Greenwood International School
Executive Summary
Greenwood International School provides a Good quality of education, as determined by the 2023-2024 inspection. The school demonstrates particular strengths in students' personal and social development, which is rated as excellent, and has shown improving levels of achievement in several core subjects. The Kindergarten (KG) provision and outcomes are notably strong, achieving a Very Good standard.
Students' progress has improved in Islamic Education and Arabic in the middle school, with high school attainment also improving. Elementary students have also shown improved attainment and progress in Science. The school's curriculum, particularly the broad and imaginative elective options in high school, is a strength, alongside very effective systems for ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all. Teaching and assessment are strongest in the KG, though the use of data to improve teaching and learning needs further development.
Leadership across the school is strong, guided by a talented principal, and has undergone restructuring to enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning responsibilities. Self-evaluation procedures are more inclusive and accurate, and resources have improved. Parents are actively involved, and governors provide good support, though broader stakeholder representation on the governing board is recommended. The school continues to focus on improving students' outcomes in Arabic and enhancing the consistent use of assessment data.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Greenwood International School Overall Rating
Good for 12+ 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 demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusion, welcoming students of determination and implementing a well-written inclusive education improvement plan. Qualified specialist teachers provide personalized support through individual education plans (IEPs), and the majority of students make better than expected progress. students of determinationindividual education plans (IEPs)personalized support
Wellbeing provision and outcomes are good, with leaders prioritizing students' personal, social, emotional, and mental wellbeing. A whole-school pastoral care system ensures consistent monitoring and early interventions, and students feel listened to and supported by trusting adults. Curriculum programs and extra-curricular activities are modified to promote wellbeing, fostering high levels of positivity and connection to the school community. pastoral care systemstudents' wellbeingcurriculum programs
Overall school standards in the National Agenda Parameter are good, with leaders adapting the curriculum to address weaknesses identified in international benchmark tests. While the school did not meet PIRLS targets, adaptations have led to good progress in reading literacy for most students, including Emiratis. However, MAP benchmark tests indicate weak outcomes in language, reading, science, and mathematics across all phases. National Agenda ParameterPIRLSMAP benchmark testsreading literacy
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Excellent Personal Development
Students across the school demonstrate excellent personal and social development, underpinned by strong Islamic values.
Improving Academic Achievement
The school shows improving levels of achievement in many core subjects, supported by a safe, secure, and caring learning environment.
Very Good KG Outcomes
The Kindergarten phase provides very good provision and achieves strong outcomes for its young learners.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
Leadership is strong and guided by a talented principal who inspires staff. The leadership team has been restructured to enhance curriculum and teaching responsibilities, fostering positive relationships and driving continuous improvement across the school.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Students' progress has improved in Islamic Education and Arabic in the middle school, with high school attainment also improving. Elementary students show improved attainment and progress in science, and children's achievement in KG is now very good. Learning skills across the school are at least good.
Personal Development
Students' personal and social development is a strength, demonstrating deep appreciation of Islamic values, Emirati culture, and social contributions. They display strong awareness of environmental issues and exhibit positive attitudes, high levels of personal responsibility, and excellent relationships with staff.
Teaching Quality
Teaching and the use of assessment are stronger in the KG, where teachers understand how young children learn best. While most teachers have secure subject knowledge and plan purposeful lessons, some employ a didactic approach, and expectations for more able students are not always sufficiently high. The use of assessment data to improve teaching and learning is not consistently secure across all phases.
Protection & Care
Very effective systems are in place to ensure a safe, secure, and supportive environment for all, with rigorous policies and practices for safeguarding. The school's premises and facilities are excellent, meticulously maintained, and accessible. A systematic process guides the identification of students of determination, and effective interventions are mostly in place, enabling consistent personal and academic progress.
Areas for Development
- •Ensure that assessment data from internal and external sources are used more consistently to improve the support and challenge for all students.
- •Ensure sufficient breadth of representation on the governing board.
- •Improve students’ outcomes in Arabic, particularly in the elementary and middle schools.
- •Develop and foster a culture of reading across the school, and improve students’ reading skills further.
- •Use assessment information more effectively to support learning in lessons.
- •Ensure that the wellbeing improvement action plan is linked to analyzed data from all stakeholders and has clear and achievable targets.
- •Consider establishing a working committee for wellbeing, with representatives from all stakeholders.
- •Improve all students’ skills in using appropriate references from the Holy Qur’an, Hadeeth and Seerah to justify their opinions in discussions.
- •Increase all teachers’ expectations of what students can achieve.
- •Improve students’ writing skills by extending and enriching their range of vocabulary and by measuring their progress accurately.
- •Develop students’ speaking skills using standard Arabic.
- •Increase the opportunities for students to speak Arabic in class.
- •Provide students with more opportunities to write independently and at length.
- •Ensure that opportunities for independent writing are incorporated regularly into all English lessons, but especially in the elementary and middle schools.
- •Ensure that students acquire and use a wider range of vocabulary.
- •raise expectations and increase challenge, particularly in the elementary and middle schools.
- •Improve the use of literacy strategies so that all students are able to understand and use scientific language.
- •Improve students' critical thinking and independent learning skills in all phases.
- •Encourage and develop students' ability to link learning across different subject areas.
- •Support improved levels of behavior in all phases.
- •Ensure that teachers improve students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- •Improve the use of all assessment information so that all teachers adapt their lessons to meet the needs of different groups of students.
- •Customize curriculum modifications more skilfully by using all assessment information to provide individual learning opportunities for all students.
- •Provide professional training and support for teachers in the effective management of challenging behavior.
- •Consider improving access to alternative education pathways for students of determination.
- •Ensure that outcomes in Arabic are improved, and that reading, and the use of assessment are coordinated more effectively.
- •Ensure that parents know how they can help their children to progress further.