GEMS United Indian School
Executive Summary
GEMS United Indian School maintains its Good overall rating in the latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2024-2025 academic year. The school, which follows the CBSE curriculum, demonstrates consistent performance across many areas, building on its established reputation within the Abu Dhabi educational landscape.
Significant academic improvements have been noted, particularly in Phase 4 English, where both progress and attainment have advanced from Very Good to Outstanding. Additionally, Phase 2 Mathematics and Science have shown improved attainment, rising from Good to Very Good. The school also successfully met its PISA reading literacy target, exceeding international expectations and reflecting strong inspection judgments in this area.
The school exhibits robust safeguarding procedures, ensuring a safe environment for students. Leadership and management are rated Very Good, with proactive engagement in self-evaluation and strong partnerships with parents. The school is also recognized as the first Indian curriculum school globally to receive the HPL World Class school award, highlighting its commitment to high-performance learning.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
GEMS United Indian School Overall Rating
Good for 2+ consecutive years
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement is generally Good, with notable strengths in Phase 4 English, which is Outstanding, and improvements in Phase 2 Mathematics and Science to Very Good. While attainment in some subjects like Islamic Education and Arabic has seen fluctuations, students consistently make better than expected progress across phases in many areas. The school met its PISA reading literacy target, demonstrating strong performance in international assessments. OutstandingVery GoodPISA reading literacy
Students' personal development is Good in Phases 2, 3, and 4, and Acceptable in Phase 1. Their understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and global cultures is Acceptable across all phases. Social responsibility and innovation skills are Good in Phases 1, 2, and 3, and Very Good in Phase 4, reflecting positive attitudes and respectful behavior. Social responsibilityinnovation skillspositive attitudes
The quality of teaching is Good in Phases 1 and 2, and Very Good in Phases 3 and 4, showing improvement in higher phases due to increased student responsibility and skillful questioning. Assessment practices are Good in Phases 1, 2, and 3, and Very Good in Phase 4, with consistent and coherent systems. While CBSE outcomes are high, PISA targets in Mathematics and Science were not fully met. Very Goodquestioning techniquesconsistent assessment
Curriculum design and implementation are rated Good across all phases, ensuring a structured and comprehensive academic framework. Curriculum adaptation is Good for Phases 1, 2, and 3, and Very Good for Phase 4, indicating effective modification to meet student needs. The curriculum is mapped and modified to align with international assessment requirements. curriculum designcurriculum adaptationinternational assessments
Health and safety, including child protection and safeguarding arrangements, are consistently rated as Outstanding across all phases, with leaders ensuring all statutory requirements are met. However, the overall care, guidance, and support for students have regressed from Very Good to Good, highlighting a need to increase provision for identification and support of students. Outstandingsafeguardingchild protection
Leadership and management are rated Very Good, with effective leadership and improved self-evaluation and improvement planning. Partnerships with parents and the community, governance, and management of staffing, facilities, and resources are also Very Good. Leaders are proactive in self-evaluation, involve all stakeholders, and maintain strong safeguarding practices. Very Goodself-evaluationgovernancestakeholder engagement
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Robust Safeguarding
The school has robust safeguarding procedures, including comprehensive policies, trained staff, and student involvement to ensure protection from abuse, bullying, and cyberbullying.
Strong Phase 4 Achievement
Achievement in Phase 4 is strong, with students valuing the diverse curricular opportunities offered, particularly noted in English where attainment and progress are Outstanding.
Effective English Communication
Students across the school consistently demonstrate effective communication skills in English, contributing to their overall academic success.
Positive Student Development
Students demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning, exhibit respectful behavior, and maintain trusting relationships within the school community.
Strong Parent Partnerships
Positive partnerships exist between the school and parents, fostering a collaborative environment that supports student learning and well-being.
HPL World Class Award
GEMS United Indian School is the first Indian curriculum school globally to be awarded the HPL World Class school award, recognizing its commitment to high-performance learning.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Achievement in English medium subjects (EMS) has largely remained consistent, with notable improvements in Phase 4 English (Outstanding) and Phase 2 Math and Science (Very Good). Learning skills remain Good to Very Good, developing significantly in higher phases. Outcomes in CBSE examinations continue to be high, with Grade 10 Social Studies and English being Outstanding. PISA assessments met targets in reading literacy but not in mathematics and science.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team demonstrates a proactive and engaged approach to school improvement, involving all stakeholders, including parents, in self-evaluation processes. They are committed to maintaining strong safeguarding practices and have successfully driven improvements in academic attainment and teaching quality in specific phases. Their vision is supported by effective governance and management of resources.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students generally attain levels above curriculum standards in most subjects, with strong progress observed across phases. Notable strengths include outstanding achievement in Phase 4 English and very good attainment in Phase 2 Mathematics and Science. While some attainment declines have been noted in Islamic Education and Arabic, students' performance in CBSE exams remains high, and PISA reading targets were met.
Personal & Social Development
Students exhibit positive attitudes towards learning, respectful behavior, and trusting relationships. Personal development is good in most phases, though understanding of Islamic values and Emirati/global cultures is acceptable. Social responsibility and innovation skills are developing well, particularly in higher phases, where students demonstrate advanced collaboration skills.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching quality has improved in Phase 3 to Very Good, and remains Very Good in Phase 4, with teachers providing more opportunities for student responsibility and skillful questioning. Assessment systems are consistent, coherent, and effectively used to inform planning, though PISA targets in Mathematics and Science were not fully achieved despite high CBSE outcomes.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation are consistently good across all phases, with adaptation being very good in Phase 4. The curriculum is effectively mapped and modified to align with international assessment requirements, promoting cross-curricular connections and application of knowledge to real-world contexts, especially for older students.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety, including child protection and safeguarding, are outstanding across all phases, with leaders ensuring all statutory requirements are met. However, care, guidance, and support have regressed to good, indicating a need to enhance provision for identifying and supporting students of determination and those with additional learning needs.
Areas for Development
- •Raise student achievement in Phase 1 and English-medium subjects by using accurate assessments to align activities with students' abilities, strengthening foundational mathematical skills, expanding technology use for research and problem-solving, and providing targeted support for English language arts.
- •Improve teaching, learning, and assessment quality by supporting teachers in classroom management, enhancing the use of assessment data to tailor activities, strengthening marking and feedback, promoting differentiated instruction, and providing professional development on literacy and numeracy strategies.
- •Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring the self-evaluation process is more analytical, establishing a transparent process for electing parent representatives, providing feedback to teachers that emphasizes student outcomes, and improving attendance to reach at least 94%.
- •Ensure further development of inclusive education to support student personalization and well-being by increasing the capacity of the inclusion team, providing targeted professional development for staff, enhancing teaching assistants’ understanding of their role, and promoting healthier lifestyle habits.