Bin Khaldun Private School branch Sharjah - Al Azra
Executive Summary
Bin Khaldun Private School, located in Al Azra, Sharjah, is a co-educational Arabic-medium school following the Ministry of Education curriculum for students from KG through Grade 12. The school has maintained an Acceptable overall effectiveness rating across multiple inspection cycles, reflecting a stable but stagnant performance trajectory that has persisted since the 2018 review.
The 2024-2025 inspection found notable improvements in student achievement in Islamic Education and Social Studies in Cycle 1, Mathematics in Cycles 2 and 3, and Science in Cycle 3. Student learning skills rose to Good in Cycle 3, and personal development, understanding of Islamic values, and UAE cultural awareness remained at the Good level. Teaching for effective learning was rated Good in Cycle 3, while assessment and curriculum quality remained Good. Student protection, care, and guidance also remained at the Good level.
Key areas requiring improvement include student achievement in English across all phases, raising Mathematics and Science outcomes to at least Good, improving Arabic attainment in Cycle 1, and more effectively using assessment data to differentiate instruction for all student groups including those with special educational needs and gifted and talented learners. Leadership, governance, and resource management remain at the Acceptable level and require sustained focus to drive school-wide improvement.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Bin Khaldun Private School - Al Azra Overall Rating
Acceptable for 3+ consecutive years
SPEA Performance Standards
The performance standards used by SPEA to evaluate school quality across Sharjah.
The school's procedures for identifying students with special educational needs are underdeveloped, resulting in very few students being formally identified. Support strategies exist for students with SEN and lower attainers, but the level of challenge and support available in most lessons is inconsistent and insufficiently effective. Curriculum adaptation to meet the needs of all student groups, including gifted and talented learners, requires further development. SEN supportdifferentiationidentification procedures
Student protection and care procedures are effective, with all staff trained in child protection policies and parents and students informed accordingly. The school provides a safe environment with appropriate supervision, including on school buses, and maintains clean, well-kept facilities. Student attendance is Good at 95%, and most students arrive on time; healthy lifestyle awareness is promoted through workshops and health education programmes. child protectionhealthy lifestyle95% attendance
The school participates in international benchmark assessments including IBT, PISA, TIMSS, and Arabic language assessments (Tala' and Mubakkir). IBT data for English shows most students met expected growth in 2024 across the three cycles, while Mathematics IBT results were weak in Grades 3, 5, 8, and 9. Science IBT results for Grades 5, 7, and 8 fell below international expectations, indicating a gap between internal assessment data and external benchmarks. IBTPISATIMSSbenchmark assessments
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Improved Subject Achievement
Notable improvement was recorded in Islamic Education and Social Studies in Cycle 1, Mathematics in Cycles 2 and 3, and Science in Cycle 3 compared to the previous inspection cycle.
Islamic Values & UAE Culture
Students demonstrate a good understanding of Islamic values and their influence on UAE society, and actively participate in cultural events such as Flag Day, Union Day, and Martyrs' Day.
Strong Cycle 3 Teaching
Teaching for effective learning in Cycle 3 was rated Good, with Arabic, Mathematics, and Science teachers demonstrating strong subject knowledge and effective questioning strategies to promote critical thinking.
Parent & Community Partnerships
The school's partnership relationships with parents and the community were rated Good, reflecting positive engagement and communication between the school and its stakeholders.
Student Safety Procedures
The school maintains effective student safety and child protection procedures, with trained staff, safe premises, proper supervision on buses, and well-maintained incident records.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Overall student achievement is rated Acceptable. Improvements were noted in Islamic Education and Social Studies (Cycle 1), Mathematics (Cycles 2 and 3), and Science (Cycle 3). English remains Acceptable across all phases and is a priority for improvement. Internal assessment data consistently overstates performance compared to what is observed in lessons and external benchmark results.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal and senior leadership team demonstrate genuine ambition and commitment to continuous school improvement, with self-evaluation processes that are generally realistic and accurate. However, the overall impact of leadership on school-wide performance remains limited, and strategic use of assessment data to drive instructional improvement and curriculum adaptation for all student groups requires significant development. Parent and community partnerships represent a notable strength within the leadership domain.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Overall student achievement is rated Acceptable, with improvements noted in Islamic Education and Social Studies (Cycle 1), Mathematics (Cycles 2 and 3), and Science (Cycle 3). English remains Acceptable across all phases and is identified as a priority area. A persistent gap exists between inflated internal assessment data and actual observed performance in lessons and external benchmark results, particularly in IBT Mathematics and Science.
Personal Development
Personal and social development is rated Good overall. Students demonstrate respectful and courteous relationships with staff and peers, and show a good understanding of Islamic values and UAE cultural heritage. Student attendance is Good at 95% and most students arrive on time. Social responsibility and innovation skills are rated Good in Cycles 2 and 3, with students participating in community volunteering and student council activities.
Teaching Quality
Teaching and assessment quality is rated Acceptable overall, with Cycle 3 teaching rated Good. Cycle 3 teachers in Arabic, Mathematics, and Science demonstrate strong subject knowledge and use effective questioning to promote critical thinking. However, differentiation strategies to meet the needs of all student groups remain underdeveloped across most phases, and written feedback to students is inconsistent and insufficiently constructive across subjects and year groups.
Protection & Care
Student protection, care, and guidance is rated Good. Effective child protection procedures are in place, all staff are trained in safeguarding policies, and the school provides a safe and well-supervised environment including on school buses. Facilities are clean and well-maintained. The school promotes healthy lifestyles through workshops and health education programmes, and social workers regularly monitor student wellbeing throughout the academic year.
Areas for Development
- •Improve the quality of student achievement in English across KG and all three cycles.
- •Raise the quality of student achievement in Mathematics and Science to at least Good.
- •Improve student attainment in Arabic (First Language) in Cycle 1.
- •Adapt the curriculum to meet the specific needs of all student groups, including students with special educational needs and gifted and talented students.
- •Make effective use of assessment data to account for differences in student needs and abilities during teaching and curriculum alignment to meet the needs of all student groups.