Ayesha’s story

Ayesha started homeschooling in Dubai with Wolsey Hall after completing Year 9 in a traditional school. She completed half of her IGCSEs in summer 2021 and is awaiting results for some other subjects. So far Ayesha has achieved:

Biology – A*
Chemistry – A
Computer Science – B
English Language – A*
Extended Maths – B
Physics – A*
Psychology – 9 (A*)

Ayesha is now taking a short break before beginning her A levels (Biology, Psychology and English Language) with Wolsey Hall.

Wolsey Hall Oxford supports a large number of ex-pat students who are homeschooling in Dubai and other areas of the UAE.

Homeschooling in the UAE

The starting point

“We began looking for alternatives that would allow me to work at my own pace and when we started researching different options for homeschooling in Dubai, we came across Wolsey Hall,” explains Ayesha. “It matched our criteria perfectly: a home education system whose flexibility did not compromise on the quality of support received. We didn’t have to look further and decided to enrol immediately.”

“It didn’t take me long to realise that motivation was a key factor to a successful Wolsey Hall experience! It wasn’t like school, where kids would just sit around and pay varying amounts of attention as the information was spoon-fed to them. Nope! Homeschooling really pulled me out of my comfort zone and forced me to actively participate in my studies — a skill I don’t think I would’ve picked up in a mainstream school. The past two years have really brought out the independent learner in me and, despite the initial challenge, it is something I’ll be eternally grateful for.”

Pictured left: painting of Madagascar by Ayesha

Making the transition

“My Tutors and SPM understood the difficulties that came with the transition — especially transitioning straight to IGCSEs — and made it easy for me to work at my own gradual pace, sharing tips and encouraging me along the way. It was reassuring to know that if I got stuck on any topic throughout the course, my Tutors were simply a quick email away.”

“Being able to work at my own pace was the key reason we opted for Wolsey Hall and it worked out wonderfully! Using effective study techniques — another skill I picked up thanks to homeschooling — I managed to condense my studies into just a few hours per day (it made me ponder on how so much time is wasted in traditional schools!). Homeschooling in Dubai also gave me the opportunity to maintain my diverse hobbies. I got the opportunity to work as a website content writer, which is a dream for an aspiring author like me. I also found more time to explore different forms of art and discovered my passion for skills like calligraphy, photography and poetry. Some of my calligraphy work is even displayed on the Wolsey Hall Art Club.”

Pictured right: Calligraphy by Ayesha

Advice from Ayesha

“My advice is to be prepared to take an active role in your learning, hone up that study technique and find your learning style. Make sure you thoroughly understand concepts before moving on to the next topic. Knowledge gaps need to be filled in before adding on. Most importantly, try to stick to your schedule; overdue assignments here and there can pile up and cause havoc later on.”

supplementary homeschooling is a choice for many students

Contact us

If you’re thinking of enrolling your child at Wolsey Hall Oxford and you’d like to know more about what we do or how to enrol, please get in touch. We’re ready to enrol new students throughout the academic year.