Madar International SchoolPrincipal & Leadership TeamLast Updated: April 7, 2026

Madar International School is led by School Principal Ms. Sanaa Tabet, who brings over 18 years of experience in teaching and leadership roles. Ms. Tabet holds a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership and has been credited with driving curriculum enrichment, learning development, and the Continued Professional Development of teaching staff. She is supported by Academic Vice Principal Dr. Khayal Al Allaq, who also brings over 18 years of educational experience and has held roles spanning pastoral care, high school leadership, and academic vice-principalship. This is a notably experienced senior leadership pairing at the top of the school.

The school's 2024–2025 ADEK inspection rated overall leadership effectiveness as Good, a rating that has been consistent across the three most recent inspection cycles — 2019–2020, 2021–2022, and 2024–2025. This continuity signals a stable institutional direction, though it also reflects a ceiling that leadership has yet to break through. Inspectors noted a clear strategic direction from the principal and senior leadership team, with all leaders demonstrating commitment to UAE national priorities and a culture of continuous improvement. Governance was rated Very Good — a genuine strength — with the Board of Trustees, composed of directors, school leaders, and parents, described as demonstrating meaningful stakeholder engagement and strategic influence on school improvement priorities.

One area of concern raised explicitly by inspectors is high staff turnover since the last inspection, which has been cited as a limiting factor on the effectiveness of management, staffing, and resources — rated Good rather than Very Good as a direct consequence. Inspectors listed reducing staff turnover as a key leadership recommendation, noting it as essential for ensuring staffing stability and continuity of learning. Parents considering Madar should weigh this signal carefully, as frequent staff changes can disrupt student-teacher relationships and instructional consistency.

The school employs 118 teachers and 11 teaching assistants across a student body of 2,110 students, producing a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:18. Among American curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi, this is a notably higher ratio than the city-wide private school average of 1:13.6, suggesting larger class sizes than the norm. Teaching quality was rated Good across all phases in the 2024–2025 inspection, with inspectors highlighting systematic lesson planning as a strength. However, inspectors also called for reduced teacher talk, deeper student questioning, and more consistent use of feedback — areas where classroom practice has room to grow. [MISSING: staff qualification percentage breakdown]

Parents and community partnership was rated Very Good — the highest rating awarded in the 2024–2025 inspection — reflecting structured communication channels, parent workshops on reading and assessment, and active engagement through the school portal. The school also honours its founding legacy through two annual scholarships awarded in memory of the late H.E. Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, and has nominated 60 students for Presidential Affairs scholarship programs, underscoring its alignment with UAE national priorities and community values.