ADEC Ashbal Al Quds Private School 2015 2016
ADEC Ashbal Al Quds Private School 2015 2016
ADEC Ashbal Al Quds Private School 2015 2016
Inspection Report
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16 - 19 November 2015
27 - 30 January 2014
General Information
Students
School ID
19
Total number of
students
2527
Opening year of
school
1986
Number of children
in KG
240
Principal
Number of students
in other phases
Primary 819
Middle 650
High 818
School telephone
Age range
3 18 years
School Address
Grades or Year
Groups
KG to Grade 12
ashbalalquds.pvt@adec.ac.
ae
Gender
Mixed
School Website
-----------------
% of Emirati
Students
28%
Largest nationality
groups (%)
1. Jordanian (22%)
2. Syrian (16%)
3. Palestinian (14%)
Licensed Curriculum
Staff
Main Curriculum
Ministry of Education
Number of teachers
114
Other Curriculum
N/A
Number of TAs
15
Teacher-student
ratio
1:24 KG
1:21 Other phases
Teacher turnover
7%
External Exams/
Standardised tests
Accreditation
Not applicable
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Introduction
Inspection activities
6
182
Number of parents
questionnaires
School
School Aims
Admission Policy
Leadership structure
(ownership, governance and
management)
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Intellectual disability
Specific Learning
Disability
Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD)
Visually impaired
Hearing impaired
Multiple disabilities
SEN Category
Intellectual ability
0
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Band B
Satisfactory (Acceptable)
Band C
(B)
High Performing
Satisfactory
Acceptable
Band B
Good
Band A
Very Good
Performance Standards
BAND
Outstanding
Acceptable
Band C
In need of significant
improvement
Performance Standard 1:
Students achievement
Performance Standard 2:
Students personal and
social development, and
their innovation skills
Performance Standard 3:
Teaching and assessment
Performance Standard 4:
Curriculum
Performance Standard 5:
The protection, care,
guidance and support of
students
Performance Standard 6:
Leadership and
management
Summary Evaluation:
The schools overall
performance
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Very Weak
Weak
Band A
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KG
Primary
Middle
Attainment
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Progress
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Attainment
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Progress
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Attainment
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Islamic
Education
Arabic
(as a First
Language)
Arabic
(as a Second
Language)
Progress
N/A
N/A
N/A
High
N/A
Attainment
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Progress
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Attainment
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Progress
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Attainment
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Progress
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Attainment
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Progress
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Attainment
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Progress
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Attainment
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Progress
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Good
Weak
Weak
Acceptable
Social Studies
English
Mathematics
Science
Language of
instruction (if other
than English and
Arabic as First
Language)
Other subjects
(Art, Music, PE)
Learning Skills
(including innovation, creativity, critical
thinking, communication, problemsolving and collaboration)
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Attainment is in line with the age expected outcomes when measured against other
schools using the same curriculum. The progress of students has improved. It was
unsatisfactory at the last inspection and is now acceptable. School based testing
shows that there has generally been an upward trend in attainment and progress
over the last three years. The level of attainment in tests is similar to that seen in
lessons and workbooks. Over the last three years there has been an increasing
proportion of students achieving higher scores and fewer not reaching the expected
level. However, further improvement is required to ensure that both the low and high
achieving students achieve their potential.
The good attainment in Islamic education, Arabic and social studies for children in the
KG is due to good opportunities for them to reinforce and recite verses and Hadeeth.
For example, most children can say the Hadeeth appropriately and independently.
As students move up through the school they can differentiate Quranic phonetics to
recite them effectively. In Arabic, standardised scores from External Measurement of
Student Achievement (EMSA) tests show that students reach above age expected
levels. These tests also show that writing is a relatively weaker element in Grades 5, 9
and 11. In social studies, most students attainment is in line with the expected levels
of the curriculum standard. Students have learned good facts about the UAEs values
and culture. For example, in Grade 2 they can talk about what the police force can do
to help and protect people.
Progress in English is more rapid in the early stages of learning the language. Students
quickly pick up simple sentences and phrases. Older students have less opportunity
in lessons to develop their writing and reading skills and often learn facts rather than
studying in detail. For example, they have secure knowledge about when William
Shakespeare was born and where he lived but have little understanding of the themes
of his plays. Nevertheless, students reach the age expected curriculum standards as
can be seen in the results of diagnostic tests and through their work. In mathematics
and science, attainment for most is in line with the curriculum standards. In the
primary and middle phases, students follow the curricular workbooks and so make
acceptable progress. However in these phases, there is a minority of students who
quickly pick up the learning objectives of a lesson but do not always have an
opportunity to extend this with more difficult work. Similarly on occasions, those who
struggle with a new skill do not get reinforcement exercises to help them fully
understand. In the high school, learning once again picks up due to the streaming of
students and a smaller gap between the ability groups.
In other subjects, there is acceptable progress from grade to grade. The information
and communication technology (ICT) suite is used by all classes. Reinforcement of the
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key skills learnt is less evident in other lessons through research and enquiry. Much of
this is completed at home.
There is a balance of positive and weaker features in the development of students
learning skills. Overall, progress is acceptable. A key feature of many lessons is the
successful use of small group discussion about a topic and feedback to the class.
Students become confident in talking to larger groups and work together well. On
occasions, there is a palpable air of concentration. A large majority of students
become increasingly able to use enquiry techniques but this is often superficial factfinding rather than deeper learning. Problem-solving is also a weaker element of
students learning. When it occurs in a minority of lessons, students show they are
capable independent learners. They become excited and animated but lack the full
set of skills to make the most of the opportunity.
KG
Primary
Middle
High
Personal development
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Almost all students have good attitudes towards their learning. This is evident in
lessons and through their conscientious approach to homework. Even when teaching
is weak, most students still want to learn and there is very little disruption.
Consequently, behaviour is at least acceptable in most lessons and in a large majority
of lessons is good. Attitudes and behaviour are better in the KG and high school.
Students are eager to answer questions, become enthusiastic when others provide a
particularly good answer and settle quickly to the tasks they are provided with.
Students move efficiently and calmly around the school and, in discussion, say there
is very little unpleasantness. This results in a generally harmonious community where
relationships between students, and students and staff are good. Students greet
their teachers and visitors with respect and politeness such as when entering a room.
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Students know how to stay safe. There are some lessons which provide students with
more understanding of healthy lifestyles although these are limited. A large minority
of students can talk confidently about the meals they bring to school and the dangers
that they are likely to see in later life if they adopt unhealthy lifestyles.
Attendance is good and punctuality is acceptable. Official attendance figures are
relatively high overall at 98% but the data is variable. A minority of students in Grades
10, 11 and 12 have lower attendance, especially on Thursdays. Through careful planning
by staff, most students efficiently arrive before the National Anthem is played. A
minority, mostly girls, who have already arrived are reluctant to leave their classrooms
at the start of the assembly.
Students have a good appreciation and understanding of Islamic values and respect
the contribution these make to the UAE culture. Students are proud of their own
identity and can see how their culture is similar to other Muslim countries. They
understand the part that the UAE heritage plays. For example, KG children
understood why they were finger painting with the four colours of the national flag.
Assemblies reinforce these values. Students show respect for the National Anthem
and the reading from the Holy Quran.
Students of all ages, both boys and girls, take school responsibilities seriously. For
example, boys in Grade 11 and 12 confidently took on the role of senior leaders, social
workers and teachers for a day and could enthusiastically explain the roles they were
playing. In a large minority of day-to-day lessons, opportunities to take initiative are
more limited. Students often rely on the teacher to direct their work. Because
teaching often concentrates heavily on achieving the outcomes in the workbook,
there is little opportunity for individual study around the topic being learnt. This
inhibits students from becoming more innovative and thoughtful learners.
Students keep the school areas acceptably clean and tidy. There is a limited range of
environmental activities that students undertake both in school and with the outside
community.
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KG
Primary
Middle
High
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Weak
Weak
Acceptable
Teaching overall is acceptable; an improvement since the last inspection. Children are
taught well in their first two years at school. This is due to the high level of
professional development that has taken place and which has successfully developed
teachers classroom techniques and management. They now have a greater
understanding of how young children learn. Play is an important part of this process
as it makes learning fun and enjoyable. This continues to a lesser extent into Grades 1
and 2. Teaching in other grades is acceptable. There is little difference between the
teaching of boys and girls; there is some variability in the way different levels of ability
are catered for.
Almost all teachers have appropriate subject knowledge and are able to convey this
acceptably with a large minority showing a real love of their subject. However, some
subject specialists do not have a full understanding of how their planned
differentiation for different abilities can be implemented. Lessons are conscientiously
planned and based around books which reflect the age-related expectations of the
curriculum standard. The planning records differentiation but this usually specifies
how much will be completed rather than different tasks linked to the level of
students knowledge and understanding. As a result, some students quickly finish
what is expected and are given another example to work on while others do not move
on quickly enough to a new example. This is most evident in Grades 1 to 9 where there
are mixed ability classes. In Grades 10, 11 and 12 ability levels are much closer and
therefore differentiation is less of a problem. In KG, teachers differentiate work more
carefully so many more children are challenged. Results show, however, that most
students do achieve what is expected for their age in the various subject curriculum
standards and a few achieve above this. There is acceptable basic classroom
management of questioning, use of resources and behaviour strategies in most
lessons. Many lessons are really enjoyed by the students because relationships are
good. In the few lessons where teaching is weak, a contributory factor is poor
classroom management combined with a lack of understanding about the different
levels of ability. For example, in a science lesson, the teacher had correctly decided to
use a practical session on planting seeds but had not thought out how this was to be
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achieved in a room that was crowded. As a consequence, learning and progress were
slow. These weaker lessons are not restricted to any one grade or phase.
In a large minority of lessons, there are not enough opportunities to consolidate the
knowledge gained to produce deeper understanding. This is partly due to the
adherence to the set textbooks and workbooks for each subject. Lessons are usually
divided into three parts and include teaching input, individual or group work and a
final discussion. However, this does not include enough time for real life problemsolving, research perhaps using ICT, or thinking critically about the learning objective.
For example, older students learn standard algorithms in mathematics but not the
concepts leading up to them. Therefore, they do not have the advanced skills needed
for solving problems they do not recognise.
Teachers mark workbooks but there is little helpful commentary about what to
improve and little target setting for individuals so they know what needs to be
achieved. Generally, marking is limited to ticks and comments. In addition, the use of
external testing for benchmarking is still at an early stage so teachers have little
information to measure students performance over time. Diagnostic tests, linked
closely to the curriculum standards and on particular aspects of a subject, are better
used. However, the information gained is not always used well enough by teachers,
except in KG and in Grade 12. As a result, lessons are not always adapted to meet fully
the needs of all the different ability levels or for when a student has not grasped a
particular aspect. Despite these weaknesses, teachers do have a broad understanding
of who does well and who needs support and often focus on these students. This is a
significant improvement from the time of the last inspection.
KG
Primary
Middle
High
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
The school uses a commercial scheme of work based around the MoE curriculum for
each subject and grade. This ensures that the curriculum is broad, balanced and has
in-built progression. It leads to the large majority of students achieving their curricular
standards. However, it is only recently that the school has started to adapt the
curriculum to the individual abilities of the students. Each scheme is largely focused
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on gaining knowledge and this is usually what is tested through exams. The weakness
in the way the curriculum is implemented is that it restricts students opportunities to
develop their individual knowledge and understanding at a rate faster than the
schemes allow. In addition, lower achieving students do not have sufficient
opportunity to repeat areas they have failed to master. These weaknesses are not so
apparent in KG where children have a continuous range of experiences and through
much repetition are able to achieve mastery of skills. In addition, they often have
opportunities to develop their own learning such as when children reinforce their
understanding of numbers and letters through searching for them in a sand tray. This
also provides them with cross-curricular opportunities to make links between areas
of learning. This is not as clearly evident from Grade 1 upwards. In these grades,
particularly the primary phase, most teaching is by subject specialists and so
opportunities to see, for example, how mathematical knowledge is used in other
subjects, are lacking.
The school has been reviewing and adapting the curriculum since the last inspection.
This is now being conducted more regularly through the subject coordinators rather
than being too dependent on senior management. In discussion, older students say
that they feel the curriculum is preparing them in a much better way and they feel
prepared for what lies ahead after they finish school. This is evidenced in the
increasing numbers of students who move on to university.
The curriculum has a few innovative aspects such as when students perform plays or
undertake deeper research in topic work. The school correctly recognises that these
opportunities are too limited and further review is underway to modify the curriculum
accordingly. There are some ad-hoc, but better links made within the curriculum to
develop students understanding of UAE culture such as through art.
KG
Primary
Middle
High
Good
Good
Good
Good
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
The school has good, secure systems in place to ensure students are kept safe. Staff
are carefully vetted before they start and child protection is taken seriously. Staff
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have up-to-date training on safeguarding and, should any incidents occur at school or
at home, these are followed up well. Parents rightly feel this an area of strength
within the school. Students are given lessons to enable them to be aware of any
dangers such as cyber-bullying.
The school is maintained well. Areas are cleaned regularly through the day and there
are supervisors on each corridor to ensure students are kept safe in and between
lessons. Equally, students play their part by moving around the school in an orderly
way and by recognising the need to help each other. When playing outside, most
students, while being occasionally boisterous, know when this needs to stop and do
so. All records of maintenance, health and safety are kept very well.
The large majority of students in this large school arrive on one of sixty buses. This is
organised well. Many adults are around at the start and end of the day to ensure safe
entrance and exit to the buses. Gates are closed when the transport is moving and
older students are often seen helping younger ones. It is an orderly, although lengthy,
affair. At the start of the day, not all students are in school, ready to start the
assembly. Nevertheless, those that do arrive late are respectful should there be any
reading from the Holy Quran when they walk in.
While procedures are good, teaching staff, the nurse and social workers do not
provide a wide variety of extra activities to promote safe and healthy living and it is
not systematically promoted through each grade as students become more mature.
Relationships are positive throughout the school and the principal in particular tries
to ensure that everybody, including parents, feels part of the school family. Personal
and academic development is monitored through each term. Systems to identify
students with special educational needs are in place but are at an early stage. The
school is aware of those students who need support, either physically or academically
and is presently tracking how the provision for these students can be improved. It is
at an early stage of development so support is not yet consistent. The upper floors of
the school are not suitable for wheelchair access and this is noted when parents apply
for a place. The current support for those identified with special educational needs is
too erratic as there is no formal system to recognise when others might need help.
For those students who may have a special gift such as in sport or art there is little
formal promotion of their talents. The school has started to gather a list of potential
students and their successes are celebrated through assemblies.
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Acceptable
Acceptable
Good
Governance
Acceptable
Acceptable
The principal has set a clear vision for the school and is keen for it to improve. This
vision is shared between all leaders and the staff and centres around everybody doing
the best they can whether academically or in their personal development. Students
are well known to staff and there is much mutual respect. There is an acceptable
understanding of how to recognise good teaching and a commitment to ensuring all
students receive a balanced education. Morale is good.
Senior leaders have shared their responsibilities more widely so that middle managers
play an increasingly important role in monitoring and evaluation. The leadership
structure is understood by staff who know where to go to for support and advice.
Teachers are monitored at regular intervals and their performance is studied to see
where improvements can be made. One successful outcome has been the more
consistent planning of lessons. Monitoring information gathered by senior
management has helped produce a generally realistic self-evaluation and school
development plan with time limited action points. Some of these, such as the issues
around students progress, are too general and not informed well enough by
qualitative and evaluative data. Nevertheless, they do mirror most of the
recommendations from the previous inspection and especially look to improve the
remaining weaknesses in particular phases of the school.
The quality of teaching, the progress of students, their personal development and, to
a lesser extent, the curriculum and support for different ability groups have all
improved since the last inspection. The school is keen to start work on the next set of
recommendations. All this points to a schools whose leadership has an acceptable
capacity to continue improving.
Parental satisfaction and involvement is good. Parents willingly support both their
children and the school. For example, a parent experienced in the construction
industry, has provided materials and used his workforce to build a heritage area for
National Day. Another parent was keen to point out that he has been pleased with the
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support his child has received since changing schools a year ago. Parents are kept up
to date with reports and any concerns the school may have. Those talked to were full
of praise. Technology systems are used to keep parents up to date although the
school does not have a website to improve this further. There are a few opportunities
to be involved within the local and national community.
Governors are playing an increasingly active role in supporting school improvement
by means of visits to school, including classrooms. They meet parents, staff and
students. They help school leaders to recognise improvements and address
weaknesses. The proprietor meets regularly with the principal at certain times of the
year.
The schools routines run smoothly on a day-to-day basis. The school has sufficient
staff to fulfil the curriculum standards although there are some classes with high
numbers of students. The premises are fit for purpose and staff are increasingly being
offered better quality professional development. Resources are just sufficient and are
complemented by many resources that the teachers make themselves.
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