Rowad Al Dhafra Private School has received an overall Acceptable rating from ADEK for the 2024-2025 academic year. Since the previous inspection, the school has faced significant challenges, including a relocation to new facilities, the loss of seven teachers, and the enrolment of 200 new students, which have hindered overall progress.
Academic achievement remains largely Acceptable across most subjects and cycles, though English and Science in some phases have regressed from Good to Acceptable. Learning skills are also Acceptable, with students showing emerging critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, but inconsistent application of technology. Students demonstrate a good understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture, though punctuality and social responsibility require improvement.
Teaching quality and assessment practices are Acceptable, with variability noted due to new teachers and limited use of hands-on learning. The MoE (UAE) curriculum is compliant and aligns with national priorities but focuses more on theoretical knowledge, with insufficient adaptation for higher attainers or students with additional learning needs. Leadership is Acceptable, but self-evaluation and improvement planning have declined to Weak, indicating a need for stronger strategic oversight and resource provision.
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Rowad Al Dhafra Private School Overall Rating
Acceptable
The six Irtiqa inspection standards used by ADEK to evaluate school performance across Abu Dhabi.
Overall student achievement remains Acceptable, with consistent performance in Arabic and Mathematics. However, English and Science have seen regression in some cycles. Learning skills are Acceptable, but students' use of technology to extend learning and their research skills are inconsistent, with critical thinking and innovation still emerging. EnglishSciencetechnologycritical thinkinginnovation
Students' personal development is Acceptable, with good attendance but inconsistent punctuality and occasional behavioral issues. There is a strong understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture, though awareness of other world cultures is limited. Social responsibility is Acceptable, with some community involvement but inconsistent engagement in broader innovation activities. punctualitybehavioral issuesIslamic valuesEmirati culturesocial responsibility
Teaching quality is Acceptable overall, but varies across phases and subjects, partly due to new teachers. Challenges include class management and limited use of hands-on learning. Assessment effectiveness is Acceptable, with data available but not consistently used to provide sufficient challenge, especially for higher-attaining students. class managementhands-on learningassessment datahigher-attaining students
Curriculum design and implementation are Acceptable, meeting MoE and Cambridge requirements and aligning with national priorities. However, it focuses more on theoretical knowledge than skills, and subject/extracurricular options for senior students are limited. Curriculum adaptation is also Acceptable, with insufficient modifications for higher attainers, gifted and talented, or students with additional learning needs, and innovation opportunities are not yet embedded. MoECambridgetheoretical knowledgeskillshigher attainersadditional learning needsinnovation
Health and safety, along with care and support, are Acceptable, with appropriate child protection procedures. Attendance is very good, but punctuality remains a concern, and supervision between lessons needs improvement. Identification and support for students with additional learning needs and the gifted and talented are not yet aligned with MoE Inclusion policy, leading to insufficient challenge for these groups. health and safetychild protectionpunctualitysupervisionstudents with additional learning needsgifted and talentedMoE Inclusion policy
Leadership is Acceptable, but self-evaluation and improvement planning have declined to Weak. A new principal and distributive leadership are in place, but previous recommendations have not shown impact due to changes and relocation. The school lacks a SENCO, and self-evaluation needs greater accuracy and depth, with improvement planning requiring updating and clear priorities. self-evaluationimprovement planningWeaknew principalSENCO
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Students demonstrate a clear understanding of Islamic values and a strong appreciation of Emirati culture and heritage, with developing environmental awareness.
Teachers maintain respectful and supportive relationships with students, showing awareness of individual learning needs and providing routine verbal feedback.
The curriculum is compliant with Ministry of Education requirements, reflecting national and Emirate priorities, with evident cross-curricular links and UAE culture integration.
Safeguarding procedures are in place, fostering a caring and respectful school environment through positive staff-student relationships.
Leaders are committed to national benchmarks and priorities, maintaining regular communication with parents and promoting stakeholder involvement.
Overall student achievement has remained Acceptable since the previous inspection, despite some regression in English and Science in specific cycles. While internal assessments often show Acceptable levels, external assessments like IBT and MoE national exams frequently indicate Weak attainment and progress, particularly in upper cycles. The school has not consistently identified or reported on the progress of students of determination, gifted and talented, or low/high attainers in all phases.
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership is rated Acceptable, but the effectiveness of self-evaluation and improvement planning has declined to Weak. A new principal and a distributive leadership structure are in place, but previous recommendations have not shown impact due to recent leadership changes and school relocation. The school has not yet appointed a SENCO, and self-evaluation lacks accuracy and depth, requiring clearer priorities in the improvement plan.
Students' attainment and progress are generally Acceptable across subjects based on internal data, but external assessments often reveal weaker performance, particularly in upper cycles. Regression in English and Science has been noted in some phases. Learning skills are Acceptable, but the consistent application of technology and development of research, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills need strengthening.
Personal development is Acceptable, with good attendance but inconsistent punctuality and occasional behavioral issues among a minority of boys. Students show a good understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture, but their awareness of other world cultures is limited. Social responsibility is Acceptable, with some environmental and volunteer work, but insufficient engagement in broader community and innovation activities.
Teaching quality is Acceptable overall, though variability exists due to new teachers, leading to challenges in class management and limited use of hands-on learning. Assessment effectiveness is Acceptable, with more comprehensive data available, but it is not consistently used to plan sufficient challenge, especially for higher-attaining students.
Curriculum design and implementation are Acceptable, meeting MoE and Cambridge requirements and aligning with national priorities. However, the curriculum places more focus on theoretical knowledge than practical skills, and subject choices for senior students are limited. Curriculum adaptation is also Acceptable, with insufficient modifications to meet the needs of higher attainers, gifted and talented, and students with additional learning needs, and innovation opportunities are not yet embedded.
Health and safety, along with care and support, are Acceptable. Child protection procedures are appropriate, and attendance is very good. However, punctuality remains a concern, and supervision between lessons requires improvement. The identification and support for students with additional learning needs and the gifted and talented are not yet aligned with MoE Inclusion policy expectations, resulting in insufficient challenge for these groups.