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We will have a safeguarding session for all new teachers during our induction week, however if you wish to familiarise yourselves with out policies and procedures, please read through this PowerPoint.

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Many of you will be new to Dubai. For those that are, here are some tips.

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SIM - After you collect your bags, you'll notice Etisalat, Du or Virgin counters in the arrivals terminal. Make sure to get a visitors SIM from one of the desks. You will be able to convert this to a resident's SIM card once your visa has been processed. Send the number through to your Head of Department and the Head of school.

Getting around and the Careem App -  Before landing it might benefit you to download the Careem app in order to pre-book taxis. It's basically the same as Uber but costs a little less. Taxis in Dubai are reasonably inexpensive and generally how people get around until buying a car, however, the metro and bus services also service the majority of the city.

Cultural Sensitivity - Dubai has become a very multicultural city over the years, with many different cultures and religions. Having said that, Islam is still the official religion of the UAE and although women are not asked to cover, it is still a good idea to be mindful of the local culture when out and about in public here. When entering government offices, for example, men will only be allowed in if wearing long trousers and women must have their knees and shoulders covered.

Prayer time, Mosques, Prayer mats - At prayer time (particularly on Friday) you may notice an increase in traffic due to a high volume of cars being parked at the side of the road near mosques. This is perfectly normal and although it can cause some inconvenience, it's best not to complain too loudly. There are prayer rooms at school for both boys and girls. Please do not enter the prayer rooms if you are not Muslim.

Home sickness - Moving to a new country can be overwhelming and everyone will experience the stress differently. Some are perfectly happy and experience no home sickness whatsoever, others can feel it acutely. Whatever your experience, the leadership and staff of the school are here. Most of us have experienced it at some stage so please do reach out if/when your feeling a little down.

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Our approach to professional development is dynamic and ever-evolving, designed to support you at every stage of your teaching journey. CPD at our school blends in-person learning opportunities with flexible online modules via The National College platform. Throughout the year, you’ll also engage in targeted sessions focused on key aspects of IB education, ensuring alignment with our international ethos and learner-centred approach.

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National College People Development (formerly BlueSky Education) is a comprehensive platform that supports staff appraisal, professional growth, and school-wide development planning. Staff set personalised PD goals visible to their line managers, while learning walks, observations, and feedback are all recorded in one place. It also integrates with The National College, automatically logging completed CPD hours to provide a well-rounded, centralised account of each teacher’s professional development.

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The National College | CPD for Schools, Trusts, Colleges & Nurseries

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The only professional development platform schools, trusts, colleges & nurseries will ever need. Meet statutory training requirements. Drive up standards.

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The National College is an award-winning online platform offering flexible, up-to-date CPD for educators. With over 2,500 courses and webinars, it supports individual and whole-school development across a range of roles and topics. Content is aligned with current educational standards and easily tracked, making it a valuable tool for continuous professional learning.

Our staff are given set hours of CPD to complete with some compulsory modules making up some of the hours and the rest made up of what our staff would like to focus on as part of their professional development.

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The National College | CPD for Schools, Trusts, Colleges & Nurseries

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The only professional development platform schools, trusts, colleges & nurseries will ever need. Meet statutory training requirements. Drive up standards.

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Policies are currently being reviewed and are also available in the DIAB Common-SS Onedrive which you will have access to once you receive your DIAB Office 365 login details. Some of the more important ones, you can find below.

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Setting high standards in everything that we do is important to us. This ranges from our commitment to challenging poor behaviour, to uniform expectations, and of course to our standards of teaching.

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The IT systems in Use at DIAB are iSAMS, Managebac and Office 365. The below are to give you a basic understanding of how we use each.

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The IT systems in Use at DIAB are iSAMS, Managebac and Office 365. The below are to give you a basic understanding of how we use each.

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Academic Integrity Policy MYP-DP-CP (DIAB) 2024-25

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Men: Shirt and tie, formal trousers & shoes. Teachers of PE and Design Technology are exceptions where alternative uniform is provided.

Women: Business attire that is respectful of the UAE culture. Shoulders should be covered. Skirts and dresses should be below the knee. Shoes should be professional (not necessarily closed toes but flip-flops are not permitted).

Friday: We do have a more relaxed dress code on Friday. The school T-shirts must be worn as an alternative to professional dress, trainers may be worn but not jeans.

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There will be a briefing every Monday morning at 7:15 am in the DP Study Centre.

PD will take place one afternoon (afternoon to be decided but will be the same each week) during the week for one hour. No secondary school CCAs will run on this day.

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Field trips, overnight camps and international trips.

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Field trips, overnight camps and international trips.

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Each year DIA Al Barsha has an overnight camp for each year group, international trips and many field trips. You may be asked to accompany your form group on an overnight camp and should you wish to volunteer for one of the international trips, please register interest with Mr. Jameel Arif (jameela@diabarsha.com).

The international trips for next year are as follows:

Umrah - October

Italy Ski-trip - December

Paris - June

We encourage as many field trips as possible provided they meet the requirements set out in our policy ie. They are educational or engage in service of some kind and are vetted for their timing to ensure reduction on loss of learning time, clash with assessments or generation of large amounts of cover.

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For the Kids (please refer to student handbook for greater detail)

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For the Kids (please refer to student handbook for greater detail)

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CCA's (Co-Curricular Activities) are an integral part of life here at DIA Barsha. Each teacher is expected to take at least one CCA per week. We will provide a list of CCAs at the beginning of the school year and you will have the choice to sign up to one of those, or to suggest something new. In cases where insufficient numbers of students sign up for a particular CCA, we will ask the supervising teacher to sign up for an alternative. We ask that academic CCAs such as additional lessons are not run during Term 1.

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Once you receive your log-in, you will be able to explore the platform fully but for now please take a look at some of the helpful instructional videos in the links provided. Managebac is used at DIAB for a number of different purposes including Unit planning which can then be accessed by students and parents. Setting assessments and submissions and providing resources. The calendar in Mangebac is used by parents, students, teachers and leadership to keep track of assessment and submission deadlines and to QA the timing of assessments to ensure students are not overloaded.

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Welcome to Team DIA Barsha where the streets are paved with gold! Well, perhaps not, but we pride ourselves on being a great place to work. It is an exciting time to join us as we are growing and developing rapidly and your proactive input will only support our improvement. Our academic results get stronger, our enrichment programmes expand and we work towards our recent KHDA rating of Very Good moving to Outstanding! Congratulations on being appointed - we are lucky to have a significant number of applicants for each position. You have been chosen because of your ability in the classroom, your caring demeanour and your willingness to offer enrichment opportunities to our students. You will be busy but I hope that we can provide a rewarding environment, where you enjoy coming to work each day and take professional pride in playing a part in the achievements of our rapidly expanding school.

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At DIAB, the promotion of positive behaviour and the consistent addressing of inappropriate conduct is a shared responsibility for all staff members—whether on campus or representing the school during excursions and events.

Every interaction counts. Please take a moment to uphold our standards by reminding students to wear the correct uniform, discouraging gum chewing, and addressing any instances of rude or disrespectful behaviour. While it can sometimes feel easier to turn a blind eye, our collective efforts send a clear and consistent message: we care about the culture of our school.

Equally important is the role we play in recognising and celebrating positive behaviour. Every member of staff has the power to reinforce good conduct by offering praise and encouragement whenever possible. Take the time to acknowledge students who are doing well, and don't hesitate to share these successes with their parents—positive communication goes a long way in strengthening our school community.

Together, through consistency and care, we can continue to shape a positive and respectful learning environment for all.

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Our staff induction will begin on Monday, 18th August. Please dress in smart casual attire for the week. The schedule soon to be shared provides a general overview of the sessions and timings, though please note that some elements may be subject to change. A final, updated schedule will be shared with you ahead of the start date.

Induction week is designed to support a smooth and confident transition into life at DIA Barsha. You can expect a balanced and engaging programme that includes professional development sessions, practical “how-to” workshops to help you navigate school systems and routines, time within departments to connect with your teams and plan for the term ahead, and a focus on wellbeing and community-building. It’s a great opportunity to meet colleagues, get to know the school culture, and feel fully prepared for the year ahead.

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Our school day begins with registration at 7:30 and so we ask that staff be present from 7:15. The last lesson finishes at 14:50 (Mon - Thurs) and CCA's then run from 14:50 - 15:50. If staff are not involved in CCA's or PD, they are free to leave from 15:45.

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Dive into our ever-growing collection of user guides, expert e-books, case studies, school resources and more.

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My name is Andy Johnson, Head of Secondary, and it is my pleasure to welcome our new starters to the school and to welcome back our returning colleagues. Whether you're joining us for the first time or continuing your journey here, I am excited for all that lies ahead in the 2025–26 academic year.

At DIA Barsha, you are joining a dynamic and forward-thinking school community that offers incredible opportunities for professional growth and personal fulfillment. You will teach wonderful students who are eager to learn, to succeed, and to make the most of every opportunity. Our co-curricular and enrichment programmes are thriving, with a wide array of clubs, societies, domestic and international trips, musicals, and competitive sports teams — and you will have many opportunities to get involved in these exciting aspects of school life.

You will be working alongside a skilled, supportive, and welcoming team of teachers and support staff, all committed to excellence and continuous improvement. This is a school where collaboration and innovation are encouraged, and where your contribution will help shape a high-performing and rewarding environment.

This is an exciting time to be part of DIA Barsha as we continue to grow and develop. You are now a member of a genuine community — one where we support one another and where the shared goal is to positively impact the lives of the young people we serve.

Make the most of the many opportunities available to you, and enjoy being part of a school that truly is a special place to work.

Wishing you a fantastic 2025–26 academic year.

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Taking a quick look through the Parent/Student handbook should give you some idea as to what information our parents have to hand.

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Taking a quick look through the Parent/Student handbook should give you some idea as to what information our parents have to hand.

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SS - DIAB Secondary School Shark Guide Handbook 2025-26

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Use the following links to access the videos of the Managebac sessions:

20th August 2024 - Session A (for Teachers completely new to ManageBac)

20th August 2024 - Session B (for Teachers who are just new to using MYP/MS on ManageBac)