Australian School of Abu Dhabi
Executive Summary
The Australian School of Abu Dhabi has achieved an overall Good rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2024-2025 academic year, marking an improvement from its previous Acceptable judgment. The school, located in Shakhbout City, Abu Dhabi, demonstrates a strong commitment to the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.
Significant progress has been noted in students' achievement, particularly in Arabic-medium subjects and Science, with learning skills also showing improvement. The school's dedication to the IB philosophy is evident, especially in the Phase 4 Diploma Program, fostering inquiry-based learning and critical thinking. Teaching and assessment practices, along with curriculum design and adaptation, are rated Good across all phases.
While health and safety provisions remain strong, the provision for care and support requires further enhancement, currently rated Acceptable. Leadership and management have improved to Good, with effective senior and middle leadership driving positive change, though self-evaluation and governance are areas for continued development.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Australian School of Abu Dhabi Overall Rating
Good
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' progress has improved across most subjects, notably in Arabic-medium subjects and Science. While attainment in some phases and subjects remains Acceptable, there is consistent Good or Very Good performance in the Phase 4 IB Diploma Program. Learning skills have also shown improvement. Arabic-medium subjectsScienceIB Diploma Program
Students' personal development, understanding of Islamic values, Emirati and world cultures, and social responsibility are rated Good across most phases. Students demonstrate positive attitudes and engage actively with the community, though innovation skills are still developing in Phase 1. Islamic valuesEmirati and world culturessocial responsibility
Teaching for effective learning and assessment practices are rated Good across all phases. Teachers demonstrate good knowledge of the IB curriculum and effectively use assessment data to adapt lessons, with Phase 4 teachers showing particular skill in tailoring work to student needs. IB Curriculumassessment data
Curriculum design, implementation, and adaptation are rated Good. Senior leaders possess a strong understanding of the IB curriculum, offering a reasonable range of choices and links. However, curriculum modifications and innovative practices are still in a developmental stage. IB curriculumCurriculum design and implementation
Health and safety provisions, including child protection, are Good, ensuring a safe and secure environment. However, the overall provision for care and support remains Acceptable, with low identification numbers for students with additional learning needs and inconsistent support for gifted and talented students. Health and safetyCare and support
Leadership and management have improved to Good, with effective senior and middle leadership positively impacting standards. While parent and community engagement, management, staffing, facilities, and resources are Good, self-evaluation, improvement planning, and governance remain Acceptable. Effectiveness of leadershipSelf-evaluation and improvement planning
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Improved Student Progress
Students have shown improved progress across most subjects, particularly in Arabic-medium subjects and Science.
Enhanced Learning Skills
Students' learning skills, including collaboration and real-world connections, have significantly improved.
Strong IB Commitment
The school demonstrates a strong commitment to the International Baccalaureate philosophy, especially in the Phase 4 Diploma Program.
Effective Student Care
Overall arrangements for student care, welfare, and guidance ensure a supportive, safe, and secure learning environment.
Leadership Impact
The quality of senior and middle leadership has positively impacted raising school standards and overall student achievement.
Overall Rating Improvement
The school's overall judgment has improved from Acceptable to Good since the previous inspection.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Overall progress has improved across most subjects, particularly in Arabic-medium subjects and Science. Attainment in English, Islamic Education, and Science has also improved in specific phases, while Mathematics attainment and progress remain Acceptable in Phases 1-3.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
Senior leaders demonstrate dedication and hard work, driving improvements in teaching and student achievement. They maintain effective communication with parents, fostering positive morale. However, the governing body needs to enhance its expertise and accountability mechanisms, and self-evaluation processes require further development to be more analytical and linked to improvement plans.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students show improved progress across most subjects, with strong performance in Phase 4 IB Diploma. Attainment in Arabic-medium subjects and Science has seen positive shifts in several phases, though some subjects and phases still require focused improvement in attainment.
Personal & Social Development
Students exhibit good personal development, positive attitudes, and a strong understanding of Islamic values, Emirati, and world cultures. They actively engage in community and environmental projects, reflecting good social responsibility, though innovation skills are still developing, particularly in younger phases.
Teaching & Assessment
Teachers demonstrate good knowledge of the IB curriculum and effectively use a wide range of assessment data to adapt lessons. Students are encouraged to showcase learning through projects, but there is a need for more consistent high expectations and differentiated challenge across all subjects and phases.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
The curriculum is well-designed and implemented, with senior leaders showing good understanding of the IB framework and offering reasonable choices. However, curriculum modifications to cater to all student groups and innovative practices are still at a developmental stage and need further embedding.
Protection, Care & Support
The school provides a safe and secure environment with good health and safety arrangements. However, the provision for care and support is Acceptable, with low identification rates for students with additional learning needs and inconsistent support for gifted and talented students, requiring a review of processes and intervention programs.
Areas for Development
- •Raise standards of attainment in all subjects to at least good and progress to Very Good, by ensuring effective recitation skills from the Quran, providing more opportunities for higher-order reading skills, developing knowledge of UAE history and economy, focusing on word problems in mathematics, improving English language skills, establishing student-centered learning, enhancing practical laboratory skills, and improving research, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
- •Enhance the quality of teaching, assessment, curriculum, and the care and support of students by ensuring consistently high teacher expectations, better adapted lesson planning with differentiated challenge, more effective use of assessment data, consistent constructive feedback, opportunities for self and peer assessment, developing subject choices for older students, and fully establishing curriculum modifications.
- •Enhance students’ protection, care, and support across phases by reviewing emergency evacuation protocols, further embedding healthy lifestyle education, fully implementing rigorous systems to identify all students with additional learning needs and those who are gifted and/or talented, strengthening intervention programs, and emphasizing regular attendance and healthy eating.
- •Improve the impact of school leadership to a Very Good level by ensuring the Self-Evaluation Form (SEF) is more focused and analytical, actions in the School Development Plan (SDP) are measurable and impact-focused, providing high-quality professional development, ensuring leaders can accurately monitor teaching and provide feedback, enhancing technology and hands-on resources, and ensuring governance has diverse stakeholder representation and accountability expertise.
- •Improve results in the International Assessments TIMSS, PISA, and PIRLS by reviewing existing approaches to preparation, analyzing previous results to build on successful strategies, strengthening preparation for upcoming PISA assessments, and enhancing teachers' understanding of international assessment frameworks.