Private School

Inspection Report

Abu Dhabi Indian School

Academic Year 2015 2016

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Abu Dhabi Indian School

Inspection Date

11 14 October 2015

Date of previous inspection

17 20 February 2014

General Information

Students

School ID

87

Total number of
students

5259

Opening year of
school

1975

Number of children
in KG

446

Principal

N. C. Vijayachandra

Number of students
in other phases

Primary 1856
Middle 1887
High 1070

School telephone

+971 (0)2 448 8025

Age range

3 years 8 months to 18
years

School Address

PO Box 46492, 23 Murroor

Street, Abu Dhabi

Grades or Year
Groups

KG to Grade 12

Official email (ADEC)

Adindian.pvt@adec.ac.ae

Gender

Mix

School Website

www.adisuae.com

Percentage of
Emirati Students

0%

Fee ranges (per

annum)

AED 6450 AED 11004

Largest nationality
groups (%)

1. Indian 99.81%
2. Nepalise 0.07%
3. French 0.02%

Licensed Curriculum

Staff

Main Curriculum

CBSE

Number of teachers

272

Other Curriculum

----------

Number of teaching
assistants (TAs)

External Exams/
Standardised tests

CBSE

Teacher-student
ratio

1:20 KG/ FS
1:17 Other phases

Accreditation

---------

Teacher turnover

10%

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Introduction
Inspection activities
Number of inspectors
deployed

Number of inspection days

Number of lessons
observed

168

Number of joint lesson

observations
Number of parents
questionnaires
Details of other inspection
activities

13
1936; (Response rate:33.4%)
Inspectors observed break periods, students arrival and
departure and assemblies. They met with school leaders,
students, parents and teachers. Inspectors reviewed
students work, analysed performance data and
documents provided by the school.
School

School Aims

Educate those who enter its portals, making them life-long

learners; provide co-curricular and other facilities of the
highest standards in a safe and secure environment.
Engage the very best available teachers to implement
proven national and international curricula; teach through
contemporary but appropriate methodologies and
technologies; develop the qualities of tolerance, humility
and compassion.

School vision and mission

To light the fire of inquiry, commitment and zeal in the

young minds that step into our portals and help them chart
their courses in life. We are dedicated to hone young
children into becoming global citizens of the future. Being
away from home, we enlighten and teach them to respect
values that are inherently Indian, so that they remain
connected to their native country.

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Admission Policy

Leadership structure
(ownership, governance
and management)

Student admission from grades 9 to 11 is selective and

based on good performance in an entrance test. From KG
to grade 8 places are allocated by a lottery system.
The school is owned by the board of governors who also
provide managerial oversight. The principal is supported by
two vice- principals and ten other senior leaders that
include two Head Masters, two Head Mistress, three
Supervisors, one KG Administrator and 1 Arabic administrator.
A further 2 administration personnel take academic
responsibilities and day to day monitoring roles.

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SEN Details (Refer to ADEC SEN Policy and Procedures)

Number of students
identified through external
assessments

Number of other students

identified by the school

Intellectual disability

17

Specific Learning
Disability
Emotional and Behaviour
Disorders (ED/ BD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD)
Speech and Language
Disorders
Physical and health
related disabilities

Visually impaired

Hearing impaired

Multiple disabilities

SEN Category

G&T Details (Refer to ADEC SEN Policy and Procedures)

G&T Category

Number of students
identified

Intellectual ability

Subject-specific aptitude (e.g. in science, mathematics,

languages)

Social maturity and leadership

Mechanical/ technical/ technological ingenuity

Visual and performing arts (e.g. art, theatre, recitation)

Psychomotor ability (e.g. dance or sport)

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The overall performance of the school

Inspectors considered the school in relation to 3 performance categories

Band B

Satisfactory (Acceptable)

Band C

In need of significant improvement (Weak or Very Weak)

(B)

High Performing

Satisfactory

Acceptable

Band B

Good

Band A

Very Good

Performance Standards

BAND

Outstanding

School was judged to be:

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

High performing (Outstanding, Very Good or Good)

Weak

Band A

The Performance of the School

Evaluation of the schools overall performance
The Abu Dhabi Indian School provides an acceptable quality of education. Senior
leaders and the governing body have established and maintained a safe and caring
environment in which respect for others is very highly developed. Students conduct
themselves maturely and are keen to learn. The school fully integrates students
with special educational needs (SEN) into classes.
Students achieve well in the Kindergarten and the secondary school. Students leave
at the end of grade 12 with good qualifications, particularly in the key subjects of
mathematics, English and science. Students in the middle and primary schools
make less progress than those in the Kindergarten and secondary school. This is
because teaching does not match students interests and needs as effectively.
Students achieve in line with expectations during their time in these parts of the
school. Throughout the school the most able, the least able and those with SEN
make less progress than they could because teachers are not adapting work to
meet their specific needs.
Progress made since last inspection and capacity to improve
Leaders and managers have taken adequate steps to respond to the
recommendations made at the previous inspection in February 2014. They have
been successful in improving the quality of the curriculum in the Kindergarten.
Here, children now have opportunities to work creatively. Leaders have made
significant investments in portable information and communication technology
equipment for students to use in class. There are more projectors in classrooms for
teachers to use for presentations. New library rooms with new fiction and
reference books are available for students to use.
Teachers are more aware of the importance of teaching learning skills and a few
are successfully integrating these in to their lessons. Overall teachers are not
providing enough opportunities for students to develop independence, critical
thinking and leadership skills. The most able do not yet achieve their full potential.
Teachers have become slightly more successful at identifying and adapting work to
meet the needs of least able and those with SEN. There have been modest
improvements in the use of questioning due to the professional development
programme established by school leaders after the previous inspection.
Improvements are still required to leadership and management. The principal has
credible plans in place to achieve these.
Leaders have yet to consolidate and build on the gains they have made. They have
not ensured that teachers continue to improve their practice. More emphasis on
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the monitoring of teaching and learning and curriculum adaptation is now required
to move to the next stage of development. Currently leadership has the capacity to
deliver these improvements.
Development and promotion of innovation skills
The development of innovation skills is beginning to be promoted through extracurricular activities the school offers. They are student led. For example, recently
the environment club won an AED 50,000 award for its work on creating a
sustainable school. Students are proactive and innovative in their promotion of
new initiatives such as Operation Smile, campaigns against the wastage of food,
celebrations of Ozone Day and Earth Day. Students have taken part in essay and
poster competitions organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and National Gas. The
school has yet to integrate the development of innovation skills within the general
curriculum by generating new ideas and improved approaches to stimulate
learning, for example, improving the use of learning technologies and establishing
partnerships to promote engagement in the wider community.

The inspection identified the following as key areas of strength:

students attainment and progress in the Kindergarten and in the high

school, particularly in the key academic subjects
relationships between students and adults are extremely positive and
courteous
the heritage and culture of the UAE and India are strongly promoted and
valued
care and welfare routines are effective. The school provides a safe and
secure environment for learning.

The inspection identified the following as key areas for improvement:

formal processes to identify and support students who are gifted and
talented
aspects of teaching, particularly the quality of teaching in Arabic, matching
work to the learning needs of the most able and how well teachers provide
feedback to students
adaptations to lesson plans to ensure increased opportunities for students
to develop their learning skills and to transfer their learning between
subjects. Improvements to planned questions are also necessary
active involvement of all leaders in the schools self evaluation and
monitoring the impact of school development planning on the achievement
of students.
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Performance Standard 1: Students Achievement

Students achievement Indicators

Islamic
Education

Arabic
(as a First
Language)

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Attainment

N/A

Weak

Acceptable

Acceptable

Progress

N/A

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Attainment

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Progress

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Attainment

N/A

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Arabic
(as a Second
Language)

Progress

N/A

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Attainment

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Progress

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Attainment

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Progress

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Attainment

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Progress

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Attainment

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Progress

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Attainment

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Progress

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Attainment

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Progress

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Weak

Weak

Weak

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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The achievement of students is acceptable overall. There are variations between how
well students achieve in different subjects and between different groups of students.
In the Kindergarten, children make good progress from their starting points. They
quickly develop confidence and skills in English, mathematics and science. Children
enjoy applying new knowledge to solve simple mathematical problems and can make
simple scientific predictions. They can also speak confidently in English, including to
large audiences. For example, children eloquently recited speeches to a large
audience of parents and other children during an assembly to celebrate the new
Islamic year. Achievement in the Kindergarten has improved since the last inspection.
Children now leave with skills and knowledge that are in line with or above age
expected standards.
Students achievement in the primary and middle schools is acceptable and in line
with international standards and has slightly improved since the last inspection. It is
not as good as it is in the Kindergarten because learning becomes less enthralling.
There are fewer opportunities to be creative and apply skills and knowledge to
interesting problems. Students do not have enough opportunities to be independent
learners. The most able students do not have enough challenging work to do. For
example, in a grade 5 science lesson, students demonstrated adequate knowledge
about how the human body uses carbohydrates. Their achievement was limited
because the teacher asked simple questions, which only involved students repeating
knowledge they already had.
In the high school, the attainment of the majority of students is above international
standards in the key subjects of English, mathematics and most sciences. Attainment
in Islamic education, social studies and other subjects is in line with UAE standards
and has remained so over the past three years. Girls and boys achieve equally well.
Students focus mainly on preparing for the examinations they will take in grades 10
and 12. Teachers prepare students well and students have good theoretical
knowledge. For example, in a grade 11 mathematics lesson, students demonstrated
good knowledge of finite and infinite sequences and they practised exam questions.
As a result of the strong focus on preparing students for exams, there are insufficient
opportunities for them to learn and practise other important learning skills.
There has been a mixed response to other improvements identified during the
previous inspection. Achievement has not improved in Arabic. Only the students who
take the Board examinations achieve in line with expectations. Students struggle with
written and spoken Arabic because teaching is not good enough. The increased
availability of computers is leading to better ICT skills. The least able and those with
SEN are better provided for; gifted and talented students are not. School leaders have

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made improvements to the collection of performance data. This data is not used well
by teachers and leaders to monitor the progress of students and improve teaching.
Attainment and progress in other subjects, such as art, music and physical education
are variable across the school. Students achievement in these subjects by the end of
the high school is in line with curriculum and age related comparisons. There has been
a significant improvement in students attainment in Informatics. This is because
students are keen to attain well in the external examination for this subject. Hindi is
not taught in the KG. Students attainment in Hindi is weak in the primary and middle
school. Here a large minority need support with reading and writing, and only a few
can speak fluently. Attainment of students in the high school is acceptable in Hindi.

Performance Standard 2: Students personal and social development,

and their innovation skills
Students personal and social development, and
their innovation skills Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Personal development

Good

Good

Good

Very
good

Understanding of Islamic values and awareness of

Emirati and world cultures

Good

Good

Good

Good

Social responsibility and innovation skills

Good

Good

Good

Good

Students are polite, courteous and well behaved. Relationships between students
and adults are respectful and students are very tolerant of one another. There are a
few instances of misbehaviour in some boys classes in the primary and middle
schools. Students demonstrate positive and mature attitudes towards healthy
lifestyle choices including healthy eating and the awareness of the hazards of
smoking. They have enthusiastically taken part in and promoted anti-smoking and
healthy eating campaigns. Attendance is good at 95%. Students arrive to school and
their lessons on time.
Students demonstrate pride in their own heritage and respect the culture and values
of the UAE, including the values of Islam. They have a good awareness of local
traditions including local foods. Assemblies are effectively used to promote UAE and
Indian cultural celebrations, for example Flag Day, National Day and New Year.
Students told inspectors that they admire the leadership shown by UAE rulers,
describing them as far sighted. In the Kindergarten, children are introduced to
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other cultures from around the world, for example by dressing up in different national
costumes. Awareness of other world cultures is underdeveloped across the rest of
the school.
Students have a strong work ethic and there are many opportunities for them to
develop social responsibility, both inside and outside the school. Many students are
proud to be prefects and they help maintain orderly conduct around the school at
break times. Students demonstrate innovation skills outside the classroom, they
readily take up voluntary roles with Operation smile and are involved in charitable
work with the Red Crescent. Older students collect money for orphanages in India.
Students innovation skills are underdeveloped in the classroom because teachers are
not providing enough opportunities for students to work creatively and
independently.

Performance Standard 3: Teaching and Assessment

Teaching and Assessment Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Teaching for effective learning

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Assessment

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

The quality of teaching is acceptable and teachers have secure knowledge of their
subjects, except in Arabic. The teaching of Arabic requires improvement in all grades.
Teachers adequately prepare their lessons and make sure enough resources are
available. They communicate and maintain high expectations for behaviour. They
explain tasks clearly and provide learning objectives to students. Teachers check that
students understand the work and ensure that they make a quick start. As a result,
most students make acceptable or better progress in lessons.
The questions teachers ask in lessons to check understanding and develop
knowledge are not planned well enough. Questions asked of the most able are often
too easy, and the least able are often not asked questions at all. Students do not
receive enough written feedback from their teachers about the quality of their work
or how to improve it. Teachers are not yet making full use of the assessment data
available at school to adapt lesson plans.
In the secondary school, teaching is examination focused; this motivates students
because they are keen to do well in their exams. Teaching in the Kindergarten is
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resulting in better progress. In the Kindergarten and high school, teaching is not yet
good because teachers are not making good use of assessment to adapt lessons. In
the primary and middle schools lessons are too teacher led which limits the
development of students independent learning skills. For example, in a Grade 2
English lesson, the teacher demonstrated the use of adjectives for too long. There
was then too little time available for students to practise using adjectives in their
speaking and writing.
Teachers understanding of how to develop innovation and other skills such as
problems solving and collaboration to stimulate learning is at a basic level across all
areas of the school. Overall, teachers do not make enough use of these strategies in
lessons to promote and stimulate learning. Teachers are beginning to plan lessons
that bring different subjects together so that students can apply knowledge from one
subject area to another. This is most successful in the Kindergarten.

Performance Standard 4: Curriculum

Curriculum Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Curriculum design and implementation

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Curriculum adaptation

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

The Kindergarten curriculum meets the needs and interests of the children. It
promotes childrens engagement in learning and their English language acquisition.
Children extend their vocabulary by learning new words while exploring.
Kindergarten leaders have adapted the curriculum recently. It now focuses on the
skills and knowledge the children need to develop most to be successful in the
primary school.
In grades 1 to 12, students follow the Indian CBSE curriculum and UAE MoE courses in
Arabic, social sciences, and Islamic education. Learning proceeds smoothly between
grades and school phases. Older students have an adequate choice of pathways to
follow in the high school. The curriculum provides students with high quality and
internationally recognised qualifications. Many students progress on to prestigious
universities in India, the UAE and around the world.
The curriculum meets the needs of most groups of students. There are a few planned
cross-curricular links between subjects, for example courses linking English, science
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and social studies in the middle school. These are beginning to enable students to
apply learning across subjects. There is insufficient modification to lesson plans to
ensure that students develop skills such as creativity and critical thinking. Curriculum
plans provide clear definitions of learning outcomes. The curriculum meets the
minimum required subjects and teaching time.
Students learn about UAE values in assemblies and social studies. There are adequate
extra-curricular clubs and opportunities available. These include: the junior girls
cookery show; eat.right.be active; sports day; Kindergarten concert; robotics club;
science clubs; debating club; links with France and inter school sports. Opportunities
to promote innovation skills and entrepreneurship are restricted to extra-curricular
clubs.

Performance Standard 5: The protection, care, guidance and support

of students
The protection, care, guidance and support
of students Indicators

Health and safety, including arrangements

for child protection/ safeguarding
Care and support

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Good

Good

Good

An adequate child protection policy is in place. School leaders ensure that all staff
understand the policy and know how to safeguard students. The school effectively
communicates its policies to parents through its website. Teachers and other adults
protect students from bullying, including cyber bullying, intimidation and threats.
Students know about how to stay safe, online, for example. They know about the
potential dangers of the internet and social media.
The school pays due attention to regulatory requirements, including emergency
evacuation, fire drills and safety requirements related to school buses. Health and
safety procedures are up-to-date, but records are not kept readily available for
monitoring purposes. The administration of medicines is safe. Aggressive and
threatening approaches to discipline are unacceptable in the school and no corporal
punishment was observed. The outdoor physical education area is inadequately
shaded.

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High expectations of students and a culture of mutual respect between students and
adults ensure that students behave very well. The school keeps accurate records of
attendance and punctuality. There are adequate systems in place to identify and
support students with SEN. These include links with external specialists to diagnose
conditions and provide advice. There are no systems in place to identify or support
gifted and talented students.
There is a positive ethos at the school towards guidance and support. Homeroom
teachers meet with students each day in the morning and are available to discuss any
concerns students may have and provide advice and guidance. Time is not used as
effectively as it could be because homeroom teachers do not have up to date
information about students progress. For older students, the school counsellor
provides individual advice and guidance about careers and higher education choices.

Performance Standard 6: Leadership and management

Leadership and management Indicators
The effectiveness of leadership

Acceptable

Self-evaluation and improvement planning

Acceptable

Partnerships with parents and the community

Good

Governance

Acceptable

Management, staffing, facilities and resources

Acceptable

The principal embodies the schools ethos, vision and mission and communicates
these effectively to others. The vision and mission statements are appropriate to the
schools aims and objectives. Together with his vice-principals and senior leadership
team, the principal has ensured that high levels of attainment in the key subjects of
English, mathematics and sciences have been maintained over a considerable period
of time. Senior leaders ensure that the school is a calm and purposeful community
focussed on learning and achievement. Leadership at all levels, particularly at the level
of subject coordinator is not as ambitious as it could be to increase the pace of school
improvement. Subject coordinators do not contribute enough to leadership. They are
not held accountable for the quality of teaching and the achievement of students in
their areas.

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The principal conducts the school self-evaluation. There is limited involvement of

others leaders in developing a shared view of strengths and areas for improvement.
Development plans have led to improvements, for example childrens achievement
has improved in the Kindergarten. There has been some progress in addressing most
of the recommendations from the previous inspection report. Overall self-evaluation
and development planning are not reviewed and updated regularly enough.
Parents and staff are positive about the school and supportive of the principal.
Communication with parents improved with the introduction of an electronic forum
to share information about students progress. The views of parents are welcomed
and are taken into account. Parents regularly attend school celebrations, for example
Flag Day and the annual talent day.
Governors provide support and ensure that all legal requirements are met. The
principal updates the governors with periodic reports. The governors have made clear
that the principal is accountable for the performance of the school. More rigorous
monitoring of school development planning by governors is required to ensure that
improvements happen more quickly.

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What the school should do to improve further:

1. Introduce procedures for identifying gifted and talented students.
2. Improve the quality of teaching to ensure that:
i. students attainment in Arabic is at least in line with the UAE
standards in each year group
ii. the most able students are provided with work that is well matched
to their learning needs and promotes their achievement
iii. all students receive regular written feedback that supports their
learning and helps them understand how they can make
improvements.
3. Adapt lesson plans to ensure that:
i. students in all grades have frequent opportunities to develop the
learning skills of innovation, creativity, critical thinking,
communication, problem-solving and collaboration
ii. students have opportunities to transfer their learning between
subjects by providing them with cross-curricular links
iii. questions are planned in advance so the most able are asked
appropriately challenging questions.
4. Strengthen leadership and management at all levels to ensure that:
i. self-evaluation is more frequently conducted, involves all leaders and
takes into account the views of all stakeholders
ii. there is regular and rigorous monitoring of the school development
plan for the impact of new initiatives on student learning
iii. subject coordinators become more accountable for the quality of
teaching and the achievement of students in their responsibility
areas.

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