KHDA Inspection Reports 2017 – Best Newly Inspected Schools

Nord Anglia International School 

Viewed by many as the model for how to successfully open a new school (on time and with substantial student numbers), the KHDA inspection has been eagerly awaited by both fans and detractors. Whilst the school itself may be disappointed with its Good rating, there are many areas which have received positive feedback from the inspectors.

The school opened with 743 students and has grown to 1,380 in the current academic year. This has required a significant increase in teaching staff with 27% new to the school this year. Despite the rapid growth and additional new staff, Nord Anglia seems to have performed well in its first inspection, particularly in its Foundation Stage.

All 6 attainment measures for English, Maths and Science in the Foundation Stage were rated Outstanding, whilst the same measures were rated Good in Primary and Very Good in Secondary. The quality of teaching and the assessment systems in the Foundation Stage were Outstanding, whilst in other phases, teaching is good overall with some very effective teachers in all phases, particularly in the specialist subjects.

The attention given to health, safety and security is very good. The quality of care, guidance and support is outstanding for children in the Foundation Stage and good for other students across the school.  Inspectors praised students’ personal and social development, their appreciation of Islamic values, their awareness of the heritage and culture of the UAE, their contribution to the community and their care for the environment. Partnerships with parents were described as highly effective.

Areas in need of improvement were students’ attainment and progress in Arabic and Islamic Education, the proportion of good or better teaching in the primary and secondary phases (through sharing good practice, modifying the curriculum and raising expectations for all students) and consistency in the monitoring of classroom practice and use of assessment data in order to inform accurate self-evaluation and improvement priorities.

With a staff:student ratio of 1:9 and a staff turnover of 9%, both statistics are on the low side and reflect a supportive and stable environment.

 

The inspectors highlighted the Outstanding provision and children’s outcomes in the Foundation Stage and students’ attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science in the secondary phase. They particularly noted the breadth of the curriculum, the range of languages on offer and the commitment to innovation and to the teaching of technology.

With an exceptionally strong performance in the Foundation Stage and Very Good attainment in many areas of Secondary, we expect to see Primary standards improve rapidly. Further focus on the provision of Arabic and Islamic Studies across the school will be necessary for Nord Anglia to reach its aspired inspection level.