Abdulla Bin Zubair Private School
Executive Summary
Abdulla Bin Al Zubair Private School, following the British curriculum, has maintained an Acceptable overall rating from ADEK for the academic year 2025-2026. This rating is consistent with the previous inspection in 2024, reflecting a stable performance across key areas.
The school has demonstrated notable improvements in several areas, including students' personal development, which is now rated Good. Academic achievement has seen clear improvement in mathematics and science in Phase 2, and in Islamic Education in phases 2 and 3. Students also achieved high scores in the TIMSS 2023 international assessment, showcasing strengths in these subjects.
Leadership shows a strong commitment to continuous improvement and has successfully enhanced parental engagement and governance. The school provides a safe and caring environment with effective safeguarding procedures. However, areas for development include strengthening literacy skills in both English and Arabic, improving teaching consistency, and further developing middle leadership capacity to drive sustained academic progress.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Abdulla Bin Al Zubair Private School Overall Rating
Acceptable for 2+ consecutive years
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement remains Acceptable overall, with notable improvements in mathematics and science in Phase 2, and Islamic education in phases 2 and 3. However, inconsistencies persist in English literacy, Arabic language skills, and the development of higher-order thinking across phases. The school demonstrated strong performance in the TIMSS 2023 international assessment. TIMSS 2023MathematicsScienceIslamic Education
Students' personal development has improved to Good, characterized by consistently positive behavior, stronger self-reliance, respectful relationships, and very good attendance. Social responsibility and innovation skills have also improved to Acceptable, with students participating in community service, though innovation remains less developed. Understanding of Islamic values is Acceptable. positive behaviorself-relianceVery Good attendancecommunity service
The quality of teaching remains Acceptable, partly due to high teacher turnover impacting professional development and consistency. Assessment has improved from Weak to Acceptable, with strengthened procedures and benchmarking. However, assessment data is not yet consistently used to plan for all learners or track progress effectively. teacher turnoverassessment datadifferentiation
Curriculum design and implementation remain Acceptable, offering a broad curriculum with a clear rationale. Curriculum adaptation has improved from Weak to Acceptable, with teachers beginning to modify content for different student groups. However, greater consistency in adaptation and addressing reduced instructional time in Phase 1 is needed. curriculum adaptationinstructional time
Health and safety, including child protection, remain Good, supported by well-established safeguarding procedures and regular staff training. Care and support for students have improved from Weak to Acceptable, with strengthened systems for identifying additional needs, gifted learners, and effective attendance monitoring. safeguarding proceduresadditional needsgifted learners
Leadership and management are Acceptable overall, with significant improvements in parental engagement to Good and governance to Acceptable. Senior leaders effectively communicate vision and commitment to UAE priorities. However, not all middle leaders possess the expertise to drive consistent improvement in teaching and learning. parental engagementgovernancemiddle leaders
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Academic Achievement Boost
Students' achievement improved in mathematics and science in Phase 2 and Islamic education in phases 2 and 3, with high scores in TIMSS 2023.
Positive Student Conduct
Students demonstrate positive, caring attitudes, self-discipline, and contribute to a respectful, collaborative school environment.
Effective Safeguarding
The school's effective safeguarding procedures and high levels of security create a safe and caring environment for students.
Strong Leadership Commitment
School leaders show a strong commitment to continuous improvement and are successful in engaging parents as partners.
Improved Assessment Practices
Assessment procedures have strengthened, improving from Weak to Acceptable across all phases.
Enhanced Care & Support
Care and support for students improved due to strengthened systems for identifying additional needs and gifted learners.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Overall student achievement in Arabic-medium subjects has remained Acceptable, with slight improvements in Islamic education. Achievement in English across all phases and in mathematics and science in phases 1 and 3 remains Acceptable. Learning skills are Acceptable across all phases.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team demonstrates a clear, strategic commitment to raising student achievement and aligning with international benchmarks. They foster a data-driven culture, using assessment results to inform planning and monitor progress. While senior leaders are effective, there is a recognized need to develop middle leaders' capacity to drive consistent improvement in teaching and learning.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students' achievement is Acceptable overall. While there are improvements in mathematics and science in Phase 2, and Islamic education in phases 2 and 3, inconsistencies remain in English literacy, Arabic language skills, and the development of higher-order thinking. Students show secure procedural knowledge but limited reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Personal & Social Development
Students' personal development has improved to Good, exhibiting consistently positive behavior, stronger self-reliance, and very good attendance. Social responsibility and innovation skills have improved to Acceptable, with students participating in community service, though innovation skills require further development. Understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture remains basic.
Teaching & Assessment
The quality of teaching remains Acceptable, impacted by high teacher turnover and inconsistent professional development. Assessment has improved from Weak to Acceptable, with strengthened procedures. However, teachers rarely use assessment data effectively to plan for all learners, track progress consistently, or differentiate sufficiently.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation are Acceptable, providing a broad curriculum with a clear rationale. Curriculum adaptation has improved to Acceptable, with teachers beginning to make modifications for diverse student groups. However, reduced instructional time in Phase 1 limits full curriculum coverage, and greater consistency in adaptation is needed.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety, including child protection, are Good, with well-established safeguarding procedures and regular staff training. Care and support for students have improved to Acceptable, due to strengthened systems for identifying students with additional needs and gifted learners, effective attendance monitoring, and improved guidance.
Areas for Development
- •Improve students’ achievement across all subjects by strengthening literacy skills in English and Arabic, deepening understanding of UAE history and global contexts in social studies, and promoting reasoning, problem-solving, and independent inquiry skills in mathematics and science.
- •Improve the quality of teaching and assessment in all phases by embedding consistent student-centered and inquiry-based practices, improving questioning, raising expectations, and strengthening assessment procedures to ensure data is used effectively for differentiation and tracking progress.
- •Improve curriculum design, adaptation, and care and support for students by promoting skill development, enhancing curriculum adaptations for all learner groups (especially for Arabic as a second language and students of determination), and providing structured opportunities for innovation and enterprise skills.
- •Strengthen leadership and management at all levels by developing middle leaders’ capacity to evaluate best practice, improving leadership overview of assessment moderation, aligning governance roles with development priorities, and enhancing staff stability and learning resources.
- •Further improve students’ performance in international assessments (TIMSS, PISA, PIRLS) by aligning daily teaching and curriculum planning with international frameworks, using detailed analysis of results to identify gaps, and continuing targeted professional training for teachers.