Our Own English High School
Executive Summary
Our Own English High School maintains its overall ADEK rating of Good for the 2024-2025 academic year. The school has demonstrated consistent performance, with notable improvements in several key areas since the previous inspection. Leadership and management have strengthened, and the school continues to foster strong partnerships with parents.
Significant advancements have been observed in Students' Achievement, particularly in Arabic and English-medium subjects across various phases. Phase 4, in particular, shows outstanding progress in English and Mathematics. The school has also exceeded its targets in international assessments like PISA 2022, demonstrating strong performance in reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy.
The school's commitment to student well-being is evident through its Very Good rating for health and safety, with enhanced safeguarding measures. Leadership has improved to Very Good, driven by rigorous self-evaluation and new initiatives like Peer Observation and a comprehensive CPD program, contributing to noticeable enhancements in teaching quality.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Our Own English High School Overall Rating
Good for 2+ consecutive years
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' achievement is consistently at least Good across subjects and phases, with notable improvements in Arabic and English-medium subjects. Phase 4 demonstrates outstanding progress in English and Mathematics, and the school exceeded its targets in PISA 2022 international assessments. However, internal assessment data does not always align with observed classroom performance, and some students, including those of determination and gifted and talented, do not consistently reach their full potential. PISA 2022Outstanding progress
Personal development is rated Good in Phases 3 and 4, and Acceptable in Phases 1 and 2. Understanding of Islamic values, awareness of Emirati and global cultures, social responsibility, and innovation skills are all rated as Acceptable across all phases. This area was not evaluated in the previous inspection, indicating a new baseline assessment. Personal DevelopmentIslamic valuesinnovation skills
Teaching for effective learning is Good in Phases 1, 2, and 3, and Very Good in Phase 4, showing improvement. Lesson planning has improved, with effective use of time and resources. Assessment practices remain at a Good level across all phases, with teachers effectively using data to inform planning, though further enhancement is needed for consistent differentiation and personalized support. effective learningassessment datadifferentiation
Curriculum design and adaptation are rated Good across all phases, a new evaluation area since the previous inspection. The curriculum effectively addresses the learning needs of most students, incorporating differentiation to meet diverse learner requirements. Further enrichment and opportunities for enterprise, innovation, and real-life application are recommended. Curriculum designdifferentiationenrichment
Health and safety, including child protection and safeguarding, consistently maintain a Very Good rating, with enhanced measures and full staff awareness. Care and support are Good, though the school does not provide in-school support services for students of determination, and timely identification and personalized support for these students need strengthening. Health and safetysafeguardingCare and support
The effectiveness of leadership and self-evaluation processes have improved from Good to Very Good. Partnerships with parents and governance remain Very Good. The senior leadership team sets a clear vision, supported by the community, and rigorous self-evaluation drives development planning and professional growth initiatives. Effectiveness of leadershipSelf-evaluationGovernance
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Academic Achievement
Students' achievement is consistently good across subjects and phases, with significant improvements in Arabic and English-medium subjects, particularly in Phase 4.
International Assessment Success
The school exceeded all targets set for PISA 2022, demonstrating strong performance in reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy.
Enhanced Safeguarding
Robust safeguarding and child protection procedures are in place, ensuring student safety and well-being, with a consistent Very Good rating.
Improved Leadership
The effectiveness of leadership and self-evaluation processes have improved to Very Good, driven by new initiatives and a clear shared vision.
Strong Parent Partnerships
The school has developed strong partnerships with parents, who actively contribute to their children’s education and improved learning outcomes.
Effective Governance
The school's governing board is effective, with broad stakeholder representation ensuring accountability and alignment with school performance.
Academic Performance Breakdown
While internal assessment data often indicates high attainment, inspectors noted that these levels are not always fully aligned with students' observed knowledge and skills in lessons across various subjects and phases. The school has no external national or international assessments for Grades 1-11 in Arabic-medium subjects. Progress for students of determination and gifted and talented students varies across phases and subjects, indicating a need for more consistent and targeted support.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team sets a clear direction and shares a well-understood vision, actively supported by the entire school community. They employ a rigorous self-evaluation process, using data to drive improvement planning and ensure alignment with national priorities. New initiatives like Peer Observation and a comprehensive CPD program foster a culture of continuous improvement among staff.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students' attainment and progress are at least Good across most subjects and phases, with significant improvements noted in Arabic and English-medium subjects. Phase 4 shows outstanding achievement in English and Mathematics. However, internal assessment data does not consistently align with observed classroom performance, and there are inconsistencies in the progress of students of determination and gifted and talented students.
Personal & Social Development
Personal development is Good in upper phases and Acceptable in lower phases. Understanding of Islamic values, awareness of Emirati and global cultures, social responsibility, and innovation skills are all rated Acceptable across the school. This area was newly evaluated, establishing a baseline for future improvements.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching for effective learning is Good, improving to Very Good in Phase 4. Lesson planning has improved, with effective use of time and resources. Assessment practices are Good, with data used to inform planning, but there is a need for more consistent differentiation and personalized support, especially for high-attaining students and those requiring remediation.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and adaptation are rated Good across all phases, effectively addressing the learning needs of most students through differentiation. However, there is a need to expand opportunities for enterprise, innovation, extended writing, and the integration of sustainability themes and SDG goals to enrich student learning and personal development.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety, including child protection and safeguarding, are Very Good, with enhanced measures and high awareness among staff. Care and support are Good, but the school lacks in-school support services for students with additional learning needs, including students of determination, and requires strengthening in timely identification and personalized interventions for these groups.
Areas for Development
- •Accelerate students’ progress in developing speaking and presentation skills in Standard Arabic, particularly in phases 1 and 2.
- •Enhance students’ writing skills across all phases, with a focus on extended writing and adhering to proper grammar in phases 3 and 4.
- •Make effective use of available resources to engage students in hands-on activities, practical experiments, investigations, and independent research, to enhance their critical thinking, and independent learning skills.
- •Increase opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in real-life contexts, helping them deepen their understanding and make connections to the world around them.
- •Ensure that teachers consistently plan differentiated lessons to meet the needs of individual and groups of students, challenge gifted and talented students, and provide personalized support for students with additional learning needs, including students of determination, across all phases.
- •Appoint a full-time, qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and additional teaching assistants to ensure consistent and effective support for students with additional learning needs, including students of determination and lower-attaining students.
- •Expand opportunities for students to engage in enterprise and innovation activities across subjects and phases.
- •Integrate sustainability themes and SDG goals into lesson activities and extracurricular initiatives to develop students’ environmental awareness and connect learning with global and local contexts.