The British International School Abu Dhabi has been named a MENA Award winner for Student Wellbeing
The British International School Abu Dhabi (BIS Abu Dhabi) has been recognised with the MENA Award for Student Wellbeing, highlighting the school’s approach to pastoral care and student support.
What are the MENA Awards?
The MENA Awards recognise organisations and institutions across the Middle East and North Africa for work in areas such as education, leadership and innovation. In the education category, the awards highlight schools that demonstrate practice in areas including wellbeing, student outcomes, and community engagement. Winners are selected by an independent judging panel based on submitted evidence and impact.
Rather than treating wellbeing as a standalone initiative, BIS Abu Dhabi says it integrates wellbeing into daily school life. A key part of this is its “You Said, We Did” model, which invites feedback from students and parents and responds with visible action. The school also uses a digital wellbeing platform, UHQ, for daily check-ins, enabling staff to monitor how pupils are feeling and step in early when support is needed.
You might also like: The second edition of Yalla’s 100 StandOut UAE Schools Guide is here
The school says the impact is measurable. Over the past year, more than 6,000 “gratitude moments” were shared across the community, fostering a culture of appreciation.
More than 300 students received early intervention support through proactive pastoral monitoring. BIS Abu Dhabi also has over 40 safeguarding-trained staff and 16 certified mental health first aiders, ensuring pupils have access to trained adults when needed.
Judges also noted the breadth of opportunities available to students, including more than 200 co-curricular activities and leadership roles designed to encourage peer support. The school’s PSME curriculum is shaped in part by parent and student feedback, reinforcing its community-led ethos.
Follow Yalla for more education news
