AL Ahliah Charity Private School-Branch (Al Falaj-Al Azra)
Executive Summary
AL Ahliah Charity Private School - Falaj Branch is a Ministry of Education curriculum school located in Al Falaj, Sharjah, serving 609 male students across the middle school phase (Grades 4-9). Following its most recent inspection in January 2023, the school received an overall rating of Good, representing a significant improvement from its previous rating of Acceptable in the 2018 review cycle.
The school demonstrates good quality across most performance standards, including student outcomes, personal development, teaching and learning, curriculum, and protection and care. Student progress in Islamic Education, Arabic Language, and Social Studies is a notable strength, while attainment in English, Mathematics, and Science remains at an acceptable level and has been identified as a priority area for improvement. The school's curriculum is broad and balanced, with strong cross-curricular links and a wide range of extracurricular activities.
Leadership and governance are rated Good, with a clear strategic direction embedded in effective self-evaluation and development planning. The school's attendance rate exceeds 98%, reflecting students' positive attitudes toward learning. Key areas for development include improving attainment in core subjects, enhancing support for students of determination and gifted learners, and strengthening assessment practices across all subjects.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
AL Ahliah Charity Private School - Falaj Branch Overall Rating
Good
SPEA Performance Standards
The performance standards used by SPEA to evaluate school quality across Sharjah.
The school identifies students of determination and gifted and talented learners and coordinates closely with teachers and parents. The specialist special education teacher provides effective support, but in-class support is less effective across many lessons. Gifted and talented students receive appropriate support through extracurricular activities, though this is less consistent within classroom settings. Students of DeterminationGifted and TalentedSpecial Education
Student attendance is outstanding at over 98%, and students demonstrate positive attitudes toward learning and school life. The school promotes healthy lifestyles through health education programmes, though a minority of students do not follow healthy dietary habits and approximately 19% are identified as obese according to BMI checks. Relationships between staff and students are warm, supportive, and respectful. 98% AttendanceHealthy LifestylesStudent Wellbeing
A small minority of students participated in international benchmark assessments including the IBT and TIMSS, with results being statistically unreliable due to low participation numbers and disruptions during the pandemic period. The school uses internal and external assessment data to analyse student achievement, though the analysis and application of this data to inform teaching is not yet consistent across all subjects. IBTTIMSSBenchmark Assessments
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
School Improvement
The school improved its overall rating from Acceptable to Good since the previous inspection cycle in 2018, reflecting meaningful progress across all performance standards.
Outstanding Attendance
Student attendance exceeds 98%, indicating high levels of student engagement and a positive school culture that motivates daily attendance.
Strong Leadership
School leadership demonstrates a clear strategic vision embedded in effective self-evaluation and development planning, with meaningful engagement of all stakeholders at every level.
Student Progress in Core Arabic Subjects
Students make good progress in Islamic Education, Arabic Language, and Social Studies, with the majority achieving above curriculum expectations in lessons and over time.
Effective Safeguarding
Child protection procedures are effective, with all staff and parents trained in safeguarding policies. Students confirm they feel safe and cared for, and the school maintains comprehensive incident and risk assessment records.
Academic Performance Breakdown
The school serves only the middle school phase (Grades 4-9). No primary, KG, or secondary phases are offered. All ratings apply to the middle school phase only.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
School leadership at AL Ahliah Charity Private School - Falaj Branch is characterised by a clear and well-communicated strategic vision that is firmly embedded in robust self-evaluation and development planning processes. Leaders engage all stakeholders meaningfully at every level, which has contributed directly to the school's improvement from Acceptable to Good since the previous inspection. The principal and senior leadership team use experienced staff effectively and foster a positive, collaborative school culture.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Overall student achievement is rated Good. Students make good progress across all subjects, with attainment rated Good in Islamic Education, Arabic Language, and Social Studies, and Acceptable in English, Mathematics, and Science. The majority of student groups achieve above curriculum expectations, though students of determination and gifted learners do not always make the progress they are capable of.
Personal Development
Students demonstrate positive and responsible attitudes toward learning and respond well to feedback. Attendance is outstanding at over 98%, and students arrive punctually. Students actively participate in volunteer activities, student council, and scouting, and demonstrate strong Islamic values and respect for UAE heritage and culture. Innovation and project skills are still developing for the majority.
Teaching Quality
Teaching quality is rated Good overall, with most teachers demonstrating appropriate subject knowledge and using a range of strategies to engage students. Lesson plans are detailed with focused learning objectives, though not all include assessment opportunities. Assessment quality is Acceptable, with teachers not yet consistently using assessment data to differentiate for all student groups, particularly gifted learners and students of determination.
Protection & Care
Student protection and care is rated Good. Child protection procedures are effective, with all staff and parents trained in safeguarding policies. The school environment is safe and well supervised, including on school buses. Students feel safe and cared for. School buildings are clean and maintained, though facilities show signs of age and require renovation. The school nurse contributes effectively to health education lessons.
Areas for Development
- •Raise attainment levels in English, Mathematics, and Science across all year groups.
- •Provide better and more consistent support for students of determination and gifted and talented learners, both within lessons and through curriculum adaptation.
- •Improve the quality of assessment across all subjects, including more consistent use of assessment data to inform teaching and provide constructive feedback to students on their next steps for improvement.