Dubai Schools - Nad AlShiba
Executive Summary
Dubai Schools Corporation Nad AlShiba L.L.C. is an American curriculum school located in Nad Al Shiba Fourth, Dubai, established in 2022 and serving students from KG 1 to Grade 7. Following its 2024-2025 DSIB inspection, the school received an overall rating of Acceptable, reflecting a school that demonstrates notable strengths in its early years provision and student wellbeing while facing challenges in academic attainment across its elementary and middle phases.
The school's Kindergarten phase stands out as a particular strength, with good teaching, good learning skills, and good progress in English, mathematics and science. However, attainment in English, mathematics and science is weak in both the elementary and middle phases, and Arabic attainment is weak in the middle phase. The New York State Standards and MoE framework provide a balanced curriculum, though innovation programmes are not yet fully embedded and cross-curricular links require further development.
Inspectors highlighted the school's strong safeguarding arrangements, the leadership of the principal and leadership teams, and the school's commitment to inclusion and wellbeing. Students demonstrate positive personal and social development, a secure understanding of Islamic values, and a strong appreciation of Emirati heritage. Key priorities for development include raising attainment and accelerating progress in the elementary and middle phases, and strengthening governance support for self-evaluation and development planning.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Dubai Schools Corporation Nad AlShiba L.L.C. Overall Rating
Acceptable
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 promotes an inclusive ethos championed by the principal and governing board, with the head of inclusion implementing strategies that embed inclusivity within school culture, values and policies. Admission procedures include screening to identify barriers to learning, and support teachers work closely with class teachers to provide individual support. Most students of determination are actively engaged in learning and the majority are making better than expected progress, though consistency of interventions requires further refinement. Students of DeterminationInclusive EthosHead of Inclusion
Wellbeing is a clear priority for school leaders, who model wellbeing principles and have a clear vision supported by a wellbeing policy and improvement plan. Students engage proactively with trusted adults, and supportive classroom cultures enable most students to collaborate and learn positively. The school effectively integrates wellbeing into curriculum programmes such as wellness clubs and assemblies, and uses student and teacher survey data to adapt initiatives. Wellness ClubsSchool CouncilWellbeing Policy
The school uses the Northwest Evaluation Association MAP tests for benchmarking, but has achieved weak attainment in English, mathematics and science in Spring tests in 2023 and 2024, with progression also weak. Leaders in core subjects understand the identified curriculum gaps and have an action plan to address them, and the New Group Reading Test (NGRT) data shows a large number of students with weak English reading literacy, though progress across the year is strong from a weak baseline. MAP TestsNGRTNational Agenda Action Plan
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
KG Teaching & Learning
Teaching, learning and progress in the Kindergarten phase are a standout strength, with hands-on, play-based learning delivering good progress in English, mathematics and science.
Personal & Social Development
Students demonstrate positive personal and social development, a strong awareness of Emirati culture and heritage, and active participation in community and sustainability initiatives.
Safeguarding & Child Protection
Arrangements to secure the health, safety and protection of students are rated Very Good across all phases, underpinned by well-formulated policies and a proactive school ethos.
Principal Leadership
The principal and leadership team provide clear direction, demonstrate strong commitment to inclusion and UAE priorities, and maintain high staff morale with well-defined roles.
Inclusion & Wellbeing Commitment
The school's promotion, celebration and commitment to inclusion and wellbeing is recognised as a key highlight, with effective identification systems and strong family communication.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Attainment is acceptable and progress is good in KG. Across the elementary and middle phases, attainment is weak in English, mathematics and science, and weak in Arabic in the middle phase. Progress is acceptable across elementary and middle phases, but good in Islamic Education in Elementary.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal, ably supported by a strong leadership team, provides clear direction and demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusion and the UAE's priorities. Roles and responsibilities are well defined, communication is professional, and staff morale is high with all members of staff feeling valued. While self-evaluation is improving and draws on broad evidence, it currently lacks clear prioritisation and the impact of development training requires more systematic tracking.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Attainment is acceptable and progress is good in KG, representing the strongest phase academically. Across the elementary and middle phases, attainment is weak in English, mathematics and science, and weak in Arabic in the middle phase, with progress acceptable across these phases. Critical thinking, problem-solving, independent learning and research skills remain underdeveloped across the school.
Personal Development
Students demonstrate positive, respectful and enthusiastic attitudes across all phases, with very good personal development in KG. They show a secure understanding of Islamic values, a strong appreciation of Emirati heritage and culture, and actively take on roles of responsibility within the school and wider community. Students are keen participants in sustainability, recycling and conservation programmes.
Teaching Quality
Teaching is good in KG, where hands-on, play-based learning is particularly effective, but acceptable in the elementary and middle phases. Teachers apply strong subject knowledge and plan purposeful lessons, though questioning to promote deeper thinking is less well-developed and challenge for higher-attaining students is variable. Assessment is consistently good across all phases, with effective use of external benchmarking and internal data to track progress.
Protection & Care
Health, safety and safeguarding arrangements are rated Very Good across all phases, underpinned by well-formulated policies and a proactive school ethos. Care and support is good across all phases, with effective identification systems for students of determination and Early Language Learners. Students consistently experience a safe, supportive learning environment with respectful staff-student relationships.
Areas for Development
- •Improve teaching and learning to raise attainment and accelerate progress in the elementary and middle phases by eliminating inconsistencies and sharing best practice, raising expectations and ensuring tasks are consistently challenging especially for more able students, improving reading standards in Arabic and English, and supporting students to become more independent learners, critical thinkers, problem solvers and entrepreneurs.
- •Governors should ensure that the school is actively supported in managing external recommendations and determining priorities, as well as in ensuring that self-evaluation and development planning are linked to the school's performance and student outcomes.
- •Ensure that department leaders and teachers address the identified curriculum gaps in full, and further develop the teaching strategies used in classrooms to support English reading literacy.
- •Refine strategies and establish more comprehensive systems for regular feedback and review based on the views of all stakeholders, and improve the contributions from students by empowering the School Council even further to support wellbeing practices.