Dubai International Private School
Executive Summary
The Dubai International Private School provides an Acceptable quality of education, as determined by the 2023-2024 KHDA inspection. The school is noted for its students' well-developed personal and social skills, their respect for others, and a sound understanding of Islamic values, which are celebrated through student-led assemblies and events.
Significant improvements have been observed in Islamic Education and Arabic across the elementary and high school phases. The curriculum aligns with Ministry of Education standards and California State Standards, offering some course choices in high school. However, students in other subjects and phases, particularly in KG, are working at lower proficiency levels, and the quality of teaching is inconsistent, often failing to promote optimal student progress.
The school prioritizes health and safety, maintaining a safe learning environment and supporting students' wellbeing. New leadership teams are committed to school improvement and advancing students' skills, though a deeper understanding of the American curriculum and its teaching strategies is needed among some leaders. Relationships with parents and the wider community are a notable strength.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Dubai International Private School Overall Rating
Acceptable for 13+ consecutive years
Dubai Focus Areas
These three pillars represent the Dubai education authority's priorities: ensuring inclusive practices, prioritizing student wellbeing, and meeting UAE National Agenda targets.
The school welcomes students with diverse learning needs, but identification procedures for students of determination are not fully accurate, lacking reliable diagnostic testing. Provision and curriculum adaptations are inconsistent, and there is a need for qualified inclusive education leadership to ensure effective support and progress. students of determinationdiagnostic testinginclusive education leadership
Wellbeing policies and a clear vision are still under development, though survey data has been collected and analyzed. While stakeholders have some awareness, the impact on planning is yet to be fully realized. The curriculum promotes wellbeing through general initiatives, and students show growing independence in managing their own wellbeing. wellbeing visionsurvey datastudent council
The school has exceeded PIRLS 2021 targets, but MAP data remains below expectations in language usage, reading, science, and mathematics for all students, including Emirati students. Leaders use assessment information to adapt the curriculum, and interventions are having some positive impact on reading literacy, which is at an acceptable level overall. PIRLS 2021MAP datareading literacy
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Personal & Social Development
Students exhibit very good personal and social development, actively participating in and appreciating Emirati culture.
Care and Support
The school provides strong care and support for students, fostering positive relationships between teachers and students.
Academic Improvements
Notable improvements have been made in students' achievement in Islamic Education and Arabic across various phases.
Community Engagement
Strong relationships with parents and active links with the wider community are key strengths of the school.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Students show improvements in Islamic Education and Arabic, especially in elementary and high school. However, across other subjects and phases, students are working at lower proficiency levels, with inconsistent teaching impacting overall progress. High school performance generally surpasses other phases.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The school's leadership, including many new members, is in the early stages of developing a strategic direction focused on academic and personal wellbeing, alongside Islamic values. While committed, a deeper understanding of the American curriculum and its teaching strategies is needed. Self-evaluation processes are in place but require refinement for greater efficacy in school improvement planning.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Students show improvements in Islamic Education and Arabic, particularly in elementary and high school. However, proficiency in other subjects is lower across phases, and KG children are not reaching their full potential. Students demonstrate positive learning skills and a desire to learn in most phases.
Personal Development
Students exhibit well-developed personal and social skills, showing respect and concern for others. They have a strong understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture, actively participating in related events. They are responsible community members with a positive work ethic and awareness of environmental issues.
Teaching Quality
The quality of teaching is inconsistent, with some effective lessons, particularly in high school. Too many lessons do not promote student progress effectively, and teachers often do not use assessment data well for differentiation. While subject knowledge is sufficient, the balance between instruction and student independence needs improvement, especially in earlier phases.
Protection & Care
Health and safety are a priority, with effective policies, comprehensive staff training, and well-maintained facilities ensuring a safe environment. Students are aware of healthy lifestyles and know whom to approach for wellbeing. Positive relationships exist between students and staff, and high school students receive effective guidance for university applications, though identification of students of determination needs improvement.
Areas for Development
- •Ensure that governors are better informed of the needs of the school, including the need for effective leaders, teachers and resources.
- •Improve the management skills of middle leaders.
- •Strengthen all aspects of the provision for inclusion, including appropriately qualified leadership.
- •Improve teaching and learning, especially in English, mathematics and science.
- •Extend students’ reading skills.
- •Improve students' reading literacy skills across all areas of the curriculum.
- •Improve students' attainment levels on MAP language usage, reading, mathematics and science.
- •Identify a clear vision of wellbeing for all stakeholders and fully embed it into the core subjects across the school.
- •Support members of staff through ongoing informal and formal data collection, and analyze the results to ensure that their wellbeing needs are fully addressed.
- •Increase opportunities for students’ independent learning.
- •Raise students’ achievement in the middle school.
- •Improve students’ linguistic skills in the middle school.
- •Support students who are beginners of Arabic by providing opportunities to build linguistic skills within engaging learning experiences.
- •Improve all students’ literacy skills through focused instructional strategies.
- •Ensure that students have frequent opportunities to read literature and write responses to what has been read to strengthen their comprehension skills.
- •Provide students with more opportunities to apply their mathematical problem-solving skills.
- •Build students’ mathematical literacy skills.
- •Raise students' attainment in external assessments, especially in the elementary and middle schools.
- •Provide students with more opportunities to focus on developing scientific skills, especially in KG.
- •Ensure that students have more opportunities to be self-directed in their learning through independent and collaborative activities.
- •Increase opportunities for research across all subjects and grades.
- •Provide more opportunities for students to be involved in the wider community.
- •Create engaging learning environments through more self-directed learning opportunities, especially in the middle school.
- •Ensure that all teachers use assessment information more effectively to plan and deliver lessons that are well paced and include activities that meet students' learning needs.
- •Provide more opportunities for creativity and innovation within lessons.
- •Ensure that the breadth and depth of the curriculum standards are applied, so that all students have the full benefit of their grade level education.
- •Implement formal and informal diagnostic procedures to identify students of determination and those with gifts and talents more accurately.
- •Plan and provide alternative pathways for students with more complex needs from middle school onwards.
- •Establish a qualified and competent inclusive education leadership to ensure effective self-evaluation and improvement.
- •Use appropriate assessments to identify accurately students of determination and ensure that personalized support and intervention plans are in place.