Dubai school principals say inspections give clear path to achieving ‘outstanding’ rating

Heads of schools assess changes needed after inspections that push for continuous improvements in teaching.

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.

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.

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

“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.”