Islamic School for Training & Education, Dubai

Principal Alyas Ali Khurshid leads the Islamic School for Training & Education, having been appointed on 13 November 2023 — just days before the KHDA inspection team arrived. The school is operated by Lootah Group and has been in continuous operation since 1982, making it one of Dubai's longest-established private schools. While the change in leadership has been welcomed — inspectors noted it has boosted staff morale — the transition is recent, and the 2023–2024 inspection was candid that barriers to improvement have yet to be overcome under the new principal.

The 2023–2024 KHDA inspection rated overall leadership effectiveness Acceptable, with governance also rated Acceptable and school self-evaluation and improvement planning rated Weak — the most significant concern in this domain. Inspectors found that self-evaluation does not sufficiently emphasise progress monitoring, and that governance involves only the owners, with governors yet to take appropriate action on prior inspection recommendations. Among MoE curriculum schools in Dubai, 10 of 17 hold only an Acceptable rating, placing this school within the majority but leaving meaningful room for improvement.

The school employs 44 teachers supported by 4 teaching assistants and 1 guidance counsellor, serving 607 students. This produces a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:14, slightly above the Dubai private school average of 1:13.6 across all curricula. The largest nationality group of teachers is Egyptian. Teaching quality was rated Acceptable across all cycles, with inspectors noting that while lesson objectives are generally clear and questioning is often skilful, teachers do not consistently address the range of abilities within classes, and resources lack variety. Assessment was rated Weak in Cycles 1 and 2, a particular concern that parents should weigh carefully.

On the positive side, the school's culture is a genuine strength. Personal development was rated Very Good across all cycles, and inspectors described a community rooted in Islamic values, mutual respect, and strong student self-reliance. Wellbeing provision was rated Good overall — above the school's headline rating — with an active student council, regular parent surveys, and high staff morale cited as evidence of a caring and cohesive environment. Parents and the community were rated Acceptable, with parents described as regular partners in supporting their children's education. Extra-curricular participation is currently constrained by transport arrangements, which limits access for some students.