Al Khalil International Private School, Al Ain
ADEK Inspection Report & Ratings
Last updated
Executive Summary
Al Khalil International Private School has maintained an overall ADEK Irtiqa rating of Good for the academic year 2025-2026, demonstrating sustained efforts in improving provision and consistent quality across all areas since its last inspection in 2022.
Students' achievement in Arabic-medium subjects, including Arabic as a First Language, Islamic Education, and Social Studies, remains stable and Good across all cycles. In English-medium subjects, attainment in English is Acceptable in KG and Cycles 1-2, and Good in Cycle 3, with progress showing some regression. Mathematics attainment is Good across most cycles, though progress has regressed in Cycle 3. Science attainment is consistently Good, with progress rated Very Good in KG and Cycle 3. Learning skills are consistently Good.
The school shows strengths in students' personal and social development, teaching and assessment, and curriculum design, all rated Good. Health and safety, including child protection, is Very Good, and partnerships with parents are also Very Good. However, curriculum adaptation and the effectiveness of leadership are rated Acceptable and Good respectively, with governance regressing to Very Good, indicating areas for further development in monitoring and self-evaluation.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Al Khalil International Private School Overall Rating
Good for 2+ consecutive years
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement in Arabic-medium subjects, including Islamic Education, Arabic as a First Language, and Social Studies, remains consistently Good across all cycles. In English-medium subjects, attainment in English is Acceptable in KG and Cycles 1-2, and Good in Cycle 3, with progress showing some regression. Mathematics attainment is Good across most cycles, though progress has regressed in Cycle 3, while Science attainment is consistently Good with Very Good progress in KG and Cycle 3. Learning skills are consistently Good across all cycles. Arabic-medium subjectsEnglish-medium subjectsLearning skills
Students' personal and social development and innovation skills are rated Good across all phases. Students demonstrate respectful behavior, positive attitudes to learning, and strong relationships with teachers and peers. They show pride in UAE traditions, appreciate global diversity, and actively participate in environmental and community projects. positive attitudesUAE traditionsglobal diversity
Teaching and assessment practices are rated Good across all cycles. Teachers effectively plan lessons that meet curriculum standards and use questioning to check understanding. Assessment information is regularly reviewed, though the analysis of progress for different student groups requires further development. lesson planningquestioningassessment information
Curriculum design and implementation are rated Good across all cycles, providing balance, progression, and relevance. However, curriculum adaptation is Acceptable, as modifications to meet individual learning needs are not yet consistently applied throughout the school. balance, progression, and relevanceindividual learning needs
Health and safety, including child protection arrangements, is Very Good, with rigorous and effective safeguarding procedures, regular policy updates, and high-quality staff training. Care and support for students are Good, though support for students of determination is not yet personalized or consistently tracked for measurable impact. Attendance remains Good, fostering a caring and respectful environment. safeguardingchild protectionadditional learning needs
The effectiveness of leadership is Good, with leaders providing clear direction, promoting collaboration, and maintaining strong relationships with staff and parents, though monitoring of impact is developing. Self-evaluation and improvement planning are Acceptable, and governance has regressed to Very Good, requiring further strengthening of accountability structures. Management, staffing, facilities, and resources are Good. clear directioncollaborationmonitoring of impact
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Rigorous Health & Safety
The school consistently applies rigorous health, safety, and child protection procedures, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all students.
Effective Parent Partnerships
Partnerships with parents are effective and productive, with regular communication and active engagement in the life of the school.
Positive Student Attitudes
Students demonstrate positive attitudes toward their learning and behave respectfully, maintaining strong relationships with staff and peers.
Good Attendance Rates
Attendance rates are consistently Good across the school, contributing to a stable learning environment.
Academic Performance Breakdown
While internal assessment data often indicates attainment above curriculum standards, this does not consistently align with observed knowledge and skills in lessons, particularly in Arabic and English. Performance in standardized and international assessments (ACER-IBT, PISA, TIMSS) generally falls below school targets and international averages, highlighting a need for improved application of knowledge and skills in real-world contexts.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team demonstrates awareness of the importance of improving international assessment performance through a structured approach, with a dedicated committee overseeing participation and alignment with national priorities. While targets are set and results analyzed, monitoring systems and target-setting are not yet sufficiently sharp to secure improvements in student outcomes. The effectiveness of leadership is Good, promoting collaboration and strong relationships, but monitoring of impact is developing, and self-evaluation and improvement planning are Acceptable.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students generally attain above curriculum standards in Arabic-medium subjects, with strong reading and recitation skills, though writing in Arabic remains underdeveloped in lower cycles. In English, students show skills in line with curriculum standards, but analytical reading and extended writing need strengthening across all cycles. Mathematics attainment is Good, with strong fluency in operations, but mental calculation and data analysis skills are inconsistent. Science attainment is Good, with students demonstrating knowledge above expectations, but opportunities for independent inquiry are limited. Performance in international assessments (ACER-IBT, PISA, TIMSS) is generally below targets.
Personal & Social Development
Students' personal and social development and innovation skills are Good across all phases. They behave respectfully, show positive attitudes to learning, and maintain strong relationships with teachers and peers. Students demonstrate pride in UAE traditions, appreciate global diversity, and actively contribute to school life through environmental and community projects.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching for effective learning and assessment practices are Good across all cycles. Teachers plan lessons that meet curriculum standards and use questioning effectively to check understanding. Assessment information is regularly reviewed, but analysis of progress for different student groups is still developing, and feedback is not always specific or developmental enough to guide improvement.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation are Good, providing balance, progression, and relevance across all subjects. However, curriculum adaptation is Acceptable, as modifications to meet the individual learning needs of all students are not yet consistent across the school. Curriculum planning integrates international assessment frameworks, but consistent embedding of these practices and their impact on real-world application remain variable.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety, including child protection arrangements, is Very Good, with rigorous, effective, and well-established procedures, regular policy updates, and frequent, high-quality staff training. Care and support for students are Good, though support for students with additional learning needs, including students of determination, is not yet personalized or consistently tracked for measurable impact. Attendance remains Good, and the school maintains a caring and respectful environment.
Areas for Development
- •Raise students’ achievement to consistently Very Good or better across all core subjects and cycles by developing students’ extended writing and speaking skills in standard Arabic in cycles 1 and 2, enhancing the coherence, complexity, and accuracy of students' extended writing in English across all cycles, providing consistent challenge for high attainers in mathematics through differentiated, inquiry-based tasks, embedding opportunities in science for students to lead inquiry, think critically, and apply learning to real-life contexts, and increasing students’ active engagement, independence and use of learning technologies.
- •Improve teaching for effective learning, assessment, and curriculum by planning consistently differentiated lessons that meet the needs of all students, ensuring that questioning consistently promotes deeper thinking, using assessment information systematically to track the progress of individuals and groups, ensuring that teachers’ feedback is specific and developmental, and integrating learning technologies, inquiry tasks, and collaborative activities to increase student engagement and ownership of learning.
- •Enhance the students’ readiness for and attainment on international assessments by integrating assessment-style tasks and inquiry-based learning activities consistently in lessons, using performance data from TIMSS, PISA, and PIRLS to guide instruction, strengthening data analysis to identify trends and skill gaps, and developing a coherent whole-school strategy for TIMSS, PISA, and PIRLS preparation with clear accountability, milestones, and regular progress reviews.
- •Improve the impact of school leadership on student outcomes by strengthening the role of middle leaders in monitoring and evaluating teaching quality, ensuring improvement planning and self-evaluation are rigorous, evidence-based, data-driven, and regularly updated, and improving the accountability system of senior leaders to allow governors to measure leadership on student outcomes and school performance.