Belvedere International School
Executive Summary
Belvedere International School, a British curriculum school in Hili, Al Ain, has maintained an Acceptable overall rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2024-2025 academic year. This indicates steady performance with ongoing areas for development.
The school has demonstrated significant improvements in Arabic-medium subjects, with attainment and progress rising across several phases, particularly in Arabic as a first language, Islamic Education, and Social Studies. However, English-medium subjects have shown a decline in some areas, with a continued focus on knowledge acquisition over skill development impacting student outcomes in Mathematics and Science.
While the school ensures a Very Good level of health and safety and provides Good care and support for students, including those with additional learning needs, leadership and management remain Acceptable. Key recommendations focus on raising attainment and progress across all core subjects, improving teaching and assessment strategies, and enhancing the impact of school leadership.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Belvedere International School Overall Rating
Acceptable
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement is rated Acceptable overall, with notable improvements in Arabic-medium subjects across several phases. However, English-medium subjects have seen a decline in attainment and progress, particularly in Mathematics and Science, where a focus on knowledge acquisition over skill development is observed. Arabic-medium subjectsEnglish-medium subjects
Students' personal and social development is rated Good, with consistently good attendance and strong appreciation for Islamic values, national identity, and cultural diversity. Social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable, with varying levels of participation in community and environmental initiatives. Islamic valuesnational identitycultural diversity
Teaching and assessment are rated Acceptable overall, with stronger practices observed in Arabic-medium subjects. While teachers use varied activities, the promotion of critical thinking, problem-solving, and consistent challenge for high-attaining students remains underdeveloped across all phases. critical thinkingproblem-solvinghigh-attaining students
The curriculum is rated Acceptable for both design and adaptation, promoting UAE culture and Islamic values. It is reasonably broad and balanced, but an overemphasis on knowledge acquisition in Science and Mathematics hinders the development of subject-specific skills, and adaptation for EAL students needs improvement. UAE cultureIslamic valuesskill development
Protection, care, guidance, and support are rated Very Good for health and safety, and Good for care and support. The school provides a safe, secure, and inclusive environment with strong safeguarding and comprehensive support for students with additional learning needs, though identifying and supporting gifted and talented students is still developing. health and safetysafeguardingadditional learning needs
Leadership and management are rated Acceptable for effectiveness and self-evaluation, and Good for partnerships, governance, and resources. Recent leadership changes, including a new middle leadership tier, are developing, with leaders committed to improving teaching consistency and student progress, supported by strong parent partnerships. leadership changesparent partnershipsschool improvement
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Rigorous Health & Safety
The school maintains systematic and effective policies and procedures, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all students.
Support for SEN Students
Well-established processes ensure timely and accurate identification and tailored support for students with additional learning needs.
Improved Arabic Subjects
Student attainment and progress in Arabic-medium subjects have improved, reflecting strengthened instructional practices and teaching quality.
Strong Parent Partnerships
School leaders foster strong partnerships with parents, actively involving them in learning and decision-making processes.
Inclusive Cultural Environment
The school cultivates a positive and inclusive environment, seamlessly integrating UAE culture, heritage, and Islamic values into daily life.
Proactive Middle Leadership
Middle leaders demonstrate a reflective and proactive approach, contributing effectively to school improvement and driving positive change.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Students' achievement in Arabic-medium subjects has improved across several phases, with notable progress in Arabic as a first language, Islamic Education, and Social Studies. Conversely, English-medium subjects, including Mathematics and Science, have shown a decline in attainment in some phases, attributed to changes in leadership and a focus on knowledge acquisition over skill development.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team, including a newly introduced middle leadership tier, is committed to enhancing teaching consistency and student progress, particularly in Arabic-medium subjects. They foster strong partnerships with parents and are supported by a governing board focused on serving the local community, though the full impact of leadership changes is still developing.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students' achievement shows improvement in Arabic-medium subjects across phases, with some notable progress. However, English-medium subjects have declined in attainment and progress, particularly in Mathematics and Science, due to an overemphasis on knowledge acquisition and recent leadership changes.
Personal & Social Development
Students demonstrate good personal development and understanding of Islamic values, national identity, and cultural diversity. Social responsibility and innovation skills are acceptable, with students showing community awareness but varying levels of participation in initiatives.
Teaching & Assessment
The quality of teaching is acceptable overall, with stronger practices in Arabic-medium subjects. While engaging lessons are planned, critical thinking, problem-solving, and consistent challenge for high-attaining students remain underdeveloped, and assessment use needs enhancement for timely feedback.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and adaptation are acceptable, promoting UAE culture and Islamic values. However, an overemphasis on knowledge acquisition in Science and Mathematics hinders skill development, and the curriculum needs better adaptation for the significant EAL student population.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety are very good, with strong safeguarding and effective supervision. Care and support are good, providing comprehensive support for students with additional learning needs, though the identification and support for gifted and talented students are still developing.
Areas for Development
- •Raise students’ attainment and progress to a consistently good or better level in all core subjects and phases by improving students’ attainment to at least a good level, particularly in EMS, achieving targets for international benchmark assessments, improving thinking, reasoning, and application skills in mathematics and science, developing independent learning skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, and extending the school-wide focus on reading in both Arabic and English.
- •Improve strategies and provision for effective teaching, assessment, and curriculum by raising teachers’ expectations for high attainers and gifted and talented students, improving teaching strategies to meet individual needs through assessment analysis, improving phonics and scientific thinking instruction, enhancing formative and summative assessments for timely feedback, ensuring curriculum planning focuses on subject-related skills, adapting the curriculum for EAL students, and improving identification and support for gifted and talented students.
- •Improve the impact of school leadership further by defining clear roles and responsibilities within the senior leadership team using a distributed leadership model, increasing accountability of senior and middle leaders for school performance, providing targeted professional development for middle leaders, monitoring comprehensive data analysis to accelerate student progress, implementing standardized criteria for data analysis in self-evaluation reports, and enhancing monitoring of teaching and learning to align with the UAE School Inspection Framework.
- •Improve outcomes in TIMSS, PISA and PIRLS international assessments and aim to meet the set targets by strengthening students’ conceptual understanding and application of knowledge through inquiry-based and cross-disciplinary learning, ensuring curriculum coverage aligns with cognitive demands of assessments, using assessment data diagnostically for targeted interventions, and increasing students’ familiarity with test formats through regular practice.