Arcadia Education has launched Arcadia Aspirations, a new seven-year programme designed to help more than 1,100 students from Years 7 to 12 thrive in their preparations for university and future careers.
Implemented across Arcadia British School and Arcadia Global School in Dubai, the programme enables students to explore future pathways and work towards their ambitions from the moment they start secondary school. It supports the KHDA’s comprehensive FutuReady Framework, which is designed to transform academic and career guidance across private schools and higher education institutions, in line with Dubai’s Economic Agenda (D33) and the Education 33 Strategy.
Navin Valrani, CEO of Arcadia Education, says: “Arcadia Aspirations is about starting the conversation early and making sure future readiness is part of everyday education. Most UAE schools treat college counseling as a service, but Arcadia will make it a system – one that is woven through every year and creates a clear path from potential to purpose. By giving students seven years to understand themselves, explore possibilities and build meaningful experiences, we can help them make confident and informed choices about their futures.”
Unlike traditional university or career counselling, Arcadia Aspirations is embedded directly into the curriculum, with students participating in a weekly 40-minute session within their existing pastoral and character education timetable, supported by form tutors and specialist counsellors. The programme includes dedicated time for test preparation, essays, mentorship and internships, as well as off-site bootcamps.
The seven-year pathway will include defined milestones and age-appropriate support, from early personality, interest and skills profiling and career exploration to subject guidance, extracurricular development, work experience, entrepreneurship tracks and capstone projects. As students approach graduation, the programme will provide tailored guidance on university applications across the UK, Europe, US, Australia and other international destinations.
Arcadia Aspirations is strategically led by Sarah Hales, who brings extensive experience in international student recruitment and university engagement across a diverse range of markets. She previously led the University of Cambridge’s undergraduate and postgraduate engagement and recruitment activities across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. In her new role, she will design the full curriculum, guide all counsellors across both schools, run university fairs and workshops, facilitate MOUs with top global universities, and manage all external partnerships.
Five dedicated KHDA-accredited counsellors across both schools will provide hands-on guidance to students on campus, supported by specially-trained members of the senior leadership team, teachers and coordinators. Parents will also be encouraged to work alongside students, teachers and counsellors as individual interests, skills and ambitions develop.
Sarah Hales, Head of Arcadia Aspirations, says: “Every student has a different combination of interests, strengths and ambitions. Our role is to help them discover what those are and turn them into opportunities. By bringing teachers, counsellors and parents together around one continuous journey, Arcadia Aspirations gives students the time, guidance and experiences they need to shape their own futures.”
Arcadia Aspirations builds on the schools’ existing successful university outcomes, with the founding cohort of Arcadia British School achieving a 100 per cent first-choice university placement rate this year. Students have progressed to formidable international universities, including Warwick, Loughborough and Boston College.
