Location location location: How Fairgreen School gets the best out of the Sustainable City community

Join us as we continue to explore Fairgreen School – this week, we are taking a closer look at the extensive benefits that come with having a campus in the middle of Dubai’s first operational net-zero city. Also find out how to book a spot for a family tour with the school’s director.

Fairgreen’s extensive campus has everything required to impart a far-reaching international education, with a skew towards environmental ingenuity (check out our previous Fairgreen instalment to see more on that). However, thanks to the school’s friendly neighbours in the wider Sustainable City community (voted the Happiest Community in the UAE), students of the school can scoop up a host of additional perks, all of which are right on the school’s doorstep.

At one of the city’s 11 biodomes, Fairgreen students can learn about agriculture and urban farming. They can discover how good agricultural practices can promote a healthy climate, just like bad agricultural practices can harm the climate. Additionally, students can become invested in their own allotments, as part of the city, where they can nurture plant growth in a different environment.

Animal life features on the educational agenda too, and visits to the local beehive – MyHive – are sure to create buzz amongst students. Here they can see how honey is made and learn through real-life experience about the vital role bees play in promoting plant life on earth. Students can also learn about what we can do to help animals in need at the community’s animal sanctuary, which has taken in retired animals such as goats and donkeys among others.

While out exploring the nature around them, students can also meet ducks, fish and turtles that they can feed with peas and sweetcorn – and there are chickens that students can feed with oats.

In cooler months, the community’s common grounds provide loads of fun spaces for class picnics and some lovely scenic spots for reading and learning outside of the classroom. Not many schools can boast an equestrian centre on its doorstep, but Fairgreen can, and students have organized access to the centre in association with the school. Equally, there is ample space to run and play and enjoy organized sports, a highlight of which would be the city’s dedicated cycle path.

The school’s close relationships with other independent initiatives in the community mean that students can enjoy some specialized experiences such as sustainable painting in the plaza, where Beitfann offers an expression of sustainability through art as well as learning about sustainability in the model village, and attending wildlife photography exhibitions at the gallery.

To see all of these facilities for yourself and meet the school’s director you can book into one of the weekly Sunday or Wednesday tours. Spaces are limited!