The Westminster School - Al Qusais
Executive Summary
The Westminster School - Al Qusais provides a Good quality of education, as affirmed by its 2023-2024 inspection. Students in the Foundation Stage and all other phases achieve well in core subjects, with particular strengths in Post-16 mathematics and science. Students consistently exhibit very good behavior, positive attitudes, and an excellent understanding of Islamic values and respect for UAE culture.
Teaching across all phases is Good or better, with a consistent approach to planning that builds on prior learning. The curriculum, based on the National Curriculum for England, effectively prepares students for external examinations like IGCSE, AS, and A Level. Rigorous policies ensure student care and safeguarding, maintaining a safe and well-maintained school environment.
The school's leadership, including the principal and senior leaders, provides clear direction and effective management, fostering a positive and supportive learning environment. They demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous improvement, utilizing efficient data analysis for self-evaluation and making significant progress on previous recommendations.
Overall School Performance
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Acceptable
Weak
Very Weak
The Westminster School - Al Qusais Overall Rating
Good for 8+ 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.
Leaders promote inclusion through qualified staff and systematic identification of students of determination and those with gifts and talents. Individual education plans (IEPs) are tracked, and parental engagement is strong. The curriculum is adapted to promote engagement and build confidence, though assessment consistency and transition plans need improvement. students of determinationIndividual Education Plansparental engagement
Students contribute positively to the school’s wellbeing climate, with student leaders actively addressing issues. Wellbeing is a priority, underpinned by a strong ethos and effective leadership from a skilled team of teachers and counsellors. Special initiatives and extra-curricular activities foster students' wellbeing agency, though the new wellbeing curriculum is not yet fully embedded. Wellbeing student leadersskilled team of teachers and counsellorswellbeing curriculum
The school exceeded PIRLS targets and achieved outstanding outcomes for the whole school in English, mathematics, and science in National Agenda Parameter benchmark tests. Emirati students showed very good progression, particularly in mathematics. Leaders effectively adapt the curriculum to prepare students for international assessments and improve reading literacy, although a gap between Emirati and other students' reading literacy levels still exists. PIRLSNational Agenda ParameterEmirati studentsreading literacy
Key Highlights
Standout achievements identified by the inspection team that distinguish this school.
Quality of Teaching in FS
The quality of teaching, learning, and assessment in the Foundation Stage is a significant strength of the school.
Mathematics Progress
Students demonstrate strong progress in mathematics, particularly notable in the Foundation Stage and Post-16 phases.
Student Attitudes & Responsibility
Students exhibit positive attitudes and a strong sense of social responsibility, contributing actively to the school community.
Cultural Awareness
Students show an excellent understanding of Islamic values and a strong awareness of Emirati and world cultures.
Strong Parental Support
The school benefits from the strong and active support of parents, who are engaged in the school's life.
Academic Performance Breakdown
Leadership & Management
Effectiveness of school governance, strategic planning, and leadership capacity to drive continuous improvement.
Leadership Approach
The principal, senior and middle leaders provide clear direction and effective management, fostering a positive and supportive ethos. They are committed to continuous improvement, using efficient data analysis for self-evaluation and making significant progress on previous recommendations. Communication with stakeholders is very effective, and parents feel their opinions are valued.
Inspection Findings
Students' Outcomes
Children in FS and students in all other phases achieve well in core subjects, with particular strength in Post-16 mathematics and science. Students collaborate constructively, are confident in discussions, and behave very well, showing positive attitudes towards learning. They demonstrate excellent understanding of Islamic values and respect for UAE culture.
Personal Development
Students consistently display outstanding personal development, including positive attitudes, mutual trust, and respect. They show an excellent understanding of Islamic values and awareness of Emirati culture. Students are proactive in social responsibility, engaging in charitable activities and demonstrating a strong work ethic and environmental awareness.
Teaching Quality
Teaching is consistently good or better across all phases, with particularly effective teaching in FS and Post-16. Teachers plan systematically, though the use of assessment information to guide lesson planning is variable. Questioning is generally effective, but an uneven balance of teacher-led activities can limit opportunities for independent learning.
Protection & Care
Rigorous policies and procedures ensure the care and safeguarding of all students, with premises being safe and well-maintained. Effective systems are in place for identifying students of determination and those with gifts and talents. Positive relationships and successful strategies for attendance and punctuality contribute to a supportive environment, though options for students of determination in Post-16 are limited.
Areas for Development
- •Ensure that in all lessons, teachers make full use of assessment information to plan work that is matched to students’ attainment levels.
- •Increase the range of curriculum pathways in the upper phases to cater for a wider range of students’ abilities.
- •Ensure that all learning spaces have sufficient resources to support teaching and learning.
- •Consolidate the improvements made in students’ reading literacy levels and fully close the gap between Emirati and other students.
- •Ensure that the new wellbeing curriculum is fully understood and embedded in the daily practice of all teachers.
- •Improve students’ Holy Qur’an recitation and Tajweed skills.
- •Manage the pace of lessons to ensure that sufficient time is allowed for the consolidation of students’ learning.
- •Provide students with more opportunities to engage in conversations using Arabic.
- •Ensure greater consistency in the development of students’ writing skills by sharing the most effective teaching practices.
- •Increase opportunities for independent learning across all phases, but specifically through practical activities in Primary.
- •Extend students' scientific vocabulary so that they fully understand the words and phrases used in examinations and other assessment tasks.
- •Provide more opportunities for children in FS to build their investigative skills.
- •Provide more opportunities in Primary and Secondary for students to develop their innovation and enterprise skills.
- •Improve students' understanding of a wider range of cultures.
- •Ensure greater consistency in the use of assessment data to inform the planning of learning activities.
- •Ensure that there are enough high-quality teaching and learning resources available to support the curriculum in FS.
- •Ensure that a wider range of Post-16 curriculum pathways is available to suit the differing needs of students.
- •Create more options for students of determination to prepare them for further education, training or employment.
- •Ensure more consistency in the charting of progress of students of determination against the targets in their IEPs.
- •Revise the school marking policy to ensure better quality of feedback to students of determination.