Al Marfa International School, operating under both the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) and Indian National Curriculum (INC) frameworks, has received an Acceptable overall rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2024-2025 academic year. The school's performance has remained consistent since the previous inspection, with varied achievements across different subjects and cycles.
While some English-medium subjects like Mathematics and Science have shown improvement, particularly in Cycles 1 and 3, Arabic-medium subjects have seen mixed results, with some areas declining to Weak. Teaching and assessment practices are inconsistent, especially in KG, lacking effective differentiation and robust use of assessment data. The curriculum, while aiming to develop understanding of UAE culture, requires further adaptation and breadth, particularly in KG.
Key strengths include strong student attitudes and behavior in Cycles 2 and 3, very good attendance rates, and improved achievement in Mathematics and Science. However, the inspection highlighted significant areas for development, including strengthening core subject skills, improving teaching quality and assessment use, enhancing health and safety provisions, and developing leadership's understanding of best practices and self-evaluation systems.
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Al Marfa International School Overall Rating
Acceptable
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement is rated Acceptable overall, though with significant variations across subjects and cycles. While Mathematics and Science have shown improvement in some cycles, Arabic and English subjects, particularly in KG, have declined to Weak attainment and progress. Learning skills also regressed to Weak in KG. MathematicsScienceWeak
This area is rated Acceptable across all cycles. Students demonstrate positive personal development, understanding of Islamic values, and awareness of Emirati and world cultures. Social responsibility and innovation skills are also at an acceptable level, contributing to productive learning environments in Cycles 2 and 3. AcceptableEmirati and world cultures
Teaching and assessment are rated Acceptable overall, but are Weak in KG. Teachers often lack effective strategies for engagement and differentiation, with lessons primarily planned at a whole-class level. Internal assessment systems are not consistently reliable, and assessment data is not effectively used to inform teaching or provide actionable feedback for student improvement. Weakdifferentiationassessment data
The curriculum is rated Acceptable overall, but Weak in KG. Curriculum design, implementation, and adaptation require further development, especially in KG where breadth and balance are lacking. Cross-curricular links are weak, and modifications do not effectively meet the diverse needs of all student groups. Weakbreadth and balancecross-curricular links
This standard is consistently rated Acceptable across all cycles. However, weaknesses exist in supervision, maintenance, and record-keeping. Systems for identifying and supporting students of determination (SoD) and gifted and talented (G&T) students are underdeveloped, leading to their needs not being fully met. Acceptablestudents of determinationgifted and talented
Leadership and management are rated Acceptable overall, but specific indicators like self-evaluation and improvement planning, and management of facilities, staffing, and resources are Weak. While leaders show adequate vision, evaluation systems lack rigor, and day-to-day management is inefficient, impacting the learning environment and resource provision. Weakself-evaluationmanagement of facilities
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Students' achievement in Mathematics and Science has improved, reflecting levels above curriculum standards in several cycles.
Students’ attitudes, behavior, and relationships in Cycles 2 and 3 are strong, fostering productive learning environments.
The school maintains very good overall attendance rates across all cycles.
Curriculum planning effectively enables students to develop their understanding of UAE culture, heritage, and society.
Overall, students' performance in Arabic-medium subjects has shown varied achievement, with some areas declining and a few showing improvement. English-medium subjects also show varied performance, with Mathematics and Science demonstrating notable progression in some cycles.
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
School leaders demonstrate an adequate vision and commitment to inclusion, maintaining acceptable effectiveness and partnerships with parents and the community. However, their self-evaluation systems are weak, and improvement planning lacks coherence and rigor. Governance is acceptable but requires more rigorous monitoring, and day-to-day management, including facilities and resources, has declined to weak due to inefficiencies.
Students' achievement varies significantly across subjects and cycles. While some subjects like Mathematics and Science show improvement, others, particularly in KG, have declined to Weak. Internal assessment data often shows higher attainment than observed in lessons, and there's a lack of external benchmarking for many subjects.
Students' personal and social development, along with innovation skills, are Acceptable across all cycles. Students demonstrate secure listening skills in Arabic, and positive attitudes and behavior in Cycles 2 and 3 contribute to productive learning environments. However, purposeful reading and writing skills require further development.
Teaching and assessment are Acceptable overall but Weak in KG. Teachers often lack effective strategies for student engagement, motivation, and differentiation. Internal assessment systems are unreliable, and assessment data is not consistently used to inform teaching or provide specific, actionable feedback, hindering progress for diverse student groups.
Curriculum design, implementation, and adaptation are Acceptable overall but Weak in KG. The KG curriculum lacks breadth and balance, and cross-curricular links are weak, limiting students' ability to apply learning. Curriculum modifications are insufficient to meet the diverse needs of all student groups, including those with additional learning needs.
Health and safety, care, guidance, and support for students are Acceptable across all cycles. However, supervision weaknesses require immediate attention, and maintenance and record-keeping are inconsistent. Systems for identifying and supporting students of determination and gifted and talented students remain underdeveloped, leading to their needs not being fully met.