Rosary Private School Branch Abu Dhabi Al Nahyan
Executive Summary
Rosary Private School Branch Abu Dhabi Al Nahyan, a well-established institution, has maintained its Very Good overall rating in the 2024-2025 ADEK inspection. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to UAE national education priorities and continuous improvement.
Academically, the school shows particular strength in KG achievement across all subjects, rated Very Good. Significant progress has been noted in Arabic as a first language, Islamic education, and Social Studies, with attainment and progress improving to Very Good in several cycles. Teaching quality and assessment practices have also improved in KG and remain strong across other cycles.
While the curriculum is broad and balanced, areas for development include enhancing care and support for students, particularly those with additional learning needs, and improving performance in international assessments like PISA and TIMSS where results are below targets. Leadership remains consistently Very Good, providing clear strategic direction.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Rosary Private School Branch Abu Dhabi Al Nahyan Overall Rating
Very 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 in KG is notably strong across all subjects. Significant improvements have been observed in Arabic as a first language, Islamic Education, and UAE Social Studies, with attainment and progress reaching Very Good in many cycles. However, performance in international assessments like PISA and TIMSS remains below targets, and standardized IBT results in Arabic, Mathematics, and Science show areas of weakness. KG achievementArabic as a first languageIslamic EducationUAE Social StudiesPISATIMSS
Students demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning, strong self-discipline, and respectful interactions with staff and peers. Islamic values and awareness of Emirati and world cultures are Very Good. While personal development is Good, innovation skills and social responsibility are Very Good in Cycles 2 and 3. positive attitudesIslamic valuesEmirati and world culturesinnovation skillssocial responsibility
Teaching quality has improved to Very Good in KG due to engaging lessons and active learning strategies, maintaining a Very Good rating in other cycles. Assessment practices are consistently embedded across the school, with effective use of strategies, though further strengthening of feedback and questioning techniques is recommended. engaging lessonsactive learning strategiesassessment practicesfeedbackquestioning techniques
The curriculum design and implementation are Very Good across all cycles, offering a broad and balanced program aligned with national requirements and addressing students' academic and well-being needs. Curriculum adaptation is rated Good, indicating room for further enhancement to challenge all learners effectively. curriculum design and implementationbroad and balanced curriculumnational requirementscurriculum adaptation
The school provides a safe and secure environment with robust safeguarding systems and comprehensive health and safety measures, rated Very Good. However, care and support for students have regressed to Good, primarily due to insufficient staffing for additional learning needs and ineffective systems for promoting regular attendance. safeguarding systemshealth and safetycare and supportadditional learning needsregular attendance
All aspects of leadership and management are consistently rated Very Good. The principal and leaders provide clear strategic direction, demonstrating a strong commitment to UAE priorities and continuous school improvement, although self-evaluation processes need to accurately identify strengths and areas for improvement. strategic directionUAE prioritiesschool improvementself-evaluation processes
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Strong KG Achievement
Student achievement across all subjects in KG is above expected levels, demonstrating a strong foundation for early learners.
Positive Student Attitudes
Students across all cycles demonstrate positive attitudes toward learning, actively supporting one another in their educational journey.
Safe & Secure Environment
The school provides a safe and secure environment that effectively safeguards all students, ensuring their well-being.
Commitment to UAE Priorities
School leaders are deeply committed to embedding UAE national and Emirate priorities across all aspects of the school’s work.
Improved Arabic & Islamic Ed
Student attainment and progress in Arabic as a first language and Islamic education have progressed from Good to Very Good in KG and Cycle 2.
Enhanced KG Teaching
The quality of teaching and assessment practices has improved from Good to Very Good in KG, fostering active learning.
Academic Performance Breakdown
The school's performance in international assessments (PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS) and standardized IBTs indicates that students are generally below international and national averages or school targets in English, Mathematics, and Science, despite strong internal assessment data. PIRLS reading results for Grade 4 were above the international average.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal and other leaders provide a clear strategic direction, demonstrating a strong commitment to UAE national priorities and continuous school improvement. They have effectively maintained the school's overall Very Good performance, though self-evaluation processes need to be more accurate in identifying areas for improvement.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Students' achievement in KG is strong across all subjects. Significant improvements are noted in Arabic, Islamic Education, and Social Studies. However, external assessments like PISA, TIMSS, and IBTs reveal that students' attainment in English, Mathematics, and Science is often below international or national benchmarks and school targets, despite strong internal data.
Personal & Social Development
Students exhibit positive attitudes, self-discipline, and respectful interactions. Islamic values and cultural awareness are Very Good. While personal development is Good, innovation skills and social responsibility are strong in Cycles 2 and 3. Students show empathy and support for peers, including those of determination.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching quality has improved in KG due to engaging lessons and active learning, maintaining a Very Good standard across other cycles. Assessment practices are consistently applied, though further refinement in feedback, self-assessment, and questioning techniques is recommended to deepen student engagement and challenge.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation are Very Good across all cycles, providing a broad and balanced program that meets academic and well-being needs, aligning with national requirements. Curriculum adaptation is rated Good, indicating a need for further enhancement to provide sufficient challenge for all student groups, including gifted and talented.
Protection, Care & Support
The school maintains a Very Good standard for health, safety, and safeguarding, with robust systems and well-equipped facilities. However, care and support for students have regressed to Good due to insufficient staffing for additional learning needs and ineffective systems for promoting regular attendance. Accessibility for students with physical challenges needs improvement.
Areas for Development
- •Raise students’ attainment, progress, and learning skills further by strengthening speaking skills in Arabic as a first language, particularly for lower-attaining students; improving reading and speaking skills in English in Cycles 1 and 2; increasing opportunities for students in science, particularly in Cycles 1, 2, and 3, to develop scientific thinking, inquiry, and investigation skills through practical tasks and laboratory-based learning; and enhancing opportunities to develop independent learning skills across subjects in Cycles 1 and 2.
- •Further strengthen teaching, assessment, and curriculum by ensuring all teachers deliver purposeful lessons at the appropriate pace and support and that tasks match the needs of all learners; developing the consistent and effective use of assessment of learning strategies; fostering deeper student engagement by improving questioning techniques and reducing teacher-led instruction in lessons; ensuring consistency in the use of feedback, including self-assessment, peer assessment, and written teacher feedback, across all cycles; expanding opportunities for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship across all cycles; and enhancing the curriculum to ensure sufficient challenge for higher- and lower-attaining students, as well as gifted and talented students.
- •Improve the protection, care, guidance, and support of students by ensuring that premises are fully accessible to all students, staff, and visitors with physical challenges through appropriate modifications that support full inclusion and participation; increasing opportunities for students to engage in regular physical activities in safe, well-supervised indoor and outdoor environments; strengthening systems for the identification of students with additional learning needs, including students of determination, across all phases; providing more targeted and effective support for students with additional learning needs in all subjects and cycles; improving the quality of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to ensure that learning targets are specific, measurable, and responsive to individual student profiles; and promoting healthy living across the school through well-being initiatives and the encouragement of nutritious eating habits.
- •Further strengthen the impact of leadership by ensuring that self-evaluation processes accurately identify the school’s strengths and areas for improvement; reducing staff turnover to support continuity and sustained school improvement; strengthening systems and procedures to improve student attendance; reviewing dismissal procedures to ensure they do not reduce effective learning time; and increasing the number of specialists and inclusion staff to adequately support students with additional learning needs.
- •Improve Performance in International Assessments of PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS by implementing structured, daily reading programs that emphasize fluency, vocabulary development, and critical analysis to address gaps highlighted in PIRLS and PISA reading results; integrating conceptual teaching approaches that promote mathematical thinking, real-life application, and step-by-step problem-solving strategies to improve outcomes in TIMSS and PISA mathematics; providing hands-on learning, structured experimentation, and guided application of scientific methods to address underperformance in TIMSS and PISA science scores; using international benchmark frameworks to revise lesson planning, assessment design, and instructional approaches to ensure alignment with PISA, TIMSS, and PIRLS expectations; and equipping teachers with targeted training on instructional strategies, cognitive rigor, and assessment literacy required to improve student performance in international benchmarking assessments.