Dubai International AcademyKHDA Inspection Report & Ratings 2019Last Updated: April 7, 2026
Executive Summary
Dubai International Academy L.L.C provides an Outstanding quality of education, as affirmed by its latest inspection report for the 2023-2024 academic year. The school is highly regarded for its commitment to the IB curriculum and its success in fostering exceptional student outcomes.
Students demonstrate Outstanding learning skills across all phases, with significant achievements in English, mathematics, and science, where DP scores exceed world averages. The curriculum, driven by the IB philosophy and Ministry of Education standards for Arabic, is well-tailored to meet diverse student needs, promoting enterprise, innovation, and creativity. Improvements in Islamic Education and Arabic outcomes are notable.
The school's provision for learners is exemplary, with teachers demonstrating excellent subject knowledge and IB methodology. Rigorous policies ensure student safety, and the commitment to health and wellbeing is exemplary. Leadership and management are Outstanding, with a clear vision for achieving exceptional student outcomes and strong engagement with parents and the community.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Dubai International Academy L.L.C Overall Rating
Outstanding for 2+ consecutive years
Dubai Focus Areas
These three pillars represent the Dubai education authority's priorities: ensuring inclusive practices, prioritizing student wellbeing, and meeting UAE National Agenda targets.
The school's provision and outcomes for students of determination are Very Good. Leaders foster an inclusive environment, and staff are knowledgeable about students' academic and emotional needs. While most systems are effective, there is a need to strengthen engagement with parents and clarify registration systems for long-term support, ensuring tailored learning opportunities and high-quality Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Students of DeterminationIEPs
The overall quality of wellbeing provision and outcomes is Very Good, with wellbeing being a high priority interwoven into the school's ethos. Staff and students promote wellbeing exceptionally through respectful relationships and a whole-school development plan. Stakeholders are deeply committed to an ambitious vision, with students having significant input into provision development and a strong curriculum empowering their wellbeing journey. WellbeingEthos and CultureStudent Input
The school's overall standards in the National Agenda Parameter are Outstanding. It has successfully exceeded targets in international assessments like PIRLS, with students sustaining outstanding outcomes in English, mathematics, and science. Reading literacy skills are above age-related expectations for a large majority of students, and the school actively works with families to foster a strong reading culture. National Agenda ParameterInternational AssessmentsReading Literacy
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Diverse Pathways & Results
The school offers diverse pathways in the upper school, leading to outstanding IBDP results and ensuring all students can progress to higher education.
Mutual Respectful Relationships
Strong relationships built on mutual respect exist among all stakeholders, contributing to a positive school atmosphere.
Quality Teaching & Learning Skills
The quality of teaching across all phases is excellent, fostering students' outstanding learning skills.
Assessment Data Analysis
Rigorous and comprehensive analysis of assessment data effectively informs teaching practices and curriculum modifications.
Diverse Co-curricular Programme
A rich co-curricular programme provides extensive opportunities for students to excel in sports, arts, and community service.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Students’ outcomes in Islamic Education and Arabic have improved. Children’s literacy skills in KG exceed expectations, and by DP, students’ scores are significantly higher than world averages in English, mathematics, and science. Students’ learning skills are outstanding across the school.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal and leaders at Dubai International Academy L.L.C share a clear vision focused on establishing exceptional outcomes for students. They demonstrate a deep understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development, ensuring high-quality facilities and resources are continuously improved. Their approach fosters active parental contribution and ensures directors understand the school's needs, leading to outstanding overall leadership and management.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Students demonstrate outstanding learning skills across the school, with significant achievements in English, mathematics, and science, often exceeding world averages. Outcomes in Islamic Education and Arabic have improved, although some areas like KG science and DP Islamic Education require further development for consistent challenge and inquiry.
Personal Development
Students are well-rounded, passionate, and display outstanding personal development, including positive attitudes, independence, and self-regulation. They show a clear understanding of Islamic values, Emirati and world cultures, and demonstrate excellent social responsibility and innovation skills, actively supporting environmental sustainability and community initiatives.
Teaching Quality
Teachers possess excellent subject knowledge and IB methodology, skillfully questioning to deepen student thinking and promote active learning. Assessment processes are coherent and effectively track student progress, with improvements noted in Islamic Education and Arabic. Continuous professional training supports strong teaching, though consistency in planning for inquiry and alignment with KHDA assessment guidelines are areas for refinement.
Protection & Care
The school provides outstanding protection, care, guidance, and support for students. Rigorous policies, regular training, and excellent maintenance ensure student safety and wellbeing. Mutually respectful relationships create a special atmosphere, and there is timely identification of students of determination and gifted and talented students, alongside outstanding careers and emotional counselling.
Areas for Development
- •Ensure that the KG Science curriculum is adapted more for the age group so that children are appropriately prepared for PYP.
- •Increase opportunities for investigation in PYP science by enhancing the physical and human resources.
- •Strengthen the inclusion improvement plan to ensure that barriers to learning for students of determination are reduced.
- •Provide appropriate levels of challenge to extend all students’ understanding of Islamic principles and rulings.
- •Provide opportunities for students to discuss and analyse everyday situations with reference to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah.
- •Improve the language skills of MYP students, particularly of those only just beginning to learn Arabic, by modifying the curriculum to increase fluency in reading and speaking and to develop strategies to improve writing.
- •Provide more frequent opportunities for all students, but especially lower attaining students, to develop speaking and reading skills based on each topic.
- •Enhance learning and the accuracy of assessments by taking into account the number of years that students have studied Arabic.
- •Standardise the approaches to giving feedback to students and to the use of success criteria.
- •Increase opportunities for students to develop their research and critical thinking skills.
- •Ensure that all students experience regular open-ended investigative work.
- •Provide KG children with age-appropriate experimental learning opportunities.
- •Ensure that all students, particularly in MYP, use electronic devices well, and also develop the rapid writing, drawing, graphing and calculation skills essential for success at DP and within other examinations.
- •Encourage all students to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and to develop their physical and emotional wellbeing.
- •Ensure that lesson planning in all phases, but especially in PYP, includes inquiry, action and reflection by teachers and students.
- •Ensure that the methods of calculating students’ progress are better aligned with KHDA guidelines.
- •Address the imbalance in the PYP curriculum so that scientific inquiry is a key feature in developing students’ knowledge and skills in preparation for MYP.
- •Review the systems that identify students of determination and ensure the full co-operation of their parents, to achieve accurate and timely diagnoses so that appropriate support can be provided.
- •Strengthen engagement with parents to ensure that all students of determination receive tailored support and learning opportunities in response to high-quality IEPs.
- •Ensure that curriculum adaptations always have clear reference to the reports from international benchmark and English reading assessments.
- •Target groups of students with consistently low Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) scores, and those students of determination with the highest needs in relation to learning.