Private School

Inspection Report

Pakistani Islamic Private School

Academic Year 2015 2016

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Pakistani Islamic Private School

Inspection Date

19 22 October 2015

Date of previous inspection

13 16 January 2014

General Information

Students

School ID

169

Total number of
students

1,206

Opening year of
school

1975

Number of children
in KG

120

Principal

Idrees Hussain

Number of students
in other phases

School telephone

+971 (0)3 767 7878

Age range

School Address

Al Manaseer Education
Zone, Al Ain

Primary 436
Middle
394
High
256
3 years 8 months to 18
years 8 months

Grades or Year
Groups

KG to Grade 12

Official email (ADEC)

pakistaniislamic.pvt@adec.
ac.ae

Gender

Mix

School Website

N/A

% of Emirati
Students

0%

Fee Ranges (per

annum)

AED 2,450 AED 4,750

Largest nationality
groups (%)

1. Pakistani
90.38%
2. Afghan
3.37%
3. Bangladeshi 0.38%

Licensed Curriculum
Main Curriculum

Pakistani

Other Curriculum
External Exams/
Standardised tests
Accreditation

FBISE, Pakistan

Staff
Number of teachers

55

Number of Teaching
Assistants (TAs)

Teacher-student
ratio

1:24 KG/ FS
1:22 Other phases

Teacher turnover

18%

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Introduction
Inspection activities
4

Number of inspectors deployed

Number of inspection days

75

Number of lessons observed

Number of joint lesson
observations

Number of parents
questionnaires

Details of other inspection

activities

144; (response rate: 11.6%)

Observations of assemblies; meetings and discussions;
review of many documents; discussion with students
both formal and informal; team meetings; observation
of break times; observation of buses and
transportation.

School

School Aims

To prepare a generation equipped with 21st century

innovative skills and moral values based on Islamic
teachings, a moral, clear, futuristic vision and inter
communal regard.

School vision and mission

1: Sound and proper Islamic education is offered to all

students.
2: We want a generation of students who have correct
understanding of the creator, respect for parents and
elders and commitment to human values.
3: Education aims to develop the intellectual, moral,
spiritual and physical potential of the child, drawing out
the best in mind, body and spirit. We aim to groom the
personality of each child.
4: The school aims at teaching students to become
good citizens and an asset to the nation, Islam and the
larger community.
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Admission Policy

The school welcomes children with a wide range of

abilities. The admission policy is inclusive and contained
by boundaries set by ADEC. It is aligned with the
schools stated mission.

Leadership structure
(ownership, governance and
management)

2 Principals; 1 Acting Vice Principal; 1 Registrar; 6 Trustee

Members

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SEN and G&T 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

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

63

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

languages)

33

Social maturity and leadership

Mechanical/ technical/ technological ingenuity

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

14

Psychomotor ability (e.g. dance or sport)

46

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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)

(C)

High Performing

Satisfactory

Acceptable

Band B

Good

Band A

Very Good

Performance Standards

BAND

Outstanding

School was judged to be:

Very Weak
Band C
In need of significant
improvement

Very Weak

High performing (Outstanding, Very Good or Good)

Weak

Band A

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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The Performance of the School

Evaluation of the schools overall performance
The quality of education at the school is very weak. Achievement and provision in the
Kindergarten have declined since the schools last inspection. The performance of
current younger year groups is significantly weaker than examination results signify. In
all but the high school phase, achievement in most subjects is weak. Provision and
outcomes in Arabic are very weak. Teaching, learning and progress in Urdu are strong
and standards are sometimes above average. The development of students learning
skills is exceptionally weak. The recent loss of about 20 staff, most of them teachers,
has plunged the school into a crisis, affecting the quality of learning in most subjects
across the school. It has impacted particularly adversely on the Kindergarten. A very
weak aspect of teaching, which is limiting students progress, is the almost total lack of
guidance to students about how to improve their work. Students personal
development has declined because the school provides very weak care, guidance or
support to promote acceptable development. Governance, leadership and
management are very weak which results in inadequate aspects of health and safety,
including safeguarding. The school is not licenced by ADEC and the principal designate
has not yet been appointed formally. Analysis, self-evaluation and improvement
planning are very weak and are inaccurate. Monitoring of teaching and other aspects
of school performance, such as students progress and behaviour are inadequate. As a
consequence, the school does not have an accurate picture of how well it is doing.
Progress made since last inspection and capacity to improve
Progress made since the previous inspection report is inadequate. The schools
performance has declined. Attainment in the majority of year groups has not improved.
Students learning of 21st century skills, which includes innovation, remains very weak.
Provision in the Kindergarten has worsened. Although some safety issues such as
uneven play surfaces have been tackled, other inadequacies have arisen and the school
is not a safe place in all areas. The provision of better resources to support active
learning has not occurred. Critical staffing shortages and the current temporary
arrangements concerning the two principals result in a situation where the capacity to
improve is very weak. The principal designate is unable to make decisions about
strategies which are required to create improvement.
Development and promotion of innovation skills
This is one of the schools most serious weaknesses. Provision does not match ADECs
expectations and students outcomes are very weak. Almost no provision is made for
any aspect of this learning in any year group. Urdu lessons are the only ones where
students routinely experience opportunities to work together, think for themselves or
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develop initiative. Practical, hands-on experience, group work, problem solving and
other provision to help develop innovation amongst students are highly inadequate.

The inspection identified the following as key areas of strength:

the schools commitment to serving its local Pakistani community

learning and progress in Urdu

attainment in English and mathematics in grade 10 and above, particularly in

examination results

students increasingly positive attitudes towards learning as they move up the

school.

The inspection identified the following as key areas for improvement:

health, safety and other safeguarding matters, as notified to the school

all aspects of provision and outcomes in the Kindergarten

standards, achievement, teaching and learning in Arabic

many aspects of teaching, in order to increase students progress and raise

standards

the schools use of assessment to improve planning and promote better progress

guidance and support to improve students personal development

clarification of senior and middle leadership roles and accountabilities, to set a clear
direction for school improvement.

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Performance Standard 1: Students Achievement

Students achievement Indicators

Islamic
Education

Arabic
(as a First Language)

Arabic
(as a Second
Language)

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Attainment

Very Weak

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Progress

Very Weak

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Attainment

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Progress

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Attainment

N/A

Very Weak

Very Weak

Weak

Progress

N/A

Very Weak

Very Weak

Weak

Attainment

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Progress

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Attainment

Very Weak

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Progress

Very Weak

Very Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Attainment

Very Weak

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Progress

Very Weak

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Attainment

Very Weak

Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Progress

Very Weak

Very Weak

Weak

Acceptable

Attainment

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Progress

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Attainment

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Progress

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very 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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Attainment and progress are very weak overall. In the Kindergarten this results from
very weak teaching, unacceptable resources and in students working in small, dull
and unimaginatively decorated rooms. The weak position at the time of the last
inspection has been exacerbated by a recent staffing crisis which has affected the
Kindergarten particularly badly. Here, staff shortages have led to the frequent
combination of classes, which makes rooms unacceptably crowded, severely limiting
how much children can move around to develop their skills. Across all subjects, these
are well below those expected for their age. Childrens progress in all areas of
learning is very slow.
In Urdu, attainment matches or exceeds expectations throughout the school. With
the exception of Urdu, attainment for the majority of students in the primary and
middle phases is below, or well below national and international age-related
expectations. This is the case in English, mathematics, science, social studies and
Islamic education, though in some of these subjects attainment is acceptable in the
high school. It is well below average in Arabic and in social studies in these grades.
Older students examination results in some years compare favourably with the
national and international averages in mathematics, science and English. Most
students work seen during the inspection showed standards lower than these results
suggest in middle and primary.
By grade 12, the relatively few students taking examinations in the high school phase
sometimes achieve standards above average. The majority of students progress is
very weak until they reach these higher year groups. In the high school phase,
progress is most often acceptable, except in Arabic where it is weak. In most subjects,
achievement is better in the high school because classes are generally smaller,
positive relationships have developed between most teachers and students, and
students attitudes towards learning are acceptable. Elsewhere in the school,
achievement is inconsistent between groups of students. It is particularly weak where
behaviour management is unacceptable and students behave badly. Sometimes
students are compliant and well behaved, but progress is very weak because planning
does not meet the needs of different groups.
In Arabic, students very weak comprehension of the spoken language leads to them
not understanding the teachers questions. If they do, they are very often unable to
formulate acceptable answers because speaking skills are very weak. In many
instances there is little evidence of writing and progress is very slow. Extended
writing is extremely limited and few students can read to the standards expected for
their ages. In some higher grades students Islamic education lessons enable them to
gain an acceptable understanding of Islamic values.

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Students progress in Urdu is relatively strong. In a grade 9 lesson, for instance,

students made good progress and attainment exceeded age-related expectations.
The teachers good subject knowledge and planning for a range of different activities
led to enthusiasm and interest. Attainment and progress in mathematics improve
steadily the older students become. Although students standards are well below
international and national standards in the Kindergarten, these improve to below
average in the primary and middle phases. As students reach the high school phase,
attainment is broadly acceptable. Here, students attain acceptable age-related
expectations in mathematics because work is well pitched to support learning for
most students. These older students typically display good learning skills in
mathematics. They collaborate well, sharing ideas and resources.
In the Kindergarten, children have a poor start to learning English. Teaching is very
weak and their unstimulating learning environment is not conducive to acceptable
learning. Elsewhere in the school, an over-reliance on textbooks and worksheets
leads to students weak or very weak development of extended reading or writing
skills. In lessons in most grades, students simply read aloud individually, with little or
no correction, so pronunciation and phonology are not improved. Very few checks, if
any, are made on whether the students understand, and a large minority do not.
Questions almost always require single-word answers, which severely limits students
progress in speaking. The development of reading and writing skills are weak
throughout the school. Students report that teachers do not always routinely use
English when teaching other subjects. This provides poor reinforcement for their
English learning.
In science, attainment and progress in the Kindergarten are very weak. In primary and
middle school grades, attainment is typically below or well below age-related
expectations. Progress is hindered because lessons develop little scientific
knowledge or understanding and do not relate theoretical learning meaningfully to
students lives, or to their environment. This results from the large majority of
learning being book-based, and from using too few practical resources. Key scientific
principles such as prediction and hypothesising are mostly missing. The three science
laboratories are seldom used except by older high school students, so they have little
opportunity to link theory and practice. Provision for PE and for other subjects such
as art and music is very weak. Students report a lack of provision and facilities for
sports. Little use of computers was observed and students are not acquiring the
necessary ICT skills to apply in their work across other subjects.
The most serious weakness in students achievement across all grades and subjects
relates to the development of their learning skills. Their active engagement in
learning is very weak. They are offered very few opportunities to take responsibility
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for their own progress, or improvement of their work, so independent learning skills
develop only poorly. A large minority of more able students waste time if they finish
a task quickly. Little extended work stretches their capabilities. Innovation skills,
creativity and problems solving are very weak because teachers do not include these
aspects in their lessons in the large majority of cases. These weaknesses lead to very
weak progress. They impact particularly adversely on more able learners, including
those who have particular skills or talents. Students who need support seldom
receive any, sometimes copying work from other students, or the teacher doing work
for them.

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

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Weak

Understanding of Islamic values and

awareness of Emirati and world cultures

Very Weak

Weak

Weak

Weak

Social responsibility and innovation skills

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Across the school, students personal and social development is weak, and some
aspects are very weak. At all stages, they lack self-reliance and independence. These
important personal skills develop very weakly in the Kindergarten because students
environment and the lack of staff in the current circumstances mean that they are not
promoted effectively. As students move through the school, relationships between
staff and students strengthen and attitudes towards learning become more positive.
By Grade 12, several students are confident enough to initiate discussions with visiting
adults. While the majority are mostly compliant and passive, students behaviour in a
minority of lessons is disruptive and unacceptable in the primary and middle phases.
This is usually because teaching and activities do not interest or motivate them. Too
many late arrivals to school mean that a minority of students miss assemblies and are
late for the first lesson. Attendance, at less than 90%, is weak.
Those who attend assemblies respond respectfully to the national anthems of both
the UAE and Pakistan and acknowledge the flag appropriately. Most listen carefully
to Islamic recitation. Very sparse displays around the school contribute to students
under-developed understanding of UAE heritage and culture. Poor displays in classes
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fail to celebrate students work from any subject effectively. The promotion of healthy
lifestyles is not supported by enough advisory posters or other information. The
school nurse is able to provide appropriate information and advice about healthy
lifestyles and personal matters, but has little opportunity to do so.
Extremely limited opportunities for students to get involved in innovative or creative
activity of any kind results in very weak development of these skills. Very little use of
new technology limits students research and investigative skills. In part, these
facilities, as with the provision of all other learning resources, are limited because of
budget constraints. Where interactive whiteboards are available, they are seldom
used, and then only by staff. Critical thinking and problem solving activities are not
included in the large majority of teachers planning, so these skills are very weak at all
levels. Students seldom have the opportunity to work together in groups, so
communication and innovation skills remain very weak until the later years. In lessons,
only a few leadership opportunities exist, though some older students do take on
prefect responsibilities, patrolling at breaks for instance.

Performance Standard 3: Teaching and Assessment

Teaching and Assessment Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Teaching for effective learning

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Weak

Assessment

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Teaching is very weak across the school. Its impact is most positive in the high school,
resulting in acceptable examination results. The majority of KG phase-specialists are
currently absent. Here, teachers have exceptionally low expectations of children.
Consequently, children do not attain well enough, or make acceptable progress. In a
Kindergarten lesson, children were unnecessarily revising two-dimensional shapes
they already knew about. In another, they were simply colouring in shapes, with many
displaying weak motor control over pencils. Such lessons in many subjects fail to
extend or deepen students learning in any way. As a result, students behaviour can
be disruptive and disrespectful. For a few students, these lessons provide
consolidation for slower learners pre-existing learning, but most do not need this.
Classrooms lack resources to provide younger learners, including those in the

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Kindergarten, with any concrete experiences of learning, and rooms are too small for
the large numbers of students.
Arabic teaching is very weak across the school. Lessons are teacher-led and textbookdirected, resulting in a lack of student engagement, interaction or collaboration. This
often results in very weak attainment and poor progress. It also leads to poor
behaviour and disruption to learning. Most students therefore demonstrate very
weak comprehension in Arabic across the school, but slightly better reading skills.
Urdu lessons often show the majority of students reading skills improving as a result
of teachers good explanation of difficult vocabulary. This leads to good progress.
Students often work in groups, and there are examples of students learning team
skills effectively, which is absent in other subjects. These active teaching approaches
lead to attainment which is in line with, or sometimes above age-related
expectations. The subject also shows a rare example within the school, of good
teacher-student interactions through questioning. On one occasion an interactive
magic box excited and engaged students and they learned well. Younger children in
the Kindergarten feel secure due to the presence of the Urdu teacher. Story-telling
and the sharing of ideas in Urdu stimulate interactions and discussions and ensure
that students make at least acceptable progress. In Urdu, teachers modelling of neat
hand writing is a rare positive example for students to emulate.
In the majority of other lessons and subjects, work is not adequately matched to
individuals or groups needs, particularly for those of higher attaining students. In
most lessons, these students often complete work set very quickly. Few
opportunities are subsequently provided to extend their learning or deepen
understanding. Teachers use of different questioning styles is typically very limited,
so students thinking is not extended. This hinders students critical reflection and
innovation skills, which are very weak across the school. As a result of weak behaviour
management, students behaviour is sometimes disruptive in lessons because they
are not engaged or challenged adequately, so they get bored.
Where students achieve acceptably, for instance in mathematics in the high school, it
is because teaching is generally properly pitched in line with international and ageappropriate expectations. In a few mathematics lessons, learning was modelled
effectively, so that students understood how to calculate and reason mathematically.
Occasionally in mathematics and elsewhere, skilful questioning challenges these
older students and checks their understanding. Most strengths in teaching lie in these
higher year groups. This is where the school uses mostly specialist subject staff. Older
students generally show positive attitudes in lessons resulting in effective behaviour
for learning. Suitably pitched work for grades 10 to 12 sometimes challenges thinking
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so that students make acceptable progress. As a result, examinations at these grades

show most students typically attaining in line with external and international
benchmarking averages in English, mathematics and science.
Assessment is very weak across the school. Teachers rarely monitor learning, address
misconceptions, or reshape lessons according to learners needs. Where work is
marked, all answers are typically correct, and are marked with a tick or a score. No
developmental marking takes place, resulting in students not knowing how to
improve their work. Although limited data is provided by the school, this is not used
to monitor or improve student progress. Unanalysed data depicts attainment levels
only. It is not analysed to provide information, and does not inform planning or
influence teaching. As a result, the majority of students needs are not met.

Performance Standard 4: Curriculum

Curriculum Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Curriculum design and implementation

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Curriculum adaptation

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

The implementation and delivery of the curriculum are very weak. Curriculum choices
for older students are very limited. They are limited even in the high school phase. The
school does not review its curriculum regularly. Therefore, planning does not
incorporate recent UAE requirements to develop skills such as innovation. Likewise,
planning, implementation and adaptation to meet all students academic, personal
and social needs is very weak. The curriculum does not meet the needs of the very
few students with identified special educational needs (SEN) such as hearing and
visual impairment. Their progress, and those with other school-identified difficulties,
is very weak in all phases. Learning opportunities are insufficiently broad and varied
throughout. They do not provide the balance of experience needed to promote
acceptable learning. In science, for example, too little practical work reduces
students understanding of the links between theory and the real world.
Curriculum planning is very weak, as is teaching in the Kindergarten, partly because
of the current shortage of staff. General provision for other phases is not planned
well enough, nor adapted sufficiently well to match the learning needs of different
groups. Those students with SEN and the more able are particularly disadvantaged.
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Because teachers do not assess students learning or progress systematically, they

assume that learning progression is occurring because students are moving through
the textbooks. This is not always so. Teachers planning does not routinely make any
effective cross-curricular references or links, to extend students knowledge. Most
subjects are taught in isolation, resulting in compartmentalisation of learning. Few
external visits or extra-curricular activities take place. Students report that these have
been reduced lately, particularly their opportunities to engage in sports competitions.
Opportunities for students to develop key skills such as independent learning for their
post-school education are very limited. Beyond textbooks, very few resources are
available, limiting innovation and creativity, particularly for younger students. A few
links with Emirati culture and UAE society such as singing the national anthem at
assembly, and aspects of social studies celebrate these areas of students lives.

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

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

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Health and safety, including arrangements

for child protection/ safeguarding

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Care and support

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

Very Weak

The schools procedures for protection, care, guidance and support for students are
very weak. There are minimal formal procedures to ensure that students are
safeguarded at all times. Students and parents comment that they are unaware of
any systems. Despite some recent investment in areas such as CCTV, the school is
ineffective in protecting students from potential harm in all circumstances. The social
worker currently operates in a teaching role, so can provide only minimal support for
students. The principal has assumed responsibility for health and safety with two
other employees. This accountability is not working effectively. Managers and
trustees believe there to be no instances of staff or student infringement of codes of
conduct, such as adherence to the child protection policy. The inspection team
observed several such incidents at first hand. Additionally, others were reported.
These were notified to senior staff.

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Fire drills have taken place properly and maintenance logs are available. The nurse
and the clinic are both licensed. The clinic is suitably equipped. The school overall does
not provide a safe, hygienic and secure environment for students or staff in all areas.
Checks in areas, such as the safety of wiring and equipment, are inadequate. Many
toilet doors open directly onto busy corridors. Other doors also open outwards, at
the risk of hitting passers-by. Maintenance logs reveal that some checks are made,
but students report very recent and longstanding problems, with the air conditioning
for instance. This has only just been made to function properly. Records show that
the school has no budget to acquire new furniture and the large majority of furniture
in use is unacceptable for twenty-first century learning needs. Students also comment
critically about how inconvenient and sometimes dangerous furniture and fittings are
in some places.
The appointed social worker has had no opportunity to identify, or work with
students with learning difficulties or SEN. Teaching commitments prevent this.
Neither he nor the nurse has any opportunity to promote healthy lifestyles or good
nutrition amongst students. Systems and procedures for managing students
behaviour are inconsistently implemented amongst staff. Arrangements to promote
and improve good attendance are ineffective. No specific procedures to follow up
absence or lateness exist, so attendance is inadequate. Punctuality to classes is not
routinely recorded, so no sanctions exist. Teachers are not fully trained to notify the
school about any concerns which may indicate special needs, so identification is very
weak. The school provides little support for the externally identified students with
hearing and vision impairment. Very weak provision is available to extend the learning
for the considerable number identified as having particular gifts or talents. Guidance
is weak for grades 11 and 12 related to academic progression after they leave the
school. Guidance and advice about students personal development and academic
improvement are very weak in the rest of the school. This is very limited and
uninformative.

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Performance Standard 6: Leadership and management

Leadership and management Indicators
The effectiveness of leadership

Very Weak

Self-evaluation and improvement planning

Very Weak

Partnerships with parents and the community

Weak

Governance

Very Weak

Management, staffing, facilities and resources

Very Weak

Leadership and management are very weak. The school recognises that it is in a crisis
resulting from the removal of about 20 staff from the school in June, for not having
the prerequisite approvals to employment. Most of these were teachers, particularly
from the Kindergarten. The remaining 55 teachers all possess proper official papers,
but the school is inadequately staffed. This crisis accounts for many of the weaknesses
described in this report, but not all.
The very recently appointed principal designate is beginning to understand the
schools strengths and to identify areas for development. He is unable to make
decisions or plans. This is because the school Board of Trustees appointment is not
endorsed by ADEC as the schools license has expired. In the meantime, the outgoing
principal is substantive in all official affairs in the period of transition. All share the
vision and commitment as a non-profit making community school, which is strong in
the ethos of the school. The parents survey shows that most parents are satisfied
with the school. Educational leadership is currently very weak. Those responsible for
leading improvements have not succeeded in this objective. Relationships in the
school are fragile and staff morale is low. Students are often unhappy and some hold
a strong belief that senior staff take no notice of their concerns. Self-evaluation is very
weak, inaccurate and is not based on evidence. After considerable revision, the
schools development plan was completed in June, but has been superseded by the
staffing crisis and by the arrival of the principal designate. As neither is reflected in the
plan, it lacks the ability to drive improvement.
The schools capacity to improve is very limited. Finance to support investment in
infrastructure or staffing is unavailable. Accountability lines to support improvement
are unclear. The acting vice principal provides much of the educational administration,
but his workload is very heavy. Effective communication is hindered by unacceptable,
often contradictory paperwork in areas such as timetabling. Systems for the
monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning are extremely weak. They do not
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result in teachers knowing how to improve. The impact of managements actions on

school improvement has been very weak indeed. It has resulted in a decline in
performance since the previous inspection report and the areas identified for
development have not improved.
Parents are not actively involved in their childrens school life. Their views are rarely
considered. As a result, their impact on students education is weak. Limited
communication provides parents with inadequate information about their childs
progress. The school makes insufficient external links to forge external partnerships
which could be useful for students learning. This is particularly with the UAE
community and overseas, beyond Pakistan.
The Trustees have an inaccurate understanding of the school. They do not provide
adequate challenge for senior staff on issues concerning teaching and learning. This
is because they have focussed on improvements regarding the infrastructure of the
premises. Board minutes do not record how they hold the school to account for
improving teaching, learning and overall performance. There is a very weak
understanding of how to improve in this area. Trustees are beginning to remove some
barriers to the schools improvement, but this is slow. Targets are not sharply
focussed on improving school performance, resulting in a decline since the last
inspection. Under the Boards new leadership of the vice chairman, trustees are
beginning to understand some of the schools strengths and weaknesses. Very weak
governance results in the school being in breach of a number of regulations which
have not been tackled to an acceptable level by the school.
The day to day management of the school is inadequate, compromising students
academic achievement, personal development and their health and safety. The crisis
in staffing has exacerbated a declining situation. Extremely limited financial resources
result in very weak professional development for teachers and other staff. This is
needed to optimize and improve students achievements. Resources are minimal, but
those which exist are very often under-used. Examples are use of the ten donated
interactive whiteboards and the science laboratories. Some class sizes, for instance
those with more than 40 students, severely restrict the potential for students
progress and achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further:

1. Ensure that the school and all its staff adhere rigidly to all statutory and policy
obligations regarding health, safety and other safeguarding matters.
2. Clarify as soon as possible, the accountabilities and responsibilities of senior and
middle leadership roles and set a clear direction for school improvement by:
i. members of the senior team establishing, and making accurate
judgements about the quality of what is occurring in lessons and elsewhere
ii. placing a clear focus on students progress in academic and personal
development to make these judgements
iii. creating accurate school self-evaluation from this information
iv.
using this self-evaluation to develop a prioritised and sharply focused
school improvement plan
v.
making regular evaluations about how effectively this plan is being
implemented
vi.
adjusting the plan across time, to create a system that supports constant
improvement.
3. Accelerate students progress and raise attainment by:
i. improving standards, achievement, teaching and learning in Arabic
ii. ensuring that the balance of students curriculum includes both theoretical
and practical learning opportunities
iii. including the development of students learning and innovation skills
securely and systematically in the planning and implementation of all
lessons and other activities.
4. Improve all aspects of provision and outcomes in the Kindergarten by:
i. securing a fully licenced complement of staff who are properly qualified in
early years education
ii. improving the quality of classrooms and the learning environment to
match the requirements of the Kindergarten curriculum
iii. ensuring the curriculum includes adequate use of outdoor areas for safe
learning and play
iv.
providing the full range of subjects, to include Arabic
v.
providing a better quality and range of resources to stimulate learning
through play.

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5. Improve teaching, in order to increase students progress and enjoyment by:

i. providing work which matches the needs of different groups in classes in
all subjects
ii. planning opportunities to engage students in activities such as group work
to extend their social skills
iii. ensuring that students experience a balance of practical and theoretical
learning, including problem solving and other opportunities to develop
innovation skills
iv.
assessing students progress in a formative way which informs students
about how to improve.
6. Improve all aspects of assessment and the schools use of information about
students progress to improve planning and promote better achievement by:
i. making sure that assessments not only measure attainment, but the
progress students are making over time
ii. providing this information for teachers in a way which is understandable,
meaningful and useful
iii. ensuring that teachers use this information to identify different groups
within their classes
iv.
ensuring that teachers then plan their lessons to match the needs of these
different groups
v.
monitoring and measuring students progress through the school
vi.
drawing conclusions about what this information reveals and using it to
improve students progress across time.
7. Improve guidance and support to improve students personal development and
learning skills by:
i. making sure that enough staff are available and deployed in an appropriate
way to focus on these aspects of the schools work
ii. using the skills of support staff within the curriculum, to improve students
understanding of healthy lifestyles.

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