Philippine Emirates School
Executive Summary
The Philippine Emirates Private School received an overall Acceptable rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2023-2024 academic year. The school, which opened in 2022/23, demonstrates a commitment to improvement, particularly in enhancing students' reading skills across all three languages taught.
Academically, children in KG make at least the expected progress in English, mathematics, and science. While internal assessment data often indicates attainment above curriculum standards, inspectors observed that actual student knowledge and skills in lessons do not consistently align with these higher levels. Standardized IBT results show varied attainment, with some subjects and grades meeting or exceeding international benchmarks, while others fall below.
Key strengths include high attendance and punctuality, courteous relationships between staff and students, and positive parental involvement. However, significant areas for development were identified across all performance standards, including the need to improve attainment and progress, enhance teaching quality, strengthen assessment practices, adapt the curriculum, and urgently improve protection, care, guidance, and support for students.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Philippine Emirates School Overall Rating
Acceptable
ADEK Performance Standards
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Students' attainment and progress are generally acceptable, with KG children making expected progress in core subjects. However, observed knowledge and skills in lessons often do not match internal assessment data, and IBT results show mixed performance against international benchmarks. Significant improvements are needed in Arabic, UAE Social Studies, and developing higher-order thinking skills across all subjects. attainmentprogressIBT results
Students demonstrate acceptable personal development, showing responsible attitudes, respect for school rules, and courteous relationships with staff. Attendance is consistently high. However, social responsibility and innovation skills are weak, with limited opportunities for student leadership, voluntary activities, and independent initiative. Awareness of healthy lifestyles also needs improvement. attendancesocial responsibilityinnovation skills
Teaching and assessment are acceptable, but there is a need to improve the quality of teaching to foster more active learning and less teacher-led delivery. Teachers need to use a wider variety of resources, differentiate instruction more effectively, and raise expectations for student achievement. Assessment processes require strengthening to be more robust, coherent, and used rigorously to inform and adapt lessons. active learningdifferentiationassessment data
The curriculum design and implementation are acceptable, but curriculum adaptation is weak. The KG curriculum needs more play-based and inquiry-led learning opportunities. There is a need to strengthen the review and adaptation of the curriculum to meet diverse student needs, ensure purposeful cross-curricular links, and provide sufficient extracurricular choices to develop talents and aspirations. curriculum adaptationcross-curricular linksextracurricular choices
Health and safety arrangements are acceptable, but care and support for students are weak. Urgent improvements are required in implementing the child protection policy, maintaining facilities, promoting healthy eating, and appointing a female nurse. The school also needs to appoint a specialist inclusion coordinator and strengthen processes for identifying and supporting students of determination. child protection policystudents of determinationinclusion coordinator
Leadership and management are weak, with a need to establish a clear and ambitious strategic direction. Roles and responsibilities for leadership and middle management require clearer definition and delegation. The self-evaluation process needs to be more accurate and data-driven to inform school improvement planning effectively. Staffing, professional development, and resource provision also require significant attention. strategic directionself-evaluationstaffing
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
KG Academic Progress
Children in KG consistently make at least the expected progress in English, mathematics, and science.
High Attendance & Punctuality
Attendance levels are consistently high, and students are punctual in arriving at school.
Courteous Relationships
Relationships between staff and students are consistently courteous and friendly, fostering a positive learning environment.
Positive Parental Involvement
Parents' involvement in the school community makes a positive and valued contribution.
Reading Improvement Commitment
Leaders are committed to improving students' reading skills and have an action plan to enhance reading and comprehension in all three languages.
Academic Performance Breakdown
While internal data suggests higher attainment, observed student knowledge and skills in lessons often do not align. IBT results show varied performance, with some subjects meeting or exceeding international benchmarks, but others falling below.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team is committed to improving students' reading skills and has an action plan in place. However, the overall effectiveness of leadership, self-evaluation, and management of resources are weak, requiring a clearer strategic direction, better delegation, and more robust data-driven improvement planning.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students' attainment and progress are acceptable in English, Mathematics, and Science across most phases, with KG children making expected progress. However, attainment and progress are weak in Islamic Education, Arabic as a second language, and UAE Social Studies. Observed skills in lessons often do not match internal assessment data, and students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent learning skills are underdeveloped.
Personal & Social Development
Students demonstrate acceptable personal development, including responsible attitudes, respect for rules, and courteous relationships. Attendance is high. However, social responsibility and innovation skills are weak, with limited opportunities for student leadership, community involvement, and independent initiative. Awareness and practice of healthy eating and lifestyles also need improvement.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching and assessment are acceptable, but there is a need to shift from teacher-led delivery to more active student learning. Teachers need to improve lesson planning, use diverse resources, differentiate effectively for all student groups, and raise expectations. Assessment processes require strengthening for robustness, coherence, and rigorous use of data to inform personalized learning and track progress.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation are acceptable, but adaptation is weak. The KG curriculum needs more play-based and inquiry-led learning. There is a need to strengthen curriculum review to meet diverse student needs, ensure purposeful cross-curricular links, and provide sufficient extracurricular choices to develop talents. Opportunities for students to understand UAE history and heritage also need enhancement.
Protection, Care & Support
Health and safety arrangements are acceptable, but care and support are weak and require urgent attention. Procedures for the child protection policy need strengthening and wider understanding. Buildings and equipment, especially outdoor areas and science labs, require better maintenance. Promoting healthy eating and lifestyles, appointing a female nurse, and providing effective personal and career guidance are also critical areas for improvement.
Areas for Development
- •Improve students’ attainment and progress to a consistently good or better level in all subjects and phases, focusing on Arabic and English literacy, scientific inquiry, mathematics knowledge, and collaboration skills.
- •Improve the quality of teaching to reach at least a good level by enhancing lesson planning, promoting active learning, using varied resources, ensuring engaging interactions, and differentiating work to challenge all students.
- •Improve the quality of assessment to reach at least a good level by ensuring robust internal processes, rigorous use of data to inform learning, effective monitoring of progress, and constructive written feedback.
- •Improve the curriculum to meet the needs of all groups of students by including more play-based learning in KG, strengthening adaptation, planning purposeful cross-curricular links, and providing sufficient extracurricular choices.
- •Improve the protection, care, guidance, and support of students without delay and as a priority by strengthening child protection procedures, maintaining facilities, promoting healthy lifestyles, appointing a female nurse, and providing effective guidance.
- •Strengthen the care and support for students by appointing a specialist inclusion coordinator, improving identification and support processes for students of determination, and aligning with ADEK's inclusion policy.
- •Improve the effectiveness of leadership to reach at least a good level by setting a clear strategic direction, defining roles, ensuring accurate self-evaluation, and providing adequate staffing, professional development, and resources.