Canadian International School
Executive Summary
The Canadian International School has achieved an Outstanding overall rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2023-2024 academic year. This marks a significant improvement since the previous inspection, with the school demonstrating exceptional effectiveness across various key performance standards. The school is highly regarded for its commitment to providing a high-quality Canadian curriculum.
Key strengths include outstanding students' achievements in English, mathematics, and science across upper elementary, junior high, and senior high, with notable improvements in lower elementary. Teaching and assessment practices are consistently effective and have improved to an Outstanding level across all phases, supported by sustained professional development. Students' learning skills are also outstanding in upper elementary, junior, and senior high.
The school's leadership and management are highly effective, ensuring high-quality teaching and learning, fostering positive staff morale, and demonstrating a strong capacity for sustained improvement. Partnerships with parents are very strong, reflecting a shared responsibility for students' education. Curriculum adaptation and implementation are also evaluated as Outstanding.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Canadian International School Overall Rating
Outstanding
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievements in English, mathematics, and science are outstanding across upper elementary, junior high, and senior high, with significant improvements noted in lower elementary. Learning skills are also outstanding in these phases, positively impacting overall attainment. However, achievements in Arabic medium subjects require further development to align with other subjects. EnglishMathematicsScienceLearning Skills
Students demonstrate very good personal development, social responsibility, and innovation skills across all cycles. However, their understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures is acceptable, indicating an area for further enhancement. Personal DevelopmentSocial ResponsibilityInnovation Skills
Teaching and assessment practices are outstanding across all phases, consistently effective, and supported by positive classroom atmospheres. Continued professional development for teachers has been a key factor in this improvement, ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all students. Effective LearningAssessmentProfessional Development
Curriculum design and implementation are outstanding, with curriculum adaptation rated as very good overall. The curriculum effectively supports students' learning and development, although specific adaptations for higher-attaining students in Arabic medium subjects could be enhanced. Curriculum DesignCurriculum ImplementationCurriculum Adaptation
Health and safety provisions, including child protection and safeguarding arrangements, are very good. However, the overall care and support for students have regressed to a good quality since the previous inspection, indicating a need for renewed focus in this area. Health and SafetyChild ProtectionSafeguarding
The effectiveness of leadership, school self-evaluation, and improvement planning are outstanding. The principal and leaders ensure high-quality teaching and learning, fostering positive relationships and good staff morale. Partnerships with parents and governance are very good, demonstrating a strong capacity for sustained improvement. Effectiveness of LeadershipSelf-EvaluationImprovement PlanningParent Partnerships
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Outstanding Academic Achievement
Students' achievements in English, mathematics, and science are outstanding in upper elementary, junior, and senior high, reflecting high levels of attainment and progress.
Improved Teaching & Assessment
Teaching and assessment practices have improved to an outstanding level across all phases, driven by sustained professional development and effective pedagogical approaches.
Effective Leadership
The leadership of the principal and other leaders is outstanding, ensuring high-quality education, positive staff morale, and a strong capacity for ongoing improvement.
Strong Parent Partnerships
Parents are highly engaged partners in their children's education, collaborating closely with staff to provide effective support for all students.
Outstanding Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum design and implementation are outstanding, providing a rich and relevant learning experience for students.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Students' achievements in English, mathematics, and science have significantly improved to outstanding levels across upper elementary, junior high, and senior high, and in English for lower elementary. Attainment in Arabic medium subjects remains good, with progress generally very good or good, but requires further enhancement to align with other subjects.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership, spearheaded by the principal, is highly effective and ensures that teaching, learning, and assessment are of the highest quality. They foster positive relationships and good morale among staff, acting as powerful drivers for the school's ongoing improvement. The leadership demonstrates a very good capacity to maintain future improvements.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students' achievements in English, mathematics, and science are outstanding across most phases, with strong performance in international assessments like PISA. However, attainment in Arabic medium subjects, including Islamic Education, Arabic as a first language, Arabic as a second language, and UAE Social Studies, remains good, with progress generally very good or good, indicating a need for targeted improvement.
Personal & Social Development
Students demonstrate very good personal development, social responsibility, and innovation skills. They engage in various activities promoting reading and cultural awareness. However, their understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures is acceptable, suggesting room for deeper engagement.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching and assessment practices are outstanding across the school, characterized by consistently effective instruction and positive classroom environments. Teachers utilize diagnostic tests and internal assessment systems to track progress and provide targeted support, contributing to high levels of student achievement.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation are outstanding, with curriculum adaptation rated as very good. The school effectively uses online practice materials and reviews previous assessment questions to adapt the curriculum, particularly for international assessments. However, differentiation for higher-attaining students in Arabic medium subjects needs enhancement.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety, including child protection and safeguarding arrangements, are very good. The school provides additional support for students with reading difficulties through specialist staff and learning centers. However, the overall care and support for students have regressed to a good quality, requiring renewed attention.
Areas for Development
- •Improve students’ achievement in Arabic medium subjects so they are outstanding and align with other subjects by ensuring that the current very good progress in Islamic education and social studies results in higher levels of attainment.
- •Raise the current good level of attainment in Arabic as a first language and Arabic as a second language across the school, and accelerate progress for different groups of students, ensuring differentiated work for higher-attaining and gifted and talented students.
- •Engage students in collaborative group work in lessons in Arabic medium subjects so they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- •Improve aspects of the leadership so that there is more impact on achievements in Arabic medium subjects by ensuring greater integration between the English and Arabic departments and sharing best practices.
- •Align with all the expectations of ADEK's inclusion policy.