Al Yahar Private School And Kg - American
Executive Summary
Al Yahar Private School and KG, offering an American curriculum alongside the Ministry of Education curriculum, has maintained an Acceptable overall rating in its latest ADEK inspection for the AY 2024/25. The school serves a diverse student body across KG and Cycles 1-3, demonstrating consistent efforts in maintaining its educational standards.
Academically, attainment and progress in Arabic-medium subjects were generally sustained, though Arabic as a first language declined to Acceptable in Cycle 1. English achievement remained Acceptable in most cycles, reaching Good in Cycle 3. Mathematics progress showed regression in Cycles 2 and 3, while science achievement remained Acceptable across the school. Learning skills in Cycle 3 also declined to Acceptable, primarily due to communication and collaborative skills.
Students' personal development and awareness of Emirati and global cultures are rated Good, reflecting respectful behavior and positive attitudes. However, social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable. Teaching and assessment practices are generally Acceptable, with effective use of data for monitoring, though differentiation for diverse learners needs further development. Health and safety are Good, while care and support are Acceptable. Leadership and management across all areas remain Acceptable, with ongoing commitment to improvement.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Al Yahar Private School And Kg - American Overall Rating
Acceptable
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' attainment and progress are generally Acceptable across most subjects and cycles. While English achievement reached Good in Cycle 3, Arabic as a first language declined in Cycle 1, and mathematics progress regressed in Cycles 2 and 3. Learning skills also declined in Cycle 3. English achievementArabic as a first languageMathematics progress
Students demonstrate Good personal development and a strong understanding of Islamic values and Emirati/global cultures, exhibiting respectful behavior and positive attitudes. However, their social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable, with limited proactive initiative beyond the school context. Personal developmentEmirati and global culturesSocial responsibility and innovation skills
Teaching and assessment practices are Acceptable across the school, with teachers demonstrating secure subject knowledge and using real-life examples. The school utilizes MAP and IBT data to monitor learning, but teachers are still developing their capacity to effectively use this data for differentiation and adapting tasks to meet diverse student needs. Secure subject knowledgeMAP and IBT dataDifferentiation
Curriculum design, implementation, and adaptation are Acceptable in KG and all cycles. The school follows the California Common Core and Ministry of Education curricula, which are aligned with the school’s vision and national goals, providing a balanced and age-appropriate learning experience. California Common CoreMinistry of Education curriculumCurriculum adaptation
Health and safety provisions are Good, supported by well-established systems ensuring a secure and nurturing environment. Care and support remain Acceptable, with a dedicated inclusion team overseeing support for students of determination and high achievers, though provision for diverse learners is not yet consistently effective or targeted. Health and safetyCare and supportStudents of determinationHigh achievers
All areas of leadership and management are Acceptable, operating under a clear, values-driven vision aligned with national priorities. Leadership responsibilities are distributed, and communication with parents is effective. While there is a commitment to improvement, the overall capacity to innovate and raise standards is still developing. Values-driven visionDistributed responsibilitiesCapacity to innovate
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Strong Safeguarding
The school maintains robust safeguarding procedures and effectively promotes students’ understanding of healthy lifestyles.
Positive Student Conduct
Students exhibit good behavior, foster strong relationships, and contribute to a respectful environment, enhanced by positive staff-student connections.
Very Good Attendance
Students’ attendance rates at the school are consistently Very Good, reflecting a positive engagement with school life.
Cultural & Islamic Values
Students clearly understand how Islamic values shape daily life and demonstrate strong respect and appreciation for UAE culture.
English Achievement in Cycle 3
Students' achievement in English is rated Good in Cycle 3, indicating a strength in the upper secondary phase.
Academic Performance Breakdown
The school's performance in standardized and international assessments shows varied results, with some areas below international averages, particularly in PISA and TIMSS for the MoE stream. The American stream showed some strengths in TIMSS mathematics.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team demonstrates an ongoing commitment to improvement, operating with a clear, values-driven vision aligned with national priorities. While responsibilities are distributed and monitored effectively, the overall capacity to innovate and consistently raise standards is still developing.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students' attainment and progress are generally in line with curriculum standards across KG and all cycles in both streams. Internal assessment data indicates most students attain levels above curriculum standards, with some historical improvements in Islamic Education and American stream subjects. However, external assessments like IBT and MAP show areas of Weak and Very Weak attainment in core subjects, and PISA/TIMSS results are below international averages in several areas.
Personal & Social Development
Students exhibit Good personal development, displaying respectful behavior, positive attitudes, and responsible conduct. Their understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and global cultures is also Good. However, social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable, as students are not consistently proactive in taking initiative or leading purposeful contributions beyond the school.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching and assessment practices are Acceptable across the school, with teachers demonstrating secure subject knowledge and using real-life examples. The school effectively uses MAP and IBT data to identify learning gaps and track progress. However, teachers need to further develop their capacity to use this data for refining questioning and adapting tasks to meet the diverse needs of all students, including high-achievers and those requiring additional support.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
The curriculum design and implementation, following the California Common Core and Ministry of Education curricula, are Acceptable. The curricula are aligned with the school’s vision and UAE national goals, providing a balanced and age-appropriate learning experience. Curriculum adaptation is also Acceptable, though further tailoring is needed for higher-attainers and gifted students.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety provisions are Good, supported by well-established systems that ensure a secure and nurturing environment. The school promotes student well-being through planned activities and emotional health initiatives. Care and support are Acceptable, with a dedicated inclusion team, but provision for diverse learners, including students of determination and high achievers, is not yet fully consistent or effectively targeted in all cycles.
Areas for Development
- •Raise students’ attainment and progress to a consistently Good level in all core subjects and cycles by improving Qur’an recitation, developing historical event description skills, strengthening Arabic reading/writing fluency, improving English fluency and extended writing, enhancing problem-solving in mathematics, and developing inquiry and investigative skills in science.
- •Improve strategies and provision for effective teaching and assessment by developing consistent differentiation, fostering creativity and innovation, enhancing questioning skills, providing specific targeted feedback, and broadening extra-curricular activities and Cycle 3 electives to include AI, innovation, enterprise, and creativity skills.
- •Enhance students’ care and support across the school by improving admission procedures for students of determination, ensuring consistent implementation of support plans (IEPs, ALPs), reviewing and enhancing provision for higher-ability and gifted and talented students, and strengthening academic and career guidance for older students.
- •Ensure that the curriculum is well-designed, implemented, and adapted by fully embedding cross-curricular planning, broadening and developing high school electives that integrate AI and enhance innovation, strengthening curriculum scope and sequence, refining review processes to address learning gaps, and providing opportunities for enterprise, innovation, and social contribution.
- •Enhance the impact of school leadership by strengthening newly implemented systems for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning, providing clear and constructive feedback to teachers, increasing middle leaders’ visits to local schools for best practices, ensuring strong alignment between self-evaluation and development plans, measuring teacher training impact, providing targeted leadership training, and advancing plans to upgrade IT labs.
- •Improve results in International Assessments (TIMSS, PISA, PIRLS) by reviewing existing preparation approaches, analyzing previous results to refine teaching, strengthening preparation for upcoming PISA assessments, enhancing teachers' understanding of assessment frameworks, incorporating varied question types, providing higher-order thinking opportunities, conducting regular mock assessments, and encouraging test-taking strategies.