Al Manara Private School - MBZ, Abu Dhabi

Al Manara MBZ follows the Ministry of Education (MoE) UAE curriculum across all year groups from KG1 to Grade 12, augmented by an integrated STEAM framework that the school positions as its pedagogical differentiator. In practice, this means core subjects - Arabic, English, Islamic Education, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies - are delivered to national standards, while Design Technology, Arts, Music, and Physical Education carry the STEAM ethos of inquiry, creativity, and applied problem-solving. The curriculum design and implementation were rated Good across all cycles in the 2024/25 Irtiqa inspection, with inspectors noting that the MoE framework has a clear rationale and prepares students well for subsequent educational stages. On standardised assessments, the picture is genuinely encouraging. In the International Benchmark Test (IBT) 2024/25, most students in Cycles 1, 2, and 3 attained levels above expectations in Arabic, Mathematics, and Science. In Arabic specifically, IBT results showed Very Good attainment in Cycle 1 and Outstanding in Cycles 2 and 3 - a dramatic turnaround from Weak results just two years prior. MoE national examination results for AY 2023/24 showed Outstanding attainment in Islamic Education across all cycles and Outstanding attainment in Arabic across Cycles 1, 2, and 3. Mathematics attainment is rated Good across all cycles in both internal and external assessments, with IBT results confirming most students exceed curriculum expectations. In TIMSS 2023, Grade 8 students exceeded school targets in both Mathematics (490.36 vs target 482.65) and Science (499.43 vs target 474.76), placing at the intermediate international benchmark. Grade 4 results were below target in both subjects, indicating that upper secondary learning gains are not yet being seeded strongly enough in primary years. PISA 2022 scores - reading 392.2, mathematics 413, science 400 - sit below international averages, a candid reminder that the school's performance, while improving, has not yet reached the level of Abu Dhabi's stronger MoE schools. English language performance is the most variable strand. Attainment is Good in KG and Cycle 3 but remains Acceptable in Cycles 1 and 2 - a persistent gap that the Irtiqa report flags as a priority. Extended writing skills in both English and Arabic need strengthening across all cycles, and English reading fluency and speaking in Cycle 1 require targeted intervention. The school uses the Jolly Phonics programme for early English literacy, which is a sound evidence-based choice, but its impact has not yet fully filtered through the primary cycle. Science in KG regressed from Good to Acceptable between inspections, attributed directly to overly directive teaching that limits student exploration - a finding that sits awkwardly alongside the school's STEAM branding. The school has a science club and modern laboratories, and the subject recovers strongly in Cycles 1, 2, and 3, but the KG regression is a specific weakness to monitor. On inclusion provision, the school identifies 35 students of determination. Inspectors noted that identification processes are now well developed, but the number of formally identified students may still be understated, and in-school specialist services are not currently available. A gifted and talented identification system also needs further development. Academic support for different learner groups is differentiated at the classroom level, and data shows high attainers and gifted students often make Outstanding or Very Good progress even where cohort attainment is rated lower - suggesting teachers can stretch able students when the systems support it.