School principals in Dubai have said the latest private schools inspection report holds out hope for many that an overall “outstanding” rating is achievable.
The recent school inspections by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai rated 20 institutions as outstanding — the highest rating available, above very good, good, acceptable and unacceptable.
The results released on April 3 also showed that 25 schools had improved their performance.
principal of Delhi Private School Dubai
It was the first in-person inspection since 2019 after the coronavirus pandemic prompted officials to halt visits to schools for safety reasons.
Heads of schools welcomed the inspections, saying they contributed to continuous improvement in teaching, learning and ultimately benefited the pupils.
The KHDA, Dubai’s private schools’ regulator, inspected 199 schools in the latest round of inspections — 23 more than it did four years ago.
Officials have been assessing schools in Dubai every year since 2008.
Raising the bar
Schools moving up the rankings would boost optimism among educators, said Rashmi Nandkeolyar, principal of Delhi Private School Dubai.
“There is hope for everybody to do better and better and I take this as a positive sign,” she said.
“We are now looking around the corner for the next inspection.
“Now inspections have become a thing to look forward to, rather than dread, because it’s a kind of pat on the back or a public acknowledgement of doing well.”
The Indian curriculum CBSE school was rated "very good".
Ms Nandkeolyar said the rankings help to ensure pupils receive a holistic and comprehensive education.
Dubai's private education regulator has introduced reading as a key focus for the next year, where pupils will be encouraged to read across all subjects, not only in English but also Science and Maths.
In previous years, attention was paid to innovation and children's well-being.
“Every year they raise the bar so you have to run a little harder to maintain your ranking,” she said.
“Sometimes there could be a technicality that is holding you back from that outstanding ranking but you can smell it.
“All this is aspirational and they [KHDA] keep expanding the horizon.”
Feedback is vital for change
Education heads said when teachers are asked to consistently research, learn and are called on to refine their teaching methods, the pupils are the real beneficiaries.
Glen Radojkovich, deputy director at education provider Taleem, said the inspections allowed schools to self-reflect and continue to improve.
“Our focus on ensuring all our Taaleem schools offer the best education possible for our students, remains at the centre of all we do,” he said.
“We are particularly proud of Greenfield International School which moved from ‘good’ to ‘very good’ and also the significant improvement in Arabic and Islamic education outcomes across the Taaleem portfolio.”
The feedback provided by inspectors is vital with clear action that can be planned.
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Dubai English Speaking School (Dess), one of the oldest schools in the country, was established in 1963 in a room of a residential villa in Dubai. Ruel Pableo / The National -
Located in Barsha South, Gems Dubai American Academy focuses on celebrating diversity, resilience, creativity and driving positive change. Reem Mohammed / The National -
The Jumeirah English Speaking School at Arabian Ranches. The non-profit school was started in an apartment in Deira in 1975 with only 17 pupils. Stephen Lock / The National -
Dubai College in Al Sufouh is one of the oldest in the city and often touted as one of the best in the emirate. Pawan Singh / The National -
Gems Modern Academy, located in Nad Al Sheba 3, was founded in 1986 and is the only Indian curriculum school in Dubai to be ranked as outstanding by the KHDA. Victor Besa / The National -
Located in Emirates Hills, Dubai British School has 1,171 pupils and is sought after by families. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Horizons English school, situated in Dubai’s Al Wasl area, caters to foundation stage one to Year 6, with almost 1,000 pupils enrolled. Photo: Horizons English School -
Kings School Barsha is a relatively new school, opening in September 2014, and has managed to achieve a DSIB score of 'outstanding' in its last two inspections. Satish Kumar / The National -
Located in Umm Suqeim, close to Burj Al Arab, Kings School Dubai offers primary education for children aged 3 to 11. Photo: Kings School -
Gems Wellington International School in Al Sufouh offers both the UK curriculum and the International Baccalaureate programme. Antonie Robertson / The National -
The Repton School located in Nad El Sheba is one of three branches in the UAE. Photo: Repton Dubai -
Gems Jumeirah Primary School in Jumeirah 3 is one of the most sought-after primary schools in the emirate and has been rated 'outstanding' since 2010 by the KHDA. Photo: Jumeirah Primary School -
Jumeirah College, a UK curriculum school located in Al Safa 1, has 1,125 pupils from 59 countries. Photo: Jumeirah College -
Pupils at Lycee Francais International Georges Pompidou have a consistently outstanding performance in mathematics across all ages, DSIB's latest quality indicators report showed. Pawan Singh / The National -
Jumeirah English Speaking School at Al Safa 1 has a little more than 2,000 pupils. Pawan Singh / The National -
Dubai English Speaking College at Academic City was established with the aim of providing quality British education for pupils up to the age of 18 and preparing them for entry into university. Pawan Singh / The National -
Victory Heights Primary School, located in the heart of the Sports City community opened in 2012. Teaching the British curriculum, it has just under 1,000 pupils. Pawan Singh / The National -
The Nord Anglia International School Dubai, located in Al Barsha 3, teaches pupils from early years up to Year 13. Photo: Nord Anglia International School Dubai -
Dubai International Academy opened in Emirates Hills in 2005. It has more than 2,600 pupils, ranging in ages from 3 to 18. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Deira International School, in Al Badia, Festival City, has just over 1,800 pupils enrolled, ranging in age from 3 to 18. Photo: Deira International School
“Feedback is immediately woven into our school improvement plans,” he said.
“Taaleem, as a group of schools, has increased in more Arabic and Islamic Education indicators in this round of inspections than ever before, which demonstrates the priority that our board, management and school principals place on this area of education in Dubai.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, KHDA inspectors conducted checks on the quality of online classes, interviewed the management and teaching staff remotely.
The in-person inspection this year was the first time many new teachers experienced a Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau evaluation.
“This was the first time in many years that Dubai has experienced inspections and for a larger than usual percentage of teachers across the city it meant it was their first time experiencing a DSIB inspection,” Mr Radojkovich said.
“We are confident that we will see even greater school improvements next year.
“Taaleem has continued to make great improvements year on year during inspections.”
Moving in the right direction
Schools said the evaluation helped teachers understand where modifications were required and how to improve facilities.
“It has confirmed what we already know and has given us some very realistic improvement points, which we will look forward to being able to showcase in the next inspection,” said Rebecca Coulter, principal Dubai British School, Jumeirah Park.
“We had a huge number of uplifts in many areas. Our Arabic and Islamic Studies has improved, as have our outcomes in English, Maths and Science.
“We know we have made rapid improvements since the last inspection and those were confirmed in our report.”
The rankings provide a snapshot of success stories and highlight areas where further development is possible.
“One of our big priorities is to making sure students own their learning and can articulate and understand their learning,” Ms Coulter said.
“There are success stories both individually and collectively as a school and it just reinforces that we are moving in the right direction.”
