Ryan International School
Executive Summary
Ryan International School, operating under the CBSE curriculum in Abu Dhabi, received an overall Acceptable rating in its latest ADEK Irtiqa inspection for the 2023-2024 academic year. The school has maintained its overall performance since the previous inspection, with notable strengths in student personal development and robust health and safety protocols. Student numbers have significantly grown, and new leadership roles have been appointed to support school development.
Academically, attainment and progress in English medium subjects, Islamic Education, and Social Studies have remained Acceptable across all phases. However, achievement in Arabic as a second language continues to be Weak. The school has engaged in international assessments like TIMSS and PIRLS, and is actively working on enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills in English medium subjects. Efforts are underway to improve reading skills, although inconsistencies in phonics use and progress tracking in KG were noted.
The inspection highlighted students' personal development, positive attitudes, and understanding of Islamic and Emirati cultures as well developed. The school's rigorous health and safety protocols are a strong feature, ensuring student wellbeing. Day-to-day management is organized and efficient, with continued strengths in partnerships with parents and governance. Key recommendations focus on improving achievement in core subjects, enhancing teaching and assessment impact, refining curriculum design, and strengthening leadership effectiveness.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
Ryan International 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 across English medium subjects, Islamic Education, and Social Studies. However, achievement in Arabic as a second language remains weak across all phases. Internal assessment data often does not align with observed knowledge and skills in lessons, indicating a need for more consistent application of skills and critical thinking. Arabic as a second languageWeak achievement
Students demonstrate good personal development, positive attitudes, and a strong understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture. They are courteous, respectful, and actively contribute to school activities. Attendance is good, and students show increasing self-reliance, though foundational phase children still rely heavily on teacher support. positive attitudesIslamic and Emirati cultures
Teaching and assessment practices are acceptable overall, but there is a need to plan more purposeful lessons that provide appropriate challenge for all abilities, especially higher-ability students. The use of resources, including specialist laboratories, needs improvement, and there is an over-reliance on textbooks. Feedback to students is inconsistent, and assessment data is not always accurately aligned to curriculum standards. purposeful lessonsuse of resourcesfeedback
Curriculum design and implementation are acceptable, but improvements are needed to ensure continuity across phases and to develop relevant skills. The curriculum should incorporate more experiential and inquiry-based learning, particularly in foundational, elementary, and middle phases, to enhance engagement and foster innovation, creativity, and enterprise skills. continuity across phasesinquiry-based learninginnovation skills
The school demonstrates very good health and safety protocols, including child protection, which is a strong feature. Care, guidance, and support for students are good across all phases. Students with additional learning needs generally make expected progress, and bullying is rare. However, there is a need to improve students' understanding of healthier eating choices to address obesity rates. health and safetychild protectioncare and support
Leadership and management are acceptable overall, with strengths in partnerships with parents and governance. However, leaders at all levels need to focus more on increasing student achievement and demonstrating secure knowledge of best practices. Self-evaluation needs to be more realistic, accurate, and based on multiple reliable evidence sources, aligning monitoring with the UAE School Inspection Framework. partnerships with parentsgovernanceself-evaluation
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Personal Development
Students exhibit well-developed personal attributes, positive attitudes, and a strong understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture.
Health & Safety
The school maintains rigorous protocols and stringent arrangements for health and safety, including child protection, across all phases.
Efficient Management
The day-to-day management of the school is well organized, efficient, and effective, contributing to a smooth operation.
Parental Partnerships
The school demonstrates continued strengths in its partnerships with parents and the wider community, fostering strong engagement.
Student Growth
Student numbers have significantly grown, with new classes and teachers added, indicating expanding provision and community trust.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Overall, students' achievement is acceptable across most subjects, with a notable weakness in Arabic as a second language. Internal assessment data frequently indicates higher attainment than observed in lessons, suggesting a discrepancy in the application of knowledge and skills. Standardized assessment results are variable. Key areas for improvement include writing accuracy, mathematical reasoning, scientific inquiry, and critical thinking across all phases.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The leadership team at Ryan International School is focused on maintaining acceptable standards, with particular strengths in fostering parent partnerships and efficient day-to-day management. However, there is a recognized need for leaders at all levels to enhance their focus on student achievement, deepen their knowledge of best practices in teaching and assessment, and strengthen the accuracy and reliability of self-evaluation processes.
Inspection Findings
Students' Achievement
Attainment and progress are acceptable in English medium subjects, Islamic Education, and Social Studies, but weak in Arabic as a second language. Internal assessment data often overestimates student capabilities compared to observed skills. Students inconsistently apply Quran recitation rules, lack deep understanding of contemporary issues in Islamic Education, and struggle with practical navigation skills in Social Studies. Writing accuracy, mathematical reasoning, and scientific inquiry skills are underdeveloped across phases.
Personal & Social Development
Students demonstrate good personal development, positive attitudes, and a strong understanding of Islamic values and Emirati culture. They are courteous, respectful, and contribute to school activities. Attendance is good. However, foundational phase children show reliance on teachers, and there's a need to promote healthier eating choices to reduce obesity rates.
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching and assessment are acceptable, but lessons often lack appropriate pace, support, and challenge for higher-ability students. There is an over-reliance on textbooks and worksheets, with insufficient use of specialist laboratories and interactive activities. Feedback to students is inconsistent, and assessment data is not always accurately aligned to curriculum standards, hindering effective progress monitoring.
Curriculum Design & Adaptation
Curriculum design and implementation are acceptable, but there is a lack of continuity across phases, hindering skill development. Experiential and inquiry-based learning opportunities are insufficient, particularly in foundational, elementary, and middle phases. The curriculum needs to be more adaptable to different learning styles and abilities, and better promote innovation, creativity, and enterprise skills.
Protection, Care & Support
The school provides very good health and safety, including child protection, and good care and support for students. Students with additional learning needs generally make expected progress. However, there is a need to improve students’ understanding of the benefits of healthier eating choices to reduce the obesity rate among older students.
Areas for Development
- •Improve achievement in all core subjects and learning skills across the school by enhancing writing, reading, and speaking skills for students where Arabic is an additional language, extending independent English writing skills, ensuring students can apply skills and analyze findings in mathematics, providing more opportunities for scientific thinking and practical experiments, actively involving KG children in age-appropriate learning tasks, and ensuring effective access and use of technology for research and independent learning.
- •Improve the impact of teaching and assessment by ensuring teachers plan purposeful lessons with appropriate pace, support, and challenge for all students, improving the use of resources including specialist laboratories, reducing reliance on textbooks, providing clear and consistent feedback, strengthening teachers' use of assessment to challenge and support progress, and ensuring assessment data is accurately aligned to curriculum standards.
- •Improve curriculum design, implementation, and adaptation by reviewing the curriculum for continuity across phases, incorporating experiential and inquiry-based learning, improving children’s and student's innovation, creativity and enterprise skills, and enhancing the adaptability of the curriculum to address diverse learning needs, including gifted and talented students.
- •Improve the impact of leadership and management by ensuring all leaders focus on increasing student achievement and demonstrating secure knowledge of best practices, basing self-evaluation on multiple reliable evidence, aligning monitoring of teaching and achievement with the UAE School Inspection Framework, seeking parents' views on improvement priorities, and ensuring sufficient learning resources in all subjects, including technology.