InspectionReport

TheModelPrivateSchoolSecondary

AcademicYear201314

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TheModelPrivateSchoolSecondary

InspectionDate
SchoolID#
LicensedCurriculum
NumberofStudents
AgeRange
Gender
Principal
SchoolAddress

2730April,2014
122
Indian(CentralBoardofSecondaryEducationandKerala
Board)
1678
11to18Years
Mixed
AbdulKaderVV
POBox25723,Mussaffah,AbuDhabi

TelephoneNumber

+971(0)25527200

FaxNumber

+971(0)25521777

OfficialEmail(ADEC)
SchoolWebsite

modelschoolmbz.pvt@adec.ac.ae
www.themodel.ae

Dateoflastinspection 1114November,2012

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Theoveralleffectivenessoftheschool
Inspectorsconsideredtheschoolinrelationto3performancecategories
BandA Highperforming(overalleffectivenessgrade1,2or3)
BandB

Satisfactory(overalleffectivenessgrade4or5)

BandC

Inneedofsignificantimprovement(overalleffectivenessgrade6,70r8)

TheSchoolwasjudgedtobe:

BANDA;

GRADE3

Themainstrengthsoftheschoolare:

standards are above age related expectations and students make more
thanexpectedprogressinmostsubjects
studentsdevelopveryhighqualitypersonalskills
theschoolprovidesverygoodcareforitsstudents
senior leaders have implemented effective strategies to improve the
schoolsincethepreviousinspection.

Themainareasforimprovementare:

thedeliveryofthecurriculumtoensurethatallstudentsareappropriately
challengedandunderstandthepurposeoftheirlearning
classroom resources to support learning, including information and
communicationstechnology(ICT)
the consistency with which subject leaders effectively monitor student
progressandthequalityofprovisionintheirareas.

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Introduction
Theschoolwasinspectedby5inspectors.Theyobserved96lessons,conducted
several meetings with senior staff, subject leaders, teachers, support staff,
representatives of the proprietor and students. Inspectors analysed test and
assessment results, scrutinised students work across the school, analysed 918
responses to the parents questionnaire and considered many of the schools
policiesandotherdocuments.

DescriptionoftheSchool
The school opened in Mussafah in 1987 as a branch of the New Indian Model
School(NIMS),DubaiandispartoftheNewIndianModelSchool(NIMS)groupof
schools. The school offers a Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
curriculum up to Grade 7 and a choice of the CBSE or Kerala Board curriculum
fromGrade8toGrade12.
TheschoolcatersforstudentsfromGrade6to12.Itoperatesashiftsystemwith
Grades612girlsclassesfrom7.00am13.05pmandGrade612boysclasses
from12.20pm17.10pm.Thereare1,678studentsinthesecondaryschool(848
boys and 830 girls). Its core values are to provide a good education for mainly
expatriateIndianstudentsatanaffordablerate.
ThevastmajorityofstudentsarefromIndia,withsmallnumbersfromPakistan,
SriLanka,Sudanandothercountries.TherearenoEmiratistudentsintheschool.
72%areMuslimandtheothersaremainlyHindu.Averysmallnumberofstudents
are identified as having special educational needs (SEN). Admissions to higher
gradesaresubjecttoadmissiontestsinEnglishandmathematics.
AnnualfeesrangefromAED4,211inGrade6toAED5408,whichareinthevery
affordabletoaffordablecategory.

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TheEffectivenessoftheSchool
Studentsattainment&progress

Students start Grade 6 with standards that are broadly in line with age related
expectations in most subjects. Standards improve and progress accelerates as
they move into the higher grades and are good in most subjects. Standards in
CBSE and Kerala Board examinations for students in Grades 10 and 12 are well
abovethoseinschoolsfollowingthesamecurriculuminUAEandIndia.Standards
are at least in line with international standards and are above in some areas.
Lesson observations and scrutiny of students work show that standards are
abovetheexpectedlevelinEnglishforstudentswhohaveEnglishasanadditional
language. Progress in English lessons is enhanced by the use of English in other
subjects, as the medium of teaching is mainly English. Students read well with
good comprehension. Their speaking and listening skills are well developed and
spellings and grammar are usually accurate. Similarly, standards are above
expectationsandprogressisgoodinmathematics,science,Malayalam,Hindiand
Arabic. Standards in Islamic education and social studies are in line with ADECs
expectationsandprogressisgood.
Students have secure numeracy and geometry knowledge and good problem
solvingskillsinmathematics.InHindi,studentsareallnonnativespeakers.They
makegoodprogresstobeabletoreadwithunderstandingandwriteindifferent
genres.NotallstudentsinGrades6and7areabletoexpresstheirideasclearly
andconfidently.InMalayalam,studentsreadwell,speakconfidentlyandwritefor
a range of purposes. In Arabic, writing is less well developed than speaking and
reading. In Islamic education, students gain good knowledge of Islam. There is
insufficient use of references to the Holy Quran and Hadith to supplement and
support students understanding of the teachings of Islam. In social studies,
students have very good knowledge of the values and cultures of the UAE.
Students skills in ICT are as expected for their age and stage of development.
They get insufficient opportunity to use ICT in other subjects. Standards and
progress in physical education (PE) are below agerelated expectations. This is
becauselessonsarenotactiveenoughandresourcesarenotusedeffectivelyto
helpdevelopskillsinsportsrelatedactivities.AllGrade12studentsleaveschoolto
successfullyenrollinuniversities,ofteninhighlyacademicsubjects.
The school has developed a rigorous system to track students progress and
provideinterventionsforlowachievers.Ithasanaccurateviewofstandardsand
progress compared to schools following the same curriculum. It does not
comparethemwithbestinternationalstandards.
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Studentspersonaldevelopment
Students are extremely happy, and are courteous and polite. They are proud of
theirschoolandliketheirteachers.Inlessonsandaroundschool,studentsbehave
verywellbecausetheyareselfdisciplinedandhighlymotivated,showingmaturity
beyond their age. The school is very harmonious, relationships are exceptionally
strong and adults and students are mutually respectful. Students want to learn.
They stay on task and are always willing to answer questions and participate in
discussions. Students develop good 21st century skills. They produce and lead
assemblies, performing dances, songs, speeches and plays very enthusiastically
and confidently. They collaborate with their peers and explain their ideas in
depth, reflecting their well developed independent thinking skills. They
participate in debates with great confidence and respect the views of others
whilst presenting their own views fluently and accurately. They demonstrate a
verygoodunderstandingof,andrespectfor,thedifferentculturesintheUAE.
High numbers of students participate in a very extensive range of activities
outside the school day and enjoy field trips to enrich their learning. They
understand the benefits of leading healthy lifestyles and the school encourages
healthy eating. Students enjoy taking responsibility. Students are prepared very
well for their future education. Attendance is just above average at 92%, and
punctualityisgood.
Thequalityofteachingandlearning
The quality of teaching has improved as leaders have started to address all the
recommendationsfromthepreviousinspection.Theyhaveprovidedprofessional
development for teachers to help them make learning more challenging with a
clear focus on developing students 21st century skills. The quality of teaching is
mostlygoodacrosstheschool.Inmostsubjectsstudentsprogressacceleratesas
theymovethroughtheschool,asteachingismoreeffectiveinthehighergrades.
Inthebestlessons,studentsmakeextremelygoodprogressbecausetasksoffer
high levels of challenge to students to think for themselves. Students work
effectivelywithpartnersandinsmallgroupstodeveloptheircollaborativeskills
andshareideas.Groupactivitiesarenotconsistentlyeffectivebecausegroupsare
often too big and resources are narrow, limiting the input of some students.
Students display their deep understanding by leading learning, with great
confidence,insomelessons.Relationshipsareverypositivebecauseteachersand
studentsaremutuallyrespectful.Consequently,studentsareengagedinalltasks
andlistentotheviewsofothers.
Teachers are committed and work hard and, as a result, teaching is improving.
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Theyaremainlyspecialistsandmosthavesecureknowledgeoftheirsubjects.This
means that explanations and learning are accurate. Some teachers have strong
accentsinEnglishandArabicthatstudentsimitatesonotallstudentspronounce
words accurately. Teachers do not use assessment data sufficiently to identify
lessonobjectivesthataremeasurableormakeeffectiveuseofthemtocheckon
students learning in the lesson. Planning often identifies activities for different
groups.Itdoesnotidentifychallengesthataresuitablefortheneedsofdifferent
groupsconsistently,especiallyforhighattainers.Feedbackdoesnotalwayshelp
studentsknowwhattheyneedtodotoimprovetheirwork.
Meetingstudentsneedsthroughthecurriculum
Thecurriculumimplementationisbroadandbalancedandfollowstheappropriate
guidelines and schemes of work. It promotes students personal development
extremely well and enables students to develop very good levels of
independence, critical thinking and collaboration. Consequently, students make
good academic progress. The curriculum does not always provide sufficient
challengetoallgroupsofstudents.
The school promotes the values and cultures of the UAE very well, through
lessons, assemblies and celebration of National Day. The school offers a very
extensive range of activities outside lessons within the school, the UAE and
internationally.Theseenhancestudentsskillsinactivitiessuchassports,dance,
calligraphy, literary activities and other artistic activities. Students visit places
outside school for field trips. The school has a dance teacher who enables
students, both boys and girls, to perform traditional Indian and Emirati dances
extremely enthusiastically and creatively in assemblies. The school prepares
students well for the next stage of their education, primarily with a focus on
academics.Itdoesnotprovidestudentswithsufficientguidanceaboutvocational
options.
Theprotection,care,guidanceandsupportofstudents
The school has a very welcoming and positive ethos in which students feel
extremely safe and happy. Parents are very positive about the care the school
provides. A child protection policy is in place and staff are aware of the
procedurestofollowiftheysuspectanyincidentsofabuse.Studentssaythereis
no bullying and know that adults will listen to them if they have any concerns.
Leaders ensure that adults who work in the school are adequately checked for
suitability to work with children. The school keeps a Central Register and all
teachershaveADECapprovalexceptforthenewlyrecruitedteachersforwhomit
isinprocess.

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Attendance procedures are rigorous. The school does not have a consistent
rewards and sanctions policy though good behaviour is rewarded with trophies
andcertificates.TheSchoolCouncilisaneffectiveforumforstudentstoairtheir
viewsandmakedecisionsrelatedtotheschool.Theschoolhas3prayerroomsfor
students and provides ample time for their use. The clinic is well equipped with
sufficientfirstaidfacilities,andmedicalrecordsforindividualstudentsarestored
securely..Thereisonly1nurseforthelargenumberofstudents.
Thequalityoftheschoolsbuildingsandpremises
The buildings and plot are of sufficient size and are fit for purpose. The overall
fabric of the buildings is satisfactory and in reasonable condition. Buildings and
facilities offer students a healthy and safe environment. The health and safety
officer ensures that building maintenance and electrical and safety equipment
checks are regular. The size of most classrooms is adequate, as are specialist
facilities;thereare2libraries,4ICTsuitesand3sciencelaboratories.Indoorspace
forphysicaleducationislimitedtoaverysmallroomwithfitnessapparatus.
Facilities for ICT and science have been refurbished and improved since the
previous inspection. The school is generally clean and hygienic, but some
classroomsrequiredecorating.Theschoolkeepshazardousmaterials,medicines
and potentially dangerous equipment in the clinic and laboratories securely
stored. Security of the school is rigorous to prevent unauthorised entry or exit
and security cameras are strategically placed to monitor all areas. Displays in
classrooms are of variable quality and do not consistently celebrate students
workeffectively.Theschoollibrariesaresmallandunsuitableforlargegroupsto
developstudentsresearchandreadingskills.Exceptforsomeramps,thebuilding
doesnotcaterforstudentswithdisabilitiesasaccesstohigherfloorsisdifficult.
Theschoolsresourcestosupportitsaims
Theschoolhasasufficientnumberofteacherswhoaresuitablyqualifiedtoteach
their subjects. It uses specialist coaches to enhance skills in cricket, basketball,
volleyballandfootballfornearly300boysafterschooleachweek.Resourcesfor
sciencehaveimprovedandareadequatetodeliverthecurriculum.Theschoolhas
added an additional computer laboratory and 15 laptop projectors, 4 new
interactive whiteboards, 50 new computers, and laptops are now provided to
most teachers. Beyond the ICT laboratory, students have very limited access to
computers to support research and learning in lessons, and there is no Internet
access.

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The use of resources in classrooms is improving. It does not yet consistently

enablestudentstoapplytheirskillsandknowledgeandthinkindependently.PE
resourcesarenotusedwelltoenablestudentsactiveparticipationandenhance
physical skills. The library has a limited stock of books, especially for the
development of research and reference skills. The storage, preparation and
consumption of food is hygienic in the small canteen. Buses are regularly
maintained.Firedrillsarecarriedoutregularly.
Theeffectivenessofleadershipandmanagement
The Principal and Vice Principals have created a very strong ethos in which
students are happy, safe and enjoy school. Leadership is cohesive and shares a
clear ambition and determination for continuous improvement. Senior leaders
have started to address all the recommendations from the previous inspection
and a positive impact is being seen, especially on the quality of teaching and its
impactonstudentsprogress.Theownersareverysupportiveoftheschooland
have regular meetings with senior leaders. Leaders at the school have a good
understanding of the schools strengths and areas for improvement. The self
evaluation of the quality of the schools work is not entirely accurate in some
areas.Outcomesfrominspectionsandschoolmonitoringareusedtoproducethe
School Development Plan. It has clear, well developed priorities focused on
improving teaching, assessment, the curriculum and resources to improve
students progress. Professional development is clearly targeted at developing
subject coordinators leadership skills. Their impact in most subjects is clearly
evident and improving. They are developing skills to monitor standards and
progressandteachingandlearningintheirareasincreasinglyeffectively.
School finances are prudently allocated in pursuit of the schools educational
aims. Fees are low because the schools mission is to provide a good quality of
education at an affordable level for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Theresponsefromparentstotheinspectionquestionnairewasverypositive.

Progresssincethelastinspection
Leadersattheschoolhaverespondedquicklytotherecommendationsfromthe
previous inspection. The school now has a rigorous system to track students
progressandprovidesupportforthoseatriskofnotachievingtotheirpotential.
Teachersperformancemanagementislinkedtostudentoutcomesasdetermined
by assessment data. Resources have improved in ICT and science. Resources to
support learning in classrooms are slowly improving, especially when teachers
providetheirownadditionalmaterials.

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Subject leaders are now in placeand are improving. They have received training
and most of them fulfill their roles satisfactorily. Senior leaders have provided
professionaldevelopmentfocusedondevelopingteachingandtheimprovement
isevident.Manylessonsnowofferstudentsregularopportunitiestothinkdeeply
andindependently,workingroupsandsharetheirlearningwiththewholeclass.
Lessonsareincreasinglyactiveandofferstudentsgreateropportunitytothinkfor
themselves.
Theprogresssincethepreviousinspectiondemonstratesthatleadershavegood
capacitytomakefurtherimprovement.

Whattheschoolshoulddotoimprovefurther:
1.

Ensuregreaterconsistencyinthequalityofteachingby:
i. sharinggoodpracticealreadyintheschool
ii. using assessment data more effectively to plan lessons that
consistentlyprovidesuitablechallengesfordifferentgroups,especially
highattainers
iii. settingmeasurablelessonobjectivesandusethemeffectivelytocheck
onstudentslearninginthelesson
iv. providing students with regular constructive feedback to help them
knowwhattheyneedtodotoimprovetheirwork
v. setting suitable targets for improvement for teachers and monitoring
theirimpact.

2. Improvethequalityofleadershipby:
i.settingtargetsforleadersatalllevels,relevanttotheirroles,tobuild
greateraccountabilityandmonitoringtheimpactoftheirwork
ii.providingsubjectleaderswithsufficienttimetomonitorprovisionand
progressintheirsubjectarea
iii. ensuring subject leaders use evidence from monitoring to produce
plansforimprovementandregularlytrackanyprogressmade
iv. providing more opportunity for subject leaders to observe good
practiceinotherschools.

3. Improvetherangeanduseofresourcesby:
i. providing more resources in classrooms, especially in ICT, to enable
studentstoapplytheirskillsconsistently
ii. increasingthequantityandqualityofbooksinthelibrary
iii. makingbetteruseofPEresources.

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InspectionGrades

Inneedofsignificant
improvement

Poor

Very
unsatisfactory

Satisfactory&
Improving

Unsatisfactory

Satisfactory

Satisfactory

Highperforming

Good

BandC

VeryGood

BandB

Outstanding

Performance
Standard

BandA

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

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