Al Bashair Private School, Abu Dhabi

Al Bashair operates entirely within the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) curriculum, which structures learning across KG, Cycle 1 (Grades 1-4), Cycle 2 (Grades 5-9), and Cycle 3 (Grades 10-12), with both general and advanced streams available in the upper secondary years. This is a curriculum designed to meet national education standards and prepare students for UAE higher education pathways, with Arabic as the primary language of instruction for core subjects and English taught as a strong second language throughout all phases. The school's stated mission - graduating students equipped with 21st-century skills, capable of responsibility and excellence - reflects an ambition that the ADEK inspection largely validates, though with important caveats. In terms of academic results, the picture is nuanced. ADEK inspectors found that the large majority of students across all cycles demonstrate attainment above MoE curriculum standards in lessons and recent work across all core subjects: Islamic Education, Arabic, UAE Social Studies, English, Mathematics, and Science. Internal assessment data from the end of academic year 2022/23 consistently shows most students attaining above curriculum benchmarks. Grade 12 national examination results were rated outstanding in Islamic Education, Arabic, Mathematics, and English - a strong end-point performance. The school's PIRLS 2021 result of 515 in reading, placing students within the High International Benchmark range (above the 475 threshold), is a legitimate point of pride and suggests that foundational literacy instruction in the early cycles is effective. However, the IBT standardised assessment results reveal a more mixed picture. In Mathematics, Grades 3, 4, and 6 perform above international expectations, but Grades 5, 7, 8, and 9 fall below. In Arabic, Grades 3 and 5 are below international benchmarks, while Grades 4 and 6-9 are above. Science follows a similar pattern, with Grades 5, 7, 8, and 9 below international expectations. English IBT results show Grades 4, 7, and 10 above international benchmarks. The school's PISA 2022 scores - reading literacy 443, mathematical literacy 447, science literacy 449 - are all below international standards, indicating that while the school performs well against the MoE framework, international comparative benchmarking remains a growth area. The school has developed an action plan to address this and participates in TIMSS, with results still pending at the time of inspection. The school's approach to reading development is notably structured. A well-stocked bilingual library supports weekly sessions in Arabic and English. Digital reading platforms including Kutubee and Alef, alongside levelled English readers such as Oxford Owl and Harcourt, are embedded across cycles. In KG and Cycle 1, phonics, guided reading, and open-ended questioning form the pedagogical backbone. In Cycles 2 and 3, annotation, vocabulary expansion, and literature circles build higher-order comprehension. Annual reading assessments at the start of each year establish baselines and inform targeted support. The school also participates in the UAE Reading Challenge and Emirates Reading Festival, fostering a genuine reading culture beyond the classroom. For students of determination, the school reported six students with additional learning needs at the time of inspection. ADEK noted that the school was in the process of appointing a dedicated SEN coordinator - a gap that represents both a current limitation and a commitment to improvement. Learning skills are rated Very Good across all cycles, and ADEK inspectors noted that lower-attaining students and students of determination receive consistent support in lessons. Gifted and talented students are generally well-challenged, though ADEK recommended more consistent provision of high-challenge tasks across all subjects. There is no publicly available data on EAL provision or formal Gifted and Talented programme structures beyond inspection references. University destination data is not publicly disclosed by the school, which limits the ability to assess post-secondary outcomes. Given the MoE curriculum framework, the primary pathway is into UAE universities and higher colleges, with the national examination system serving as the gateway. The strong Grade 12 national exam performance across subjects suggests students are well-prepared for these destinations.