InspectionReport

AbuDhabiInternationalPrivateSchool
Secondary

AcademicYear201415

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AbuDhabiInternationalPrivateSchoolSecondary

InspectionDate
SchoolID#

29September2October2014
60

LicensedCurriculum

American,British,InternationalBaccalaureate

NumberofStudents

1,162

AgeRange
Gender
Principal
SchoolAddress

1118years
Mixed
ReemNasrKobrsi
POBox25898,AlKaramahStreet,AbuDhabi

TelephoneNumber

+971(02)4434433

FaxNumber

+971(02)4436052

OfficialEmail(ADEC)
SchoolWebsite

adinternational.pvt@adec.ac.ae
http://aisuae.com

Dateoflastinspection 1922November2012

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Theoveralleffectivenessoftheschool
Inspectorsconsideredtheschoolinrelationto3performancecategories
BandA Highperforming(overalleffectivenessgrade1,2or3)
BandB

Satisfactory(overalleffectivenessgrade4or5)

BandC

Inneedofsignificantimprovement(overalleffectivenessgrade6,70r8)

TheSchoolwasjudgedtobe:

BANDA;

GRADE3

Themainstrengthsoftheschoolare:

highachievementinexternalexaminationsbystudentsinGrades10to12
studentswelldevelopedskillsinEnglishandArabic
verypositiveethosandwelldevelopedpastoralcaresupportingstudents
highqualitypersonalskills
strong classroom relationships supported by a range of highly effective
behaviourmanagementstrategies
clear vision for the curriculum, and core subjects that have a well
structuredframework
successfulinclusionofstudentswithspecialeducationalneeds
wellfocused and supportive leadership teams who, together with
teachers,studentsandparents,embracetheschoolsvision
commitmentanddrivetowardscontinuousimprovementandhighstudent
standards.

Themainareasforimprovementare:

sufficient opportunities for students to develop extended writing skills

acrossthecurriculum
consistencyinteachingtosufficientlyencouragestudentstotakeinitiative
andleadershipingroupwork
providingconsistentchallengeformoreablestudents
curriculum implementation in all subjects to effectively promote
independentlearning,analyticalandcriticalthinking,andresearchskills
sufficient allocation and access to information and communication
technology,andlibraryandresearchfacilities
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Introduction
Theschoolwasinspectedby5inspectors.Theyobserved85lessons,conducted
severalmeetingswithseniorstaff,coordinators,teachers,supportstaff,students
and parents. They analysed test and assessment results, scrutinised students
workacrosstheschool,analysedthe429responsestotheparentsquestionnaire
and considered many of the schools policies and other documents. The senior
leadershipteamwasinvolvedthroughouttheinspectionprocess.

DescriptionoftheSchool
Abu Dhabi International Private School was founded in 1992 and is located in Al
KaramahDistrict.Theschoolsmissionisto:supportallstudentsinattainingtheir
full potential in personal development and active citizenship by providing the
foundation for lifelong learning through quality education. The school aims to
recognise students individual needs and provide opportunities that match their
individual abilities, promote the welfare of students with special needs, foster
goodcitizenship,establishstronghomeschoolpartnerships,andnurturelifelong
learners.
Thereare1,162studentsintotal:499girlsand663boys.Thereare696studentsin
Grades7to9and466studentsinGrades10to12:84%areMuslimand82%areof
Arabheritage.Ofthe74nationalitiesrepresentedattheschool:19%ofstudents
are Emirati, 17% Egyptian, 15% Jordanian, 10% Lebanese, 9% Syrian and 5%
Palestinian, and smaller percentages are from each of 68 other countries. The
schoolhasdesignated4%ofstudentsashavinglanguageandliteracydifficulties
and 4% are identified with special educational needs (SEN) that include learning
difficulties, Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and sensory impairments.
The school has identified 3 students with gifts and talents. Student admission
procedures include an interview and written assessment of skills and ability in
Englishandmathematics.
ThecurriculumuptoGrade8followstheAmericanCommonCoreStateStandards
(CCSS) and is adapted from the Massachusetts curriculum framework. From
Grade 9 the choice also includes a Britishbased curriculum leading to the
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), Advanced
Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) level examinations, and the International
BaccalaureateDiplomaProgramme(IBDP).Arabic,IslamiceducationandUnited
Arab Emirates (UAE) social studies are taught using the Ministry of Education
(MoE)curriculum.
The Boardof Ownersis the maingoverningbody and includes the founder. The
superintendent is in her second year and the leadership team includes the
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academic and financial controller, the quality and improvement coordinator,

principalandviceprincipal.Thereare85fulltimeteachers,43administrativestaff,
7 care staff, 4 security staff and 28 technical staff with responsibilities for
KindergartentoGrade12.Staffturnoverwas18%forthepreviousschoolyear.
FeesrangefromAED21,100inGrade7toAED28,300inGrade12.Additionalfees
are levied for items including textbooks, transportation, and special education
dependantonneeds.Thisplacestheschoolinthehighcategory.

TheEffectivenessoftheSchool

Evaluationoftheschoolsoveralleffectiveness
TheoveralleffectivenessofAbuDhabiInternationalPrivateSchoolSecondaryis
good. Key strengths of the school are the very good personal development
achievedbystudentsandthehighqualityprotection,caresupportandguidance
they receive. There are high levels of student attainment and progress in all
subjectsparticularlyinIBD,AmericanandUKbasedexternalexaminations,which
aregenerallywellaboveinternationallevels.
Theownerandseniorleadershipteamarefullyawareoftheshortcomingsofthe
current buildings and a new purposebuilt campus has been approved and is
under construction. The school is taking appropriate actions to mitigate the
impactofthecurrentpremisesonstudentslearningandensuretheirsafetyand
wellbeing.
All levels of leadership and management are very committed to teamwork, and
have clear responsibilities and accountability for improving provision and raising
standards. Rigorous and supportive systems to monitor the quality of teaching
and learning promote consistency. Senior leaders and coordinators provide
effective professional development and support. The whole community is
committed to the schools mission and strategic direction, and to school
improvement.
Studentsattainment&progress
Evidence from lesson observation and scrutiny of work indicates that levels of
attainmentandprogressincoresubjectsaregenerallyaboveinternationallevels.
Students make good and better progress in relation to their starting points,
particularlyinthehighergrades.Therehasbeenanupwardtrendintheresultsof
external assessments. Student attainment in American and UKbased, and IB
Diploma external examinations, is high and above or well above international
levels in all subjects. Students demonstrate very good basic skills in literacy and
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numeracy and they apply these skills confidently across subjects. Skills in
informationandcommunicationtechnology(ICT)areonlysatisfactoryasaresult
oflimitedaccesstocomputers.
By the time they reach the higher grades, students are securely bilingual. In
English and Arabic, students are attentive listeners, are able to express
themselves confidently, and their reading comprehension skills are well
developed. By Grade 11, they understand challenging texts and fluently justify
opinions in group discussions. Students extended writing skills for a range of
purposesarelesswelldevelopedasaresultofthefeweropportunitiestheyare
giveninallsubjectstowriteatlength.TheyhaveaclearunderstandingofIslamic
concepts and values; they discuss and present ideas confidently and make
references to the Holy Quran and link associated learning to their own lives.
Students are knowledgeable about the diversity of cultures and the heritage of
the UAE, and by the time they reach older grades talk confidently about the
historyandaspirationsofthewidercommunity.
Inscience,studentshavesecureknowledgeandunderstandingofconcepts,and
welldevelopedpracticalinvestigativeskills.Theymakeconfidentuseofscientific
vocabularytoexplainandjustifyresponses.Inmathematics,attainmentisgood;
studentsunderstandingofmathematicaltermsisdevelopingwellandtheywork
outsolutionscompetently.Incomparison,theiranalyticalandreasoningskillsare
less well developed. Achievement in most noncore subjects is good and
particularlystronginphysicaleducation(PE).
Those with special educational needs (SEN) make at least good progress in
relationtotheirstartingpoints.Studentsaremostcooperativeingroupsandtheir
thinking skills are progressing well. Students are less confident in their higher
orderthinkingandresearchskills,particularlyintheyoungergrades.
Studentspersonaldevelopment
Students personal development is very good. High levels of attendance at 96%,
and punctuality at the start of the day and to lessons, reflect students positive
attitudes towards school and learning. Students are very well behaved and self
confident, and enjoy school. Space is limited; students still succeed in moving
aroundwithenergeticpurpose,exercisingexcellentselfdisciplineindependently
of supervision. They are keen to take on responsibility in leadership roles, for
example,whentheyenthusiasticallydiscussandpersuadeduringstudentcouncil
preelectionactivitiesandwhenparticipatingincommunityserviceintheschool
andwidercommunity.
Students show sincere respect for the values of the UAE. In addition, they
demonstratesensitivitytowards,andrespectfor,themanydifferentnationalities,
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culturesandviewpointswithintheschoolcommunity.Studentsdeeplyappreciate
theopportunitytointeractanddevelopfriendshipswithyoungpeoplefromother
countries. Many students engage eagerly in the wide range of social and extra
curricular activities, especially sport. They have a full understanding of the
benefits of healthy diets and exercise, and are committed to applying that
understanding to their own lives. This is effectively promoted by the student
wellnessprogramme.
Thequalityofteachingandlearning
The quality of teaching and learning is good; the majority of lessons observed
weregoodandbetter.Examplesofhighlyeffectiveteachingpracticearefoundin
allsubjectsandgrades,suchaseffectiveuseofICTbystudentsinArabiclessons,
wellembedded collaborative learning in science, and wellplanned individualised
teachingappropriatetolearningneedsintheadaptiveclass.Teachershavestrong
subject knowledge and confident explanations extend student understanding.
Planning is detailed and addresses the needs of most students. Learning
objectives are made clear in lessons. Not enough attention is given in planning
and teaching to ensuring high levels of challenge for more able students. In the
most effective lessons, there is confident use of a wide range of learning
strategiesandmethodsthatresultingoodpaceandengageallstudents.
Highqualityrelationshipsbetweenteachersandstudentsandamongststudents
promote learning for students of all abilities. Most teachers use a range of
effective behaviour and classroom management strategies that ensure highly
productive lessons. Available resources are not always used consistently to
motivate and engage students. In science, students use equipment in the
laboratoriesenthusiasticallyandsafelytoenhancelearning.Thereismorelimited
useofarangeofreadingmaterialsinlanguagelessonstopromoteinterestand
enrichreadingskills.
Teachersandstudentsuseassessmentstrategieseffectively,includingconfident
and sensitive peer and selfassessment. In the more effective lessons, teachers
consistentlyusearangeofquestioningstrategiestopromotecriticalthinking.An
example of this was observed in Islamic education when students were called
upontoanalyseinformationandjustifyconclusions.Endoflessonreviewsarenot
consistently effective; not all students are aware of what they have learned or
abletojudgeforthemselveswhattheystillneedtodotoreachtheirtargets.
Supportstaffareusedeffectively,bothinpreparationforlessonssuchaspractical
science and as support in lessons for students who have difficulties. Carefully
targeted and regular professional development successfully develops teaching
effectivenessinallsubjectsandgrades.
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Meetingstudentsneedsthroughthecurriculum
The implementation of the curriculum effectively meets students needs, and is
underpinned by a clear vision for its future development. The wellstructured
frameworkensuresthattheschoolmeetstheexpectationsofthefourcurricula,
and curriculum documents clearly define and accurately measure outcomes in
eachsubject.Thecurriculumprovidesbreadthandbalanceandverysuccessfully
develops students personal qualities. Training for staff in all curricula supports
consistent implementation, and as a result, students are highly motivated and
engaged. Implementation is less successful in developing independent learning
skills. The curriculum does not ensure that all students, particularly those in the
youngergrades,haveregularaccesstoartandmusic.
The school provides SEN students with wellplanned support so that they can
accesstheregularcurriculumsuccessfully.Curriculumplanninganddeliveryinthe
fulltime adaptive class for SEN students is of high quality. Curriculum planning
doesnotsufficientlyaddresstheacademiclearningneedsofmoreablestudents
in regular classes. A good understanding of the UAE community, culture and
values is achieved through careful integration in all subjects, and celebration of
specialevents.
A wide range of extracurricular activities is established during and outside the
schoolday,suchassportsduringbreak;theseopportunitiesenrichlearningand
are wellsubscribed. Curriculumrelated field trips enhance and give greater
relevance to learning and are enjoyed by students. The school has developed
many external links, both local and international, that enrich the curriculum. A
varietyofcommunityserviceactivitiesiswellestablishedbothinschoolandinthe
wider community, such as reading to younger students and volunteer work in a
medicalcentre.
Theprotection,care,guidanceandsupportofstudents
Protection,care,supportandguidanceofstudentsareofahighquality.Thereisa
strongfamilyatmosphere,successfullycreatedbytheseniorleaders.Membersof
staff greet students and parents at the gates at the start and end of day. Very
effectivepastoralcaresystemsareinplacefortheprotection,care,guidanceand
supportofstudents,andtheseareparticularlysuccessfulinpromotingstudents
personal development. Students are confident that they can approach staff
members and be assured of effective support if they have personal, social or
academicconcerns.Childprotectionproceduresarewellestablished.Thereisno
corporal punishment, and interactions between all members of the community
demonstrate high levels of respect and a caring attitude. Attentive supervision
throughout the day ensures the safety of all students and encourages their
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positivebehaviour.Rewardsandsanctionsareappliedconsistentlyandfairlyand
misbehaviourisveryrare.Studentsrecognizethatrareinstancesofinappropriate
behaviour are handled promptly and appropriately, and they feel safe and well
cared for. The school pays regular attention to raising awareness and
understandingofbullyinginordertoensurethatstudentsareconfidentwiththe
proceduresputinplacetoprotectthem.
Theschoolprovidesverycarefulguidanceforstudentstohelpthemmakecourse,
curricular and further education choices that will allow them to pursue their
aspirations. Prompt contact with parents maintains and encourages the high
levelsofattendance.Boysandgirlshaveaccesstoseparateprayerfacilities.The
schoolsclinic,itsstaffandproceduresprovidehighqualityfirstaid.
Thequalityoftheschoolsbuildingsandpremises
The school places a high priority on the maintenance and cleanliness of the
buildings and premises, particularly in light of the number of students who use
them.Keystaffareresponsibleformonitoringhealthandsafetyinrelationtothe
premises, and procedures are rigorous and wellfollowed. Care is taken to make
the environment bright and welcoming, with student and informative displays.
Facilities for outdoor physical activity, breaktimes and some indoor practical
activities do not appropriately support the delivery of the curriculum and the
numberofstudents.
Theschoolbuildingsandpremisesdonotprovideenoughspaceforthenumber
and age range of students. Movement in corridors, stairwells and the central
areasisconstricted,giventhenumberofstudentsmovingbetweenareasduring
the day. Some classrooms are small. There is careful and close supervision and
clear expectations of behaviour to maintain safe movement. Facilities cater well
totheneedsofstudentswithmorecomplexSENs;thebuildingsarenotdesigned
tocatertostudentswithphysicaldisabilities.
The school gives close attention to security procedures and security staff are
vigilant;parentsarewhollysatisfiedwiththesecurityoftheirchildrenatschool.
Evacuationproceduresarewellestablished.
Theschoolsresourcestosupportitsaims
The quality, quantity and range of most resources adequately support effective
delivery of the curriculum in all subjects. Teaching staff are well qualified and
sufficient in number, and staffing levels for other employees are good. Support
teachersareusedtogoodeffectwithSENstudents.
Therangeandquantityofresourcesinclassroomsaresatisfactory;thesearenot
consistently used by all teachers to effectively support learning. For instance, in
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thecaseofthelimitedaccesstoarangeofreadingresourcesinlanguagelessons.
Resources for science and physical education (PE) are satisfactory and support
the curriculum effectively. Library facilities and access for students are limited.
Theydonotprovidethenecessaryrangeofreadingmaterialstooperatefullyasa
resourceforindependentresearchandreadingforpleasure.Allocation,accessto
anduseofICTresourcesarelimited.Inaddition,studentshaveverylimitedaccess
tocomputersthroughoutthecurriculum.
Procedures to maintain transport in a safe and reliable condition and to ensure
rigorous supervision are effective. Provision for storage, preparation and
consumptionoffoodishygienic,andhealthyoptionsareprovided.
Theeffectivenessofleadershipandmanagement
The effectiveness of leadership and management is good. Wellfocused and
supportive leadership and management promote cohesion among senior
leadershipandmiddleleadershipteams.Wellembeddedstructuresandastrongly
held belief in team work and caring support result in high expectations, and an
awarenessinallstaffoftheirresponsibilityandaccountability.Staff,studentsand
parentsareextremelycommittedtothemission,ethosandstrategicdirectionof
the school. The experienced Board and founder have an objective view of the
schoolandprovidehighqualitysupportforallaspectsoftheschoolsoperation.
The separation of roles between the Board and superintendent is clearly
understood. Wellembedded organization and structures at all levels are closely
monitoredandensurethattheschoolrunsverysmoothlyonadaytodaybasis.
Senior and middle leaders have a wellarticulated understanding of the schools
strengthsandkeyprioritiesforimprovement.Theselfevaluationdocument(SEF)
provides good evidence to support judgments and provides helpful descriptions
and evaluative commentary. It includes input from the principals, coordinators
and subject teams. The nurturing approach and commitment to distributive
leadership by the senior team empowers the Principal and coordinators and
supportscontinuingimprovement.Theschooldevelopmentplan(SDP)isclosely
linked to the recommendations of the previous inspection report and the SEF.
Goals and strategies are clear and achievable, and focus on improving provision
and outcomes within realistic time frames. Careful analysis of student
performance data in internal and most external assessments is used well in all
subjects to influence improvement planning. This is a particular strength in
relationtoresultsintheIB,IGCSE,AS,AlevelandIowaTestofBasicSkills(ITBS)
examinations.Thefocuson,andanalysisof,studentsstrengthsandweaknesses
inallexternalexaminationshaslessimpactondevelopmentgoals.Evaluationof
the impact of teaching on learning is thorough and supportive and involves all
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leadershiplevels;thereislessattentiongiventoevaluationoftheeffectivenessof
professional development in order to guide refinements in provision and the
sharingofbestpractice.
Thereisawiderangeofstrategiestomaintainlinkswithparentsandkeepthem
informedabouttheirchildrensprogress.Responsestotheparentquestionnaire
andmeetingsdemonstrateahighlevelofsatisfactionwiththeschoolsprovision
andstudentspersonalandacademicdevelopment.Theyconfirmthatallstaffare
welcomingandapproachable,andthatseniorleadersareresponsivetoparental
feedbackthroughthemothersandparentgroupsandregularsurveys.Aminority
ofparentsareconcernedthatthattheyarenotkeptwellenoughinformedabout
theirchildrensprogress.Studentsarepositiveaboutthevaluetheschoolplaces
ontheiropinions.

Progresssincethelastinspection
TheschoolwaslastinspectedinNovember2012andhasmadeprogressonalmost
alltheinspectionrecommendations.Theschoolhastakenactiontomitigatethe
impactthebuildingshavewithregardtosizeandstructure.Closesupervisionand
clear behaviour expectations reduce risks when older students use narrow
stairways,corridorsandspacesthataretoosmallforthenumberofstudents.A
newpurposebuiltcampusisunderconstruction,withtheintentionofrehousing
theschoolbySeptember2015.Thenewsuperintendent,inpostfortwoyears,has
taken over the daytoday running of the school from the previous
superintendent,whoisthefounderandboardmember.
TheSDPgivespriorityattentiontoallrecommendations,andgoalsareevaluated
regularlyforprogress.Teachersareusingprogressdatatoplanlessonsthatwill
meettheneedsofallstudents;moreattentionisrequiredtoensurechallengefor
more able students. Teachers confidently use an appropriate range of teaching
strategiestoenhancelearning.Amarkingpolicyisinplaceandstudentsworkis
assessedregularly.Teachinginsomesubjectsdoesnotconsistentlygiveenough
feedback to students, particularly by means of written comments, to help them
improvetheirwork.
Continuousprofessionaldevelopmenthasaddedtothestrengthandconsistency
ofpracticeofmiddleleaders.Structuresareinplacetoensurethatteachersare
held suitably to account, and coordinators in each department have high
expectations for the quality of teaching and learning. Effective structures to
provideaccountabilityforcoordinatorsandseniorleadersarealsoinplace.
Theseniorleadershipteamsandsubjectcoordinatorsdemonstrategoodcapacity
forsustainedimprovement.
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Whattheschoolshoulddotoimprovefurther:
1. Improveconsistencyinthequalityofteachingandlearningsothatalmost
alllessonsareatleastverygood,byensuringthat:
i. teachers promote students higher order thinking skills through
consistentuseofarangeofquestioningstrategies
ii. teachers and students have access to and use ICT throughout the
curriculum
iii. teachers make effective use of available resources to support
studentlearning.

2. Strengthendeliveryofthecurriculumto:
i. provide regular opportunities for students to develop extended
writingskillsacrossthecurriculum
ii. provide more opportunities for students to develop confident
independent learning, analytical and critical thinking, and research
skillsinallsubjects
iii. ensurechallengeformoreablestudents.

3. Continue to develop the effectiveness of leadership and management by

ensuring school improvement priorities include the analysis of students
strengthsandweaknessesinallexternalexaminations.

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InspectionGrades

Inneedofsignificant
improvement

Poor

Very
unsatisfactory

Satisfactory&
Improving

Unsatisfactory

Satisfactory

Satisfactory

Highperforming

Good

BandC

VeryGood

BandB

Outstanding

Performance
Standard

BandA

Standard1:
Students
attainmentand
progress

Standard2:
Studentspersonal
development

Standard3:The
qualityofteaching
andlearning

Standard4:The
meetingof
studentsneeds
throughthe
curriculum

Standard5:The
protection,care,
guidanceand
supportofstudents

Standard6:The
qualityofthe
schoolsbuildings
andpremises

Standard7:The
schoolsresources
tosupportitsaims

Standard8:The
effectivenessof
leadershipand
management

Summary
Evaluation:The
schoolsoverall
effectiveness

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