NewSchoolInspectionReport

DiyafahInternationalPrivateSchool

AcademicYear201314

Page1of11

DiyafahInternationalPrivateSchool

InspectionDate 1215May2014

SchoolID# 233

LicensedCurriculum EnglishNationalCurriculum

NumberofStudents 290

AgeRange 3to10years

Gender Mixed

Principal RobertTaylor

SchoolAddress P4713Plot,MohammedBinZayadCity,AbuDhabi

TelephoneNumber +971(0)25585665

FaxNumber +971(0)25585455

OfficialEmail(ADEC) AlDiyafah.Pvt@adec.ac.ae

SchoolWebsite www.diyafahinternationalschool.com

Dateofopening 15September2013

Page2of11



Theoveralleffectivenessoftheschool
Inspectorsconsideredtheschoolinrelationto3performancecategories

BandA Highperforming(overalleffectivenessgrade1,2or3)

BandB Satisfactory(overalleffectivenessgrade4or5)

BandC Inneedofsignificantimprovement(overalleffectivenessgrade6,70r8)

TheSchoolwasjudgedtobe: BANDC; GRADE6

Themainstrengthsoftheschoolare:

systems and routines have been established so that the school runs
smoothlyonadaytodaybasis
parents, teachers and students respect the principal and his friendly,
approachablemanner
some classrooms and displays are providing a stimulating learning
environment
thenurseandteachersworkhardtopromotestudentsunderstandingofa
healthylifestyle.

Themainareasforimprovementare:

theneedtoprioritisethestepsneededtoimprovetheschool
thequalityofmonitoringofteachingandlearning
the curriculum implementation to meet the needs of all the students,
particularlyforthosewhodonothaveEnglishasafirstlanguage
provisionofsufficientresourcestosupportpracticallearning,forexample
inscienceandmathematics
the use of assessment and teachers marking to help students to know
howtoimprovetheirwork.

Page3of11

Introduction
Ateamof3inspectorsinspectedtheschool.Theyobserved41lessons,conducted
meetings with senior staff, the owner and school manager, teachers, students,
parentsandsupportstaff.Theyanalysedtheschoolsrecordsofassessmentand
scrutinised students work across the school. They considered 150 responses to
the parents questionnaire and many of the schools policies and other
documents. They met with the owner and school manager. The principal and
leadership team were involved throughout the inspection process, including 3
jointlessonobservationswiththeleadinspector.

DescriptionoftheSchool
Diyafah InternationalPrivate School opened to students in September 2013. The
purposebuiltschoolissituatedinaresidentialareaofMohammedBinZayadCity.
The schools mission is to foster creative thinking, courage of convictions and a
positiveattitudetodrawoutthehighestpotentialineverystudentsmind,spirit
andbody.
Theschoolnumbersaregrowingdaily.Atthetimeoftheinspection,theschool
had290studentsofwhich177wereboysand113girlsand71%areMuslims.The
schoolisdividedintotheFoundationStage(FS),KeyStage1andKeyStage2.FS
has 156 students, Key Stage 1 has 87 and Key Stage 2 has 47. Of the students
enrolled,32%areEmirati,11%areAmerican,11%arePakistani,8%areBritish,6%are
Indian,5%areJordanian,andtheremaining27%aremadeupofanumberofother
nationalities.Theschoolhasidentified13studentswithspecialeducationalneeds
(SEN)withregardtodevelopmentaldelayandbehaviourdifficulties.
The school offers the English National Curriculum. Children are admitted to FS
subject to the approval of the school principal. Students in Years 1 to 5 are
currentlyadmittedonthebasisoftheirpreviousschoolreportandanassessment
onentry.TheschoolisregisteredtoadmitstudentsuptoYear7andintendsto
open additional classes for Years 6 and 7 students at the start of the next
academicyear.
FeesrangefromAED24,200intheFS,AED26,500inYears13,andAED28,700in
Years 4 5. The Board has now been formed, with an identified Chair of
Governors.Atthetimeoftheinspection,theboardhadnotyetmet.

Page4of11

TheEffectivenessoftheSchool
DiyafahInternationalisinneedofsignificantimprovement.Thisjudgmentreflects
theschoolspositionagainstinternationalstandards.Whenjudgedagainstsimilar
AbuDhabiprivateschools,AlDiyafahhassomestrengths.Forexample,systems
havebeenestablishedsothattheschoolrunssmoothlyonadailybasis.Tomake
the progress towards worldclass provision which the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
requiresforallitsschools,AlDiyafahmustdomoretopromotethetwentyfirst
centuryskillsthestudentsneedtoleadsuccessfullivesinthemodernworld.For
this reason, this report recognises the developments that the principal and
teachershaveachieved.Italsogivesclearrecommendationsonwhatmoreneeds
tobedonetotaketheschoolforward.
Studentsattainmentandprogress
Children enter FS with skills that are below those expected for their age. They
make some progress overtime. At the time of the inspection, for example, in
EnglishandArabic,somechildrencanreadandwritetheirnames,knowsomeof
thesoundsthatlettersmake,andcanreadsomesimplewords.InEnglish,some
can count to 10. The skills that children need to learn, such as how to read and
writeindependently,talkwithoneanotherandshareideasareunderdeveloped.
Theydonotyetmakechoices,exploreandinvestigatetheworldaroundthem.
Assessments of students skills are made when they enter the school, and
teachersregularlyconsidertheirprogress.Theassessmentstheyuseareofapoor
qualityanddonotgiveaclearandaccuratepictureofstudentsprogressacross
thekeysubjects,inanyoftheyeargroupsincludingFS.
In all key subjects, students attainment, and the progress they have made, is
belowthatexpectedfortheirage.Theprogressofthemanystudentswhodonot
speakEnglishasafirstlanguageispoorwhencomparedtotheirpeers.
In English, although students reading skills are improving in relation to their
startingpoints,theyarestillbelowexpectations.Studentsprogressinwritingis
significantly below their development of reading skills. Students speaking and
listening skills are underdeveloped. In mathematics, their skills are below age
related expectations. In science, their progress is limited. There are insufficient
opportunitiesforstudentstolearnindependentlyortoworkcollaboratively.They
donotgetopportunitiestosolveproblemsforthemselvesandICTskillsarelower
than expected. The better progress of come students in Years 4 and 5 is still
belowexpectations.InArabicinYear5,somestudentsreadandwritewithfew
mistakes.InIslamiceducation,theyareabletoreadlongSurahandHadith.They
showappropriateprogressinunderstandingIslamicprinciplesandvalues.

Page5of11

Studentspersonaldevelopment
Studentsenjoycomingtoschool,andtheirattendanceisbroadlyaverageat89%
intheFSand92%inYears1to5.Studentsshowanappropriateunderstandingof
how to eat healthily and know the difference between healthy and unhealthy
foods.
Theyarenotyetdevelopingthepersonalqualitiestheywillneedtoparticipatein
the modern world, for example perseverance and curiosity. They do not work
collaborativelywitheachother.Theyrarelyaskquestions.Somestudentsarenot
yet fully engaged in learning, and do not always listen carefully or put enough
effort into their work. The school has not yet developed the structures to
promote good behaviour or positive attitudes to learning. Students have
insufficientopportunitiestotakeresponsibilitiesorleadershiprolesinschool.
Thequalityofteachingandlearning
Teachers have developed some effective classroom routines, and in the better
lessons students respond appropriately when learning with the whole class, or
whentheyareworkinginagroup.Thistypeofclassroommanagementalsohelps
new learners to settle into the school. Some classes have a stimulating learning
environment, where the best of students work is displayed. Interactive
whiteboards are used by some teachers to engage students, and improve their
learning.
Acrosstheschool,teachersdonotpayenoughattentiontothedifferentabilities
ofstudentswhenplanningactivities.Theydonottakestudentslevelsofspoken
Englishintoaccountwhentheyareteaching,andwhentheyprepareactivitiesfor
themtocompleteindependently.Theydonotprepareactivitiesthatarecarefully
matched to what students need to learn next. They do not offer more able
studentsactivitiesthathelpthemtomakefasterprogress.Whenteachersmark
books,theydonotmakecommentsthatwillhelpstudentstoknowhowtomake
theirworkbetter.Teachersdonotassesswrittenworktofindoutexactlywhat
thestudentshavelearntduringthelesson.Theydonotprovideenoughpractical
activitiestohelpthemtolearn.
The school has not yet developed a planned programme of professional
developmenttohelpteacherstoimprovetheirteaching,ortheirskillsinassessing
studentsunderstandingandprogressinlessons.
Meetingstudentsneedsthroughthecurriculum
The school has successfully developed a system to promote healthy lifestyles. It
providesasoundenrichmentofthecurriculumthroughtripstointerestingplaces

Page6of11

inthecommunity.Thereareanumberofplannedafterschoolclubsthatstudents
ofallagesenjoy.
TheEnglishNationalCurriculumhasnotyetbeenfullyimplemented,oradapted
to suit the students in the school. It is not yet well balanced because too much
attention is paid to the development of reading skills. Active learning is not
promoted within the curriculum implementation. The curriculum planning and
delivery does not promote students investigative and problemsolving skills.
Studentswithadditionalneeds,suchasthosewithspecialeducationalneeds,and
those who are more able, do not have a curriculum which is adapted
appropriately to help them to succeed. There is no planned programme of
assembliestodevelopstudentsleadershipskillsandtheirpersonaldevelopment.
Theschoolhasnotyetdevelopedarobustimplementationofthecurriculum,with
adequatecoverageacrossallthesubjectareas.
Theprotection,care,guidanceandsupportofstudents
The importance of attendance is promoted well by the school. The first aid
facilities and the storage of medicines are managed well. The health and safety
committeeuseeffectivecheckliststoensurestudentsaresafewhentheyarein
school.Suitablecheckshavebeencarriedoutonstaff.Therearewelldeveloped
systems in place to keep students safe when they arrive and depart on school
buses.
The pastoral systems to support students personal development are
underdevelopedandrelytooheavilyoninformalpatternsofcare.Thereissome
inconsistency in the application of the behaviour management system. There is
some evidence of poor behaviour among students. The school has not yet
developedasystemoftargetsandnextstepstoguidestudentsintheirlearning.
Thereisnotyetasystemtosupportthedevelopmentofthosestudentswhohave
additionalneeds.
Thequalityoftheschoolsbuildingsandpremises
Thebuildingsareclean,wellmaintainedandhygienic.Mostdisplaysareattractive
and used to encourage and celebrate learning. There are adequate facilities for
studentstouseatbreaktime.
The indoor facilities are not sufficient to develop students physical skills, or
engageincompetitivegames.TheFSaccommodation,suchastheroleplayroom
andthelibrary,isnotyetusedenoughtodevelopyoungchildrensskills.Outdoor
areasintheFSarenotyetusedeffectivelyforplannedactivelearning.Specialist
roomsintheschool,suchastheartroomandICTsuite,areunderusedandsodo
notsupportabroadcurriculum.Currently,studentseatintheirclassrooms.

Page7of11

Theschoolsresourcestosupportitsaims
Someteachersuseresourcessuchasinteractivewhiteboardseffectively,tohelp
students to make connections in their learning, for example, they show videos
and prepare presentations to engage their interest, or show them different
methodstocompletemathematicalcalculations.
There are insufficient practical resources in all classrooms, and an insufficient
numberofbooksinEnglishandArabictosupplementlearning.Theresourcesto
develop students skills in science, mathematics, and physical education are not
sufficient. Some teachers do not yet have the skills or subject knowledge
necessarytobeeffectiveintheclassroom.Theschoolhasnotyetdevelopedan
inductionprogrammetosupportnewteachersastheyjointheschool.Ithasnot
createdatrainingprogrammethatwillhelpallteacherstocontinuetoimprove.
Theschoolbusesarewellmaintainedandmanaged.
Theeffectivenessofleadershipandmanagement
Parents, teachers and students find the principal approachable and helpful. The
school has developed an appropriate team spirit between the teachers and
supportstaff.Ithelpsnewteacherstoquicklylearndailyroutines,andtheschool
runssmoothlyonadaytodaybasis.
Owners and leaders are not yet providing sufficient clear and strategic direction
to improve the school. The schools board of governors has not yet met to
developtheworkoftheschool.Theschoolsfinancialresourcesarenotcurrently
aligned with the schools priorities. The current school leadership does not
effectivelyevaluate or monitorthe work of the school. Although the school has
rapidly expanded since it opened in September 2013, it has not yet developed a
whole school approach to teachers professional development in order to
improve the quality of teaching and learning. Systems are not yet in place to
adequatelyinformparentsoftheirchildrensacademicandpersonalprogress.

Page8of11

Capacityforfurtherdevelopment
TheschoolopenedinSeptember2013withjustover100students.Theschoolhas
grownconsiderablysincethen,andcurrentnumbersnowstandatjustunder300.
Sinceopening,theschoolleadershavefocusedondealingwiththeorganisational
demands of the increasing number of students arriving during the school year.
Theyhavesettlednewstudentsintoschool,liaisedwithparents,andhelpednew
teachers, arriving at different points in the school year, to learn the school
routines.
Theschoolscapacitytodevelopfromthesedifficultbeginningsisunsatisfactory.
Theshorttermpracticalissues,linkedtothegrowthoftheschoolinitsfirstyear
ofestablishment,haveoverwhelmedthemanagementteam.Theschooldoesnot
yet identify accurately its strengths and weaknesses. Although school leaders
know that the quality of teaching and learning, curriculum, and leadership and
managementneedurgentimprovement,theyhavenotbeenabletoidentifyhow
these areas can be improved, and by whom. The schools ability to address its
currentissuesalsodependsonexternalfactorsthathavenotyetbeenresolved.
Futureplanstodeveloptheschoolfurther,forexamplebyincreasingthenumber
of specialist teachers, resources and facilities are dependent on increased pupil
numbers.

Page9of11

Whattheschoolshoulddotoimprovefurther:

1. Improvetheprofessionalleadershipofteachingandlearningby:
i. monitoringthequalityofteachingintheschool
ii. developing and using assessment to judge the effectiveness of
teachingandlearning
iii. providing teachers with a high quality programme of professional
development
iv. providing new teachers with an induction programme that will
enablethemtosuccessfullyteachtheiragegroupandtheEnglish
NationalCurriculum
v. helping teachers to make effective use of assessment to inform
planningofactivitiesthatarematchedcloselytostudentsneeds.

3.Developthequalityofteachingandlearningby:
i. developing teaching strategies to enable students who speak
English as an additional language to make better progress in all
lessons
ii. givingfeedbacktostudentswhenmarkingwork,sothattheyknow
howwelltheyaredoingandwhattheyneedtodonexttoimprove
theirwork
iii. providing more practical activities to help develop students skills
andsupporttheirunderstandingespeciallyforchildreninFS.

4. Ensurethatthecurriculumimplementationisfitforpurposeby:
i. aligningitfullytotheEnglishNationalCurriculum
ii. adaptingittomeettheneedsofallthestudents,particularlythose
who are learning English as an additional language, those with
specialeducationalneeds,andthemoreablestudents
iii. developingdailyassembliesthatpromotethevaluesandcultureof
theUAE.

Page10of11

InspectionGrades

BandA BandB BandC

Highperforming Satisfactory Inneedofsignificant
improvement

Unsatisfactory

unsatisfactory
Satisfactory&
Outstanding

Satisfactory
VeryGood

Improving
Good

Poor
Very

Performance
Standard

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Standard1:
Students
attainmentand
progress
Standard2:
Studentspersonal

development

Standard3:The
qualityofteaching
andlearning

Standard4:The
meetingof
studentsneeds
throughthe
curriculum

Standard5:The
protection,care,
guidanceand
supportofstudents

Standard6:The
qualityofthe
schoolsbuildings
andpremises

Standard7:The
schoolsresources
tosupportitsaims

Standard8:The
effectivenessof
leadershipand
management

Summary
Evaluation:The
schoolsoverall
effectiveness

Page11of11