning Journeys provide a clear and accessible overview of what pupils will learn in each subject throughout the academic year. They show the sequence of learning, the key knowledge, skills and concepts pupils will encounter, and how each stage of the curriculum builds upon what has been learned before.

The Learning Journeys are designed to help pupils, parents and teachers see the curriculum as a connected journey rather than a series of individual topics or lessons. Learning is carefully sequenced so that pupils can develop secure knowledge and understanding over time, revisit important concepts, make meaningful connections and apply previous learning in increasingly challenging contexts.

Each Learning Journey provides a visual representation of where pupils are starting, the units and areas of learning they will experience during the year, and how this prepares them for the next stage of their education. Opportunities to revisit and retrieve important prior knowledge are also deliberately built into the curriculum, helping pupils to remember more and strengthen their understanding over time.

By making our curriculum journey visible, we aim to provide greater clarity for our whole school community and demonstrate how every area of learning contributes to pupils’ long-term academic development, progression and success.

Key Stage 4 at GEMS Founders School is the first stage where students take responsibility for selecting their own curriculum pathways. After selecting five different options they want to pursue, alongside the core compulsory subjects, they begin their journey through Key Stage 4. These chosen subjects are selected through their interests, their achievements and the guidance received from the school.

As our students grow and develop into young adults through the two years within the Key Stage, our teachers encourage them to share their passions and pursue the unknowns within each subject area. Science Labs, 3D printers, Virtual Reality kits, Food Technology and Design Technology labs are just a few of the resources that our teachers utilise to help develop our students. 

Over the two years, students are assessed through both their classroom work and formal assessments. Our teaching develop innovative ways to assess our students, ensuring student wellbeing is our top priority. Through establishing independent self-study revision skills that evolve through our Key Stage assessments, we ensure all students are prepared with the necessary tools to sit their International GCSEs at the end of Year 11.