St. Mary’s Catholic High School – Dubai Muhaisnah Branch
Executive Summary
St. Mary's Catholic High School - Dubai Muhaisnah Branch is a co-educational British curriculum school located in Muhaisnah 4, serving students from FS1 to Year 11. Established in 2015, the school has been rated Good overall in the 2023-2024 DSIB inspection, reflecting continued improvement from its previous Acceptable ratings.
Academic performance is strong across English, mathematics and science, with attainment and progress rated Good in both Primary and Secondary for these core subjects. Students demonstrate confident use of digital technology and engage well in inquiry-based and collaborative learning. However, attainment in Islamic Education and Arabic remains at an Acceptable level, representing a key area for development.
The school's National Agenda Parameter performance is rated Very Good, with outstanding progression in mathematics and science benchmark tests. Students' personal development is a standout strength, rated Very Good across all phases. The principal and leadership team demonstrate strong commitment and vision, though greater consistency in teaching practice and more forensic use of data are identified as priorities for further improvement.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
St. Mary's Catholic High School - Dubai Muhaisnah Branch Overall Rating
Good for 2+ consecutive years
Dubai Focus Areas
These three pillars represent the Dubai education authority's priorities: ensuring inclusive practices, prioritizing student wellbeing, and meeting UAE National Agenda targets.
The principal and leadership team demonstrate strong commitment to fostering an inclusive educational environment, led by a dedicated and qualified head of inclusion. However, the range of support strategies for students of determination remains limited, and there is variability in the quality of differentiated lesson planning and implementation. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are not yet sufficiently tailored to address students' specific barriers to learning. Students of DeterminationIEPsDifferentiated Planning
The school's wellbeing provision is rated Good overall, with leaders committed to the wellbeing of staff, students and parents, supported by a dedicated wellbeing team. Students have access to trusted adults, maintain positive relationships with teachers, and act as wellbeing monitors within the school. However, monitoring, evaluation and review processes are not yet robust enough to ensure sustainable improvements, and more opportunities are needed to enhance wellbeing for students of determination. Wellbeing TeamWellbeing MonitorsStudent Wellbeing Agency
The school's overall National Agenda Parameter performance is rated Very Good, with outstanding progression in mathematics and science benchmark tests and very good progression in English. The school narrowly missed its PIRLS target score but improved on its 2016 result. Subject leaders carefully analyse international assessment data to adapt the curriculum and address learning gaps, and a consistent whole-school reading approach has resulted in most students making at least expected progress in reading proficiency. PIRLSTIMSSBenchmark TestsReading Literacy
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Principal's Vision & Leadership
The vision, commitment and determination of the principal and his leadership team are recognised as a key strength, with leaders at all levels demonstrating dedication to continuous improvement.
Outstanding Personal Development
Students' attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development are rated Very Good across all phases, with students demonstrating self-discipline, responsibility and a positive work ethic.
Strong Safeguarding Culture
The care, welfare and safeguarding of students is rated Very Good, with comprehensive policies, well-trained staff and high standards of health and safety maintained throughout the school.
National Agenda Success
The school's National Agenda performance is Very Good, with outstanding progression in mathematics and science benchmark tests and a successful whole-school culture of reading development.
Islamic Values & Community
Students demonstrate a secure understanding of Islamic values and their reflection in UAE society, and actively contribute to the wider community through charity, environmental projects and sporting events.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Attainment and progress are strong across English, mathematics and science in both Primary and Secondary. Islamic Education and Arabic remain at Acceptable levels across both phases, representing the school's primary academic development priority.
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal, supported by a capable senior leadership team, leads with a commitment to respect, honesty, compassion and excellence. Leaders at all levels are determined to improve students' academic and personal performance, and have worked collaboratively to build leadership capacity across the school. While improvement planning is comprehensive, the school recognises the need to sharpen success criteria and use data more forensically to drive further gains.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Attainment and progress are strong across English, mathematics and science in both Primary and Secondary, with excellent IGCSE results reported. Students in the Foundation Stage make good progress across core subjects. Islamic Education and Arabic remain at Acceptable levels, with improvements noted particularly in Arabic as an additional language in Primary.
Personal Development
Students' personal and social development is rated Very Good across all phases, with students demonstrating responsible attitudes, self-discipline and strong community values. Students show a secure understanding of Islamic values and UAE culture, and actively contribute to the school and wider community through environmental projects, charity work and innovation initiatives. Attendance and punctuality are very good throughout the school.
Teaching Quality
Teaching across the school is rated Good, with most teachers demonstrating strong subject knowledge and highly effective classroom management skills. Teachers' questioning is generally used well to promote critical thinking, and a successful school-wide reading initiative has improved literacy outcomes across all subjects. However, teachers are not yet using assessment data effectively enough to meet the needs of all student groups, and tasks for higher attaining students are not always sufficiently challenging.
Protection & Care
Health, safety and safeguarding are rated Very Good across all phases, with comprehensive policies, well-trained staff and secure record-keeping in place. The school fosters positive relationships and a nurturing environment, contributing to high attendance and punctuality. Care and support is rated Good, with the school successfully identifying students with specific learning needs, though in-class support for students of determination remains variable.
Areas for Development
- •Raise attainment and progress in Islamic Education and Arabic by improving the quality and consistency of teaching and ensuring the active involvement and engagement of all students.
- •Ensure greater consistency in students' achievement, teaching, learning and assessment by sharing the very best practice that already exists across the school.
- •Effectively implement the vision of inclusion and wellbeing to ensure that classroom practices are tailored to meet the needs of all students.
- •Forensically analyse data to identify areas that demand further improvements and ensure that success criteria allow leaders to determine the effectiveness of their actions.