From Sports City…to the World

At Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, our academic model has been built with this in mind from the very beginning. At its core sits the QE Futures programme, our structured, whole-school approach to preparing students for life beyond the classroom. From the earliest years through to Sixth Form, students are guided to explore their interests, develop real-world skills, and build meaningful pathways into universities, careers, and entrepreneurship. It would be easy to assume that this kind of work only begins in the senior years, but we are working to embed in in the prep school too, to ensure that ‘design thinking’ is a feature of our learning from the outset. 

In what is becoming something of a trend, this week’s blog entry was inspired by a conversation with another of our scholars. Shortly after a tour of the school, he approached me to tell me, with some excitement, about a project he had been working on. He showed me his newly minted (that morning!) website, which he had built himself, through which he is selling his own 3D printed designs, as well as taking commissions. He was animated, and excited in a way that is instantly recognisable in young people when they have discovered something that feels truly their own. 

We talked about the software and hardware he was using, the costs of his business, and even the commission structure for his sales team (!). I was delighted to place an order for a custom case for my ageing iPhone XR and would happily recommend the site to you (printlabzz.lovable.app), though I feel obliged to say that I am not on commission – yet! 

Two things immediately came to mind following this conversation. Firstly, it reminded me of a similar encounter I had at QE Barnet when I first visited in January 2025. A pupil there had built his own wind tunnel using 3D printing to support an art project, combining technical skill, creativity, and academic curiosity. Supported by expert teachers and a culture of intellectual ambition, he had developed the ability to take an idea from conception through to execution. 

Secondly, it struck me that this is exactly the kind of learner the world now demands: someone who can combine knowledge with innovation, capability with creativity, and who is not simply waiting for opportunity, but actively creating it. In many ways, it captures precisely what we mean when we speak about developing confident, able and responsible young people. 

When we talk about ‘future skills’, it can sound abstract. Yet the future is already present in moments like this. Across industries, from artificial intelligence and engineering to entrepreneurship and the creative arts, the skills that matter most are increasingly consistent: 

• The ability to think critically and solve complex problems 

• Confidence with technology, data, and digital tools 

• Creativity and innovation 

• Communication, collaboration, and leadership 

• Financial literacy 

Future skills are not taught as stand-alone topics at QE; they are woven through a conceptual curriculum that prioritises deep understanding over surface coverage. Through project-based learning, Elizabethans will develop independence and creativity. Through inquiry-based approaches, they learn to question, explore, and think critically. Through the intelligent integration of technology, including AI tools, they learn to navigate and shape an increasingly digital world. 

This will be further reinforced through QE Flourish, our co-curricular framework, where students can further extend themselves through Challenge, Create, Contribute and Compete, developing character, resilience, and leadership alongside academic excellence. 

Our STEAM and design space has been deliberately created not as a traditional classroom, but as a working studio. There are distinct zones for designing, building, testing, collaborating, and presenting. This reflects how innovation happens in the real world, where individuals move fluidly between ideas and execution, designing a concept, prototyping a solution, testing it, and refining it. A project might begin at a collaborative table, move to digital modelling, shift into 3D printing or fabrication, and return for iteration. The environment reinforces a mindset where learning is active, iterative, and real. 

Equally important is the openness of the space. It encourages collaboration and shared problem solving, allowing students to see one another’s work, respond to it, and improve upon it. In doing so, they develop the habits of communication, resilience, and teamwork that will underpin their future success. 

Preparing students for the future also means preparing them for where that future might take them and we are working on partnerships with universities, industry, and global organisations. From internships with major UAE organisations to mentoring through our alumni network, our students are supported to see possibilities and to pursue them with confidence.  

I had the opportunity to sit down this week with the designers who are going to support us in ensuring that our internal spaces are bright and inspiring. Based on a conversation about the school’s heritage, values and mission, they proposed some outstanding designs for some of the key spaces in the school – I can’t wait to share these with you, in situation, over the summer!