Al Minhaj Private School, Abu Dhabi
ADEK Inspection Report & Ratings
Last updated
Executive Summary
Al Minhaj Private School has maintained its overall Good rating in the latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2025-2026 academic year, demonstrating a sustained commitment to quality education. The school's leadership provides clear strategic direction, fostering a safe and respectful learning environment where students exhibit positive attitudes and respect for Islamic values and Emirati culture.
Academically, students consistently make Good progress in most subjects, particularly in Arabic-medium subjects like Arabic as a First Language and Islamic Education. Notable improvements have been observed in Mathematics and Science in Cycles 2 and 3, with attainment and progress rising. Learning skills are consistently Good across all phases, with students enjoying collaboration and making real-life connections, although higher-order thinking skills are still developing.
Areas identified for development include strengthening students' higher-order thinking and extended writing skills in English, enhancing curriculum options and adaptation in Cycle 3, and improving the consistency of in-class support for students of determination. The school is also encouraged to refine its self-evaluation processes to focus more on the impact of actions on student progress and to strengthen accountability mechanisms across all leadership levels.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Al Minhaj 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 generally make good progress across most subjects, with particular strengths in Arabic-medium subjects. Significant improvements in attainment and progress are noted in Mathematics and Science for Cycles 2 and 3. While English attainment remains Acceptable across phases, learning skills are consistently Good, though higher-order thinking is still developing. Arabic-medium subjectsMathematicsScienceLearning skills
Students demonstrate good personal development, positive attitudes, self-discipline, and respectful relationships. They show a clear understanding and appreciation of Islamic values and Emirati culture. However, social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable, as students rarely take initiative in leading or designing activities. Islamic valuesEmirati culturesocial responsibilityinnovation skills
Teaching for effective learning is Good, characterized by purposeful and well-structured lessons where questioning is used effectively. Assessment practices are coherent and consistent, utilizing a comprehensive range of data. However, the use of assessment information to plan learning and address individual needs varies across subjects and grade levels. purposeful lessonseffective questioningassessment dataindividual needs
Curriculum design is Good in KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2, showing clear rationale and progression. In Cycle 3, it is Acceptable, with a greater emphasis on knowledge acquisition over skills development and narrow curricular options. Curriculum adaptation is Acceptable across all cycles, with inconsistent opportunities for enhanced challenge and enrichment, especially for higher-attaining students. curriculum designskills developmentcurricular optionscurriculum adaptation
Health and safety, including child protection and safeguarding arrangements, are Good, supported by effective maintenance and a redevelopment plan for learning spaces. Care and support are Acceptable, with adequate differentiation for students of determination but a need for more systematic career guidance and consistent in-lesson provision for all student groups. health and safetysafeguardingcare and supportstudents of determinationcareer guidance
The effectiveness of leadership is Good, with senior leaders providing clear strategic direction and stability. Self-evaluation and improvement planning are Acceptable, as monitoring focuses more on teaching processes than on the impact on student progress. Partnerships with parents are Good, while governance is Acceptable, with its impact on raising academic performance still developing. Management and resources are Good. strategic directionself-evaluationgovernanceparent partnerships
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Consistent Academic Progress
Students consistently make good progress across most subjects, with particular strengths in Arabic-medium subjects like Islamic Education and Arabic as a First Language.
Improved Math & Science
Significant improvements in attainment and progress have been observed in Mathematics and Science, particularly in Cycles 2 and 3.
Positive Student Attitudes
Students demonstrate positive attitudes, self-discipline, and respect for Islamic values and Emirati culture, contributing to a harmonious school environment.
Clear Leadership Vision
Leaders articulate a clear vision and demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous improvement, providing stable strategic direction for the school.
Safe & Inclusive Environment
Positive relationships and consistent behavior systems foster a safe, calm, and inclusive learning environment, supported by good health and safety measures.
Active Parental Engagement
Parents and the wider community are actively engaged and supportive, contributing positively to students’ learning and school life.
Academic Performance Breakdown
The school's internal assessment data for AY2024/25 often indicates higher attainment and progress levels than observed in lessons or external benchmark tests like ACER IBT and PISA/TIMSS, which show areas of Weak and Very Weak performance in some subjects and cycles.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team at Al Minhaj Private School provides clear strategic direction and maintains stability, fostering positive partnerships with parents and ensuring efficient management of resources. While effective in many areas, leaders are working to enhance their self-evaluation processes to focus more analytically on the impact of actions on student progress and to strengthen governance oversight for academic outcomes.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students demonstrate good progress across most subjects, particularly in Arabic and Islamic Education. Improvements are noted in Mathematics and Science in Cycles 2 and 3. However, attainment in English remains Acceptable, and external assessments (ACER IBT, PISA, TIMSS) indicate areas for improvement in core subjects.
Personal & Social Development
Students show good personal development, positive attitudes, and a strong understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture. While they engage in school activities, their social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable, with limited initiative in leading projects independently.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching is generally good, with purposeful and well-structured lessons. Questioning is effective, though critical thinking dialogue needs further consistency. Assessment processes are coherent, but the use of data to address individual student needs varies across subjects and grades.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design is good in KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2, with clear progression. In Cycle 3, it is Acceptable, focusing more on knowledge than skills and offering narrow options. Curriculum adaptation is Acceptable across all cycles, with inconsistent challenge and enrichment for higher-attaining and gifted students.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety, including child protection, are good. However, care and support are Acceptable, requiring more systematic career guidance and consistent in-class provision for students of determination to meet their diverse needs effectively.
Areas for Development
- •Raise attainment and accelerate progress across all core subjects and cycles by strengthening students' Qur’anic recitation, Tajweed accuracy, and memorization, improving reading fluency, comprehension, and extended writing in both English and Arabic, and enhancing conceptual understanding, reasoning, and inquiry-based skills in mathematics and science.
- •Improve the quality of teaching, assessment, and curriculum implementation by strengthening the systematic use of assessment data to inform teaching and targeted intervention, enhancing formative assessment and feedback practices, and integrating creativity, enterprise, and innovation opportunities more consistently into daily lessons.
- •Strengthen inclusion, care, and guidance provision by improving early identification systems and tracking of progress for students of determination, providing systematic pastoral and academic guidance in Cycle 3, and improving the consistency and effectiveness of in-class support for all groups of students.
- •Enhance leadership capacity and governance impact by strengthening the strategic impact of senior leaders, developing the evaluative capacity of all leaders to analyze performance, enhancing the quality and follow-up of monitoring with a focus on evaluating the impact of teaching on students' learning, and strengthening accountability mechanisms.
- •Improve students’ performance in international assessments (TIMSS, PIRLS, and PISA) by embedding inquiry-based and analytical learning tasks, aligning teaching strategies and assessment design with cognitive demands of international tests, and conducting regular progress reviews and targeted training.