The ADNOC School of Abu Dhabi curriculum consists primarily of high-level national American standards for each subject. We use the national Common Core Standards for Math and English, the national Next Generation Science Standards for Science, and the national SHAPE standards for PE. The Social Studies Department is using the Maryland State Standards to drive the content of their courses while borrowing from Common Core English Standards to drive skills. As of December 2014, our Fine Arts and IT departments are in the process of selecting a set of standards through which to build an impressive standards-based curriculum.

Our course offerings encourage students to work towards our wide range of AP level courses in their senior year. However, we have comprehensive course alternatives and electives that allow each student to create the most beneficial and relevant high school schedules for himself or herself as an individual.  

Standardized Testing

ADNOC uses standardized testing to measure both our students’ progress and achievement so that we may allow data to guide individualized student instruction as well as to compare our students against local and international benchmarks. Starting in grade 10, our High School students take the PSAT and SAT tests, for which our Sas Al Nakhl campus also serves as a testing center for students from nearby schools. Our students also take and perform admirably on AP exams that currently span our Math, Science, Art, and Social Studies departments. Internal assessments such as trimesterly writing diagnostic tests, subject-based diagnostic tests, and general literacy diagnostic tests are used variably across our Elementary campuses to capture student body needs.

In 2014, ADNOC adopted The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test as our school-wide progress assessment for grades KG2-11. Its usage will allow teachers to utilize immediate feedback about the ability level of their students and will allow teachers and administrators to analyze the progress of individual students and student cohorts. It will be administered in November and April each academic year. 2015 will see trial testing of the globally recognized International Student Assessments (ISA) tests. The ISA test is designed to complement data from the MAP tests by providing international achievement benchmarks.

Teaching and Learning

In 2013, ADNOC undertook a pedagogical shift to align itself with international best practices for teaching and learning. A major component of this change in philosophy was a focus on students learning through meaningful projects rather than relying solely on memorization and test-taking. Our teachers to continue to refine their ability to create dynamic, integrated projects that ask students to consider real-world issues, think critically, plan for success, collaborate, innovate, and create. Project Based Learning is a key element of our vision and mission to nurture students who will leave ADNOC as effective and valued members of their society, their culture, and their workforce.

At ADNOC, we instill current teaching best practices in our teachers by highlighting the benefits of dynamic lessons for students, by maintaining a common planning and instructional vision, and by providing ongoing support to teachers. Our teachers construct meaningful high-quality lessons by ensuring that each student contact period contains student-friendly objectives, an opening, a student-centered core, and a closing. Teachers also reflect on the lesson’s effectiveness afterwards to look for areas of re-planning or re-teaching.

In 2014, ADNOC also began a larger focus on reading across the curriculum in all grades and on stronger foundational literacy skills at the Elementary level. This move is in accordance with our strategic plan that was created in accordance with our accreditation from MSA and reflects the needs of our student population.