Curricula

The pace of learning from birth to the age of five is phenomenal. At ABQ Explorer, we provide an environment where our youngest students can grow, learn, and develop in a safe and fun environment.

ABQ Explorer follows the UK-based International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC), adapted to the specific needs of students living in Oman. The IEYC is a research-based curriculum recognising global best practice in early childhood education and the developmental needs of 2 to 5-year-olds. It enables our students to be challenged at just the right level so that they are fully engaged and develop a keen interest and love for learning.

The IEYC uses holistic enquiry and play-based approaches to cover all curriculum areas, including personal, social, and emotional development. It allows our students to explore and express their learning using the marvellous resources and age-appropriate technology available to them at ABQ Explorer.

We offer a fully bilingual programme where all aspects of the curriculum are taught both in English and Arabic.

Pre-K provides a great foundation for kindergarten. One of the key benefits is social engagement. Socialization is one of the best ways for a child to develop emotionally. Allowing your child to learn how to interact with others is a skill they will use throughout their lives.

In KG1, we focus on developing language skills and interpersonal relationships. We do this by concentrating on exploring the everyday environment, developing sensory skills, and enhancing fine motor skills. This takes place through the core subjects of English, Arabic and Math.

In KG2, the emphasis shifts to a more academic focus. Students begin to work more on their literacy, communication and language skills in English and Arabic, and their numeracy skills in Math, whilst also learning more about the world around them.

Our KG students also enjoy specialist Music, Physical Education, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) lessons, whilst our Muslim students have daily Islamic lessons as well.

Our primary school follows the Cambridge Primary Programme in English, Maths and Science offering students a strong academic foundation. We also offer Music, Art, Physical Education and Information Communication Technology (ICT) where we offer a blended curriculum which fulfils all MOE requirements whilst also drawing on elements of the English National Curriculum.

Arabic, Islamic Studies and Social Studies follow the MOE curriculum. Students who have been exempted from Arabic subjects take Kalemon, an Arabic second language programme, Social Studies in English, and either Islamic Studies in English or Global Perspectives.

Students are assessed through a variety of methods. Grades 1-6 GL Assessments provide teachers with vital insights about their students, in turn helping those students to improve their academic performance.

CAT4 assessments completed in Grade 4, reveal students’ hidden potential by assessing the other main types of reasoning ability known to make a difference in learning and achievement, providing parents with a rounded profile of the whole child.

To maintain excellent academic standards, ABQ students in all three schools write common exams. To further ensure that we are meeting the best international standards, students in Grades 3-6 write Cambridge Progress Tests and in Grade 6, students also write the Cambridge Checkpoint Tests. This allows us to benchmark our performance against students following a similar curriculum in other parts of the world.

Our secondary school consists of three key stages. In Key Stage 3 (Grades 7 and 8), our students study English, Maths, Science, Arabic, Islamic Studies, Social Studies, Geography, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Physical Education, Music, and Art. At the end of Grade 8, our students sit for Cambridge Checkpoint Tests in English, Math and Science.

In Key Stage 4 (Grades 9 and 10), students may opt to pursue IGCSE qualifications or alternatively opt to study the Omani GED. On both these pathways, students must study the following compulsory subjects: Maths, English, Arabic, Islamic and Social Studies. Students who decide to opt for IGCSE also have a range of optional subjects to choose from whilst those pursuing GED must study Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Art, Music, Physical Education and ICT. Students write their IGCSE exams at the end of Grade 10.

Our senior students can also choose two separate pathways, either A Levels or the Omani GED. Students at this stage of their academic careers have a wide variety of subjects to choose from, regardless of whether they decide to pursue GED or A Levels. Students opting to study GED must take the five compulsory subjects (English, Arabic, Math, Islamic Studies and Social Studies), as well as four selected subjects.

Throughout Secondary school, students who are exempted from studying Arabic subjects will take the Arabic second language programme, Kalemon, Social Studies in English and either Islamic Studies in English or Global Perspectives.

CAT 4 assessments completed in Grade 8, reveal students’ hidden potential by assessing the other main types of reasoning ability known to make a difference in learning and achievement, providing parents with a balanced profile of the whole child.