Raffles World Academy, Dubai
KHDA Inspection Report & Ratings 2019
Last updated
Executive Summary
Raffles World Academy provides a Very Good quality of education, maintaining its strong reputation for an inclusive learning culture. The school's leadership is effective in fostering a welcoming and purposeful environment.
Students demonstrate strong achievement in English, mathematics, and science, particularly in KG and PYP, with improving outcomes in most DP subjects. The IB curriculum offers multiple pathways, including BTEC qualifications, and is well-adapted to student needs.
The school excels in fostering a positive ethos of care, support, and wellbeing, alongside students' outstanding understanding of Islamic values and world cultures. Strong partnerships with parents and effective governance contribute significantly to its overall success.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Raffles World Academy Overall Rating
Very Good for 5+ consecutive years
Dubai Focus Areas
These three pillars represent the Dubai education authority's priorities: ensuring inclusive practices, prioritizing student wellbeing, and meeting UAE National Agenda targets.
The school demonstrates strong governance and leadership in promoting high-quality inclusive provision, creating a well-organized learning environment. Effective identification and intervention strategies are reducing barriers to learning, though consistency in support and precise identification for EAL students of determination could be improved. students of determinationalternative education pathwaysEAL students
Raffles World Academy shows a strong commitment to wellbeing through a clear vision and systematic data analysis, with notable strengths in staff wellbeing initiatives. The school effectively engages parents, students, and staff, fostering a positive culture, though engagement with the wider community is still emerging. staff wellbeing initiativeswellbeing programmespositive school culture
The school's progression in National Agenda Parameter benchmark tests is outstanding in English, mathematics, and science, exceeding 2021 targets in PIRLS. Leaders effectively support the National Agenda vision, but reading literacy across the school is acceptable, with variable support for Emirati students and inconsistent interventions for below-average readers. National Agenda ParameterPIRLSEmirati cohortreading literacy
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Ethos of Care
The school fosters a strong ethos of care, support, and wellbeing that permeates its diverse community, ensuring students feel valued and supported.
Curriculum Pathways
A well-balanced and coherent curriculum offers multiple pathways, including BTEC and Careers-related Programme, effectively supporting the diverse needs of students, especially in upper grades.
Parent Partnerships
The school maintains positive and reassuring relationships with parents, who are highly engaged and feel welcomed to discuss concerns and participate in school life.
Cultural Understanding
Students demonstrate an outstanding understanding of Islamic values and world cultures, coupled with strong social responsibility and innovation skills.
KG Provision
The provision of Islamic Education and Arabic language in Kindergarten is a notable strength, laying a strong foundation for early years learning.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Students’ achievement in English, mathematics, and science is at a higher level than in Islamic Education and Arabic. Student achievement in KG and PYP is stronger than in other phases. In the final phase, students’ achievement is improving in most DP subjects, except in mathematics. Emirati students achieve similarly to other groups of students.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
Led by the principal, leaders at Raffles World Academy champion a positive vision aligned with UAE priorities, fostering an inclusive school culture. They utilize systematic self-evaluation and data analysis for improvement, maintaining strong communication with parents and benefiting from supportive governance to ensure high-quality provision and resources.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Students demonstrate strong achievement in English, mathematics, and science, with particular strengths in KG and PYP, and improving outcomes in DP. Their attitudes and behavior are highly positive, and they show an outstanding understanding of Islamic values, Emirati culture, and global awareness.
Personal Development
Students are highly motivated, self-disciplined, and respectful, fostering a calm and purposeful learning atmosphere. They exhibit excellent community awareness, leadership, and innovation skills, actively participating in school initiatives and charitable endeavors.
Teaching Quality
Teaching is very effective overall, with some exemplary lessons, particularly in KG and PYP. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge, adapt teaching to student needs, and provide insightful questioning and strong feedback, though consistency in inquiry-based learning and differentiation for EAL students can be improved.
Protection & Care
The school provides very effective care, guidance, and support, with rigorous staff training in safeguarding and child protection. Health and safety arrangements are generally very good, though risk assessments for visitors and KG supervision require more rigor. Support for students of determination is successful, while EAL support is developing.
Areas for Development
- •Improve the delivery of the curriculum by ensuring consistency in teaching and assessment practices, which enable all students to demonstrate their skills, learning and understanding, through the cycle of inquiry, action and reflection.
- •Review, update and subsequently monitor risk assessment policies and procedures and ensure these are rigorously enforced.
- •Improve and embed the provision for EAL students to ensure the appropriate support is available in all lessons to accelerate their acquisition of English language skills, and ensure targeted interventions for students of determination who also require additional English language support.
- •Ensure that improvement plans have measurable success criteria focused on student outcomes, and that all leaders are effectively held accountable for their responsibilities in sustaining school improvement.
- •Ensure meaningful cross-curricular links and connections to Emirati culture and UAE society are central to units in all subjects and phases.