Durham School for Girls Doha, Qatar’s first truly international British school just for girls delivering a British curriculum whilst being deeply rooted in Qatari values and culture, is pleased to announce its upcoming opening in Qatar in 2019.

The school opening announcement was held at an official signing ceremony hosted between Durham International Schools and Engineer Saad Al Muhannadi, Chairman for Durham School for Girls Doha who is leading a group of investors in the education sector in Qatar. The event took place at Hilton on Park Lane in London, on 14th August 2018, in attendance by His Excellency, Mr. Yousef Ali Al Khater, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the UK as well as Kieran McLaughlin, Headmaster of Durham School UK.

Situated in Al Messila, Durham School for Girls Doha will open its doors in September 2019, with the timing for admissions to be announced in the near future.

Durham School for Girls Doha is a sister school of Durham School UK and will draw its inspiration from both the Qatari National and wider Islamic culture and tradition as well as Durham School’s 600-year heritage of outstanding British education.

Pupils of Durham School for Girls Doha will benefit from a governance overlap and shared co-curricular programmes with Durham School UK, as well as a provision of pastoral care that is to the same high standards in both Durham School and Doha.

The School will have a House system linked with that in Durham School UK. Both schools have a shared vision, espouse the same values and so develop an ethos and character that, despite being over 7,000 kilometers apart, deliver a sense of one school in two places.

Engineer Saad Ebrahim Al Muhannadi, Chairman of Durham School for Girls Doha said: “Durham School for Girls Doha reflects the need to educate young women in Qatar with the very best British education available in the region in order to support the country’s vision for its young women, to empower them and prepare them for the opportunities and challenges of life across the world.”

“It is my honour to welcome His Excellency, Mr. Yousef Ali Al Khater on this joyous occasion and to mark the beginning of a wonderful partnership with Durham School UK today at this signing ceremony. I am very excited for the upcoming opening of the school and I am proud of such a significant partnership with Durham School UK, one that I am certain will raise the bar on the education sector in Qatar” concluded Engineer Saad Al Muhannadi.

Vanessa Jane Whay, Founding Head of Durham School for Girls Doha, commented on the School’s opening saying: “I am waiting in anticipation to meet the parents, as well as young women of Qatar who will help shape Durham School for Girls Doha to be the school of first choice for Qataris and expat families.”

“Both Durham School for Girls Doha and Durham School UK will share a common vision and operate according to the same values and standards. With an emphasis on both individual and collective learning, the curriculum of Durham School for Girls Doha will be set in an international context whilst being deeply rooted in the Qatari culture and tradition. The girls and young women of Durham School for Girls Doha will be broadly educated whilst being imbued with a rich sense of Qatari national heritage and Islamic values,” concluded Vanessa.

Kieran McLaughlin, Headmaster of Durham School UK also commented saying: “I am both excited and proud with the upcoming opening of Durham School for Girls Doha in 2019. This marks a new milestone for Durham School in an amazing country such as Qatar with which we share the vision of delivering outstanding education, one that will help shape our future leaders. This initiative marks the beginning of a partnership that will deliver a great school for the girls and young women of Doha, helping instill a “confidence for life” and empowering them for the opportunities and challenges of life in the 21st century.”

“I look forward to working with Engineer Saad and Ms. Whay and to maximise together the opportunities to share aspects of both the curriculum and wider co-curricular programmes, and to foster a close bond between both schools with this the partnership”, Kieran concluded.

Operating in full partnership with Durham School UK whilst being deeply rooted in Qatari and Islamic values, culture and tradition, Durham School for Girls Doha will deliver outstanding education with the aim to meet Qatar’s ambition for its young women in the areas of women empowerment, especially in education, and delivering a knowledge-based society while unlocking the human potential of the young women in Qatar.

As part of its Phase 1 opening in 2019, the School will be open for the Early Years Foundation Stage Programme (EYFS) as well as for Primary Stage including Years 1 to 6. Starting from 2020, the school will be open for Secondary levels, and will be fully operational and open for all academic years by 2022.