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Canadian International School, Khalifa City A
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Review

Canadian International School, Khalifa City A

by January 21, 2016

Four changes of Head in under two years since its last Inspection, and rapidly growing student numbers (up to 900 from a recorded KHDA school at maximum capacity with 650 pupils in April 2014), have resulted in a school in a clear process of transition. This follows expressed concerns by inspectors of The Canadian School in 2014 that:

“Further and speedier progress has been inhibited by frequent changes in the senior leadership. If the school retains senior staff with experience and outstanding management and leadership skills it will be well placed to move towards being a very good or outstanding school. ”

The 2016 Abu Dhabi inspection is not yet complete and in the context of school change we recommend prospective parents visit the school to better understand the dynamics at play. Note we have used inspection data for consistency.

Located in Khalfa A, Abu Dhabi, the Candian International School is the only school in the capital offering an Alberta based curriculum. The single alternative Canadian school, Abu Dhabi Grammar School, offers a very different Nova Scotia based HS Diploma. Both Canadian schools are, in terms of fees, considerably more competitive than the majority of US curriculum based alternatives.

Of its 59 different nationalities of students, Canadian children predominate (24%) with strong representation from Emirati (13%), American (11%) and Australian (8%) nationalities. Just under one half of pupils are Muslim. The Canadian School offers continuity of education to its students between the ages of 3 and 18 years.

The school is currently rated in the high performing A3 band by ADEC, Abu Dhabi’s education regulator. This places it within the blurred edges of the broadly equivalent Good classification awarded by to Dubai schools by its counterpart inspectorate. All A band schools are said to be performing schools.

The school offers a child-centred, holistic and ‘whole child’ approach to learning and it is telling that the school is not only non-selective and open, but also welcomes children with Special Educational Needs [SEN]; 12% of students are identified as having SEN needs, with a significant number of these with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Art, music and sport are particular strengths of the school.

GEMS_INARTICLE  

It is important that prospective parents of children at British schools should note that syllabuses do not align with respective years:

British Curriculum Alberta Curriculum
FS1
FS2 KG1
Year 1 KG2
Year 2 Grade 1
Year 3 Grade 2
Year 4 Grade 3
Year 5 Grade 4
Year 6 Grade 5
Year 7 Grade 6
Year 8 Grade 7
Year 9 Grade 8
Year 10 Grade 9
Year 11 Grade 10
Year 12 Grade 11
Year 13 Grade 12

The school is situated in a modern, purpose built compound in Khalifa City A, some 30km from Abu Dhabi city centre. Facilities are good including also a library; science labs; a computer lab; art room; gymnasium, 25-foot indoor pool, a music room, dance studio; grass soccer field; central turf playing field; a separate elementary school playground; an indoor, air-conditioned KG playground and impressive art studio.

Notwithstanding concerns with the rapid changes in leadership and broader staff turnover, for parents set on a Canadian education, and for parents more broadly seeking an education focused on individualized, progressive learning, The Canadian School has much to offer. As above, however, we recommend, at the least, a visit to the school before application to better understand the dynamics, impact and rationale of ongoing change.

Go to the FULL REVIEW on WhichSchoolAdvisor.com

Details to consider
Type of school

Private for-profit

Full WSA Review
Average Cost Per Year

FS1: 35,075
FS2: 37,280
YEAR 1: 40,535
YEAR 2: 40,535
YEAR 3: 40,535
YEAR 4: 40,535
YEAR 5: 40,535
YEAR 6: 43,344
YEAR 7: 43,344
YEAR 8: 43,344
YEAR 9: 43,344
YEAR 10: 46,494
YEAR 11: 46,494
YEAR 12: 46,494

Curriculum

Canadian - Alberta

External Exam Boards

Alberta

Selective

No

Value Added

Not published (potentially high)

Number of Students

663 (2014) 900 (2016)

Teacher to Student Ratio

Not published

Largest nationality teachers

Canadian

Teacher turnover

Not published (High)

Year opened

2007

Location

Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi

Student composition

663 students
Slightly more boys than girls
Slightly more non‐Muslim than Muslim students
Students drawn from 70 countries
23% Canadian
12% Emirati
11 % American
Smaller proportions: UK, Lebanon, Egypt, European countries.
12% of students are identified as having Special Educational Needs [SEN]
Significant number of these with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Gender

Mixed co-educational

School canteen

Yes

Owner

Private (Joint Enterprise -3 Partners)

Admissions Telephone

+971 2 556 4206

Web Address
Attainment Nur SEM

50%-75%

Attainment Pri SEM

50%-75%

Attainment Sec SEM

50%-75%

Attainment Post-16 SEM

50%-75%

Progress Nur SEM

50%-75%

Progress Pri SEM

50%-75%

Progress Sec SEM

50%-75%

Progress Post-16 SEM

50%-75%

Arabic Native Primary Results (Native)

50%

Arabic Secondary Results (Native)

50%

Arabic Post-16 Results (Native)

50%

Arabic Primary Results (Add.)

50%

Arabic Secondary Results (Add.)

50%

Arabic Post-16 Results (Add.)

50%

Islamic St. Primary Results

50%-75%

Islamic St. Secondary Results

50%-75%

Islamic St. Post-16 Results

50%-75%

Leadership

50%-75%

Community

75%

Facilities

75%

Quality of teaching

75%

Student personal responsibility

90%

Quality of curriculum

75%

School Governance

80%

SEN Provision

70%

Strengths

• Child focused, inquiry-based learning
• One of only two Canadian schools in Abu Dhabi
• Good SEN provision with expertise in Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Good level of facilities
• The impact of a rapid increase in student numbers will require time to bed-in
• Strength in teaching provision for children of low to average ability
• Good value fees
• High level of personal development for students across all age groups

Weaknesses

• Staff turnover
• Ongoing changes in leadership
• Students within British schools will need to compromise years to transfer
• Weakness in teaching provision for the Gifted and Talented child [G&T]
• Canteen facilities are small and require further improvement
• Weakness in Arabic language teaching, planning and resources

Rating
Our Rating
User Rating
Rate Here
Academic
B+
B-
Value
B+
C
ExtraCurricula
B+
C+
Languages
B
D
Sports
B+
B
Arts & Drama
B
C
Teaching
B+
C+
Communications
B+
C
Warmth
A+
B-
Differentiation
B+
C-
SEND Provision
B-
D+
Scl Community
A
C
Scl Facilities
B
D+
Opportunities

• A performing school
• One of only two Canadian schools in the Capital and the only school following the Alberta curriculum – recognized for its child focused methodology, independent learning and broad based curriculum
• A potentially excellent option for parents seeking a holistic, inquiry-based whole child education for low to average ability children
• The last Irtqaa report, completed in April 2014, does not provide an accurate indication of the school’s current performance or recent changes and parents should review its finding with some caution
• Parents are strongly advised to visit the school to assess the impact of school changes, particularly significant increases in student numbers and ongoing changes to senior management

B+
Our Rating
C+
User Rating
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About The Author
Jon Westley
Jon Westley is the Editor of SchoolsCompared.com and WhichSchoolAdvisor.com UK. You can email him at jonathanwestley [at] schoolscompared.com

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Academic
Value
ExtraCurricula
Languages
Sports
Arts & Drama
Teaching
Communications
Warmth
Differentiation
SEND Provision
Scl Community
Scl Facilities