Dubai : A popular school in Dubai's posh Old Town area is shutting down after being asked to vacate by developer Emaar. The Old Town Nursery, which is part of the Raffles International School chain and current has 65 children, will not be re-opening when the new term begins in September.
Confirming the closure, Nida O'Brien, Principal, Pre-Schools, Raffles International School, said, "Emaar Properties, the landlord of Old Town Nursery, have informed us that they are discontinuing our tenancy effective July 2012, due to a change in strategic plans related to the utilisation of their real estate assets."
She said the Old Town Nursery, located in the Qamardeen district, was not originally constructed as a nursery, but as a community recreation and fitness club.
It opened in January 2009 to cater to the educational needs of families living in the area and has been admitting children from the age of 18 months to four years. It follows the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.
O'Brien said students of the Old Town Nursery have been offered placements in other Raffles nurseries. "There are 65 children currently enrolled in the Old Town Nursery, 20 of whom were re-registered to return in September. These children are being offered spaces in any of our other eight Raffles nurseries."
No change
She said, "Our current [students'] parents have our assurance that there will be no change in the nursery's day-to-day operations until the end of this academic year, and our commitment to providing the highest quality childcare and early education for our students in Old Town Nursery will continue."
No immediate response was available from Emaar on Old Town Nursery's closure and whether other schools in the area would also be affected.
Enquiries with Kangaroo Kids and Little Hands Kids Club, two other nurseries in the neighbourhood, revealed it was business as usual.
"I have just signed a three-year lease contract with the landlord," said the owner of Little Hands Kids Club which currently has 30 kids.
Kangaroo Kids said they were accepting children between six months and four years for the next term.
