Horizon logo
Call +971 2 556 0811 Map Get direction
Inquire Request a call Book a tour
About Us
Academics
Curriculum Educational Standards

Curriculum
Educational Standards

Preparing
Confident, Capable,
and Globally-
Minded Learners

At Horizon Private School – American Branch, our curriculum is built on one guiding promise: Every Child Known, Every Child Valued, Every Child Prepared. From Early Childhood through Grade 12, every lesson, every standard, and every pathway is designed to develop the whole child — academically, socially, ethically, and globally. This is The Horizon Advantage: where opportunity meets achievement at every stage of learning.

Preparing <br> Confident, Capable, <br> and Globally-<br>Minded Learners

How We Teach: Our Two Academic Distinctions

The Horizon Advantage is built on two named instructional commitments that define how learning happens across every grade and every subject at Horizon.

Laboratory <br>Science and <br>Research

Laboratory
Science and
Research

Science at Horizon is lab-based across all relevant grades. Our laboratory facilities are the primary instructional space — the lab is not a supplement to the curriculum, it is the curriculum. Students conduct experiments, design investigations, and discover through hands-on, evidence-based inquiry.

The Horizon Inquiry <br>and Active Learning <br>Framework

The Horizon Inquiry
and Active Learning
Framework

Inquiry and project-based learning are the named instructional approach at Horizon, applied across disciplines and grade levels. Students are encouraged to ask better questions, not just seek better answers. Teachers serve as facilitators, mentors, and guides — supporting students as they explore, collaborate, design, and construct knowledge.

Additional Teaching Approaches:

  • Differentiated Instruction: Teachers adapt lessons, materials, and assessments to meet every learner's needs. Students of determination have full curricular access through targeted, documented support.
  • Technology-Enhanced Learning: Digital tools, interactive platforms, and AI are integrated across the curriculum — ethically and purposefully — preparing students for a technology-driven world.
A Rigorous American<br> Curriculum Grounded <br> in UAE Identity

A Rigorous American
Curriculum Grounded
in UAE Identity

Horizon follows the American educational model, implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English and Mathematics, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for Science. In Early Childhood, our program is grounded in play-based learning that develops the whole child. At every stage, we embed the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) frameworks for Arabic, Islamic Studies, UAE Social Studies, and Moral Education — ensuring students are grounded in global academic standards while remaining rooted in UAE heritage and values. This integrated approach builds toward our ultimate measure: the Prepared Horizon Graduate — bilingual in Arabic and English, globally minded, and ready for university, career, and a life of contribution.

Our Learning Journey — Division by Division

Each division builds on the foundations of earlier years and prepares students for what comes next — culminating in the Prepared Horizon Graduate: a principled, globally minded young person ready for university, career, and a life of contribution.

Early Childhood <br>(Pre-KG to Grade 2)

Early Childhood
(Pre-KG to Grade 2)

Excellence Begins in Early Childhood.

At Horizon Private School – American Branch, excellence begins in Early Childhood. Every child is known, every child is valued, and every child is prepared for a future filled with promise. Our Early Childhood Education program provides a secure, stimulating environment that nurtures curiosity, confidence, and community, the foundation for a lifetime of learning and leadership.

Elementary <br>(Grades 3–5)

Elementary
(Grades 3–5)

Growing Minds. Growing Character.

At Horizon Private School – American Branch, Elementary School is where confidence grows and potential expands. Students deepen their academic understanding while developing independence, responsibility, and strong habits of learning, all within a supportive environment where every child continues to be known, valued, and prepared for the next stage of their journey.

Secondary<br> (Grades 6–12)

Secondary
(Grades 6–12)

Where Ambition Meets Achievement.

At Horizon Private School – American Branch, Secondary School is where students define their path and prepare for the future. Through rigorous academics, leadership opportunities, and a strong sense of purpose, students develop the confidence, independence, and ambition needed to succeed at university and beyond, always known, valued, and prepared.

Languages
Program

Language is not a subject at Horizon — it is the medium through which students learn to think, communicate, and connect with the world. The Prepared Horizon Graduate leaves Horizon bilingual in Arabic and English, with competence in a world language.

  • English

    English

    Comprehensive development in literacy, communication, and critical reading across all grade levels, aligned to CCSS standards. Students read analytically, write with precision, and speak with confidence in formal and informal contexts.

  • Arabic

    Arabic

    Rooted in UAE national requirements and cultural identity. Arabic is embedded across the curriculum from Early Childhood through Grade 12, supporting bilingual fluency and a deep respect for Emirati heritage.

  • French

    French

    Introduced from early grades, French develops through Elementary and Secondary to Advanced and AP level in High School. It anchors the College Board AP International Diploma pathway and is one of Horizon’s five Signature Programs.

Academic Pathways —
From Horizon to the World

Academic Pathways at Horizon are externally credentialed routes that connect classroom learning to university admission and career. They are distinct from our Signature Programs: a Pathway is a route, not a program. Every Secondary student has access to these pathways through structured counseling and multi-year post-secondary planning.

College Board Advanced Placement (AP)

AP is the central academic pathway at Horizon. Students in Grades 9–12 take AP courses across multiple subject areas, earning college credit through internationally recognized College Board examinations. AP Research is currently underway. AP Capstone is in development. The AP International Diploma — anchored by French Language at Signature Program level — is the aspirational capstone for our most advanced students.

College Board Advanced Placement (AP)

Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA)

SUPA provides High School students with credentialed university coursework and transferable college credit, adding a second credentialed pathway alongside AP.

Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA)

College and Career
Counseling

Our College and Career Counseling program is the connective tissue of the pathway architecture. Every secondary student receives documented, multi-year post-secondary planning that connects academic choices to university, career, and life goals.

College and Career <br> Counseling
Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-Based Learning
Project-Based Learning
Project-Based Learning
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction
Technology-Enhanced Learning
Technology-Enhanced Learning
Secret Link