Al Nahda National Schools - Branch-girlsAmerican Curriculum, Subjects & QualificationsLast Updated: April 7, 2026

Al Nahda National School for Girls occupies a genuinely distinctive position in Abu Dhabi's private school landscape. Founded in 1983, the school offers one of the few dual-pathway programmes in the emirate: a common UK National Curriculum from KG through Grade 6, after which students choose between the British pathway (IGCSE, AS Level, A Level) — aligned with Cambridge International Examinations and Edexcel — or an American pathway (US High School Diploma with Advanced Placement), aligned with Common Core Standards in English and Mathematics and New Generation Science Standards. This dual-track model, sustained through to Grade 12, is rare among Abu Dhabi's 105 British curriculum schools and sets ANNSG apart from the majority of its peers.

Academic performance is strongest on the British pathway. In PISA 2022, British curriculum students at the school scored 533 in Reading, 532 in Mathematics, and 545 in Science — all comfortably above the PISA international averages of 476, 472, and 485 respectively. TIMSS 2023 results reinforce this picture: British curriculum students achieved 513 in Grade 4 Mathematics and 537 in Grade 8 Science, both above international benchmarks. In Arabic, the school's performance is a clear strength: Arabic as a First Language is rated Very Good across all phases, and Year 11 British section students achieved Outstanding attainment in IGCSE Arabic as a First Language. The school also received the ADEK Reading Prize, reflecting its whole-school investment in literacy. The American curriculum tells a more mixed story: PISA 2022 American curriculum scores of 430 in Reading, 435 in Mathematics, and 432 in Science all fell below international averages, and TIMSS 2023 American Grade 8 Mathematics came in at 466, below both the school's own target and the international benchmark of 478.

The school's most recent ADEK Irtiqaa inspection (2024–2025) maintained an overall rating of Good — consistent with the 2022 judgement and placing ANNSG among the 83 Good-rated schools in Abu Dhabi, the most common rating band in the city. Inspectors noted meaningful improvement in Phase 3 (Cycle 2) across Mathematics, Science, and English progress, and rated Teaching for Effective Learning as Very Good in Phase 3. Governance was rated Very Good, and health, safety, and safeguarding remained Very Good across all phases. The school's 1:10 student-to-teacher ratio compares favourably against the Abu Dhabi average of 13.6, supporting more individualised attention.

However, inspectors identified significant areas requiring attention. Assessment was downgraded from Good to Acceptable across all phases — a notable regression — with concerns about the reliability and moderation of internal attainment data. The American curriculum in Phase 4 (Cycle 3) was rated Acceptable, with inspectors finding it does not fully comply with American High School Diploma requirements, including insufficient elective course provision and inadequate career guidance alignment. Standardised MAP and GL assessments revealed Weak attainment in English, Mathematics, and Science across multiple phases in both curricula, even where progress ratings were more encouraging. The school has also undergone significant leadership transition — including a new Director General, Board Chair, and Principal — which introduces execution risk during an improvement cycle.

Compared to peer schools offering dual British-American pathways in Abu Dhabi, ANNSG's accreditation portfolio — spanning CIS, ECIS, NEASC, Cambridge International, and Edexcel — is genuinely comprehensive. The school's reading infrastructure, including two purpose-built libraries and digital platforms such as Achieve3000, Kutubee, and Raz-Kids, reflects serious investment in literacy. Specialist provision includes Students of Determination support, AP courses, and on-site testing centres for SAT, TOEFL, and IELTS. University destination data is not publicly available. For families weighing the British pathway, the international assessment scores are competitive; for those considering the American track, the current compliance gaps and below-average PISA scores warrant careful scrutiny before enrolment.