Horizon Private School (MOE) - Khalifa
Executive Summary
Horizon Private School (MOE) - Khalifa has achieved an overall ADEK rating of Good for the 2024-2025 academic year, marking a significant improvement from its previous Acceptable rating in 2022. This progress reflects the dedicated efforts of the leadership and the entire school community, despite challenges such as student influx and temporary facilities.
The school demonstrates strong academic progress, with students' achievement improving to Good in Arabic, UAE Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science across various cycles. Teaching for effective learning has also improved, with teachers applying secure subject knowledge and varied strategies. The curriculum effectively integrates UAE national identity components.
Key strengths include high levels of student attendance and punctuality, a clear appreciation of Islamic values and Emirati culture, and effective safeguarding procedures. The school successfully engages parents as partners, fostering a positive and supportive learning environment.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Horizon Private School (MOE) - Khalifa Overall Rating
Good
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement has improved from Acceptable to Good overall. Attainment and progress have improved in Arabic, UAE Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science across various cycles. While English attainment declined in KG and Cycle 3, the school has implemented remediation strategies to address learning gaps. ArabicUAE Social StudiesMathematicsScienceremediation strategies
This area is now judged Good overall, having not been evaluated in the previous inspection. Personal development, understanding of Islamic values, and awareness of Emirati and world cultures are Good. Students show positive attitudes, self-discipline, and high attendance. However, social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable due to limited opportunities. Islamic valuesEmirati and world culturessocial responsibilityinnovation skills
Teaching for effective learning has improved from Acceptable to Good in cycles 1 and 3, remaining Good in KG and Acceptable in Cycle 2. Teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge and improved lesson planning. Assessment remains Acceptable across all cycles, with inconsistent use of data to challenge higher attainers or support lower attainers. teaching strategieslesson planningassessment information
Curriculum design and implementation, along with curriculum adaptation, are evaluated as Acceptable across all phases. The curriculum is reasonably broad and balanced, with a key strength in integrating UAE national identity components. However, modifications to meet the needs of all student groups are not sufficiently robust, and extracurricular opportunities are limited. UAE national identitycurriculum modificationsextracurricular activities
Health and safety arrangements continue to be a strength and are judged Good, with thorough safety checks and child protection procedures. Care and support remain Acceptable, with the identification and provision for students with additional learning needs, including students of determination and gifted/talented students, requiring strengthening. health and safetychild protectionadditional learning needsstudents of determination
Leadership and management have improved from Acceptable to Good overall, driven by senior leaders' tireless dedication. Effectiveness of leadership, self-evaluation, and improvement planning are Good, and parental engagement is Very Good. Governance, management, and staffing remain Acceptable. Leaders ensure commitment to improvement despite challenges like student influx and temporary facilities. senior leadersschool development planparental engagementgovernancetemporary facilities
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Academic Improvement
Students' achievement in Arabic, UAE Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science has significantly improved from Acceptable to Good across various cycles.
Positive Student Development
Students demonstrate high attendance, punctuality, and a strong appreciation for Islamic values and UAE heritage and culture.
Effective Teaching
Most teachers consistently apply strong subject knowledge and adapt teaching strategies to meet diverse student needs, enhancing learning.
Robust Safeguarding
The school maintains effective procedures for student health, safety, and child protection, which are shared effectively with all stakeholders.
Strong Leadership
Senior leadership exhibits secure knowledge of the MoE curriculum and best practices in teaching and learning, driving continuous improvement.
Engaged Community
The school is successful in engaging parents as active partners in school life, fostering strong home-school relationships.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Students' achievement overall has improved from Acceptable to Good, with significant improvements in Arabic, UAE Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science across various cycles. English attainment declined in KG and Cycle 3, but progress remained Good in Cycle 3.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
Senior leaders demonstrate tireless dedication and hard work, ensuring the entire school community is committed to improvement and aligned with the school's and UAE’s vision. They have successfully driven progress in teaching and student achievement despite challenges, with a robust school development plan addressing previous recommendations. Regular and effective communication fosters positive relationships with parents and staff morale.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
The school's internal and MoE external assessment data show consistently Outstanding attainment in Islamic Education, Arabic, and UAE Social Studies across most cycles over the past three years. Mathematics and Science also show strong attainment, with some fluctuations in international benchmark tests. Progress is generally better than expected in KG and Cycle 1, but varies for specific groups and cycles, particularly for low attainers and students of determination in some subjects and cycles.
Personal & Social Development
Students' personal development, understanding of Islamic values, and awareness of Emirati and world cultures are Good. Students demonstrate positive attitudes, self-discipline, and high levels of attendance and punctuality. They show a strong commitment to Islamic values and appreciation for UAE heritage. However, social responsibility and innovation skills are Acceptable due to limited opportunities for community service and enterprise development.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching for effective learning has improved to Good in KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 3, but remains Acceptable in Cycle 2. Teachers possess secure subject knowledge and improved lesson planning, leading to increased student engagement. Assessment remains Acceptable across all cycles, with a more thorough analysis of internal results but inconsistent use of assessment information to differentiate and challenge all learners effectively.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation, along with curriculum adaptation, are Acceptable across all phases. The curriculum is reasonably broad and balanced, effectively integrating UAE national identity components and real-life connections. However, curriculum modifications are not sufficiently robust to meet the diverse needs of all student groups, and opportunities for extracurricular activities or social contribution programs are limited.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety arrangements are a strength and rated Good, with frequent checks, close monitoring, and awareness of child protection procedures ensuring students feel safe. Care and support remain Acceptable. The identification and provision for students with additional learning needs, including students of determination and gifted/talented students, require further strengthening to maximize their potential.
Areas for Development
- •Improve students' achievement to consistently reach Good levels, particularly in English, Islamic education, and Cycle 2, by enhancing recitation skills, deepening understanding of Surah/Hadeeth meanings, improving foundational literacy skills for Cycle 2 and new joiners, enhancing reading/writing skills in English, and promoting curiosity and scientific investigation.
- •Ensure the consistency of high-quality teaching and assessment in all subjects and phases by raising teachers’ expectations, providing consistent opportunities for innovative, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, using data more rigorously for differentiation, and providing regular opportunities for self and peer assessment with constructive feedback.
- •Improve the impact of leadership by strengthening the identification and support of students with additional learning needs, adapting the curriculum more extensively for all identified groups, strengthening accountability with specific KPIs, ensuring policies and training maximize the potential of students with additional learning needs, building capacity of middle leaders, expediting plans to reinforce school premises, and improving management of teacher turnover and new student influx.
- •Improve results in the International Assessments TIMSS, PISA, and PIRLS by reviewing existing approaches, analyzing previous results, and focusing especially on upcoming PISA assessments through appropriate use of online platforms and strong student engagement.