Sharjah American International School, Abu Dhabi

SAIS-AUH operates the American curriculum anchored in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts and Mathematics, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for Science, and the California State Education Framework as its guiding pedagogical reference. This is a student-centered, skills-based model that prioritises critical thinking, problem-solving in real-world contexts, and college-and-career readiness - preparing students primarily for higher education in the United States and other international universities. The curriculum runs from Preschool (N4) through Grade 12, culminating in a US High School Diploma requiring a minimum of 25 graduation credits over four years. In the Kindergarten phase, the school implements the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP), aligned to Common Core kindergarten standards, covering eight developmental domains from language and literacy to visual and performing arts. KG students access the STEAM lab daily on a rotational basis - an early and meaningful integration of technology and inquiry. In Elementary, core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies) are taught by class teachers while specialist teachers deliver Arabic, Islamic Studies, UAE Social Studies, ICT, Music, Art, Physical Education, and French. In Middle School (Grades 6-8), students begin selecting electives: Grade 6 options include French, Art, and Music; Grades 7-8 expand into Creative Writing, Speech and Debate, Personal Finance, and Cyber Security and Engineering Technology - a notably broad menu for a school of this size. The High School curriculum (Grades 9-12) deepens critical thinking, advanced writing, and creative reasoning, with the minimum 25-credit graduation requirement providing structure without rigidity. On standardised assessments, the ADEK Irtiqa 2024/25 report provides the most granular picture available. In the MAP (NWEA) Spring 2023/24 assessments, English reading attainment improved from Weak in the autumn to Outstanding in Phase 4 (Grades 9-12) and Very Good in Phase 3. MAP English language use reached Outstanding in Phases 3 and 4 in Spring. MAP Mathematics improved from Weak in Phase 3 autumn to Good by spring, and from Good to Very Good in Phase 4. MAP Science showed strong improvement, reaching Very Good in Phases 2 and 3 by spring. Student progress between fall and spring MAP sittings was rated Outstanding across all grades - a particularly strong indicator of teaching effectiveness. In TIMSS 2023, Grade 8 Mathematics scored 531.16, exceeding the international benchmark mean - a notable result. Grade 4 Mathematics scored 465.30, meeting the school's own target. However, PISA 2022 results were below the international average across all three domains (Scientific Literacy: 415.3; Mathematical Literacy: 416.1; Reading Literacy: 383.8), and the school acknowledges this gap with documented action plans. The PIRLS 2021 Grade 4 reading score of 476 placed students at the intermediate international benchmark level. For reading development, SAIS-AUH has invested meaningfully: the Jolly Phonics programme underpins early literacy in Phase 1, the Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) initiative runs twice weekly school-wide, and students across phases participated in the Emirates Festival of Literature. Two well-resourced libraries - one for Phase 1, one for Phases 2-4 - support both guided and independent reading. A new Phase 3 reading programme introducing more complex texts was recently implemented. EAL support is embedded, with targeted literacy development for students whose first language is not English. Academic support for students of determination (32 enrolled) is documented in the Irtiqa report as effective, with Very Good to Outstanding progress noted across phases. Gifted and talented students make Outstanding progress in Phases 2, 3, and 4 in most subjects. The school uses CAT4 cognitive ability assessments for students joining from Grade 3 upward to personalise learning pathways. University destination data is not publicly disclosed by the school.