The Philippine Global SchoolPhilippines School in Abu Dhabi
Curriculum
Philippines
ADEK
Acceptable
Location
Abu Dhabi
Fees
AED 5K - 9K
The Philippine Global School
The Executive Summary
The Philippine Global School Abu Dhabi occupies a very specific and clearly defined niche in the Abu Dhabi private school landscape. Founded in 2015 on 21st Muroor Road in Hadbat Al Za'faranah, it serves the large Filipino expatriate community in the heart of the capital, delivering the Philippine curriculum - the educational framework set by the Department of Education of the Philippines - with an emphasis on Mathematics, Science, English, Filipino, and Social Studies alongside UAE-mandated subjects. With an ADEK rating of Acceptable sustained across multiple inspection cycles and school fees Abu Dhabi parents will find among the most accessible in the emirate (AED 5,470 to AED 8,770 annually), TPGS is a school built on a clear value proposition: affordable, culturally rooted education for Filipino families who want continuity with the home curriculum. It is one of the prominent Hadbat Al Za'faranah schools catering to this demographic, and its 1,224-strong student body is testament to genuine community demand.
The honest assessment, however, is that TPGS is a school still working towards its potential. The Acceptable rating - the minimum performance required under the ADEK Irtiqa framework - has not shifted upward since the school's early Weak rating in 2015-16, and the most recent inspection (2021-22) left 29% of performance measures unevaluated. Academic attainment across most phases sits at Acceptable, with pockets of Good performance in Social Studies and KG-phase English and Sciences. The school is not the right choice for families seeking a pathway to international university admissions, advanced qualifications, or a bilingual Arabic-English environment. It is, however, a genuinely community-centred institution with a God-centred ethos, committed teachers, and the lowest school fees in its peer group - making it a pragmatic and culturally meaningful choice for Filipino families prioritising affordability and cultural continuity.
Lowest fees in Abu DhabiPhilippine curriculum Abu DhabiStrong community cultureADEK Acceptable rated
“For our family, keeping our children connected to the Philippine curriculum while living in Abu Dhabi is very important. The school feels like a community - the teachers understand our culture and our children feel at home here.”
— Grade 5 Parent(representative)Academic Framework & Learning Style
The Philippine Global School follows the Philippine curriculum, the educational framework set by the Department of Education of the Philippines. This structured, subject-centred programme covers core disciplines including Mathematics, Science, English, Filipino, and Social Studies, and is supplemented by UAE Ministry of Education-mandated subjects: Arabic as a Second Language, Moral Education, and Islamic Studies (for Muslim students). The curriculum is designed to support students' academic growth while promoting Filipino values and cultural heritage - a deliberate and coherent identity choice rather than a compromise.
The ADEK Irtiqa inspection report (2021-22) provides the most detailed available picture of academic performance. In the KG phase, attainment and progress in English and Sciences were rated Good, with Mathematics at Acceptable - a relatively strong foundation stage. In the primary cycle (Cycle 1), Social Studies attainment and progress were rated Good, while English, Mathematics, Sciences, Arabic Second Language, and Islamic Education sat at Acceptable. Secondary (Cycle 2) results show Mathematics progress rated Good, with Social Studies attainment and progress also at Good - suggesting that older students who engage with the curriculum can make meaningful gains. English and Sciences in the secondary phase were Acceptable. Learning skills in KG were rated Good, dropping to Acceptable in primary and secondary, indicating that while younger learners show curiosity and engagement, sustaining those habits across the school remains a development priority.
The school does not currently offer qualifications beyond Grade 10, which means there is no Sixth Form, A-Level, or equivalent terminal examination pathway on campus. Families with children approaching Grade 11 will need to plan a school transition. University placement data is not published, which is consistent with the school's current grade ceiling. The academic support landscape - including provision for students of determination (approximately 0.98% of enrolment per ADEK data), gifted and talented learners, and EAL support - is not detailed in published materials, and parents should raise this directly with the school during admissions. Homework and assessment follow the structured Philippine DepEd framework, with regular formative and summative assessments aligned to the national curriculum calendar.
Good
KG English & Science Attainment
ADEK Irtiqa 2021-22 inspection
Good
Social Studies (Primary & Secondary)
Both attainment and progress rated Good
Good
Mathematics Progress (Secondary)
ADEK Irtiqa 2021-22 inspection
Grade 10
Highest Grade Offered
No Sixth Form or post-16 pathway currently available
Extracurricular Activities (ECAs)
Despite the school's modest fee structure, extracurricular life at The Philippine Global School shows genuine ambition and community spirit. The school's Facebook page - its most active public communications channel - documents a rich calendar of events that goes well beyond the classroom. Most notably, TPGS hosted the Philippine Schools Athletic Meet (PSAM) 2026, an inter-school sports competition bringing together The Philippine School Dubai, The Philippine School Abu Dhabi (Baniyas), and TPGS itself. This event, held on the TPGS campus, featured Basketball and Volleyball championships and reflects the school's active participation in the Filipino schools community across the UAE.
In the academic enrichment arena, the school's FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team - the Globalian Terrain Explorers - won the prestigious Solution Award at the FLL Finale Explore Category held at the American School of Creative Science, Sharjah, in February 2026. This is a meaningful competitive achievement for a school of TPGS's fee bracket, demonstrating that STEM-oriented students can find genuine enrichment pathways. The school also organises educational tours, a Junior's Promenade (prom-style formal event for older students), and cultural celebrations integrating Filipino and UAE traditions. The school website references an Extra-Curricular Activities programme, though a detailed list of clubs and their count is not publicly available. Given the school's size (1,224 students) and 48 teaching staff, parents should enquire directly about the range and scheduling of after-school clubs. Performing arts, including music (evidenced by band performances at PSAM), appear to feature in school life, and the school's cultural events integrate dance, drama, and traditional Filipino arts.
3
Philippine schools in PSAM 2026
Inter-school UAE athletic meet hosted by TPGS
PSAM 2026 host schoolFLL Solution Award winnersBasketball & Volleyball competitiveJunior's Promenade annual eventSTEM enrichment programme
Pastoral Care & Well-being
The Philippine Global School's pastoral framework is grounded in its God-centred ethos and the four core values it explicitly teaches: Respect, Self-Discipline, Nationalism, and Recognition of Religion and Cultural Diversity. This values-based approach is woven into daily school life - from the morning assembly, where both the UAE and Philippine national anthems are recited, to character development programmes embedded in the curriculum. The school's commitment to a safe environment is articulated in its published Child Protection Policy and Safeguarding Policy, both referenced on the school website.
The ADEK Irtiqa inspection rated Health and Safety as Good across all inspected phases (KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2), and Care and Support was similarly rated Good across all phases - the strongest consistent performance area in the entire inspection report. This is a meaningful finding: even where academic outcomes are at Acceptable level, inspectors found that students are well cared for and supported. The school acknowledges approximately 0.98% of students as students of determination, though the depth of specialist inclusion provision is not detailed in public materials. Partnerships with parents was rated Good in the leadership section, suggesting active and valued communication channels between home and school. The school's PTC (Parent-Teacher Community) - the TPGS PTC 25-26 - is an active body, recently collaborating with Dubai Cares and ALEC Holdings to secure donated school assets and learning tools for students.
“The school really does feel like a family. The teachers know our children personally, and the values they teach - respect and self-discipline - are exactly what we want reinforced at school.”
— Grade 8 Parent(representative)Campus & Facilities
The Philippine Global School is located on 21st Muroor Road, Al Zafranah, Abu Dhabi - a central location on Abu Dhabi Island that is accessible for families living across the main island and surrounding areas. The school's Hadbat Al Za'faranah address places it within a mixed residential and commercial district, with reasonable road access and school bus provision available (at an additional cost of AED 3,931 per year, per student).
Detailed campus specifications - including total floor area, number of classrooms, laboratory count, and specialist room inventory - are not publicly disclosed on the school website, and the dedicated facilities page returns a 404 error. What the available evidence does confirm is that the campus supports a student body of over 1,200 pupils across KG through Grade 10, with 48 teaching staff. The school's Facebook activity documents sports facilities capable of hosting inter-school basketball and volleyball competitions (PSAM 2026 was held on campus), suggesting at minimum a functional multi-purpose sports court. The school has received donated school assets and learning tools from Dubai Cares and ALEC Holdings, coordinated through the TPGS PTC, which suggests an ongoing effort to improve the resource environment.
Given the school's Very Low fee category as classified by ADEK, parents should calibrate expectations accordingly: this is not a campus with Olympic swimming pools or dedicated maker spaces. The school's value lies in its community, its cultural programming, and its accessibility - not in premium physical infrastructure. Parents are strongly encouraged to arrange an in-person campus visit to assess the facilities directly before making an enrolment decision.
AED 3,931
Annual school bus fee
Per student, all grade levels
1,224
Students on campus
KG1 through Grade 10
Central Abu Dhabi Island locationMuroor Road campusSports court (PSAM host)School bus availableDubai Cares resource donation
Teaching & Learning Quality
The ADEK Irtiqa inspection rated Teaching as Good in the KG phase and Acceptable in both primary (Cycle 1) and secondary (Cycle 2) phases. Assessment followed the same pattern - Good in KG, Acceptable across primary and secondary. This indicates that the strongest pedagogical practice is concentrated in the early years, and that sustaining teaching quality as students progress through the school remains an active challenge.
All 48 teachers at TPGS are of Philippine nationality, per ADEK inspection data, creating a culturally cohesive teaching environment that aligns naturally with the school's Filipino community identity. The school's teacher-to-student ratio stands at 1:25, which ADEK classifies as consistent with the school's Very Low fee band - it is on the higher end of the spectrum compared to premium Abu Dhabi schools (where ratios of 1:12 to 1:18 are common), and parents should factor this into their expectations around individual attention. There are no teaching assistants recorded in the ADEK inspection data, which further concentrates classroom management responsibility on class teachers.
The school's principal, Dr. Riza R. Danao, emphasises in her published message a commitment to teachers who "sincerely deliver quality education and services to the students." The school maintains an Educator's Wall of Fame, suggesting an internal culture of recognising teacher excellence. Staff qualifications data (Masters/PhD proportions) and formal teacher retention or turnover rates are not published, and parents seeking this information should raise it directly during school visits. Professional development is referenced in the school's self-evaluation culture, though specific programmes are not detailed in public-facing materials.
1:25
Teacher-to-student ratio
ADEK inspection data; higher than Abu Dhabi average for premium schools
48
Teaching staff
All Philippine nationality; no teaching assistants recorded
Good
KG Teaching & Assessment rating
ADEK Irtiqa 2021-22; Acceptable in primary and secondary
Leadership & Management
The Philippine Global School is led by Dr. Riza R. Danao, whose message is prominently featured on the school's homepage. Dr. Danao's published communication strikes a warm, community-oriented tone, emphasising partnership with parents and a commitment to blending social and personal growth with academic success. The school's mission - to provide affordable quality education in a God-centred environment - is consistently articulated across all school communications, suggesting strategic clarity at leadership level.
The ADEK Irtiqa inspection rated Effectiveness of Leadership at Acceptable, alongside Self-Evaluation and Improvement Planning (Acceptable) and Governance (Acceptable). Partnerships with Parents was the standout leadership indicator, rated Good - a genuine strength that reflects the school's deep community roots. Management was also rated Acceptable. The school's self-evaluation processes have room to develop: the inspection noted that internal evaluations do not yet consistently match the accuracy required for the school to reduce its dependence on external inspection to understand its own effectiveness.
The school's ownership structure is private, with ADEK school number 9274. The school operates a Parent-Teacher Community (PTC) - the TPGS PTC 25-26 - which functions as an active governance and community engagement body, recently facilitating a significant resource donation from external corporate partners. Communication with parents appears to be primarily through the school's Facebook page (which is actively maintained) and direct school channels. The school references an academic calendar, school policies, academic policy, and annual reports on its website, indicating a structured administrative framework. Parents seeking information about board composition or formal governance documentation should contact the school directly.
ADEK Inspection Results (Irtiqa - Decoded)
The most recent ADEK Irtiqa inspection of The Philippine Global School took place in June 2022 (covering the 2021-22 academic year) and returned an overall rating of Acceptable - the fourth consecutive inspection cycle at this level, having improved from Weak in 2015-16. The Acceptable rating represents the minimum performance required under the UAE School Inspection Framework, and it is important for parents to understand what this means in practice: the school meets baseline standards but has not yet demonstrated the consistent quality of teaching, attainment, and leadership that would earn a Good rating.
A notable feature of the 2021-22 inspection is that 29% of performance measures were not evaluated - a higher proportion than in previous cycles. The inspection focused on areas where performance data was available, and within those evaluated areas, 53% of measures were Acceptable and 18% were Good. There were no Weak ratings in the most recent cycle, which represents genuine progress from the school's 2015-16 baseline (when 24% of measures were Weak and 6% were Very Weak).
The strongest consistent performance area is Protection, Care, Guidance and Support (PS5), where Health and Safety and Care and Support were both rated Good across all three inspected phases - KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2. This is a meaningful finding that parents should weight appropriately: children at TPGS are well looked after. Academic attainment and progress (PS1) present a more mixed picture, with Good ratings in KG English, Sciences, and Social Studies, but Acceptable ratings dominating the primary and secondary phases. Teaching and Assessment (PS3) follow the same pattern - Good in KG, Acceptable elsewhere. Leadership and Management (PS6) is uniformly Acceptable, with the exception of Partnerships with Parents, which is rated Good.
The key growth areas identified through the inspection data relate to self-evaluation accuracy and the need to raise attainment and teaching quality beyond KG into the primary and secondary phases. Parents considering TPGS should note that the school has not yet achieved a Good overall rating despite operating since 2015, and should factor this into their decision alongside the school's clear strengths in community, care, and cultural provision.
Student Care & Safety: Consistently Good
Health and Safety and Care and Support were both rated Good across KG, Cycle 1, and Cycle 2 - the strongest and most consistent performance domain in the entire inspection. Students are well protected and supported.
KG Phase: Brightest Academic Spot
The Kindergarten phase earned Good ratings for Teaching, Assessment, English attainment and progress, Science attainment and progress, and Learning Skills - suggesting the school's strongest academic delivery is in its early years.
Parent Partnerships: A Genuine Strength
Partnerships with Parents was rated Good under Leadership and Management - reflecting the school's deep community roots and active parent engagement through the PTC and school communications.
Attainment Plateau Across Primary and Secondary
Most academic attainment and progress indicators in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 remain at Acceptable. The school needs to translate its KG teaching strengths into sustained improvement across older year groups, particularly in English and Sciences.
Self-Evaluation and Leadership Accuracy
Leadership, Self-Evaluation and Improvement Planning, and Governance are all rated Acceptable. The school's internal evaluation processes need to develop greater accuracy so that improvement planning is driven by reliable internal data rather than external inspection cycles.
Inspection History
2015-2016
Weak/Acceptable
2016-2017
Acceptable
2018-2019
Acceptable
2021-2022
Acceptable
Fees & Value for Money
The Philippine Global School in Abu Dhabi offers a Philippine curriculum education at competitive fee rates for the 2025–2026 academic year. Tuition fees range from AED 5,470 for KG 1 and KG 2 through to AED 8,770 for Grades 7, 8, and 9, making it one of the more affordable private school options in Abu Dhabi. The school's mission emphasises providing affordable quality education while nurturing the whole child in a God-centred environment, and its fee structure reflects this commitment to accessibility for Filipino and other expatriate families.
AED 5,470
Annual Fees From
AED 8,770
Annual Fees To
Year / GradeAnnual Fee
KG 1
AED 5,470KG 2
AED 5,470Grade 1
AED 6,640Grade 2
AED 6,640Grade 3
AED 6,720Grade 4
AED 7,050Grade 5
AED 7,050Grade 6
AED 7,050Grade 7
AED 8,770Grade 8
AED 8,770Grade 9
AED 8,770Grade 10
AED 8,690In addition to tuition, families should budget for supplementary costs including transportation, books, and uniforms. The school charges a uniform fee of AED 250–350 and book fees of AED 600–850 depending on the grade level. A bus service is available at a standardised rate of AED 3,931 per year across all year groups. These additional costs are clearly structured and consistent, allowing families to plan their annual education expenditure with confidence.
Compared to many private schools in Abu Dhabi, The Philippine Global School's fees are positioned at the more affordable end of the spectrum, particularly for families seeking a Philippine curriculum. The school is regulated by ADEK and its fee schedule is officially approved for the 2025–2026 academic year, providing transparency and assurance to parents.
Additional Costs
Bus (Transport)3,931(annual)
Books & Materials (KG 1–KG 2)600(annual)
Books & Materials (Grade 1–Grade 3)650(annual)
Books & Materials (Grade 4–Grade 6)750(annual)
Books & Materials (Grade 7–Grade 10)850(annual)
Uniform (KG 1–KG 2)250(annual)
Uniform (Grade 1–Grade 6)300(annual)
Uniform (Grade 7–Grade 10)350(annual)
The Final Verdict: Who Is This School For?
The Philippine Global School is a school that knows exactly what it is - and for the right family, that clarity is a strength. It is a community-centred, culturally grounded institution that provides Filipino families in Abu Dhabi with continuity of the Philippine curriculum, a familiar language and cultural environment, and genuinely affordable education. The school's pastoral care is a verified strength - rated Good by ADEK inspectors across all phases - and its community spirit, evidenced by events like PSAM 2026 and the FLL Solution Award, shows that students can thrive and achieve beyond the classroom.
The limitations are equally clear. An Acceptable ADEK rating sustained over multiple inspection cycles, a 1:25 teacher-to-student ratio, no post-Grade 10 provision, and limited transparency around facilities and academic support programmes mean that TPGS is not positioned as an academically elite school. Families who are prioritising university preparation, internationally recognised qualifications, or a bilingual environment should look elsewhere in Abu Dhabi's diverse school landscape. But for the family this school was built for - Filipino expatriates seeking affordable, values-based, culturally connected education for their children - The Philippine Global School delivers meaningfully on its promise.
THE “RIGHT FIT”
Filipino expatriate families in Abu Dhabi seeking culturally continuous education on the Philippine curriculum, with strong values formation, a close-knit community feel, and among the most affordable school fees in the emirate.
THE “WRONG FIT”
Families prioritising high ADEK ratings, a pathway to international university admissions, post-Grade 10 qualifications, or premium campus facilities - or non-Filipino families seeking a multicultural or bilingual environment.
“
The fees are manageable, the teachers are caring, and my children are proud of their Filipino identity. For us, there is no better fit in Abu Dhabi.
— Grade 3 and Grade 7 Parent
Strengths
- Most affordable private school fees in Abu Dhabi (AED 5,470-8,770)
- Strong pastoral care - rated Good by ADEK across all phases
- Culturally connected Philippine curriculum with Filipino teaching staff
- Active parent community (PTC) and strong parent partnerships rated Good
- Competitive STEM achievement - FLL Solution Award winners 2026
- Inter-school sports participation (PSAM 2026 host school)
- Central Abu Dhabi Island location with bus provision available
- God-centred values framework with clear, consistent school identity
Areas for Improvement
- ADEK Acceptable rating sustained across four consecutive inspection cycles - no improvement to Good
- High teacher-to-student ratio of 1:25 with no teaching assistants recorded
- No provision beyond Grade 10 - families must plan secondary school transition
- Limited transparency: key website pages (curriculum, facilities, admissions) return 404 errors
- Academic attainment in primary and secondary phases predominantly at Acceptable level