Merryland International School, Abu Dhabi
ADEK Inspection Report & Ratings
Last updated
Executive Summary
Merryland International School, a British curriculum institution, continues to demonstrate its commitment to high-quality education, maintaining an Outstanding overall rating in the latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2025-2026 academic year. This consistent performance reflects the school's dedication to academic excellence and a positive learning environment.
The school shows strong academic performance, particularly in English-medium subjects, where achievement remains Outstanding in Cycles 2 and 3. Significant improvements have been noted in Arabic as a First Language and Arabic as a Second Language across several phases, with most students now attaining above curriculum expectations. Students also exhibit Outstanding personal development and strong innovation skills.
Effective teaching practices, robust safeguarding measures, and purposeful leadership contribute to the school's success. While areas for development include strengthening Arabic-medium subjects and refining assessment analysis, the school's leadership demonstrates a strong capacity to sustain and further enhance its Outstanding features.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Merryland International School Overall Rating
Outstanding for 2+ consecutive years
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement remains strong in English-medium subjects, with Outstanding ratings in Cycles 2 and 3 for English, Mathematics, and Science. Arabic-medium subjects have shown improvement, with Arabic as a First and Second Language now rated Good across all phases. Learning skills are also consistently strong, rated Very Good to Outstanding across phases. English-medium subjectsArabic as a First LanguageArabic as a Second LanguageLearning Skills
Students demonstrate Outstanding personal development across all phases, characterized by positive attitudes, respectful behavior, and strong relationships. Social responsibility and innovation skills are Very Good, with students actively engaging in community service and enterprise projects. Understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture is Good. personal developmentsocial responsibilityinnovation skillsIslamic valuesEmirati and world cultures
Teaching for effective learning is consistently strong, rated Outstanding in Cycles 2 and 3, with teachers demonstrating strong subject knowledge and effective pedagogical approaches. Assessment practices are Very Good across most phases, though greater consistency in data analysis, especially for specific student groups and Phase 1, is recommended to enhance progress tracking. effective learningsubject knowledgeassessment practicesdata analysis
The curriculum design and adaptation are rated Very Good across all phases, offering a well-structured, flexible, and inclusive program that aligns with national priorities. A broad range of subject choices is available, particularly in Cycles 3 and 4, though further refinement in curriculum modifications is suggested to ensure consistent provision for all learners. curriculum designcurriculum adaptationinclusive curriculumsubject choices
The school maintains Outstanding health and safety, including robust child protection and safeguarding arrangements. Care and support are rated Good, with effective systems for student wellbeing. However, processes for identifying and supporting students with additional learning needs and gifted and talented students require further strengthening for consistent impact on progress. health and safetychild protectionsafeguardingcare and supportadditional learning needs
Leadership and management are rated Outstanding, demonstrating a strong capacity to maintain high standards and drive school improvement. The effectiveness of leadership, partnerships with parents, governance, and resource management are all Outstanding. Self-evaluation and improvement planning are Very Good, with recommendations for more analytical self-evaluation and sharper action plans. leadership and managementgovernanceself-evaluationschool improvement
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Strong Academic Achievement
Students' achievement remains strong in English-medium subjects and has improved to Good across all phases in both Arabic as a First and Second Language.
Positive Student Development
Students consistently demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning, respectful behavior, and supportive relationships with peers and teachers.
Engaging Teaching Practices
Teachers, particularly in Cycles 2 and 3, plan engaging lessons and effectively use time and resources to promote student interest and interaction.
Robust Safeguarding
The school has robust arrangements in place to ensure the safety and security of students, including effective child protection measures.
Purposeful Leadership
Governance and leadership collaborate effectively, ensuring the school is well-resourced, managed, and driven by accountable leadership that fosters a high-performing environment.
Improved Arabic Achievement
Significant improvement in Arabic as a First Language (AFL) from Acceptable to Good in Cycles 2 and 3, and in Arabic as a Second Language (ASL) attainment from Acceptable to Good in Cycles 2 and 3.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Overall, students’ achievement in Arabic-medium subjects has sustained the same level of performance in some phases, while other phases have shown improvement, with no regression being observed. Overall, students’ achievement in English-medium subjects has shown some improvement, with most phases maintaining their levels and some regression being observed.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The school's leadership demonstrates a strong capacity to maintain its Outstanding features and drive continuous improvement. Leaders ensure effective management, robust resources, and strong partnerships with parents and the community. While self-evaluation is effective, there is a recommendation to make it more analytical and closely linked to strategic planning.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students demonstrate strong achievement in English-medium subjects, with improvements noted in Arabic-medium subjects across several phases. While internal assessment data often indicates high attainment, inspectors observed some discrepancies with actual classroom performance, particularly in Islamic Education. External assessment results, including IGCSE and international benchmarks like PISA and TIMSS, show strong performance in English, Mathematics, and Science.
Personal & Social Development
Students exhibit Outstanding personal development, characterized by positive attitudes, respectful behavior, and strong relationships. Social responsibility and innovation skills are Very Good, with students actively participating in community service and enterprise projects. Their understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture is Good, though knowledge of other world cultures is still developing.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching for effective learning is consistently strong, particularly in Cycles 2 and 3, where teachers apply strong subject knowledge and promote critical thinking. Assessment practices are Very Good across most phases, with teachers effectively using information for planning and feedback. However, greater consistency in data analysis, especially for Phase 1 and specific student groups, is needed to enhance progress tracking.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
The curriculum is rated Very Good across all phases, providing a well-structured, flexible, and inclusive program aligned with national priorities. A broad range of subject choices is offered in Cycles 3 and 4. While curriculum modifications address the needs of most groups, further refinement is recommended for consistent provision for all learners.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety, including child protection and safeguarding, are Outstanding features of the school, with effective systems and protocols in place. Care and support are rated Good. Processes for identifying and supporting students with additional learning needs and those who are gifted and talented show emerging consistency but require further robustness to ensure a sustained impact on student progress and attainment.
Areas for Development
- •Raise students’ achievement across all Arabic medium subjects, improve English attainment in Phase 4, and strengthen achievement in Phase 1, particularly in science.
- •Sustain the consistent implementation of teaching for effective learning and assessment across all subjects to further accelerate students’ progress in lessons.
- •Improve the impact of school leadership further.
- •Further improve students' performance in international assessments.