Al Israa Private School
Executive Summary
Al Israa Private School, operating under the MoE (UAE) curriculum, has maintained an Acceptable overall rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2023-2024 academic year. The school serves students from KG to Cycle 3 (Grades 12) in Al Khibeesi, Al Ain, with a focus on providing education aligned with national standards.
The inspection highlighted strengths in students' achievement in Arabic, Islamic Education, and UAE Social Studies across all cycles, with notable improvements in Cycle 3 for Arabic and Islamic Education, and in Cycle 2 for UAE Social Studies. However, attainment and progress in English, Mathematics, and Science remain Acceptable, indicating areas where teaching and learning need to be strengthened to consistently meet or exceed curriculum standards.
The school demonstrates strong relationships among staff and students, fostering a courteous and mutually respectful environment. Active partnerships with parents and the community also contribute positively to the school's supportive educational framework. However, the quality of Protection, Care, Guidance & Support and Leadership & Management have regressed or remained Acceptable, with recommendations for improving safeguarding, support for students of determination, and the effectiveness of leadership and self-evaluation processes.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Al Israa Private School Overall Rating
Acceptable
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students achieve well in Arabic, Islamic Education, and UAE Social Studies across all cycles, with notable improvements in Cycle 3 for Arabic and Islamic Education, and in Cycle 2 for UAE Social Studies. However, attainment and progress in English, Mathematics, and Science remain Acceptable, with internal assessment data often not aligning with observed classroom performance. ArabicIslamic EducationUAE Social StudiesEnglishMathematicsScience
Overall personal development, social responsibility, and innovation skills are Acceptable. However, students demonstrate a Good understanding of Islamic values and a strong awareness of Emirati and world cultures, applying these to their daily lives. Relationships among staff and students are courteous and based on mutual respect. Islamic valuesEmirati and world culturesSocial responsibilityInnovation skills
Teaching for effective learning and assessment practices remain at an Acceptable level. There is a need for teachers to consistently raise expectations, engage students in active learning, and effectively differentiate work. Assessment data analysis and its use to inform lesson planning and monitor student progress require significant improvement. Active learningDifferentiationAssessment data analysis
Curriculum design, implementation, and adaptation are Acceptable. The curriculum supports reading through various activities and competitions. However, there is a need to provide more subject-specific resources for hands-on learning, particularly in mathematics, science, and the KG phase. Curriculum designCurriculum adaptationHands-on learning
This area has regressed to an Acceptable level due to inconsistent safeguarding arrangements, a lack of rigor in record-keeping, and insufficient staffing for guidance and support. Identification and support procedures for students of determination (SOD), gifted and talented, and other diverse learners are inconsistent and require significant improvement. SafeguardingStudents of determinationGuidance and support
Leadership and management have remained Acceptable. While the new principal and vice principal have built stronger partnerships with parents and the community, the effectiveness of leadership, self-evaluation, and improvement planning, and governance require significant strengthening to drive school improvement and hold senior leaders accountable. Self-evaluationImprovement planningGovernanceAccountability
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Strong Core Subjects
Students achieve well in Arabic, Islamic education, and UAE social studies across all cycles, demonstrating secure knowledge and understanding.
Cultural & Islamic Values
Students apply a secure understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and their cultures to their daily lives.
Positive Relationships
Relationships among staff and students are courteous and based on mutual respect, fostering a positive school environment.
Active Community Partnerships
The school has active partnerships with parents and the community, promoting a sense of shared responsibility for student education.
Improved Attainment
Attainment and progress in Arabic and Islamic education in Cycle 3, and UAE social studies in Cycle 2, have improved to a Good level.
Academic Performance Breakdown
While internal assessment data often indicates higher attainment, observed classroom performance in English, Mathematics, and Science across all cycles is Acceptable. There is a consistent need to bridge the gap between internal data and actual student outcomes, particularly in developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical skills.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The new principal and vice principal, in post since May 2020, have focused on building stronger partnerships with parents, the board of governors, and the community. However, the overall effectiveness of leadership and management remains Acceptable, with a need for more rigorous self-evaluation, improvement planning, and monitoring of teaching and learning processes.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Attainment and progress are Good in Arabic, Islamic Education, and UAE Social Studies across all cycles, with some improvements noted. However, English, Mathematics, and Science remain Acceptable, with a discrepancy between internal assessment data and observed student performance, particularly in critical thinking and practical application.
Personal & Social Development
Students demonstrate a Good understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures. Relationships are courteous and respectful. However, overall personal development, social responsibility, and innovation skills are Acceptable, indicating a need for further development in these areas.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching for effective learning and assessment are Acceptable. Teachers need to raise expectations, engage students in active learning, and consistently differentiate work. The analysis and use of assessment data to inform lesson planning and track student progress require significant improvement.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and adaptation are Acceptable. The school promotes reading through various activities. However, there is a need for more subject-specific resources for hands-on learning, especially in mathematics, science, and the KG phase, and to create a systematic method for teaching phonics and reading.
Protection, Care & Support
This area has regressed to Acceptable due to inconsistent safeguarding arrangements, inadequate record-keeping, and insufficient staffing for guidance and support. Identification and provision for students of determination (SOD), gifted and talented, and other diverse learners are inconsistent and require effective implementation of the inclusion policy.
Areas for Development
- •Improve the quality of teaching and students’ achievements to a consistently good or better level in mathematics, science and English across all cycles by engaging students in active learning, raising expectations, providing opportunities for scientific investigation and practical skills, and differentiating work effectively.
- •Improve the quality of assessment to reach at least a good level by ensuring teachers effectively analyze assessment data, use it to modify lesson plans, monitor and track student progress, provide consistent and constructive written feedback, and share specific success criteria with students.
- •Improve the identification procedures and educational provision for more able, talented, and students with additional needs by appointing a suitably qualified SEN specialist, ensuring effective implementation of the school inclusion policy, and planning regular opportunities to develop their skills and nurture talents.
- •Improve school leadership to raise effectiveness to at least a good level by ensuring self-evaluation (SEF) is accurately aligned with the inspection framework, developing SMART improvement plans, rigorously monitoring teaching impact, reviewing staffing, and ensuring active governance that holds senior leaders accountable.