Dear Ash Mount Community,
It was so lovely to see many of you at this week’s community building event at OliOliUAE . Watching children explore, create, investigate, and play together was a wonderful reminder of how naturally curious children are when they feel confident and supported. We are already beginning to see friendships forming between our future students and families, which is incredibly special.
This week was also a very important milestone for Ash Mount as we received the exciting news that we are now officially an IB Candidate School for the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme. It was a proud moment for our growing community and an important step in the journey we are building together.
Ash Mount has been designed with an IB philosophy in mind from the very beginning. IB consultants have been involved throughout the planning process, the KHDA educational plan was approved with an IB framework at its core, and the architects were briefed on the principles of inquiry led learning before the campus design began.
As a result, the school has been designed not simply as a building, but as a learning environment that supports collaboration, curiosity, reflection, and student agency. There are collaborative planning spaces for teachers, flexible learning environments that support active and engaging inquiry, and areas specifically designed to bring learning to life.
At the heart of the school sits the amphitheatre, a space intended for debates, drama, music, presentations, and community gatherings, allowing student voice and creativity to be visible and celebrated. Exhibition spaces have also been designed into the campus to support major learning events, including opportunities similar to the PYP Exhibition and MYP interdisciplinary showcases, where students bring together learning, reflection, research, and action in meaningful and authentic ways.
This month, our blogs are focusing on how children grow as individuals, and this week we turn our attention to an important life skill: independence.
Over the next few weeks, Miss Aamna and I plan to visit local nurseries and speak with families online about supporting children as they prepare to move into school, particularly in Pre-KG and KG. We will be delivering a series of school readiness talks for families, focusing on the small but important independence skills that help children feel confident, settled, and ready for school life. If you would like us to add your child’s nursery to our schedule, please ask the nursery manager to reach out to us to arrange a suitable date.
One of the biggest themes in these conversations is independence and what this looks like at different ages.
Independence grows gradually. It develops over time through routines, responsibilities, opportunities, and trust.
For younger children, independence might mean:
carrying their own bag
opening their lunchbox independently
putting on shoes or organising belongings
going to the toilet confidently
speaking to adults when they need help
separating from parents calmly at drop-off
These small steps make a huge difference when children begin school. They help children feel confident, capable, and ready to engage in learning.
As children grow older, independence changes too.
In primary school, it might involve:
remembering their library book or PE kit
organising homework and equipment
packing their bag the night before
taking responsibility for school routines
beginning to manage friendships and solve smaller problems independently
In the secondary years, independence becomes increasingly linked to organisation, self-management, decision-making, and responsibility for learning.
Importantly, independence is not just about practical skills. It is also about understanding choice, chance, and consequence, recognising that our actions have impact, and learning to take responsibility for ourselves and our behaviour.
At Ash Mount, we want children to develop the confidence to make positive choices, reflect on mistakes, and learn how to manage increasing levels of responsibility as they grow. This aligns closely with many of the attributes valued within IB schools, including being reflective, principled, balanced, and open minded learners.
Families can support independence at home in many simple ways:
encouraging children to prepare school items the evening before
helping children create routines for organisation
giving children small responsibilities within the home
allowing children time to try things independently before stepping in
encouraging children to problem solve rather than immediately solving things for them
Even simple habits such as knowing where school shoes are kept, putting away a jumper properly, or preparing swimming kits and PE kits the night before help children develop important executive functioning and independence skills.
Many of us in Dubai are fortunate to have support at home with tasks such as cleaning, washing, and ironing. However, as children grow older and eventually prepare for university and adult life, part of our role as educators and parents is ensuring they gradually learn how to manage these responsibilities for themselves.
We will support this carefully at school. Independence is not something children suddenly have, it is something they build over time through encouragement, routines, and experience.
At Ash Mount, we believe that helping children become independent is one of the greatest gifts we can give them, because independence builds confidence, resilience, and the ability to thrive in the world beyond school.
We are also looking forward to seeing many of you next week at the Pirates Surf Happiness Hour, another lovely opportunity for families to come together as part of the growing Ash Mount community.
As always, thank you for your continued support and partnership as we build Ash Mount together.
Best wishes,
Abi Fishbourne
Founding Principal
Ash Mount School
