Primary Sports

Our aims are to:
 

• Encourage a healthy and active lifestyle throughout the school body
• Nurture sportsmanship in all aspects of competition
• Widen each pupil’s sporting experience and enjoyment
• Create a passion for active recreation and sport
• Assist pupils in reaching their physical potential in a variety of sporting environments

We pride ourselves in fostering the pursuit of excellence in a sport-for-all environment. NAS supports boys’ and girls’ and compete in many sports from the DASSA leagues including Football, Rugby, Netball, Cricket, Rounders, Aquathon, Athletics, Basketball and Swimming.

NAS Dubai students participated in over 400 fixtures in 2018/19 from Years 3 to 13. An amazing feat which has been accomplished because of our outstanding students, teachers, parents and facilities. This has been recognized by the UAE Sports Teen awards where NAS Dubai was awarded ‘Best Sport and Fittest School’ newcomer.

The importance of Physical Education

PE develops pupils’ competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities that become a central part of their lives, both in and out of school. A high-quality PE curriculum enables all pupils to enjoy and succeed in many kinds of physical activity. They develop a wide range of skills and the ability to use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to perform successfully. When they are performing, they think about what they are doing, they analyse the situation and make decisions. They also reflect on their own and others’ performances and find ways to improve upon them. As a result, they develop the confidence to take part in different physical activities and learn about the value of healthy, active lifestyles.

Discovering what they like to do, what their aptitudes are at school, and how and where to get involved in physical activity helps them make informed choices about lifelong physical activity. PE helps pupils develop personally and socially. It instils passion, respect, integrity, resilience, teamwork, commitment and sportsmanship.

They work as individuals, in groups and in teams, developing concepts of fairness and of personal and social responsibility. They take on different roles and responsibilities, including leadership, leading their own learning and coaching and officiating. Through the range of experiences that PE offers, they learn how to be effective in competitive, creative and challenging situations.

Sport for All vs. Elitism at NAS Dubai

We believe that every pupil should be given the opportunity to achieve their potential. Subsequently we seek to ensure that pupils of all abilities are encouraged to be the best they possibly can. By this rationale, the department believes that both Sport for All and Elite sporting performance can flourish side by side.

All lessons from Foundation Stage to Year 2 are taught mixed gender, mixed ability groups. Lessons from Year 3 – 6 are taught as single gender groups. Groups are differentiated into ‘extension/exceeding’ ’expected’ and/or ‘development’ cohorts. Further differentiation happens within the lesson in order to assist all pupils to work at a level that is both challenging and tangible.

Streaming

At the beginning and end of each year students from Years 1 - 6 will take part in a series of baseline tests to determine areas of strength and weakness. Once all data is collected the department analyse the results and set groups accordingly from Years 3 - 6 to benefit the needs of all students.

The top two sets for boys and girls will have the specialist teacher for the season of sport. ie. Season 1 football; the coach taking the team for football will take the squad for lessons in their curriculum time and their morning training. This will provide a much needed extra session to improve team performance. The development group will still participate in football but at a different time of the year. The development group will still have opportunities to make the squads. Groupings are flexible.

The PE curriculum has been designed so that the block of sports take place before and during the season. This will help teams prepare for the season ahead and work on tactics during the season.

As in with other subjects that set, streaming will enhance and accelerate learning and overall become more enjoyable for the students and will encourage full commitment, discipline and effort.

Curriculum Outline and Aims

Our curriculum at NAS includes areas from the National Curriculum and sports that we compete in through the DASSA leagues. Groups are given the opportunity to train as squads in PE from Year 3 onwards. We track and monitor the students to assess them throughout to ensure students know their ability levels and set targets to improve. Within the curriculum we look at key areas such as:

• Outwitting opponents -  in invasion based activities
• Accurate replication of actions, phrases and sequences, as in gymnastic activities
• Performing at maximum levels in relation to speed, height, distance, strength or accuracy, as in athletic activities
• Identifying and solving problems to overcome challenges.
• Exercising safely and effectively to improve health and wellbeing, as in fitness and health activities.

Through a balanced curriculum students will be encouraged to physically active and literate, developing co-ordination, control and overall body management. They will be involved in problem-solving, communicating with others and team-building exercises. Students will be encouraged to understand the importance of a healthy life style through participation in and enjoyment of a variety of activities and environments. The streaming of students will enhance this outcome.

Inter house

NAS prides itself of being inclusive, offering opportunity and follow the idea of sport for all. Every students in the school is allocated a house upon arrival. Allegiance and loyalty to one’s house are a strong feature to life at NAS and this is, perhaps, most evident at the various sporting inter-house events which take place regularly throughout the year and at the end of each topic of sport.

Results from inter-house sporting events are collected and collated to help overall house results at the end of term and year.

Swimming

At NAS, we believe that all children should have the opportunity to learn how to swim and be taught how to stay safe in and around water. We provide students with opportunities for personal growth and enjoyment, and an introduction to the lifelong health benefits of swimming. Swimming is taught in a fun environment while nurturing a competitive attitude at the individual’s own rate. Our desire is to create a positive atmosphere where NAS students can learn to set individual goals and experience the rewards of achieving them.

In our curriculum programme, we offer a guided age-group program for children age 4 and up, from the swimmer with basic stroke ability to competitive and skilled swimmers. We also strive for all swimmers at NAS, especially our squad swimmers, to have the basic values of sportsmanship, good behaviour and team work.

Our success is ultimately measured by how much opportunity we provide for the students of our school and by how much their individual potential is maximized. The building of positive attitudes, healthy bodies, disciplined minds, and enduring friendships are among the rewards our program strives to offer.

Sports facilities

• State of the art swimming facilites comprising of two 6 lane swimming pools and two small teaching and learning pool and one splash play area for the younger age groups
• A state of the art 4G multi purpose world rugby approved astro pitch
• A full size astro football pitch
• Four outdoor netball, basketball and tennis courts
• Two multi-purpose indoor sports halls
• Spinning room
• Gym & weights suite
• Two dance studios

Squads

Football

Boy’s football is a very popular sport at NAS Dubai and is played throughout all year groups in the curriculum. We run competitive A and B teams at U8, U9, U10 and U11 for the DAPSA leagues in term 1. As a school we host the annual NAS Dubai Cup early in Term 2. Additionally, we enter the BMSE U11 football tournament in Bahrain every year. Girls football is rapidly growing at NAS Dubai with us currently fielding two teams at U9 and U11 level, but we envisage this growing further as the popularity grows with it.

Netball

Netball is a highly regarded sport by pupils and parents here at NAS. Each year we continue to develop and show high levels of ability in each netball season across all age ranges.

Netball is open to all girls who would like to improve their skills. We begin training in Term 1 and we currently aim to enter 2 teams per year group up to Year 6 in the DAPSA Netball league in Term 2. Recently, we had two teams who finished top of their league and we also had a team finish 1st place in the DAPSA finals tournament, a huge achievement!

Swimming

Swimming at NAS has grown immensely over the last 5 years and both our Competitive and Development Swim Squad perform extremely well in all the leagues we entered and through that, our curriculum has gone from strength to strength. Swimming is a very technical sport and our focus is merely on developing good habits in curriculum through to our squads. 

Basketball

Basketball has gained in popularity since NAS has opened, with both girls and boys teams entered in the DAPSA basketball leagues. In the 2018-9 academic year teams were entered for U11 girls (Y5+6), U10 boys and U11 boys. Games are played on our indoor court and there are two additional outdoor training areas available for training. With new facilities being constructed we look forward to providing more opportunities for the sport to grow in the upcoming year.

Rugby

Rugby continues to be an extremely popular and successful boys sport at NAS Dubai, with us recently investing in a brand new, state of the art 4G pitch that will showcase us as a school with one of the best rugby facilities in Dubai. As a school we run teams for U8 Tag, U9 Contact, U10 Contact and U11 Contact rugby in Term 2, as well as entering the annual DC 7s and DC10’s annual rugby tournament. Our rugby teams are very competitive and have performed well in both the DAPSA leagues and being plate winners at the DC 10’s tournament

Tennis

Tennis continues to grow at NAS Dubai with mixed tennis teams at U9, U11 and Secondary level. These teams take part in an hours training each week, added with friendly matches against schools throughout Dubai. As a school we enter the Dubai Tennis Championships in March, which is an opportunity for our teams to participate in a competitive tournament. This year we entered 4 teams per age group which was the most of any school in Dubai and shows how popular the sport is. Additionally, all teams attend the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships giving pupils the opportunity to watch live tennis and be involved in the CF Tennis ball kids programme.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is greatly popular amongst our primary students at NAS. We have a squad for gymnastics as well as CCA sessions open to all aspiring gymnasts. Our focus is mainly on artistic gymnastics (floor and vault). The students are also taught about the importance of strength and conditioning, as well as flexibility to be successful in their sport. The students train during Terms 1 and 2, with their sessions culminating in a floor and vault competition. 

Dance

Dance CCA sessions are open to both girls and boys from Year 3 upwards. During Terms 1 and 2 the students are working towards the Desert Dance competition, which is a showcase with many Dubai participating. We are pleased to have seen an increase of boys getting involved in dance since our collaboration with Juilliard and implementing our performing arts curriculum. The students experience a range of different styles from contemporary to hip hop and are often included in the choreographic process as well.

Cricket

Cricket is played during Term 3 here at NAS Dubai. We enter both competitive and development teams at U9 and U11 level. As a school we have performed extremely well so far going through to the DAPSA cricket finals. We also offer CCA cricket, giving pupils who don’t make the squads an equal opportunity to train, develop and enhance their skills. 

Rounders

Rounders is continuing to develop here at NAS. We open training in Term 2 to all girls from Years 3 to 6 to prepare them for the season in Term 3. Currently we enter A & B teams in the DAPSA Rounders leagues in the U9 and U11 age categories. The curriculum has been designed to work alongside squad training to help develop our teams further.