The Philippine School, Dubai

The Philippine School Dubai delivers the Philippine K to 12 curriculum, aligned to the standards and competencies mandated by the Department of Education of the Philippines (DepEd). This is a comprehensive, nationally recognised framework designed to equip students with foundational knowledge, vocational readiness and the skills required for higher education and professional growth - mirroring exactly what students would study in the Philippines itself. The curriculum spans KG1 through Grade 12, with instruction conducted primarily in Filipino (the language of instruction), supplemented by English as an additional medium. UAE-mandated subjects - including Arabic as an Additional Language, Islamic Education, and Moral and Social and Cultural Studies (MSCS) - are integrated across all year groups to meet Ministry of Education requirements. In the Kindergarten phase, learning is structured around the DepEd's Standards and Competencies for Five-Year-Old Filipino Children, covering socio-emotional development, values, physical and motor development, mathematics, environmental awareness and early literacy. From Grades 1 to 6 (Elementary), core subjects include Filipino, English, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies, supplemented by Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), Values Education, Information and Communications Technology, and Home and Livelihood Education in the upper primary years. Junior High School (Grades 7 to 10) extends the core programme with Arabic as a second language through Grade 9 and an elective in Grade 10. Senior High School (Grades 11 to 12) is structured around fifteen core subjects and sixteen track subjects - seven applied and nine specialised - aligned to the DepEd Senior High School curriculum, with Moral Education added for UAE compliance. The school's curriculum page highlights an Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) track through the Technology and Livelihood Education strand, with notable capstone projects including student-run business simulations. The 2023-2024 DSIB inspection rated curriculum design as Good across Elementary, Junior High and Senior High - a meaningful positive finding - while rating curriculum adaptation as Acceptable across all phases. Inspectors noted that cross-curricular links are planned but not consistently implemented in lessons, and that innovation and creative thinking opportunities remain limited. In KG, curriculum planning and delivery does not always adequately prepare children for the next stage of learning, which is a specific area for improvement. On academic attainment, the DSIB inspection paints a nuanced picture. The language of instruction (Filipino) is rated Good for attainment and progress across all phases - the single strongest academic result in the inspection. English attainment and progress are Acceptable across all phases. Mathematics attainment is Acceptable across all phases, though Senior High students show Good progress - a positive trajectory. Science follows a similar pattern, with Good attainment and progress in Senior High, and Acceptable results elsewhere. Arabic as an Additional Language is rated Weak for both attainment and progress in Elementary and Junior High - the most significant academic weakness in the school. Islamic Education is Acceptable across most phases, with Good progress noted in Elementary. A key tension identified by DSIB inspectors is the gap between internal assessment data - which the school reports as indicating Good or above attainment - and what is actually observed in lessons and work scrutiny, which consistently reflects only Acceptable standards. This discrepancy suggests that internal assessment processes, while consistent, may not be sufficiently calibrated or rigorous. There are no external examination boards (such as IGCSE or A-Level) at TPS, which is consistent with the Philippine curriculum model but means there is no independent external benchmark for academic standards beyond PIRLS and TIMSS international assessments. In the PIRLS 2021 assessment, the school achieved an average score of 537 points, described as close to its target. Benchmark assessments over two years showed students sustaining a Good level in English, improving from Acceptable to Good in mathematics, but declining from Outstanding to Very Good in science - a mixed but broadly encouraging picture. University destination data is not published by the school, as the majority of Grade 12 completers transition to Philippine universities or vocational pathways upon returning to the Philippines.