A pupil at the New England Centre for Children celebrates his sixth birthday. The centre in Mohammed bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi, says demand is so high that it will add two classrooms next year, with room for 14 more autistic children

ABU DHABI // Two years after moving into its large, state-of-the-art facility in Mohammed bin Zayed City, the New England Centre for Children Abu Dhabi will be at capacity.

In January, the elite Emirati-only school for autistic children will add two more classrooms, making room for 14 pupils and bringing its total enrolment to its maximum 112.

In September, it is also extending the number of transition classrooms it operates in public mainstream schools by two, opening spaces for 12 more students.

“There is very strong demand for seats at NECC-Abu Dhabi and in other autism spectrum disorder programmes in Abu Dhabi,” said Pamela Olsen, programme director. “We have had to manage our growth very carefully so as not to dilute the quality of the programme.”

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability that can significantly affect a person’s social, emotional and communication skills, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More