GEMS Legacy School - Dubai Branch
KHDA Inspection Report & Ratings
Last updated
Executive Summary
The overall quality of education provided by GEMS Legacy School - Dubai Branch is Good. In the Kindergarten (KG), children achieve well in English, mathematics and science. In Primary, students achieve well across all subjects except Arabic, where attainment is acceptable. Students' progress and attainment in Primary are Very Good in English, mathematics, science, and Islamic Education.
Students exhibit Outstanding attitudes to school and their learning, fostering a positive atmosphere. They prioritize a safe and healthy lifestyle and demonstrate strong knowledge of Islamic values and UAE culture, particularly in Primary and Middle. Students actively contribute to activities promoting sustainability and innovation.
While teachers' subject knowledge is strong, effective learning promotion varies, with Primary lessons often teacher-centred. The curriculum is well-aligned with the CBSE framework, ensuring continuity and progression, and offers a wide variety of enrichment activities. The school maintains comprehensive child protection and safeguarding procedures, effectively identifying and supporting students of determination, though provision for gifted and talented students is underdeveloped.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
GEMS Legacy School - Dubai Branch Overall Rating
Good for 7+ 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 effectively welcomes students of all abilities, with leaders responding well to the increase in students of determination through increased staffing and resources. Early identification and parental involvement are strong, contributing significantly to student progress. However, support by class teachers and curriculum differentiation in KG and Primary are variable. students of determinationparental supportAchievement Centre
Wellbeing is central to the school's mission, with leaders committed to the whole school community. Innovative initiatives, particularly in Middle, empower students to take responsibility for their wellbeing. Effective systems ensure students feel safe, supported, and have access to high-quality assistance for personal concerns. Wellbeinginnovative initiativessafe and well-cared for
The school demonstrates outstanding progression in National Agenda tests for English, mathematics, and science, exceeding targets in PIRLS. Leaders strongly support the National Agenda vision, using action planning and curriculum modifications to align with external benchmark tests. However, reading literacy is acceptable, with variable teacher understanding of student needs and inconsistent interventions for struggling readers. National Agenda testsPIRLSreading literacy
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Middle Phase Achievement
Students in the middle phase demonstrate high achievement across most subjects, attributed to the implementation of effective teaching strategies.
Personal & Social Development
Students exhibit strong personal and social development, coupled with a commendable commitment to environmental care through various initiatives.
Health & Safety Support
The school provides robust support for students' health, safety, and overall personal development, ensuring a secure and nurturing environment.
Parent Partnerships & Management
The school fosters excellent partnerships with parents and demonstrates effective management of its daily operations, contributing to overall success.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal and leaders at all levels effectively establish a shared vision and clear strategic direction, aligned with UAE national priorities. Most leaders, particularly in Middle, possess strong curriculum knowledge. The school makes use of internal and external assessment for self-evaluation, though there are gaps in identifying significant improvement priorities in school development plans. The school effectively engages parents, valuing their input in shaping priorities and personalized learning programmes.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Students demonstrate good to very good attainment and progress across most subjects, with outstanding personal development and social responsibility. Learning skills are generally good, though inquiry and research skills need further development in some phases.
Personal Development
Students exhibit outstanding attitudes, self-discipline, and respectful relationships. They prioritize healthy lifestyles and show deep understanding of Islamic values, UAE culture, and global diversity. They are proactive in social responsibility and innovation, contributing to environmental and technological projects.
Teaching Quality
Teaching for effective learning is good overall, with very good quality in Middle, where active engagement and critical thinking are promoted. However, teaching in KG and Primary is variable, often teacher-centred. Assessment processes are stronger in Middle, but data is not consistently used to inform teaching and curriculum planning across all phases, leading to variable feedback.
Protection & Care
The school provides very good to outstanding protection and care, with comprehensive safeguarding and child protection systems. Transport, premises, and medical record-keeping are meticulously managed. The ethos of care, kindness, and respect fosters positive attitudes, and robust procedures effectively identify and support students of determination, though shaded areas are insufficient and gifted students need more challenge.
Areas for Development
- •Share the best teaching practices to ensure high achievement for all students, with a particular focus on KG and Primary.
- •Ensure that full use is made of assessment data to match lesson learning activities to the needs of all students, including students of determination.
- •Strengthen leadership capacity, especially among middle leaders, and create more well-informed school improvement plans.
- •Improve students’ recitation and memorisation skills, and the application of recitation rules.
- •Use accurate assessment information to adapt the curriculum and ensure that learning activities are aligned with students’ attainment levels and needs.
- •Prioritise the development of students' oral and written communication skills, emphasising everyday contexts.
- •Embed a robust guided reading literacy programme to ensure that all students improve their literacy skills.
- •Ensure that the teaching of phonics in KG is more systematic and sequential.
- •Provide children in KG with more regular opportunities to experience the numerical world through practical activities using a wider range of manipulatives and resources.
- •Ensure that the internal and external data align more closely with the achievement levels evidenced in students’ workbooks and lessons.
- •Provide more opportunities for independent learning and hands-on activities in KG and lower Primary.
- •Increase opportunities for students to plan and conduct experiments independently across the school.
- •Increase opportunities for students to develop their inquiry and research skills.
- •Improve Primary teachers’ questioning strategies to promote students’ critical thinking skills.
- •Ensure that all teachers are able to create a nurturing classroom environment to support students’ learning.
- •Increase opportunities for children in KG to engage in exploration, problem-solving and creative learning activities.
- •Ensure assessment data are used to implement differentiated learning tasks to meet the needs of all students.
- •Improve the teaching strategies and the pace of lessons in Primary to engage students more actively in their learning.
- •Ensure that in Arabic, students are assessed according to their years of studying the language.
- •Adapt the Arabic curriculum to take more account of students’ years of studying the language.
- •Ensure that the KG curriculum is balanced in terms of children’s social, moral, reasoning and physical development and provides more opportunities for play-based learning.
- •Provide more shaded areas in Primary and Middle.
- •Ensure that students with gifts and talents are suitably challenged and supported in lessons.
- •Ensure that all teachers have the necessary skills to implement effective intervention strategies that reduce barriers to learning and optimise student progress.
- •Ensure that curriculum differentiation and support are well-matched to student needs in lessons, particularly in KG and Primary.