Wellbeing & Safety
Student Wellbeing
Known, valued, and supported
At AKIS, every student is known, valued, and supported. We believe students learn best when they feel safe and connected to their learning community.
Care model
Team Around the Child
Monitor attendance, wellbeing, and behaviour trends
Identify students who may require additional support
Provide timely, individualized interventions
Foster positive relationships between students, families, and staff
Promote personal growth, resilience, and wellbeing
Our Team Around the Child works collaboratively to ensure every learner receives the care, guidance, and intervention they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Student Affairs, guidance counsellors, inclusion specialists, and school leaders work together to:
Support is planned through careful observation, ongoing monitoring, and data-informed decision-making, ensuring every student gets the right support at the right time.
School culture
Be a GEM
We promote a positive school culture through restorative approaches, positive reinforcement, and behavior strategies. Our Be a GEM behavior framework encourages respect, responsibility, kindness, and integrity creating an environment where strong relationships flourish and every student can reach their full potential.
- Respect
- Responsibility
- Kindness
- Integrity
Provision
Our Wellbeing Program
Led by an experienced wellbeing leadership team, our comprehensive wellbeing program supports students through evidence-based practices and targeted interventions, including:
Whole-class wellbeing lessons and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Small-group intervention programs
Individual counseling and personalized support
Wellbeing campaigns and awareness events
Peer leadership and student wellbeing initiatives
We regularly collect and analyse wellbeing data to monitor student needs, evaluate program impact, and inform future planning. Students help shape wellbeing provision through student voice opportunities, leadership programs, and regular feedback. Parents are valued partners and receive ongoing communication and guidance to support wellbeing at school and at home.
Middle School
Pastoral Care
Young adolescents have a growing need for autonomy with a strong desire for peer acceptance and belonging. Our Middle School pastoral care provides the stability and support students need during these pivotal years, through a multi-layered approach.
The CREW (Advisory) Program
Central to the Middle School experience, CREW is our advisory structure. Every student has a trusted adult advocate who monitors their academic and social-emotional progress. During CREW sessions, students take part in:
- Wellbeing check-insDedicated time to discuss personal goals and challenges
- Student-specific learning pathsTargeted support in literacy, maths, and science through technology tools and small-group intervention where needed
- Student celebrationsRecognizing achievements and milestones within a supportive peer group
Evidence-based
Data-Driven Wellbeing: UpStrive and GL PASS
AKIS integrates industry-leading technology into our pastoral care to keep support proactive and evidence-based:
UpStrive monitors student and staff wellbeing in real time. Regular digital check-ins give students a safe space to share how they’re feeling, helping our pastoral team spot trends and respond with targeted support.
GL PASS (Pupil Attitudes to Self and School) is a psychometric assessment that gives deep insight into student mindsets, including confidence in learning and sense of self-worth, helping us address the root causes of any barriers to success.
Guidance
Counseling
Our guidance program is led by full-time counsellors who support personal, interpersonal, and academic development. The counseling team works with teachers, parents, and student leadership to:
- Identify
Identify and address needs using qualitative and quantitative data, including UpStrive and GL PASS results
- Deliver
Deliver proactive prevention for guidance on adolescent development, personal responsibility, and the skills needed to become productive global citizens
- Provide
Provide intervention and response for a safe space for students in times of need, and connections to external resources when necessary
Child protection
Safeguarding
Safeguarding means protecting children from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation while promoting their wellbeing, so they can grow, learn, and succeed in a nurturing environment. At AKIS, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do.
Working together as a school community, we ensure every child is safe, protected, and respected. Every member of the AKIS community is expected to stay vigilant, recognizing that concerns can arise in any setting. All staff have a legal and professional duty to report safeguarding concerns immediately.
Our safeguarding culture is built on the following principles:
The welfare of every child is always our highest priority
We promote the wellbeing of children and their families
We respect and listen to the rights, wishes, and voices of children
We work collaboratively and share information appropriately to keep children safe
All staff act in the best interests of children and follow the GEMS Safeguarding Policy
Strong leadership, governance, and quality assurance keep safeguarding embedded across school life
Every member of the GEMS community - leaders, staff, students, parents, volunteers, and partners - play an active role in building a positive safeguarding culture
If you have a safeguarding concern, please report it immediately to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) during school hours. Contact details for the safeguarding team are available below.
We continually raise safeguarding awareness through:
- Staff training and professional development
- Student workshops and assemblies
- Parent workshops and awareness sessions
- Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons
- School-wide campaigns and wellbeing initiatives
The GEMS Safeguarding Policy is also available to download on the school website.
On-campus care
Health and Medical Care
GEMS Al Khaleej International School (AKIS) considers the health, safety, and welfare of staff and students to be of paramount importance, recognising that a safe and healthy working environment is a prerequisite to achieving the school's stated goal of promoting excellence in teaching and learning. With this in mind, there are clinics located within both the girls' and boys' sections.
A compassionate team consisting of a full-time physician and three nurses is available on the school campus every day to support our students and provide medical attention for any health concern.
All members of staff are responsible for taking reasonable care of their own safety, as well as that of students and visitors. They are responsible for co-operating with the Principal and other members of the School Leadership Team in order to enable the school to comply fully with health and safety requirements.
Our Commitment to Health and Safety
In managing Health and Safety at AKIS, we are committed to:
- Recognising the importance of providing an environment that is safe and healthy for all of those who use or visit our school
- Building into the philosophy of the school appropriate values that positively promote a successful Health and Safety culture
- Informing all staff, students, and visitors of their personal responsibility to co-operate with us in order to achieve our Health and Safety goals
Medical Care
GEMS Al Khaleej International School is fortunate to have excellent medical facilities on-site, and all children are provided with medical care, including administration of first aid and emergency care. Emergency transport is available if a student needs to be taken to hospital.
All students receive regular medical examinations, with the school working closely with the Primary Health Care Section of the Department of Health and Medical Services, Government of Dubai.