Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 1

Contents

School information.............................................................................................................................. 3
The DSIB inspection process............................................................................................................... 4
Summary of inspection findings 2016-2017 ..................................................................................... 6
Main inspection report ..................................................................................................................... 12
1. Students achievement .............................................................................................................................. 12
2. Students personal and social development, and their innovation skills ............................................... 16
3. Teaching and assessment ......................................................................................................................... 18
4. Curriculum .................................................................................................................................................. 19
5. The protection, care, guidance and support of students ......................................................................... 20
Inclusion ..................................................................................................................................................... 22
6. Leadership and management ................................................................................................................... 22
The views of parents, teachers and senior students ................................................................ 26

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 2

 School information

General information Students

Location Al Safa Gender of students Boys and girls
Type of school Private Age range 4 - 17
Opening year of Grades or year
1979 KG 1 - Grade 12
school groups
Number of students
Website eess.sch.ae 1780
on roll
Number of children
Telephone 00971-4-3947355 0
in pre-kindergarten
Number of Emirati
Address P.O Box: 7575 Dubai, UAE 0
students
Shah Shamsuddin Usmani Number of students
Principal 29
Tabrez with SEND
Language of
English
instruction Largest nationality
Indian
group of students
Inspection dates 24 to 27 October 2016

Teachers / Support staff Curriculum

Educational permit /
Number of teachers 105 Indian
Licence
This might be
Largest nationality
India deleted CBSE
group of teachers
Main curriculum
Number of teaching External tests and
0 IBT, CBSE
assistants examinations
Teacher-student
1:20 Accreditation NA
ratio
Number of guidance National Agenda
1 IBT
counsellors benchmark tests
Teacher turnover 21%

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 The DSIB inspection process

In order to judge the overall quality of education provided by schools, inspectors consider the six standards
of performance that form the basis of the UAE School Inspection Framework (the framework). They look
at childrens attainment and progress in key subjects, their learning skills and their personal and social
development. They judge how effective teaching and the assessment of learning are across the school.
Inspectors consider how well the schools curriculum, including activities inside and outside classrooms,
meet the educational needs of all students. They judge how well schools protect and support children. In
addition, inspectors judge the effectiveness of leadership, which incorporates governance, management,
staffing and facilities.
Inspection judgements are drawn from evidence gathered by the inspection team, including observation
of students learning in lessons, review of their work, discussions with students, meetings with the staff,
parents and governors, and review of surveys completed by parents, teachers and students.

Judgements are made on a six-point scale

DSIB inspection teams make judgements about different aspects, phases and subjects that form the work
of the school, using the scale below, which is consistent with the framework.

Outstanding Quality of performance substantially exceeds the expectation of the UAE

Very good Quality of performance exceeds the expectation of the UAE

Good Quality of performance meets the expectation of the UAE (This is the expected
level for every school in the UAE)

Acceptable Quality of performance meets the minimum level of quality required in the
UAE (This is the minimum level for every school in the UAE)

Weak Quality of performance is below the expectation of the UAE

Very weak Quality of performance is significantly below the expectation of the UAE

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 4

 Inspection journey for Emirates English Speaking School

The school was opened in 1979. It has been judged acceptable in each of the previous seven
inspections. In the most recent year it has experienced a 21% teacher turnover.
Previous inspections have highlighted the good personal development of students, the schools
strong relationships with parents and the communication of Islamic values.
Over the same period inspections have consistently highlighted that students make insufficient
progress. The targets set in the school improvement plan are not challenging or rigorously
implemented and monitored. Progress made by students with SEND has been consistently weak.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 5

 Summary of inspection findings 2016-2017

Emirates English Speaking School was inspected by DSIB from 24 to 27 October 2016 . The overall quality of
education provided by the school is weak. The section below summarises the inspection findings for each
of the six performance indicators described in the framework.

Students make acceptable or better attainment and progress in Islamic education, English,
mathematics and science in primary, middle and secondary phases. In the Kindergarten, English and
maths are acceptable in both attainment and progress but science is weak. Arabic as an additional
language is weak in attainment and progress in primary, middle and secondary phases. The quality
of the students learning skills is acceptable in all phases.
All students in the school display very good behaviour and sensible, age-appropriate attitudes. In all
phases they possess a good appreciation of Islamic values as well as an understanding of UAE culture
and heritage and that of other global cultures. Most students, in all phases, demonstrate a
commitment to the protection of the environment and participate in ecology projects both within and
outside of school.
Teaching in all phases is acceptable. Assessment is not as well developed. The Kindergarten, primary
and middle school phases have weak assessment due to the small sample of assessment data
available to teachers. Assessment is acceptable in the secondary phase.
Curriculum design and implementation is acceptable at all levels in the school, except in Arabic as an
Additional Language where it is weak. Adaptation of the curriculum to meet the needs of all groups
of students in the school is weak in Kindergarten, primary and middle school and acceptable at the
secondary level. Little effort is made to adapt the curriculum for the needs of those students with
special educational needs or for those who are gifted or talented.
The school provides good provision regarding the care and support of the students. A well-staffed
clinic provides for strengthening of students healthy lifestyles and cares for injuries or accidents. The
school has published school policies for child protection and safeguarding.
The school's leadership and governance are weak. School leaders are not successful in identifying
the priorities for school improvement. The self-evaluation and school improvement action plan are
inaccurate in determining the starting points for school development. Governors do not hold senior
school leaders to account.

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 What the school does best
The students demonstrate good or better personal development and respectful behaviour across all
phases.
The school assists in developing good or better understanding and practice of Islamic values, as well
as good awareness of Emirati and world cultures.
Students demonstrate a good sense of social responsibility and environmental awareness.
The school provides good provision in support of the health and safety of students, including child
protection and safeguarding.

Recommendations

Create a senior leadership team with the capacity to:

identify accurately the school's strengths and weaknesses

improve practices in teaching, learning, and assessment
meet the requirements of the National Agenda Parameter
improve the school's performance.
Widen the expertise on the board of governors in order to hold members of the senior leadership
team to account for improvement in the school's performance

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National Agenda Parameter

In 2014, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime
Minister of UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, launched the UAE National Agenda 2021, with
education being a prime focus. The National Agenda includes two major objectives
developed with the intention of placing the UAE among the most successful countries
that provide world-class education. By 2021, it is expected that the UAE will feature in
the top twenty countries in the Programme for International Student Assessment
(PISA) test and in the top fifteen countries in the Trends in Mathematics and Science
Studies (TIMSS) test.

In response to this, each participating school was issued a report on their students performance in these
international assessments and, in addition, they were provided with clear targets for improving their
performance. In 2015, KHDA launched the National Agenda Parameter, which is a method for measuring and
monitoring schools progress towards achieving their individual National Agenda targets through the use of
external benchmarking assessments.

The following section focuses on the impact of the National Agenda Parameter in meeting their targets:

The school does not meet the registration requirements for the National Agenda Parameter.
There is insufficient data to analyse attainment based on the National Agenda Parameter tests.

As there has been insufficient data from the IBT tests due to small numbers of students taking them,
analysis is limited. There is a general plan for the National Agenda giving the school's targets, which
seeks to encourage reading. The plan enhances assessment through the inclusion of word and
number questions in maths and the measurement of students skills in science.

There are some new initiatives in English. The 'Own a Book, Share a Book' scheme is intended to
encourage reading habits in students. In mathematics there is a focus on solving problems in the
curriculum and in science there is a greater emphasis on the development of students' research skills.
There has been little modification of the curriculum in terms of adjustments to content.

There is a whole school emphasis on critical thinking, however this has yet to impact on classroom
teaching. Critical thinking features in some of the teachers' planning however, it is often left till the
end of the lesson and shortage of time means that the opportunity is often lost. Student activities
are, in the main, closed and do not allow students to investigate and to demonstrate understanding
beyond the learning objectives.

The minority of students who sat for IBT in the secondary phase have had some discussion over their
performance, their strengths and weakness, their next steps in learning and their future targets. As
yet, there is little provision for students to use digital devices at school and so research continues to
take place at home. Following this, presentations are often made to the class.

Overall, the schools improvement towards achieving its National Agenda targets is not secure.

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Innovation in Education
The UAE Vision 2021 sets the aspiration for the UAE to be among the most innovative nations
in the world. The National Innovation Strategy sets the context for innovation and
innovative leadership and provides a basis for evaluating schools in order to deliver a world-
class education for all children in the UAE.

Promoting a culture of innovation:

The leadership has not yet identified how the innovation agenda will be driven. However, some key
staff members are leading small initiatives for innovation and some workshops have been
provided. Critical thinking, problem solving and extended answer questions are occasionally seen in
science, maths and English lessons. Film making is being offered to some students to encourage
creativity and innovative thinking.

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 Overall school performance

Weak

1 Students achievement

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Islamic education
Attainment Not applicable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Progress Not applicable Good Good Good

Arabic as a first
language Attainment Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable

Progress Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable

Arabic as an
additional language Attainment Not applicable Weak Weak Weak

Progress Not applicable Weak Weak Weak

English
Attainment Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Good

Progress Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Good

Mathematics
Attainment Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Progress Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Good

Science
Attainment Weak Acceptable Acceptable Good

Progress Weak Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Learning skills Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

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 2. Students personal and social development, and their innovation skills

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Personal development Very good Very good Very good Very good
Understanding of Islamic values
and awareness of Emirati and Good Good Good Good
world cultures
Social responsibility and innovation
Good Good Good Good
skills

3. Teaching and assessment

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Teaching for effective learning Weak Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Assessment Weak Weak Weak Acceptable

4. Curriculum

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Curriculum design and
Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable
implementation
Curriculum adaptation Weak Weak Weak Acceptable

5. The protection, care, guidance and support of students

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Health and safety, including
arrangements for child protection / Good Good Good Good
safeguarding
Care and support Acceptable Acceptable Good Good

6. Leadership and management

The effectiveness of leadership Weak
School self-evaluation and improvement planning Weak
Parents and the community Good
Governance Weak
Management, staffing, facilities and resources Acceptable

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 Main inspection report

1. Students achievement

KG
Subjects Attainment Progress
Islamic education Not applicable Not applicable
Arabic as a first language Not applicable Not applicable
Arabic as an additional language Not applicable Not applicable
English Acceptable Acceptable
Mathematics Acceptable Acceptable
Science Weak Weak

Assessment processes in English are not yet reliable enough to place confidence in the data
information. Evidence in classroom observation and from work scrutiny indicates that children are
progressing in accordance with expectation for their age in relation to the curriculum. Most children
have acceptable speaking skills. Many children are developing good phonic skills and some
children display writing skills expected at this stage. The use of workbooks and the reliance on
whole class teaching limits childrens opportunities to develop their emergent writing skills.
In numeracy, there is a focus on the development of number concepts and the writing of numbers.
Most children demonstrate expected progress in relation to curriculum standards for their age. In
KG1 they can match objects to numbers up to 10 and the large majority can write numerals to 10.
In KG2 most children confidently manipulate and write numbers to 20 and name some 3D shapes.
This illustrates acceptable attainment. Resources for numeracy are limited and children have little
opportunity to practice their skills in real life contexts such as role-play shopping.
Children are not given sufficient practical opportunity to develop scientific enquiry. They
demonstrate natural curiosity when participating in the outdoor garden and learning about natural
resources. However, they do not have free access to simple materials such as sand and water in
order to explore and investigate. Teachers demonstrate scientific functions such as a syringe
drawing up water, or objects floating and sinking, rather than providing opportunities for children
to problem solve, observe, predict, think, make decisions and record their findings for themselves.

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 Primary
Subjects Attainment Progress
Islamic education Acceptable Good
Arabic as a first language Not applicable Not applicable
Arabic as an additional language Weak Weak
English Acceptable Acceptable
Mathematics Acceptable Acceptable
Science Acceptable Acceptable

In Islamic education, students attainment levels in internal assessments is in line with the
expectations of the MOE curriculum. Students have appropriate levels in their understanding of
Islamic basics like greetings and morals. In Grade 3 Students know the reasons behind Wudoo
ablution and demonstrate an understanding of the concept of Tahara. Recitation of Quran is good
for the majority of students. Students attainment levels on internal assessments have improved
slightly in the past three years. Progress in lessons and overall is good when measured against
their starting points.
In Arabic as a second language, less than three quarters of students attain levels that are in line
with curriculum standards. Students speaking and writing skills are not sufficiently developed.
Although students can read with some degree of fluency in familiar texts and are beginning to
develop comprehension skills, these are not consistent across all grades. The majority of students
make expected progress in reading, listening and proper use of grammar. Measured from their
starting points learners make very limited progress in the development of language skills.
In English, student attainment and progress as measured against the Indian curriculum standards
is acceptable. Work scrutiny, discussions with students and lesson observations confirm the steady
progress in the acquisition of language skills. Oral fluency attainment was stronger. Students have
good listening skills and understand what they hear. Although in the majority of lessons the
development of literacy skills is in line with curriculum standards, writing activities are limited with
few opportunities for extended composition. Expectations and activities often do not meet the
needs of able students in the absence of appropriately differentiated activities.
No external benchmarked assessments in mathematics are available for complete cohorts of
students. Attainment against curriculum standards appears weaker in students internal
assessments than their performance in lessons. Attainment in lessons is still inconsistent across
grades and dependent on the concepts being studied. Students' use of the four rules of numbers
is relatively strong. In the better lessons new learning successfully builds on strong prior knowledge
and understanding.
In science, students attain in line with curriculum standards and are making acceptable
progress. Whilst most are able to relate what they learn to the world around them and to their life
at home and at school, this is at a basic level and is not consistent across all grades. As students
move through the grades they gradually improve their use of scientific language. Students ability
to predict the outcome of their investigations is developing. However, their critical analysis skills
are not as strong.

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 Middle
Subjects Attainment Progress
Islamic education Acceptable Good
Arabic as a first language Not applicable Not applicable
Arabic as an additional language Weak Weak
English Acceptable Acceptable
Mathematics Acceptable Acceptable
Science Acceptable Acceptable

In Islamic education, students attainment levels on internal assessments is acceptable. Most

students in Grade 7 know the reasons and causes of the battles in Islam. Recitation of Quran is
good for many students. Students attainment levels on internal assessments have improved
slightly in the past three years but is still only in line with curriculum expectations. However, they
make good progress in lessons because they work together and learn in groups. The high ability
students are not challenged. Girls make better progress than boys in lessons.
Students in Arabic as an additional language attain levels that are below expectations. The
majority of students display knowledge, understanding and skills that are below the expected
level. By the end of middle school students are struggling to apply new vocabulary in everyday
life. Their speaking is limited to responding to a written text. Students writing skills are still
underdeveloped due to the lack of opportunities presented in lessons. They show limited progress
in building vocabulary, writing and speaking. Students are making steady progress in reading
skills.
Student attainment and progress in English as measured against the Indian curriculum standards
is acceptable. Teachers build upon the language skills from the primary phase. Oral fluency
continues to be the strongest aspect of language attainment. By the end of the middle phase
students can read texts and discuss key features, characters and setting. Student writing is overly
structured. They can write short paragraphs but creativity is not a common feature. Teachers do
not appropriately differentiate tasks to provide sufficient challenge.
The school does not have external benchmarked assessments for mathematics to measure the
performance of complete cohorts of students. Attainment against curriculum standards as
measured by internal testing is weaker than that in lessons. However, more problem-solving
questions are included in tests and attainment is showing an improvement over the past three
years. Students have a better understanding of numbers and their application. However, their
estimation skills and ability to solve real life problems are undeveloped. Progress across the phase
is generally acceptable, with girls progress being stronger than boys.
In science students are beginning to develop a range of skills such as critical thinking, data
collection and analysis, and scientific enquiry. They continue to attain levels in line with curriculum
expectations. Students of all abilities make acceptable progress in the development of scientific
knowledge. They enjoy opportunities to work alone and in groups to share knowledge and
understanding with peers, using appropriate scientific vocabulary, when they are given the
opportunity to do so. Students demonstrate a developing awareness of how their scientific
knowledge relates to understanding of the world.

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 Secondary
Subjects Attainment Progress
Islamic education Acceptable Good
Arabic as a first language Not applicable Not applicable
Arabic as an additional language Weak Weak
English Good Good
Mathematics Acceptable Good
Science Good Acceptable

Students attainment levels in Islamic education on internal assessments are acceptable, although
they have not improved in the past three years. Students in Grade 9 have a clear understanding
of the philosophy of miracles. Many students show depth in reasoning and relating to logic, for
example when Grade 11 girls challenged each other about prohibitions. Students make good
progress in lessons and are developing their skills, but the boys in Grade 12 do not debate all age-
appropriate topics adequately enough. Girls are making more rapid progress than boys.
In Arabic as an additional language, students attainment is below expectations for the number of
years that students have been studying Arabic language. They lack the necessary vocabulary to
communicate in Arabic even on familiar topics. Students writing skills are also underdeveloped.
While students handwriting is adequate, their creative and independent writing is severely
underdeveloped. Students make steady progress in reading and listening skills. However, many
do not make expected progress in reading comprehension, speaking and writing skills. New
students, as well as advanced learners, made very little progress.
In English, most student attainment and progress as measured against the Indian curriculum
standards is good. Students progress accelerates during this phase. Over the past three years,
the majority of Grade 10 and 12 students achieve above the CBSE expected curriculum standards.
By Grade 12, most students are fluent speakers of English. They can read and discuss sophisticated
texts. Writing tasks become more complex. Students' progress is better than expected. Students
are judged as outstanding according to the schools' internal assessment data. However tasks and
expectations are not rigorous and challenging enough for students to perform at an outstanding
level against international benchmarks.
Attainment in mathematics, as measured by CBSE external examinations in Grades 10 and 12, is
acceptable. Internal assessments reflect the same picture and the trend over the past three years
is upwards. Students knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts observed during
lessons, albeit in a narrower curriculum, is also acceptable. Most students can construct
geometric proofs and use accurate mathematical vocabulary and definitions. However, their
application of these concepts to real life remains less developed. Progress observed in lessons is
better than seen from comparative examination results and again the girls are performing better
than the boys.
In secondary science, attainment is good by the end of Grade 12 and students make acceptable
progress across the phase. Standards of student performance are much higher in biology than in
chemistry and physics. Attainment in students books is better than that observed in lessons.
Students have a better grasp of the knowledge than the skills. The insufficient focus on developing
scientific problem-solving skills and in extending critical thinking and research opportunities
restricts the rate of learning and application of the knowledge.

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 KG Primary Middle Secondary
Learning skills Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Most students are motivated learners with a positive attitude to learning. When given the
opportunity, and the task is well matched to their needs, they are active learners. However, many
lessons are teacher directed and provide few opportunities for students to take ownership of their
learning.
Most students are collaborative learners and work well in groups or with partners. They are
developing their communication skills but in some classes opportunity for communication is limited
to choral responses to teachers questions. Where teachers use open-ended, probing questions in a
targeted manner interactions are much stronger.
There are a few opportunities for students to make connections between subjects, such as links
between maths and physics in the secondary phase and an integrated curriculum in KG. A majority
of students understand that there are connections between their learning and the wider world and
are beginning to apply their knowledge to the world around them.
The school is developing a new approach to improving problem solving and critical thinking skills
through the implementation of a skills development programme starting in Grade 4. The programme
is not yet embedded or an effective part of everyday classroom practice. Innovation, enquiry, research
and the use of learning technologies are areas for development in the classroom.

2. Students personal and social development, and their innovation skills

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Personal development Very good Very good Very good Very good

Students have positive and responsible attitudes even in the less effective lessons, and they show
full attention and respect during assemblies and presentations. They welcome feedback. However,
they are not given many opportunities to work out their own choices.
Students are consistently self-disciplined and respond well to others. They know how to live together
in a harmonious atmosphere, such as in their roles as prefects. Their very good manners help to avoid
bullying.
Students are sensitive and show empathy to the needs and differences of others. They always help
each other, for example spreading awareness of the dangers of social media. As a result, relationships
amongst different groups of students are harmonious.
Students highly appreciate safe and healthy living. They participate in cleaning the school, lecture
about health issues like obesity in the morning assemblies and care for the younger students during
break time.

For the past year, the attendance rate for students exceeds 96%. Students demonstrate respect by
being in their classroom on time.

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 KG Primary Middle Secondary
Understanding of Islamic values and
awareness of Emirati and world Good Good Good Good
cultures

Students have a good appreciation of Islamic values. They are aware of a number of Islamic cultural
aspects like reciting the Quran in morning assemblies and all students show proper respect. They
praise the roles of the mosques and the importance of the Five Pillars of Islam as well as the Pillars
of Faith.
Students reflect their respect and appreciation of the culture of United Arabic Emirates by discussing
in depth about the developments that are occurring in Dubai. They celebrate National Day and Flag
Day as well as Eid. Students know all the main heritage sites like museums, forts and deserts and
the Frame of Dubai which separates the old city from the modern one.
Students show a good understanding, awareness and a sound appreciation for their own culture and
its variety of religions. They are aware of different cultures and the similarities and differences from
their own. However, they are not exposed widely to other cultures through school activities.

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Social responsibility and innovation
Good Good Good Good
skills

Students are proud to be part of the school community. They have a clear understanding of their
responsibilities as members of the school. School prefects are proactive in organizing events and
keeping the playground safe. Students in all phases participate in fund-raising activities for local
charities. Middle and high school students contribute volunteer time towards cleaning local parks and
beaches.
Students show a positive work ethic. They demonstrate the characteristics of successful
learners: dedication, perseverance and competition. They take leadership roles and are proud of their
work. This is seen, for example, in science projects. Participation by a greater number of students is
encouraged. Students innovation and entrepreneurship is emerging and needs support from senior
school leaders.
Students in all phases care for the school environment. They participate in cleaning projects
throughout the school community. The plant project, where students create beds and maintain plants
on school grounds, creates environmental awareness. Students are involved in recycling projects,
including can collecting and paper recycling. Students are knowledgeable and can speak about
environmental issues, including sustainability.

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 3. Teaching and assessment

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Teaching for effective learning Weak Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Most teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge but their understanding of how children learn
is variable. This results in inconsistencies in teaching across all phases and therefore learning
often does not meet the needs of individual students. In Kindergarten, some teachers lack
appropriate knowledge of how their students learn.
Teachers' lesson planning in most key subjects demonstrates that progress in this area has
developed since the last inspection but inconsistencies in the quality of planning are evident.
Teachers now appreciate the need to include key issues such as National Agenda requirements and
learning skill development in their plans. However, they do not put these consistently into
practice. This impacts on the quality of learning.
The quality of teacher-student interaction through insightful questioning has not developed
sufficiently since the last inspection, even though evidence of improved questioning technique is
evident in some science and mathematics lessons. It is still the case that questioning in most phases
remains firmly focussed on checking student recall and understanding. Questioning does not
consistently challenge students to think for themselves.
Most lesson plans include evidence of work designed to meet the needs of different groups of
students. However, it often does not have the desired impact. Teachers do not use their knowledge
of their students to provide appropriate tasks. Consequently, the needs of all students are not met
and not all students make the required progress.
Some lessons in primary, middle and secondary science provide opportunities for critical thinking
and problem solving. These developments are not embedded into teaching practice in all subjects
and phases across the school. Lessons still do not provide sufficient opportunities to allow students
to maximise development of their learning skills or to have access to appropriate technology to
support their learning.

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Assessment Weak Weak Weak Acceptable

Although the school's internal assessments are generally well-constructed in English, mathematics
and science, they are inconsistently applied across the core subject areas. Assessments of Arabic as
an additional language are not well-aligned to specific standards and those for Islamic education do
not accurately reflect students' performance.

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 Students in Grades 10 and 12 are assessed externally through the CBSE Board examinations in English,
mathematics and science. Some use of external benchmarked tests, through IBT, is taking place.
However, because this is such a small sample it is difficult for the school to draw any valid conclusions.
Although data in English, mathematics and science is accurately analysed at an individual, class, grade
and phase level, it is not used systematically to adapt the curriculum. There are stronger systems in
the secondary phase of using the data to support students with their understanding of their strengths
and weaknesses as well as to set future learning targets.
Analysis of tests in English, mathematics and science identifies areas of the curriculum which need
strengthening and is used in some lessons to reinforce concepts where necessary. Assessments of
individual students strengths and weaknesses do not yet have an impact in the planning of lessons
to ensure that the needs of most groups of students are met. This is also the case for students with
SEND and who have individual learning plans.
Teachers have a general knowledge of students' performance. Students' own understanding of their
performance is weaker. Some helpful rubrics exist in a minority of subjects but these encourage
students to reflect on their performance rather than guiding them to perform better. There
are opportunities in science for student self and peer assessment that are built into the practical skills
booklets.

4. Curriculum

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Curriculum design and
Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable
implementation

The curriculum has a clear rationale which ensures students benefit from a range of age appropriate
activities. The Kindergarten curriculum is broadly based on the framework of EYFS curriculum, while
the curriculum from grades 1 to 12 is aligned to the Indian CBSE curriculum. There is a curriculum plan
for each month. However, there is more focus on knowledge and understanding than on reflection
and application.
The curriculum meets the needs of the large variety of students. Regular meetings across phases
ensure adequate progression from grade to grade and phase to phase over time in most key subjects.
The curriculum options provide students with a range of choices such as physical education, art, music
and science. Assemblies, field trips, writing, essay writing, elocution and recitation help students
develop their self-confidence and communication skills. Grade 11 students are given the option to
choose between languages like Urdu, French and Hindi.
There are some examples of cross curricular links in curriculum planning. However, these are not
consistently identified or implemented in all grades and subjects.
The curriculum is reviewed and modified annually in an effort to prepare students for international
standardized tests as well as CBSE Board examinations and to ensure that the curriculum is meeting
the needs of all groups of students. The school has integrated the UAE social studies curriculum into
the Indian curriculum for grades 1 to 9.

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 The UAE social studies curriculum is integrated with the Indian curriculum. It is taught in English to
meet students needs. Skills, concepts and knowledge are balanced to ensure continuity and
progression of the overall social studies curriculum. Teachers demonstrate adequate subject
knowledge and have a clear understanding of how their students learn. Teaching and assessment
strategies were varied to meet the needs of most learners. There has been analysis and tracking of
student progress. However, there has been very little modification of the curriculum in lessons.

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Curriculum adaptation Weak Weak Weak Acceptable

As a result of the annual curriculum review the school introduced more workbooks, projects and
activities. However, there has been very little modification of the curriculum to support students
with special educational needs nor for gifted or talented students.
There is little evidence that the school has committed to the development of enhancement,
enterprise or innovation. At the secondary level, critical thinking and problem solving is emerging
within science and maths lessons.
There are opportunities for students to develop their knowledge, understanding and appreciation of
UAE culture and its role in UAE society within the school curriculum. These opportunities vary from
classroom to classroom and lesson to lesson. Social studies classes are required for students in grades
1 to 9.

5. The protection, care, guidance and support of students

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Health and safety, including
arrangements for child protection / Good Good Good Good
safeguarding

The school has effective procedures for the safeguarding and protecting of children. A written child
protection policy is shared with all staff, who are aware of procedures in the event of any concerns.
Students feel safe and know that there are adults in the school to whom they can turn when required.
There is no evidence of bullying of students, including cyber bullying.
Entry into the school is secure and all visitors are required to sign in and out. There is adult supervision
on the buses. The school is compliant with the requisite number of fire drills and fire appliances are
maintained. The school's clinic supports healthy living and treats sick or injured students. Hazardous
chemicals are securely stored and students wear protective safety gear during experiments.
The school's premises and facilities are clean and well maintained. Service contracts and full time
staff ensure that the school is safe and equipment is operational. The school regularly checks its
premises to ensure that there are no potential student hazards. Maintenance records are up-to-date.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 20

 The school premises and facilities provide a safe environment that is fit for purpose. Access to the
upper floor for students with disabilities is not available. This limits access to specialist laboratories
and to some classrooms. Although compliant with regulations, crowded Kindergarten classrooms limit
children's opportunities to learn through exploration and discovery.
Healthy living is promoted by the school. In all phases, topics within the curriculum provide
opportunities for students to develop an understanding of healthy eating and lifestyles. Healthy food
choices in the canteen further reinforce good eating habits. PE classes and extra-curricular activities,
such as football and cricket, promote student awareness of the role of exercise in healthy living.

KG Primary Middle Secondary

Care and support Acceptable Acceptable Good Good

Relationships between staff and students are positive and based on mutual respect. This contributes
to the caring ethos of the school and the good classroom behaviour, particularly in middle and
secondary phases. Most teachers know the students well and some realize that many students
learn differently.
Procedures to promote attendance are in place and there is guidance on expectations for
parents. Action is taken with students who are repeatedly late or absent and parents are contacted
promptly where there are concerns about individual students. The school is developing processes to
recognise and reward good attendance.
The school has identified a number of students with special educational needs and
disabilities. However the identification is not comprehensive or rigorous, and leads to inaccurate
categorization of some students. As a result, provision for students with SEND remains weak. The
identification of students who are gifted and talented is in the initial stages of development.
The school provides some support for students with SEND and those who are gifted and talented,
however this is not consistently carried out and lacks focus. As a result of inaccurate identification of
gifted and talented students and students with SEND, support in lessons is not effectively matched
to provision and appropriate and challenging targets are not set.
The schools counsellor works effectively to support students needs and older students are provided
with a range of advice and information about pathways for their post-school educational
steps. Careers conferences are organised and students supported with workshops on areas such as
CV writing skills and goal setting. Procedures for managing transition across phases is inconsistent.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 21

 Inclusion

Provision and outcomes for students with SEND Weak

The policy for effective provision for students with SEND is underdeveloped. The special educational
needs coordinator (SENCO) is supported in her role by some teaching staff, however they do not have
the necessary experience to be fully effective. The school does not have a strategic overview of the
development of the department and, as a result, provision remains weak.
The school relies heavily on formal medical diagnosis to identify and provide support for students
with SEND. Information gathered from identification is not effectively used in day to day lesson
planning and, as a result, students with SEND do not make consistent progress. The school is
ineffective in reducing barriers to learning for almost all students with SEND.
The SENCO has positive relationships with the parents and contacts them if there are any issues for
discussion or of concern. Parents are encouraged to support the school in their role of providing
appropriate provision, however, their contribution and involvement is limited. Access for parents to
a comprehensive support programme to improve their knowledge and understanding of key areas is
not in place.
Teachers' understanding of curriculum modification for students with SEND is limited. The needs of
almost all students with SEND are not effectively met, expectations of their abilities is low and they
are not challenged in their learning. Students have little input into the design of their programme
and remain reliant upon teachers to tell them how they are doing.
Progress for students with SEND is weak in almost all areas of their learning. The systems in place
and understanding and analysis of data is underdeveloped. Scrutiny of students work indicates that
students in the secondary phase make better progress over time. This is less secure in Kindergarten,
primary and middle phases where expectations are low and learning is overly directed by teachers.

6. Leadership and management

The effectiveness of leadership Weak

Leaders exhibit complacency about standards and overall school quality. The direction of school
improvement is unclear and leaders lacks the determination and rigour required to provide it. There
is no strong commitment to UAE national nor Emirates priorities. Leaders have not been responsible
in delivering effective support for students with special educational needs.
School leaders have basic knowledge of the curriculum. The roles of senior leaders are defined but
not strongly aligned with school improvement practices that result in improved learning outcomes
for students. Staff are insufficiently focused upon school improvement.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 22

 Relationships and communication among school personnel are professional but at times not fully
effective. School leaders are not clear about their roles and responsibilities as regards school
improvement. Some HoDs have made some improvements within their departments. Most school
leaders and professional staff understand what is required of them but lack the necessary guidance
to improve attainment and progress of students.
Senior school leaders are reactive to recommendations found in school inspection reports. However,
they have not internalised the need for improvement or change. There is a lack of capacity to move
the school forward. Innovative teaching strategies are developing within isolated parts of the school
but are sometimes hindered by lack of support from school leaders.
School leaders have not been successful in improving the success of the school over time. The school
leadership and their performance regarding standards is ineffective and inadequate. Compliance
with statutory or regulatory requirements (IBT, CAT4) and the National Agenda Parameter is not
secure.

School self-evaluation and improvement planning Weak

Responsibility for self-evaluation rests with senior school leadership. It is very underdeveloped and
school improvement planning is weak. The SEF is exaggerated, indicating that there were 61 areas of
improvement since the previous inspection. There is no use of international external assessment
data to validate any of the judgements within the SEF. Self-evaluation lacks rigour and is not an
accurate depiction of the school.
The monitoring of teaching and learning is ineffective since it is not strongly based upon the tracking
of students' achievement and progress. Starting points of individual students are not established and
progress over time is not tracked. This is especially true for students with special educational needs.
School improvement plans are not sufficiently focused or detailed. Self-evaluation is inadequate
and does not consider the information provided by internal or external assessment
data. Improvement plans do not contain realistic goals since the SEF indicates that starting points
are well above the actual.
There has been very limited progress made as regards the recommendations from the previous
inspection. None of the strategies identified in the action plan contain measurable improvement
targets nor track students progress towards them. The school has shown very little progress over
time in all key subject areas.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 23

 Partnerships with parents and the community Good

Parents volunteer their time and expertise within the school, especially as regards the support of
students with SEND. Parents report that they are welcomed into the school and that their opinions
are listened to respectfully. There are parents representatives on the board of governors. Parents
are not well enough informed regarding school improvement goals or strategies.
The school employs a range of strategies to keep parents informed about what is going on at
school. The school's website is a good vehicle for parents' information. When concerns exist, parents
are welcomed into the school to discuss potential solutions to their concerns.
Parents receive information about their child's academic and social/emotional progress
regularly. These reports are sufficiently detailed as to demonstrate that teachers are well
informed about the strengths and weaknesses of each student. Student reports contain information
relative to each student's achievement against curriculum standards.
The school maintains contacts with other schools and community organisations mostly related to
charity, sports and academic competitions. Parents are fully supportive of these partnerships.

Governance Weak

Governance includes representation from a variety of stakeholders, including parents and school
graduates. The governors take advantage of opportunities to include the opinions of parents into
their discussions. However, they gain limited knowledge of the operations of the school.
The governors monitor the operations of the school but do not hold the senior leadership of the
school sufficiently to account for the quality of the schools' performance. Therefore, the attainment
and progress of the students is constrained. The school has made very limited improvement although
seven previous inspections have identified serious concerns.
The governors supply limited support and direction for the schools leadership. They provide limited
assurance that the school is effectively staffed and that resources are adequate. The training of
senior leaders as well as teachers has been inadequate. As a result, limited school improvement has
occurred. The governing board exerts little positive impact upon the performance of the school.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 24

 Management, staffing, facilities and resources Acceptable

Most aspects of the day-to-day operations of the school proceed smoothly. The procedures followed
by the school are effective and protect teaching time.
There are sufficient numbers of teachers staffing the school but not enough specialists to support
students with special educational needs. Teachers and support staff are deployed across the school
effectively.
The premises and facilities provide a clean and safe environment for teaching and learning. The
classrooms in the lower grades are crowded with 30 students, with some Kindergarten classes not
having sufficient chairs for the number of students. The school does not provide sufficient access for
students with disabilities.
The range of resources is limited. Most supplies used for classroom activities come from teachers
kitchens and garages. Basic IT resources, which are available to teachers only, have just recently
been introduced.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 25

 The views of parents, teachers and senior students

The views of parents, teachers and senior students

Before the inspection, the views of the parents, teachers and senior secondary students were surveyed.
Key messages from each group were considered during the inspection and these helped to form inspection
judgements. A summary of the survey statistics and comments from those who responded to the survey
follows:

Responses to the surveys

Responses received Number
Parents* 2016-2017 669

2015-2016 459

Teachers
73

Students
34

*The number of responses from parents is based on the number of families.

The great majority of parents who responded report that they believe that their children are getting
a good quality of education at EESS. They believe that their children learn well because of good
teaching.
Parents know that their children are safe at school and safe on school transportation and that there
is an adult in the school that cares about their child individually. Parents report overwhelmingly that
their children enjoy school.
A minority of parents are concerned that their children are not making adequate progress learning
Arabic and also are concerned that their child is not adequately learning how to research using
informational technology.
Teachers believe that students learn well because of good teaching. They believe that students are
being trained well to learn independently and that they have helped students to develop the skills
necessary to use learning technology to conduct research.
The majority of students report that they have a teacher at school who truly cares about them. A
large majority of students feel that their teachers want them to do their best work.
A minority of students feel that they should have greater diversity of extra-curricular activities and
desire greater opportunities to use learning technologies to conduct independent learning and
research.

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 26

What happens next?
The school has been asked to prepare and submit an action plan to DSIB within two months of receiving
the inspection report. This should address:
recommendations from DSIB
areas identified by the school as requiring improvement
other external reports or sources of information that comment on the work of the school
priorities arising from the schools unique characteristics.

The next school inspection will report on changes made by the school.

Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau

Knowledge and Human Development Authority

If you have a concern or wish to comment on any aspect of this report, you should contact
inspection@khda.gov.ae

Emirates English Speaking School - Inspection Report 2016-2017 27