The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls

The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls delivers a bilingual KG–Grade 12 programme rooted in the US Common Core Standards (Massachusetts framework), integrated with the UAE Ministry of Education curriculum for Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Moral Education. Students graduate with a US High School Diploma and may pursue Advanced Placement (AP) courses across a range of subjects, with the school holding College Board AP designated school status. SAT preparation is embedded in the senior phase. Among 42 American curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi, SZPAG stands as the only one rated Outstanding by ADEK's Irtiqaa inspection framework — a distinction that places it in genuinely rare company.

The academic programme is structured across four phases: Early Childhood (Pre-K–Grade 1), Elementary/Cycle 1 (Grades 2–5), Middle School/Cycle 2 (Grades 6–8), and High School/Cycle 3 (Grades 9–12). Distinctive pedagogical frameworks are embedded throughout, including Talk for Writing for literacy development, Dimensions Math (Singapore Math) for numeracy, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for science. A STEAM strand runs across phases, and the school operates as an Apple Distinguished School with a 1:1 iPad scheme for Grades 3–12, running a fully paperless environment in middle and high school. The Library and Knowledge Centre holds over 20,000 physical and digital resources, approximately 20% in Arabic, supporting the school's bilingual mission. Specialist provision includes a Gifted and Talented programme, a dedicated Students of Determination/Inclusion team — rated Outstanding by inspectors — and Career Guidance for senior students.

The 2024–25 ADEK Irtiqaa inspection rated the school Outstanding overall, an improvement from Very Good in each of the three preceding years. Inspectors found that students in Phases 1 and 4 demonstrate outstanding progress across all subjects, and praised teachers for excellent subject knowledge and effective classroom management. Arabic-medium attainment is a particular strength: Grade 12 MoE results show outstanding attainment in Arabic and Islamic Education, and the school holds the Outstanding National Identity Mark (ADEK, 2022–23). The school is dually accredited by CIS and NEASC, providing international recognition of its High School Diploma.

However, the picture from external standardised assessments is more challenging and parents should weigh it carefully. Spring 2023–24 MAP Growth results indicate weak attainment across Phases 2, 3, and 4 in English reading, language use, mathematics, and science. PISA 2022 scores of 459.2 in reading, 429.6 in mathematics, and 439 in science all fall below international standards. TIMSS 2019 placed Grade 4 students at 463.83 in mathematics and 443.1 in science, and Grade 8 students at 423.12 in mathematics and 413.8 in science — all within the low international benchmark range. PIRLS Grade 4 results reached only the Intermediate International Benchmark. Inspectors explicitly flagged the misalignment between strong internal assessment data and weaker external performance as a priority concern, recommending the school use assessment data more effectively to close these gaps.

Key areas identified for improvement include developing extended writing, reading, and speaking skills across all phases; strengthening innovation, inquiry, and critical thinking more consistently in lessons — particularly in lower phases; completing the curriculum review for upper-phase mathematics and English; and expanding staffing in clinics and laboratories. These are substantive gaps, and families considering the school for academically ambitious daughters should probe how the school is addressing the divergence between its internal results and its international benchmark performance. Compared to peer American curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi, SZPAG's inspection standing is unmatched, but its standardised test outcomes remain an area where the school has not yet demonstrated equivalent strength.