Featured School
Below are a few additional
terms that Mr Pyrah uses to
describe the curriculum:
• Flexible and adaptable curriculum
framework suited to international
contexts
• Strong focus on welfare; health is
included in the curriculum
• Focused on inquiry learning and
innovation; less content driven
• Strong emphasis on differentiation
• Breadth of assessment; focus on
process
VISS comprises of a multicultural
student body of 70 different
nationalities. There is a dedicated
focus on providing students with a
holistic and progressive programme
of learning based on the Australian
curriculum and IB education.
Lauding their IB programme Mr Pyrah
adds, “IB takes a number of years to
adjust to. Last year, our IB students
were just above world average, which
is fantastic, as most of our students are
second language English speakers. A
number of them are attending good
universities.”
The
school
is
an
Australian
architecturally
designed
open
planned facility. It features glass
windows in classrooms and offices.
The design of the campus resonates
with fluidity of movement in space
and transparency, giving credence
to the notion of the space being a
third teacher. The carpeted floor is
an uncommon feature in UAE schools
and was specifically requested, by the
Victorian government in keeping with
their open space policy. This allows
for easy movement with minimal noise
from footfall.
According to Mr Pyrah, the school has
been a magnet for education providers
from within the UAE, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar and Bahrain who are interested
in what an Australian education is like.
“We have a fantastic facility for
training. We often host CPD training
events and Spark events. Professional
development is very important to
us, so we invest in relationships with
people who understand that. We
have a good relationship with Apple.
At present, we are one of the biggest
providers of iTunes U in the Middle
East,” states Mr Pyrah.
Mentoring
sessions
for
senior
leadership members and Emirati
teachers from other schools have been
hosted at VISS. CPD sessions for VISS
teachers are sometimes carried out via
webinars from Australia. Additionally,
teacher
development
appraisals
are carried out under a professional
development
programme
that
Australian registered teachers follow,
which is based in Australia. VISS also
works very closely with the Sharjah
Education Zone and the UAE Ministry
of Education.
Mr Pyrah notes that innovation and
technology are embedded into
teaching and learning. A number of
VISS teachers are currently Apple
Distinguished Educators and students
in Years 4-9 have been benefiting from
a one-to-one iPad programme for the
past five years. Students in Year 6 and
higher must enroll in a technology-
The state of the art
auditorium at VISS.
One of the music
rooms at VISS.
Members of the SLT for VISS, L-R: Deputy Principal/Head
of Secondary School, Jim Stearns, Head of Primary and ELC,
Kerry Graham and Principal, Dean Pyrah.
Class Time
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