Al Tafawq Private School - Al Dhaid
Executive Summary
Al Tafawq Private School, located in Al Dhaid, Sharjah, is a Ministry of Education curriculum school established in 1990. The school's overall effectiveness is rated Acceptable in the 2024-2025 inspection cycle, maintaining the same rating as the previous review cycle in 2023-2024. The school serves 556 students from KG through Cycle 3 (Grades 1-9), with Arabic as the medium of instruction.
The quality of students' achievements is generally Acceptable across most subjects and phases. Students achieve Good progress in Social Studies in Cycles 2 and 3, while English language achievement in KG remains Weak. Personal and social development is rated Good overall, with students demonstrating positive attitudes, respectful behaviour, and a strong understanding of Islamic values and UAE culture. The quality of teaching, assessment, and curriculum is Acceptable across all phases.
Key strengths include notable improvement in Social Studies achievement in Cycle 3, students' understanding of Islamic values and UAE cultural heritage, and positive and effective partnerships with parents. Areas requiring development include improving achievement quality across all subjects and phases, enhancing teaching and learning quality, and strengthening support for diverse student groups including students of determination and high-attaining students. The school also needs to develop the capacity of middle leaders to lead their departments more effectively.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Al Tafawq Private School - Al Dhaid Overall Rating
Acceptable for 3+ consecutive years
SPEA Performance Standards
The performance standards used by SPEA to evaluate school quality across Sharjah.
The school has 5 students of determination. Teachers are aware of the diverse learning needs of different student groups, including those with special educational needs, and occasionally adapt their approaches accordingly. However, planning learning activities to consistently meet the needs of all student groups, including students of determination and high-attaining students, remains an area under development. Students of DeterminationDifferentiationSupport
Students' personal development is rated Good overall, with students demonstrating self-discipline, mutual respect, and positive behaviour inside and outside classrooms. Attendance is 94.2%, which is a good rate. Students participate enthusiastically in a limited range of activities promoting healthy and safe lifestyles, though sports facilities are limited. Bullying incidents are rare and handled promptly by staff. Attendance 94.2%Healthy LifestylesSafe Environment
The school participates in the International Benchmark Test (IBT) with almost all students from Grades 3-9 taking part. Recent IBT results show Weak attainment in Arabic, Mathematics, and Science across all phases, and Weak attainment in English in Cycles 1 and 2. The school uses external assessment data to understand the gap between internal and external results, though analysis remains superficial and is not yet effectively used to inform planning. IBTInternational Benchmark TestNational Agenda
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Social Studies Improvement
Notable improvement in the quality of student achievement in Social Studies in Cycle 3, with students demonstrating Good progress in Cycles 2 and 3.
Islamic Values & UAE Culture
Students demonstrate clear understanding and appreciation of Islamic values and UAE cultural heritage, participating in national celebrations and cultural activities.
Parent Partnership
Positive and effective partnership relationships between the school and parents, with strong communication and parental engagement.
Student Behaviour & Conduct
Students exhibit good self-discipline and respectful behaviour towards peers and staff both inside and outside classrooms, with bullying incidents being very rare.
External Assessment Participation
Almost all students from Grades 3-9 participate in the International Benchmark Test (IBT), helping the school understand the gap between internal and external assessment results.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Overall student achievement is Acceptable across all phases and subjects. Social Studies shows Good progress in Cycles 2 and 3. English in KG remains Weak. IBT external results show Weak attainment in Arabic, Mathematics and Science across all phases, and Weak in English for Cycles 1 and 2, highlighting a significant gap between internal and external assessment data.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal demonstrates commitment to continuous improvement and the school has maintained its Acceptable rating. Leadership ensures consistent planning that contributes to improving student learning outcomes. However, the capacity of middle leaders to effectively lead their departments requires further development, and the use of assessment data to drive targeted teaching improvements remains an area for growth.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Overall student achievement is Acceptable across most subjects and phases. Students achieve Good progress in Social Studies in Cycles 2 and 3, representing a notable improvement. English in KG remains Weak. External IBT results reveal a significant gap with internal assessments, showing Weak attainment in Arabic, Mathematics and Science across all phases. High-attaining students are not consistently challenged to reach their full potential.
Personal Development
Personal and social development is rated Good overall. Students demonstrate positive attitudes, self-discipline, and mutual respect. They show strong understanding and appreciation of Islamic values and UAE cultural heritage. Attendance is 94.2%. Social responsibility and innovation skills remain Acceptable, with students participating in community initiatives, though most are school-organised rather than student-led.
Teaching Quality
Teaching and assessment quality is Acceptable across all phases. Most teachers have good subject knowledge and plan lessons with clear learning objectives. However, teachers rarely develop critical thinking, problem-solving and independent learning skills. Assessment data analysis is superficial and not effectively used to track student progress or provide appropriate levels of challenge and support for all student groups.
Protection & Care
The quality of student protection, care, guidance and support is Acceptable overall. All students feel safe and valued. Bullying incidents are rare and handled promptly. The school provides a friendly learning environment, though sports facilities are limited. Students participate in activities promoting healthy and safe lifestyles, though their health and safety decision-making is inconsistent.
Areas for Development
- •Improve the quality of student achievement across all subjects and all phases.
- •Improve the quality of teaching and learning processes across all phases.
- •Strengthen the support and challenge provided to different student groups in lessons, including students of determination and high-attaining students.
- •Develop the capacity of middle leaders in the school to effectively lead the departments they are responsible for.
- •Improve the quality of learning resources across all phases.