A B C Private SchoolBritish Curriculum, Subjects & QualificationsLast Updated: April 7, 2026

A B C Private School delivers the British curriculum across every stage of education, from EYFS (FS1–FS2) for children aged three through to A Level (Year 13) — making it one of a smaller number of all-through British schools in Abu Dhabi serving the Al Shamkha community. The academic pathway runs from play-based early years through Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Secondary, IGCSE, AS Level, and A Level, offering families a single-school journey from nursery to university entry. Among British curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi, which number 105 — the largest curriculum group in the city — ABC sits in the mid-range on both fees and inspection performance, rated Good in the most recent 2024–2025 Irtiqaa inspection, a rating it has now held for two consecutive inspection cycles after previously being rated Acceptable in 2019.

Academically, the school's most credible external benchmarks come from international assessments. In PISA 2022, ABC's 15-year-olds scored 502 in reading, 545 in mathematics, and 523 in science — all above international averages and above the school's own targets. TIMSS 2023 results were more mixed: Year 5 mathematics scored 483 and Year 5 science 469, both above school targets but below international averages of 503 and 494 respectively. Year 9 mathematics reached 529 and Year 9 science 517, both above the international average but below school targets. The weakest external data point is PIRLS 2021, where Year 5 students scored 452, placing them within the low international benchmark range — a finding that sits in tension with the school's stated commitment to whole-school literacy. The school claims a 99% pass rate at both IGCSE and A Level, and reports GCSE grades 9–4 at 88% and 44 A Level grades at A*, A, or B, though these figures are unverified by an independent body. GL Progress Test results from 2024–25 are more sobering: attainment is rated Weak in phases 2 and 3 for English, mathematics, and science — a significant gap between internal claims and external benchmarking.

Specialist provision includes SEN and Inclusion support, a Gifted and Talented programme, EAL support, and an integrated STEAM focus across the curriculum. The school's Bug Club phonics platform in primary and Accelerated Reader in secondary underpin a structured whole-school literacy strategy, supported by two well-resourced libraries with English and Arabic collections. Play-based learning in the EYFS phase is a deliberate pedagogical choice, with FS classrooms offering outdoor balconies and continuous provision environments. The 2024–25 inspection noted that Phase 1 (EYFS and lower primary) showed meaningful improvement, with teaching rising from Acceptable to Good following stronger leadership and better-trained practitioners. However, assessment was rated Acceptable across all phases — a regression from Good in phases 2, 3, and 4 — reflecting inconsistent use of data to plan and adapt learning.

Inspectors identified several areas requiring sustained attention. Writing at length in both Arabic and English, higher-order reading and speaking skills, mathematical reasoning through cognitively demanding tasks, and scientific enquiry skills across all phases were all flagged as priorities. Governance declined from Good to Acceptable in the latest inspection, with limited representation on the governing body and ongoing concerns about staffing stability following a prolonged period of leadership change. Curriculum adaptation for different learner groups — including gifted students and students of determination — remains inconsistent in practice, even where policies exist. Compared to higher-performing British curriculum peers in Abu Dhabi, where 18 of the city's 23 Outstanding-rated schools follow the British curriculum, ABC has ground to cover in embedding the depth of challenge and assessment rigour that distinguishes Good from Very Good or Outstanding performance.