Maplewood Canadian International School, operating under the Canadian curriculum in Abu Dhabi, has maintained an overall Good rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2024-2025 academic year. The school demonstrates a commitment to benchmarking student performance against international standards, with notable achievements in the PISA 2022 assessments where students exceeded targets in reading, mathematics, and science literacy.
The school exhibits strong performance in students' personal and social development, fostering positive behavior, respectful relationships, and a clear understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture. Significant improvements have been observed in English-medium subjects, with attainment and progress ratings improving across several phases in English, Mathematics, and Science. The school also provides a safe and secure learning environment with rigorous safeguarding policies and effective support for students of determination.
Despite these strengths, the inspection highlighted areas for development, particularly concerning governance, which has regressed to Weak due to the absence of an active governing board. Challenges also persist in management, staffing, facilities, and resources, which have declined to Acceptable, notably due to staffing shortages and insufficient science resources. Recommendations focus on enhancing students' achievement across all subjects, improving teaching and assessment effectiveness, and strengthening school leadership.
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Maplewood Canadian International School Overall Rating
Good for 2+ consecutive years
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement is rated Good overall, with notable improvements in English, Mathematics, and Science across several phases. Students met or exceeded targets in PISA 2022 assessments. However, achievement in Arabic-medium subjects remains largely Acceptable, and there are inconsistencies in the application of Tajweed rules and extended writing skills across subjects. PISA 2022English-medium subjectsArabic-medium subjects
Students' personal and social development, along with their innovation skills, are rated Good across all phases. Students consistently demonstrate respectful behavior, growing empathy, and active participation in community initiatives. Their involvement in extracurricular activities fosters responsibility, teamwork, and creativity. respectful behaviorcommunity initiativesinnovation skills
Teaching for effective learning and assessment is rated Good. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge and enthusiasm. While systems are in place for gathering assessment data, this information is not consistently used to plan lessons that effectively meet the needs of all student groups, particularly high attainers and gifted and talented students. subject knowledgeassessment datadifferentiation
Curriculum design, implementation, and adaptation are rated Good across all phases. The school effectively applies the Alberta Curriculum and MoE standards, offering a broad range of subject options with good cultural integration. However, further consistency is needed in balancing skill development with knowledge acquisition across subjects. Alberta CurriculumMoE standardscultural integration
The school provides Very Good protection, care, guidance, and support for students, maintaining a clean, safe, and secure learning environment. Procedures for identifying and supporting students with additional learning needs, including students of determination, are rigorous and effective. However, provision for gifted and talented students is not consistently effective. safeguardingstudents of determinationgifted and talented
Leadership and management are rated Good in effectiveness of leadership, self-evaluation, and partnerships with parents. However, governance has regressed to Weak due to the absence of an active governing board, and management, staffing, facilities, and resources have declined to Acceptable due to persistent staffing shortages and insufficient resources, especially in science. governancestaffing shortagesresources
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Students consistently achieved scores above school targets and international averages in the PISA 2022 assessments for reading, mathematics, and science literacy.
Students demonstrate positive behavior, respectful relationships, and a strong understanding of Islamic values, UAE culture, and social responsibilities.
The school maintains a clear behavior management system and rigorous safeguarding policies, ensuring a safe, secure, and orderly learning environment.
Well-established and effective processes are in place for identifying and supporting students with additional learning needs, including students of determination.
Overall achievement in English-medium subjects has remained Good, with specific improvements in attainment and progress across several phases in English, Mathematics, and Science.
The school has established a positive partnership with parents, ensuring consistently effective communication and reporting.
Overall achievement in English-medium subjects has remained Good, with improvements in English, Mathematics, and Science across several phases. However, Arabic-medium subjects, particularly Arabic as a first language in Cycle 3, have seen some regression or remained Acceptable. Learning skills have generally improved or remained Good across phases.
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
The leadership team effectively guides the school and engages in good self-evaluation and improvement planning, fostering strong partnerships with parents. However, the absence of an active governing board has led to weak governance, impacting accountability. Challenges in staffing and resource management also require strategic attention to enhance operational efficiency and support student learning.
Students demonstrate good achievement in English-medium subjects, with strong performance in PISA and TIMSS assessments. Internal data indicates most students attain above curriculum standards. However, achievement in Arabic-medium subjects is largely acceptable, with areas for development in recitation, extended writing, and vocabulary acquisition. Reasoning and problem-solving skills in mathematics, and scientific inquiry skills, also require strengthening.
Students exhibit good personal development, understanding of Islamic values, and awareness of Emirati and world cultures. They show consistently respectful behavior, growing empathy, and active participation in community initiatives. Innovation skills are also rated good, nurtured through involvement in extracurricular and student-led events.
Teaching for effective learning and assessment is good, with teachers demonstrating strong subject knowledge. However, assessment data is not consistently used to plan differentiated lessons, particularly for high attainers and gifted and talented students. There is a need to reduce teacher talk, increase active learning opportunities, and enhance the quality of written feedback.
The curriculum is well-designed and adapted, coherently applying the Alberta Curriculum and MoE standards. It offers a broad range of subjects with effective planning that supports progression and cultural integration. Cross-curricular links and cultural themes are embedded, but consistency is needed in balancing skill development with knowledge acquisition.
The school provides very good protection, care, and support, ensuring a safe and secure environment. Rigorous procedures are in place for identifying and supporting students with additional learning needs, including students of determination. However, the provision for gifted and talented students is not consistently effective, requiring further development.