Publication PDF

Attainment Benchmarking Table
Irtiqa’a Programme:
Guide for the inspection of schools
in The Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Academic Year 2016 – 2017

Contents
Irtiqa’a Programme 3
Why are schools inspected? 4
Types of Inspection 6
How often are schools inspected? 7
Who inspects schools and for how long? 8
Self-evaluation 10
How are schools inspected? 11
Sources of Evidence 15
How are students and parents involved in school inspections? 18
What judgements do inspectors make? 19
The Structure of the inspection framework 20
How are schools judged? 21
Feedback to the school 23
The school inspection report 24
Quality Assurance: monitoring the quality of inspections and ensuring that there is
consistency of judgements 26
Code of conduct for schools and inspectors 28
Complaints Procedure 30
Glossary of Terms [acronyms and terms used in this document] 32
Appendix: Attainment Benchmark 33
Irtiqa’a Programme for schools, Methodology Document–Edition 2016 © ADEC, Abu Dhabi Education Council Page 2 of 33
Irtiqa’a Programme
The Vision
To apply a world-class and comprehensive evaluation system in order to measure quality

in education and thereby to support school improvements so that all schools in the Emirate
of Abu Dhabi compare well with international standards.
The Mission
To improve the quality and effectiveness of schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi so as to
realise the strategic goals of Abu Dhabi Education Council and thereby to bring schools
into line with the best international practices whilst promoting quality and excellence in
teaching and learning.
The Core Values
 Unrelenting commitment to high quality and continuing improvement in education
 Transparency and integrity
 Co-operation and partnership
The Objectives
 To evaluate levels of performance quality in schools within the Emirate of Abu

Dhabi
 To provide schools with clear recommendations for improvement
 To inform policy-making at sector level
 To encourage the sharing of best practice in education and exchange of

professional expertise
Why are schools inspected?
The United Arab Emirates Vision 2021 has education as its foundation, both explicitly and
implicitly. Vision 2021 includes aspirations for citizenship, a spirit of entrepreneurship,
enhanced educational attainment, and a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation,
research, science and technology. The realisation of these aspirations requires a world-
class education system, responsive to national needs and aligned to international
standards.
‘Education is a fundamental element for the development of a nation and the best investment
in its youth.’ UAE Vision 2021
As an extension to achieve the UAE Vision 2021, the UAE National Agenda was launched in
2014 by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister
of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Education is an important focus of this National Agenda
and it includes eight objectives that are designed to lead the UAE to becoming one of the
most successful countries in providing world-class education:
 PISA: to be among the 20 highest performing countries in PISA
 TIMSS: to be among the 15 highest performing countries in TIMSS
 Completion of High School Education: to ensure that 90 % of Emirati students

complete their high school education
 Attending Pre-Primary: to ensure that 95 % of children in the UAE attend pre-

primary education
 High skills in Arabic Language: to ensure that 90 % of Grade 9 students develop

high skills in Arabic language in the UAE NAP assessment
 High-quality teachers: to ensure that 100 % of schools have high-quality teachers
 Highly effective school leadership: to ensure that 100 % of public schools have
highly-effective school leadership
 University foundation programme: to ensure that no students need to join the

university foundation programme
In support of the unified approach to move education closer to the 2021 vision, the Abu
Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) required all schools in Abu Dhabi (by Resolution No. 4) to
register with and be inspected by the Council from September 2008. This was affirmed in
articles 63 and 64 of the Resolution No. 26 of 2013 issued by the Chairman of the Executive
Council on the Organizing Regulations of Private Schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
In support of the UAE vision 2021 for education and the UAE National Agenda, the Irtiqa’a
programme’s mission is to improve the quality and effectiveness of schools in the Emirate
of Abu Dhabi so as to realise the strategic goals of Abu Dhabi Education Council and
thereby to bring schools into line with the best international practices whilst promoting
quality and excellence both regionally and internationally.
Inspection is a key mechanism for identifying the levels of quality in schools and the
reasons for inspection therefore are:
 to periodically identify the levels of performance quality in schools within the

Emirate of Abu Dhabi
 to provide schools with clear recommendations for improvement
 to inform policy-making by the private and government education sectors and the
Council in general
 to encourage the sharing of best practices in education and the exchange of

professional expertise
 to provide parents and stakeholders with information about individual schools and
the school system as a whole.
Inspections are rigorous and result in clear judgements and reports are accurate and fair.
Where inspections reveal non-compliance of a serious nature or breaches of licensing
regulations, these are promptly reported to ADEC and to the school authorities. The
purpose of inspections is to help and encourage schools along their improvement journey.
To this end, inspections are intended to be positive and supportive experiences bringing
together professionals from all enabling stakeholders such as inspectors, cluster
managers, subject coordinators, school leaders and teachers.
The inspection process is challenging but exciting. It seeks to affirm good practice and give
recognition to high quality teaching and learning. ADEC looks forward to continuing to
work with teachers, students and parents, celebrating what is good and supporting
continuous improvement.
Types of Inspection
Periodic inspections
All schools undergo a periodic full inspection within determined time periods and as per
the conditions of every category, and according to the following:
 schools that have General Licenses – every two years
 schools holding a Council-Accredited License – every five years, in addition to

supervisory and monitoring visits during the second and fourth year. (The aims of
these visits are to check the school’s continued compliance with self-evaluation,
and maintaining it high performance level, as well as its continued capacity to
innovate and develop)
 new schools – within the first year of opening.
Monitoring Inspections
The Council will carry out monitoring visits for schools where significant weaknesses have
been identified in periodic inspections to monitor follow-up by the school and review
progress annually or twice yearly as required.
On-command (Emergency) inspections
The Council will make unannounced visits to schools when necessary regardless of the
school’s type of license. This inspection may be full inspections or shorter in duration, to
assess a school’s response to a Warning within an Order whether a Development Order or
a Commitment Order or a Closure Order or other Orders (refer to Policy 61).
Thematic inspections
Thematic inspections are designed to gather data on specific aspects of the education
system in order to inform policy-making discussions. These inspections focus on one
particular aspect of a school’s provision, such as the teaching of a particular subject, the
achievement of a particular group of students, the impact of education strategies or of
information technology on learning.
How often are schools inspected?
All private and government schools are inspected once within a two year cycle.
The Council may inspect schools at any given time. The inspection framework defines the
standards for school inspection.
In general, private schools that have standard licenses1 are inspected once within a two-
year cycle, schools with an ADEC accredited License2 will be inspected every five years
whilst new schools will be inspected towards the end of their first year of operation. ADEC
reserves the right to inspect any school when deemed necessary. Schools that show
significant weaknesses (weak/very weak) in the periodic inspection will receive an
improvement order and are subject to monitoring visit(s) once or twice a year as needed.
In the case of private schools, investors wishing to open a new school must apply to ADEC
for a provisional license. For this, the investor must provide evidence that the prospective
school will meet ADEC’s requirements for Performance Standards 1 – 6 and Overall
Performance (described on page 22 of this document). If the inspection confirms that the
school is providing an acceptable level of education in relation to Overall Performance,
ADEC will issue the school with a standard license.
Licensing is not applicable to government schools.
1
A Standard Licence is a kind of license that shall be granted by the Council to a school that has been
inspected by the Council and has attained an inspection grade of “satisfactory” or better. The School can
maintain the Standard License as long as ADEC’s Standard License requirements are met. Any Private School
holding a Provisional License must acquire a Standard License in order to continue to operate in the Emirate
of Abu Dhabi.
2
An ADEC-Accredited License shall be granted to a school by the Director General that has achieved Band A
results when inspected and has been fully accredited by a Council-approved accrediting agency. Moreover,
it must be deemed to meet the Council’s criteria for the license as outlined in Policy 21.
A Council-Accredited License shall be valid for a period of five years from the date of receiving the Board
accreditation license.
Who inspects schools and for how long?
Schools are inspected by teams of professional, qualified, and experienced inspectors,
who spend three to five days in a school. The number of inspectors involved in an
inspection and the number of days at a school, depends on the nature and the size of the
school.
GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS (C1&C2)
Ratio of International/ Arabic inspectors
Inspection Required
No. of Students International inspectors Arabic inspectors
or Team Composition
0 - 125 2 inspectors, 2 days 1 1
126 – 250 3 inspectors, 3 days 2 1
1001 – 2000 5 inspectors, 4 days 3 2
2001 - 3000 6 inspectors, 4 days 4 2
3000+ 8 inspectors, 4 days 5 3
PRIVATE MOE SCHOOLS and Government Cycle 3

Inspection Required
No. of Students International inspectors Arabic inspectors
or Team Composition
3 international and 2 Arabic

1001 – 2000 5 inspectors, 4 days OR
2001 - 3000 6 inspectors, 4 days OR
3000+ 8 inspectors, 4 days OR
PRIVATE non-MOE SCHOOLS
Inspection Required International
No. of Students Arabic inspectors
or Team Composition inspectors
1001 – 2000 5 inspectors, 4 days 3 2
2001 - 3000 6 inspectors, 4 days 4 2

3000+ 8 inspectors, 4 days Or
All inspection teams include a lead inspector for Arabic, Islamic education and social
studies and other Arabic-speaking inspectors as necessary. Inspection teams for
government schools and for private schools offering a Ministry of Education (MoE)3
curriculum will include at least 50% native Arabic- speaking inspectors. Inspection teams
for schools offering curricula in languages other than English and Arabic, will include
speakers of the particular languages. All inspection teams will include specialists with
curriculum expertise in the given curriculum(s) of the school and in the phases of
education in which the school offers enrolment.
3
For government schools and private schools following the Ministry of Education Curriculum, the lead Arabic
and English speaking inspectors will make the initial visit. For schools following other curriculum, the lead
English speaking inspector will make the visit.
Self-evaluation
School Self-Evaluation is detailed in the UAE School Inspection Framework 2015–2016
under Section 2.4 on page 14.
School Self-Evaluation links closely with, and forms the basis of the School Improvement/
Development Plan4 (SIP/SDP). In the most effective schools, self-evaluation is embedded
in the day to day practice and the Self Evaluation Form (SEF) is regularly updated.
In line with international best practice, school inspections place a firm emphasis on the
need for schools in the UAE to become more familiar and confident with the processes of
self-evaluation and improvement planning. The inspection framework should be an
important tool for schools to use as part of their own self-evaluation and school
improvement/development procedures.
The SEF is an official document designed to help schools to evaluate the quality of
education and care offered to students. It also forms an integral component of ADEC’s
inspection system and is used by inspectors in their preparations for inspection. It derives
from and relates closely to the structure of the Inspection Framework. Schools evaluate
their own performance, through a rigorous self-evaluation and record their findings
electronically in the SEF. This self-evaluation both informs the inspection team and serves
as a basis for a partnership and professional dialogue between the school and the
inspectors.
Although the Self-Evaluation Form (SEF) is available to the inspection team and forms part
of the evidence base, it should not be completed just because it is part of the inspection
process. Self-Evaluation is a process that all schools need to engage in regularly
throughout the year in order to assist everyone involved in the journey of continuous
improvement.
At the heart of school self-evaluation are three questions:
 How are we doing?
 How well should we be doing?
 What will we do to improve/ how will we get there?
4
A plan that shows how the school intends to improve facilities and resources, all aspects of provision
including the quality of teaching and the progress and achievement of the students.
Following the inspection the inspectors will consider the SEF, the School Development/
Improvement Plan (SDP/SIP) and any supporting self-evaluation documents as well as the
inspection site visit and evidences to inform their judgements of the school.
How are schools inspected?

The following processes are followed to inspect schools:
Schools’ Notification and Preparation
ADEC provides a briefing to the schools each academic year to prepare for the upcoming
inspections. Representatives from schools scheduled for inspection are invited to the
briefing.
Schools are notified officially of the inspection by ADEC’s contracted inspection provider
(ISP) approximately 10 working days in advance of the inspection. Once the inspection is
announced, the ISP will contact the Principal of the school by telephone or e-mail to
answer any questions about the conduct and organisation of the inspection. This inspector
will explain the purpose of the initial visit and discussions about the plan for the visit.
Schools have 5 working days from the announcement of the inspection to send the
following information electronically to ADEC’s inspection service partner:
 the completed school self-evaluation form (SEF)
 a summary of examination and test results and/or any other assessment data that
demonstrates the academic standards and progress of the students. The data
should cover three academic years prior to the academic year of the inspection, and
must also include current data from the academic year in progress (schools open
for less than three years should send the performance data they have gathered to
date)
 a prospectus, if available electronically
 a floor plan of the school with all teaching spaces clearly labelled
 the school timetable
 a list of teaching staff with their qualifications and current teaching assignments
 the SDP/SIP
 the most recent external evaluation or accreditation reports (where applicable)
 the curriculum schemes or plans used by the school
 student attendance records and analyses of trends over time
 any health and safety reports
 results of any school-based surveys of parents, students, teachers or other

stakeholders
 any other information/document(s) that the school or its affiliated organisations

would like inspectors to consider.
Pre-inspection Visit
The purpose of the pre-inspection visit is to obtain an overview of the school and is an
opportunity for the school leadership to share information and to understand the
inspection process.
The Lead Inspector(s) will use the initial visit to meet the Principal and the rest of the
school leadership team, to discuss the organisation of the inspection. The Lead
Inspector(s) will seek advice from the Principal on which members of the administrative
staff should be interviewed in relation to the relevant Performance Standards and
subjects. The Lead Inspector(s) will also discuss with the school the availability of students
for interviewing and indicating under which circumstances samples of their work will be
requested for inspectors to view. The school will not be informed which lessons are to be
visited. For purposes of the development of a common understanding of what inspectors
look for when observing lessons, the school leadership will be invited to join lesson
observations during the inspection. The Lead Inspector(s) will also specify the
documentation that inspectors will need to see. All records of a school and its
documentation (including personnel and financial data) must be made available to
inspectors.
The Lead Inspector (s) will also tour the school and visit some classrooms. This will enable
the Lead Inspector (s) to familiarize him/herself with the layout of the school and to form
some initial views about aspects of the school’s provision, such as the school’s ethos,
buildings and premises.
By the end of the initial visit, both the Lead Inspector(s) and the Principal should have a
draft plan for the inspection with meetings arranged and times for other activities
specified. Lead Inspectors will make it clear that the inspection plan is flexible and may be
changed at the request of the Lead Inspector(s) as and when issues arise. The Lead
Inspector(s) will also agree on a suitable work space for the inspectors. Depending on
facilities available at a school, this may be in a dedicated room for inspectors to work in
during the inspection. The room should contain electric points for computer use as well as
refreshment facilities, as appropriate.
After the pre-inspection visit
The Lead Inspector(s) will refine the inspection plan and then produce a brief pre-
inspection set of hypotheses, issues and questions which will prepare the inspection team
for the inspection visit. In doing this, the Lead Inspector(s) will write a Pre-Inspection
Briefing (PIB). In preparing the PIB, the Lead Inspector(s) will use information provided by
the school, observations during the pre-inspection visit, assessment data and information
collected from parent questionnaires along with any information pertaining to the school
provided by ADEC, including the most recent inspection report.
It is important to emphasise that the preliminary evaluations and questions written in the
PIB are only hypotheses and inspectors will form firm judgements once they have visited
the school.
The Lead Inspector(s) will not send the PIB to the school, but will ensure that the issues
raised are discussed with the school at the start of the inspection and investigated during
the inspection.
The Inspection Visit
Taking into account the type of school, its size, age range, and the issues raised by the SEF
and other information, the Lead Inspector(s) will organise the team inspectors so that
each can report on one or more of the Performance Standards drawing on a range of
evidences, including evidence from one or more academic subjects or specialist facilities.
Inspections typically last for three or four days depending on the size of the school.
Inspectors will generally arrive at a school before the school starts. On the first morning,
inspectors will familiarise themselves with the school, where possible, through a tour
guided by students, and fine-tune arrangements with the Principal and other school
leaders. Time will also be spent exploring the school’s self-evaluation and the inspectors’
initial hypotheses in the PIB with the school’s leaders and if necessary inspectors will
modify their plan to reflect the outcomes of these discussions. This process ensures that
inspectors are clear about roles and responsibilities and are focused on the central issues
of the inspection.
When inspectors visit a school, they will attend lessons for varying durations; observe
other activities; talk to students about their experiences as well as their knowledge and
understanding; and they will examine samples of students’ work. It is important to
emphasise that inspectors only have time to take a sample of school life. They may not
inspect every class or meet every teacher. Arabic, English, mathematics, Islamic education,
social studies, and science & technology subjects will be inspected and reported on. The
inspection report may discuss other subjects in the context of other Performance
Standards, particularly the scope of the curriculum and resources.
Inspectors record their first-hand evidence as they experience it through observations,

listening, documents and interviews, using evidence forms (EFs), which record the
inspection. All the judgements in the final report will be supported by records on evidence
forms; evaluation of information and analysis of data in the PIB. An evidence base (EB) is
maintained throughout the inspection.
There will also be team meetings to discuss emerging judgements at the end of each day.
Emerging judgements will be finalised on the final day of the inspection when the EB is
completed.
The school principal, or members of the school leadership team nominated by the
principal, will be invited to conduct a number of joint lesson observations with members
of the inspection team. The school Principal is expected to be available to meet the Lead
Inspector(s) at the end of each day. In order to achieve maximum advantage from the
inspection, school management should ensure that they are familiar with the inspection
framework which sets out in detail the performance standards and the criteria that are
used to judge the schools. Equally, the inspection team should ensure that the inspection
report provides a comprehensive and balanced picture of the quality of education in the
school. Therefore, the principal may present additional evidence that the inspection team
might consider before finalizing their judgement.
Sources of Evidence
There are several sources of inspection evidence which include - but is not restricted to -
observations, interviews and documents/data/survey reports.
 Assessment data, including school-based assessment records, standardized test

results and the results of external benchmarking tests will be analysed
 Observations are made continuously, formally and informally and will be

unobtrusive as possible
 Interviews may be formal and scheduled or informal and unscheduled
 Documents can be paper or electronic and contain words, numbers or both. They
can include data sets, students’ work, lesson plans, attendance records, and
improvement plans.
 Survey Reports of school stakeholder opinions.
Lesson observations
Inspectors will aim to spend the majority of their time in lesson observations. They will
record content and quality of lessons on evidence forms. If a lesson plan is not provided
to the inspector, he/she will ask for it at an opportune time during the lesson observation.
Lessons will be observed with the performance indicators in mind. Inspectors will record
the proportion of students able to do the work set for them by their teachers and will look
for supporting evidence/examples of attainment, progress and learning skills.
Observations of teaching and assessment of learning will be recorded as they occur. When
appropriate, inspectors will speak to students to check their understanding of the lesson.
Inspectors will record the quality of students’ social and personal development based on
their observations and engagements with students. Where necessary and appropriate,
inspectors will make specific observations of groups of students and record evaluative
information about their attainment, progress and skills (e.g. students with SEN or talented
and gifted students).
The Lead Inspector(s) will decide whether and under what conditions feedback will be
given to individual teachers following lesson observations. In considering whether to offer
feedback, Lead Inspector(s) will consider whether it can be done consistently in the time
available to inspectors and whether there could be communication difficulties preventing
feedback being given meaningfully. Where feedback is given, inspectors will share their
observations and sensitively and be very brief, for example noting something that went
well and something that could be improved. It will be mindful of the fact that the primary
purpose of classroom observation is to inform judgement of teaching quality at the school
level. Grades or judgements for lesson quality are not communicated. Feedback through
an interpreter is only permitted with the explicit approval of the teacher.
Other forms of observation
 Other forms of observation include assemblies and special events, walkabouts,

displays of students’ work, recess breaks, scrutiny of the facilities such as canteens,
libraries, computer and science labs, playgrounds, toilets, bus loading and
unloading procedures, private vehicle movements, etc.
 Recording of these observations on an evaluation form should be as unobtrusive

as possible, unless a situation requires that questions be asked.
 Any observations of health and safety hazards and serious breaches of the child
protection policies and regulations will be reported to the Lead Inspector
immediately who will communicate them to ADEC.
Interviews with students
 Inspectors will meet with students selected by the school as well as students
chosen at random.
 Inspectors will engage with students as much as possible during lessons, without
being obtrusive.
 Inspectors will assess students’ listening and speaking skills as they converse with
them, especially EAL learners.
 Inspectors will establish whether students are being appropriately challenged in

learning the key subjects.
 Inspectors will check whether and how students know how well they are doing in
these subjects.
 Inspectors will take note of students with SEN and how well they are supported.
 Inspectors will strike up informal conversations with students during recess times
or before lessons begin.
Interviews with leaders
 Inspectors will interview the Principal and others with formal leadership
responsibilities.
 Inspectors will arrange language translation support ahead of time if necessary.
 The Lead Inspector will guide inspectors as to the common issues to be discussed
with subject leaders.
 Inspectors will record the main points to be taken from a discussion and refer to
them when making their judgements.
 Inspectors will bear in mind the need to elicit useful information, as opposed to
simply asking leading questions.
 Inspectors will ask leaders to explain and describe processes, rather than to confirm
or deny things.
 Inspectors will adhere to the performance indicators, but consider the unique
characteristics of each school.
Assessment Data
When looking at assessment and attainment documentation and evidences, inspectors

will consider school-based assessment, standardized tests, external assessment data, and
other appropriate benchmarking assessment data (refer to the attainment benchmarking
table in Appendix).
How are students and parents involved in school inspections?
An integral part of inspection is to identify the levels of performance quality in schools.
This information is made available to parents and students to empower them to make
informed decisions in terms of learning provision.
The inspection team will meet some parents, the parents’ council if available, and meet
formally and informally with students during the inspection. These stakeholders will be
asked about their views of the school. The inspectors will evaluate the quality of work the
school undertakes with students, parents and other stakeholders to develop and shape a
shared vision.
Inspectors will access ADEC’s parents’ satisfaction surveys. Parents have access to Private
Schools Inspection Reports on ADEC’s Website.
The inspectors will evaluate the extent to which parents are supportive of the school and
its senior leadership team and whether they are given the opportunity to participate in the
life of the school in a planned and purposeful manner.
Inspectors consider the extent of parents’ involvement as partners in their children’s

learning in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:
 student homework
 classroom activities
 participation in out-of-school activities and in school governance
 whether parents receive regular, accurate and detailed reports regarding their
children’s progress and attainment. the extent to which parents are consulted
about the work of the school on a regular basis
 whether parents’ views are taken into consideration in the decision-making process
 whether parents are given regular and useful summaries of school priorities for the
future
 whether the school is proactive and vigorous in seeking feedback from parents to
inform the school’s development
 analyse and report on the school’s process to deal effectively with parents’
complaints.
What judgements do inspectors make?
The six Performance Standards
School inspections are structured around 6 Performance Standards and concludes with an
Overall Performance Judgement. Inspectors make judgements on a school’s performance
based on 6 Performance Standards:
Performance Standard 1: Students’ achievement
Students’ personal and social development and their

Performance Standard 2:
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
For further details please refer to the UAE School Inspection Framework 2015-2016.
The Structure of the inspection framework
This section describes each of the six performance standards; the indicators and elements
used to inform each of the judgments for each standard. For the complete framework,
kindly refer to the UAE School Inspection Framework 2015-2016.
The UAE Inspection Framework is structured in the following way:
Performance standards represent the key domains of quality education.
Indicators outline the main areas covered by the standard.
Elements define the expected outcomes for each indicator.
Brief descriptors describe observable actions for each performance level
Illustrations provide more detailed descriptions of practice at selected performance

levels.
School inspections are structured around the six Performance Standards and concludes
with an Overall Performance Judgement.
Inspectors will make judgements using a six-level scale. The six levels of quality on the scale
are defined as follows:
Quality of performance substantially exceeds the expectation

Outstanding
of the UAE
Very Good Quality of performance exceeds the expectation of the UAE
Quality of performance meets the expectation of the UAE

Good
(This is the desired level for every school in the UAE)
Quality of performance meets the minimum expectation of
Acceptable the UAE
(This is the minimum level for every school in the UAE)
Weak Quality of performance is below the expectation of the UAE
Quality of performance is significantly below the expectation

Very Weak
of the UAE
[Extracted from the UAE School Inspection Framework 2015-2016]
How are schools judged?
Inspectors will use a six-point scale when judging level of quality in each of the
Performance Standards.
Band C
Band A Band B
In need of significant
High Performing Satisfactory
improvement
Outstanding
Acceptable
Very Weak
Very Good
Weak
Good
Inspectors refer to descriptors for indicators and elements in each of the Performance
Standards, to inform a judgement on each of the Performance Standards. The judgements
of each of the Performance Standards forms the basis for the judging of the overall
performance of the school. The judgements for the overall performance of the school are
grouped into three bands: A – High Performing; B – Satisfactory; and C – In need of
significant improvement (as illustrated in table above).
Inspectors make judgements on a school’s performance using the Performance Standards.

However, there are also a number of regulatory requirements that has to be taken into
consideration which can render a school unsatisfactory.
A school’s overall performance will be limited and will be judged to be weak if:
 any of the judgements for the Performance indicators of Teaching for effective
learning and the effectiveness of leadership are weak/very weak
 the arrangements to protect and safeguard students are weak (e.g. there are
serious breaches of Health and safety and the child protection policies and
regulations)
A school’s overall performance will be limited and will not be judged outstanding unless:
 the Performance indicators of Students’ progress, Teaching for effective learning,
The effectiveness of leadership, Self-evaluation and improvement planning are
included in outstanding judgements;
 across all performance indicators, judgements are at least good and a large
majority are outstanding.
A school cannot be Outstanding if:
 there are any weak judgements, or
 the school is not compliant with statutory requirements.
Overall Performance Judgement
The UAE Inspection Framework concludes with an overall judgement of school

performance. The Overall Performance Judgement is the summative judgement generally
made at the end of an inspection after judgements on the six Performance Standards have
been made.
Using the matrix in the framework, inspection teams consider the evaluations made for
the 17 Performance Indicators and determine the closest match of the individual
performance indicators using the ‘best fit’ with the judgements Outstanding, Very Good,
Good Acceptable, Weak and Very Weak in order to agree the ‘Overall Performance
Judgement’ for the school. The inspectors’ judgement on overall performance will provide
a balanced view of the school in keeping with the judgement descriptions at the end of
this document.
The judgement for the overall performance addresses the key question of how the school
meets not just its own aims, but ADEC’s aim of ensuring that students acquire the
academic and personal capability reflected in international standards including the skills
they will need to face the challenges of the 21st Century. A school may meet its aims but
this will not be enough if the aims do not guarantee an adequate educational experience
for students.
The Overall Performance also covers the use of all available resources, performance
management procedures and the professional development offered to teachers as well as
the school’s provision of supportive premises and material resources. It also covers the
relationships the school forms with the local community to support and enhance its work.
Two key elements of the overall performance concern the extent to which the school gives
students an adequate grounding in the culture and history of the UAE, and the extent to
which the school ensures the health, safety and security of students and follows good
environmental, health and safety practice.
Feedback to the school

The Lead Inspector(s) will maintain a professional dialogue and give interim feedback to
the Principal at the end of each day of the inspection on the progress and emerging
findings of the inspection. Such feedback will not include explicit mention of judgements
for the school’s overall performance or for each Performance Standard, but will
communicate in broad terms the levels of quality found. It will consist of enumeration of
key strengths and areas for improvement. On the last day of the inspection, the Lead
Inspector(s) will meet with the principal5 to provide a maximum of ten summative
inspection findings, describing the strengths of the school and the areas for improvement
found in the course of the inspection.
Before leaving the school, the lead inspector will:
 ensure that the school principal fully understands the inspection findings for the
overall quality of education provided by the school, its strengths and areas for
development
 respond to the school’s enquires related to these areas
 provide a written summary of the main feedback points to the principal
 inform the school that the main points provided orally in the feedback will be
referred to in the inspection report but the language might be different due to the
several quality assurance cycles.
 inform the school that the judgements in the report remain confidential until the
report is issued to the school.
The school principal and lead inspector will:
 sign a copy of the feedback form provided by the lead inspector to acknowledge
receipt of the feedback.
5
The principal may invite other representatives to attend the final feedback meeting.
The school inspection report
The inspection team compiles the evidence base (EB) for the inspection and produces the
school inspection report.
The EB is compiled by inspectors during the inspection and finalised at the concluding
meeting of the inspection team. It includes detailed corporate judgements for the school’s
Overall Performance and each Performance Standard based on the associated elements.
The EB will provide data to inform ADEC’s work and will help ADEC to support the school
with the production of its Improvement Plan.
The School Inspection Report is a concise document that describes a school’s significant
strengths and weaknesses across the standards, and identifies what the school needs to
do to improve further. The report will make clear in which of the three Bands, A, B or C,
the inspectors judged the school to be. These reports are published on ADEC’s website6.
Writing, Editing and Publication
The Lead Inspector(s) writes the inspection reports which are then subjected to a quality
assurance process before being sent to the school for a check of factual accuracy. ADEC
aims to issue the final report to each school within 30 working days after the completion
of the inspection.
Private schools publish the report and the development plan on the school website
explaining how it intends to address the recommendations set out in the report in order
to improve the quality of education or, where there is already high performance, maintain
it. This is done within 30 working days of receipt of the final report.
Alternatively, schools may provide a copy of the inspection report and the development
to all parents or carers within 30 working days of the report being sent to the school.
Private schools should provide a link to the published report on ADEC’s website on the
school website.
6
Relevant for inspection in Private Schools only
Organisation of the school inspection report
The School Inspection Report consists of:
1. A brief introduction, which includes the nature of the evidence considered by the
inspectors.
2. A description of the school which will refer to the following – where applicable - to the
school:
 a brief history of the school
 details of its location
 its aims, including any national, religious or other affiliations
 the number of students in each section of the school (e.g. primary and secondary)
 the number of boys and girls
 the percentage of UAE National students, and the percentages for the other main
nationalities
 the percentage of students with special educational needs, with an indication of

the main learning problems
 the admissions policy of the school, including details of fees (private schools)
 details of the school’s ownership, governance and management
 other important contextual information considered relevant the percentage of

students with special educational needs, with an indication of the main learning
problems
 the admissions policy of the school, including details of fees (private schools)
 details of the school’s ownership, governance and management
 other important contextual information considered relevant
3. The overall effectiveness judgement for the school.
4. The inspectors’ judgements about changes in standards since the last inspection.
5. The inspectors’ judgements about the overall effectiveness of school, highlighting the
most significant strengths and weaknesses across each of the Performance Standards
with a particular emphasis placed on educational outcomes in Arabic, Islamic education
and UAE Social Studies
6. What the school should do to improve further. These improvement points will be
drawn from conclusions in the report. The areas will be defined in sufficient detail to
ensure that the school knows exactly where improvement is needed.
7. A list of serious breaches of ADEC regulations and any health and safety concerns
identified by the inspectors.
The School Development/ Improvement Plan
Within 30 working days for private schools of the issuing of the inspection report, the
school is required to prepare a development/improvement plan that address the issues
identified in the inspection report for ADEC’s approval.
Quality Assurance: monitoring the quality of inspections and ensuring that

there is consistency of judgements
Effective, rigorous quality assurance of all inspections is an essential requirement in order
to ensure that the inspection framework is applied fairly, fully and consistently to all
schools.
ADEC quality assures selected pre-inspection visits. PIBs are evaluated by ADEC to ensure
realistic and appropriate hypotheses and issues for inspection.
Selected inspections are quality assured by ADEC and/or the inspection service provider
(ISP), to confirm the proper conduct of the inspection. Schools are asked to welcome the
quality assurance inspector in the same way that they have welcomed the inspection team.
Quality Assurance inspectors have right of access to all parts of the school and its
documentation.
The precise content of the quality assurance depends on the stage that the inspection has
reached when the quality assurance visit takes place. It covers such activities as:
 a review of the Lead Inspector’s PIB
 the deployment of inspectors
 inspectors’ professional inspection agendas
 the moderation of inspectors’ judgements in class and their analysis of the quality
of students’ work
 the quality of the evidence base (EB)
 the quality of the Lead Inspector’s management and evaluation of the work of the
team
 the quality of team discussions and the Lead Inspector’s role in managing
discussions to obtain firm, corporate judgements and to identify issues that require
further investigation.
It also focuses on the quality of the relationship between inspectors and the school and
the quality of overall feedback to the school. Full records of all quality assurance visits are
retained by ADEC and the Inspection Service Provider and are taken into account in the
evaluation and performance management of inspectors and the Provider.
The quality and consistency of reports is carefully monitored. This includes the reading of
reports by the Inspection Service Provider’s Senior Inspector and by skilled proof readers
who were not involved in the inspection. ADEC also carries out stringent quality assurance
of all reports provided by the ISP and holds regular meetings, with and without the ISP’s
Senior Inspector, to compare judgements between schools in order to ensure consistency
of judgements.
In order to have ADEC improve its inspection processes, schools are urged to complete the
online School Satisfaction Survey as soon as possible after the inspection. This information
is analysed to inform ADEC’s evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of inspections.
Parents’ views on the impact and effectiveness of the inspection (and the school inspection
report) will also be sampled.
The above arrangements and processes are annually reviewed and updated.
Code of conduct for schools and inspectors
Inspectors and stakeholders in schools are professionals. As such, all parties are entitled
to mutual respect. Equally, parties must recognise that both inspectors and all those
involved in a school have the same aim, namely, to support and encourage the education of
young people and to stimulate school improvement. Inspection, therefore, is a joint effort
to address aims that both schools and inspectors share. The Code of Conduct for
Inspectors is captured in the UAE School Inspection Framework 2015–2016, Section 1,
paragraph 1.2 on page 9.
What is expected of schools during an inspection
 be honest and open about all aspects of school life and view the inspection
positively as an aid to the school’s development
 produce an accurate self-evaluation for inspectors and be open throughout an

inspection about strengths and weaknesses
 accept that inspectors have right of access to all parts of the school, all
documentation related to the school, and access to all personnel and students
involved with the school
 maintain good relations with the inspectors and resolve any problems quickly and
efficiently with the Lead Inspector
 respect the judgements of the inspectors
 avoid putting inspectors in any compromising positions, for example by

photographing them or asking them to participate in school activities, and offering
gifts other than the most simple, such as refreshments and food.
What is expected of inspectors during an inspection
Inspectors are expected to:
 arrive at the school about 15 minutes before the school day commences
 enter the school as a team on the first day if possible
 leave mobile phones in their personal luggage and not take phone calls during
lessons or meetings
 wear their identification badges and the school’s visitor’s badge if so requested
 attend morning assemblies as a team on the first day, and ensure that at least one
inspector attends any subsequent assemblies during the week
 do their best to minimize the stress of inspection through courtesy, respect and
sensitivity
 adhere strictly to the requirements laid down in the Framework at all times
 view the inspection positively as an aid to the school’s development
 make judgements that are fair and accurate, based on clear, secure evidence
 have no prior connection with a school being inspected that might cause a conflict
of interest
 maintain good relations with staff and other personnel connected with the school
 act sensitively and safely at all times, especially when in direct contact with
students
 resolve problems and issues quickly and efficiently if they arise
 keep the Principal up to date with emerging inspection findings about the school’s
strengths and areas for improvement
 avoid compromising independence and objectivity, for example by accepting gifts

other than refreshments and food
 act in the best interests and well-being of students and staff
 avoid discussing or recommending any service provider who might assist the
school in implementing the recommendations of the inspection report
 adhere to the code of conduct for inspectors in the UAE School Inspection
Framework
 adhere to the dress code according to ADEC policy for school staff.
After each inspection, schools will be invited to comment on the quality of the inspection
through a satisfaction survey that is sent along with the final version of the inspection
report. Schools as well as inspectors should immediately report to ADEC any concern they
may have and not wait until the inspection report is sent to schools
Complaints Procedure
ADEC is committed to evaluating schools fairly, consistently and transparently. The
standards expected of inspectors’ work are described in the above Code of Conduct. It
outlines general principles concerning inspection work and provides guidelines covering
professional relationships, evaluation procedures, and reporting. Inspectors are required
to be thorough, consistent and fair in making judgements about school quality and to be
sensitive, objective, honest and clear in communicating their findings. Inspection is
designed to celebrate and affirm good practice in schools and to provide support and
guidance to schools in addressing areas that need to be improved.
Where schools have concerns about the inspection process or the conduct of an individual
inspector or inspection team, the following staged procedures should be followed.
Stage 1
Despite the best efforts of ADEC and the inspection service provider, concerns may arise
about the conduct of an inspection. Where such concerns come to light, they are best
addressed as soon as possible, while the inspection is in progress and while the inspection
team is still in the school. Concerns may relate to issues such as:
 the conduct of a member of the inspection team
 the integrity and impartiality or fairness of a member of the inspection team
 the adequacy of the evidence base for the inspection report
 failure by the inspection team to comply with the published procedures in the UAE
School Inspection Framework and Irtiqa’a Programme Methodology documents.
Where such concerns arise, the school should bring them to the attention of the Lead
Inspector in the first instance and report them by email to ADEC’s Inspection and
Monitoring division. If the matter cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the school and
the inspection team, a member of the ADEC’s inspection team will visit the school and
meet with the principal teacher and the lead inspector.
Stage 2
Following completion of the inspection process in the school, if the school authorities are
not satisfied that the procedures for the inspection were comprehensive, valid and fair, a
complaint may be sent in writing to the Division Manager of ADEC’s Inspection &
Monitoring Division within 5 working days following the inspection. The Division Manager
and the relevant Programme Manager will meet with representatives from the school with
a view to resolving the school’s concerns.
Stage 3
Where the procedures at stages 1 and 2 have been exhausted, a school may appeal their
inspection report to ADEC. Appeals must be made within 5 working days of receipt of the
draft inspection report for factual accuracy check. The appeal can only be based on the
process of the inspection, or the conduct of the inspection team.
Glossary of Terms [acronyms and terms used in this document]
This glossary is supplementary to what is available in the UAE Inspection framework
document to enable users to have a common understanding of the meaning of words and
acronyms. For the purposes of school inspections, terms should be used according to the
definitions below.
Word or
Meaning
acronym
ADEC Abu Dhabi Education Council
EAL English as Additional Language
EB Evidence Base: Collection of evidentiary documents
EFs Evidence Forms
ISP Inspection Service Provider
National Assessment Programme (UAE), tests of Arabic, English, mathematics and science in grades 3, 5, 7
NAP
and 9.
PIB Pre-Inspection Brief
PI Performance Indicator
Programme for International Student Assessment, a test of knowledge and skills for 15 year-old students in
PISA
reading, mathematics and science
School Development Plan: A plan that shows how the school intends to develop and/ or improve facilities
SDP and resources, all aspects of provision including the quality of teaching and the progress and achievement
of the students.
School Improvement Plan: A plan that shows how the school intends to improve facilities and resources,
SIP
all aspects of provision including the quality of teaching and the progress and achievement of the students.
Self-Evaluation Form: an official document designed to help schools to evaluate the quality of education
SEF
and care offered to students
Special
Educational needs that are different from those of the majority of students. Students with SEN require
Educational
additional support or challenge in order to make good progress. (The most common categories of SEN are
Needs
explained in Appendix 2.)
(SEN)
TIMSS Trends in Mathematics and Science Study, a test for students in Grades 4 and 8 every four years
Flexible skills that need to be taught and students develop and acquire as an entitlement to equip them well
Twenty-first
for the challenges and opportunities of the fast-moving technological world of the present/future. This will
Century skills
include creative, innovative, original and higher-order/critical thinkers, capable of working collaboratively
For a full glossary of terms refer to the UAE School Inspection Framework, section 4.2.
Attainment Benchmarking Table
Curriculum standards:
Curriculum standards - Level Above
Minimum Expectation
Attainment is:
Curriculum Type
Attainment is: Good if the proportion of students attaining levels above the minimum
Acceptable if the proportion of students attaining the minimum standards is 50% or more.
standards listed is 75% or more Very Good if 60% or more students are above standards
Outstanding if the 75% or more students are above standards
Grades 3-11 Minimum 50% 70%
UAE MoE Curriculum
Grade 12 only Minimum 60% 70%
KG ( KG 2 only) Grade D Grade C
Cycle 1 (Grades 1 - 5) Grade D Grade C
ADEC Abu Dhabi School Cycle 2 (Grades 6 - 8) Grade D Grade C
Model (formerly NSM) Cycle 2 (Grades 9 only) Minimum 50% 70%
Cycle 3 (Grades 10 -11) 60% (Grade D) 70% (Grade C)
Cycle 3 (Grade 12 only) Minimum 50% 70%
Grade 3 : Arabic, English, Mathematics &
Cycle One Proficiency Level 3 Cycle One Proficiency Level 4
Science
Grades 4 & 5 : Arabic, English,
Cycle One Proficiency Level 4 Cycle One Proficiency Level 5
Mathematics & Science
Grade 6 : Arabic, English, Mathematics &
Cycle Two Proficiency Level 3 Cycle Two Proficiency Level 4
Science
ADEC EMSA Grades 7 & 8 : Arabic, English,
Mathematics & Science
Grade 9: Arabic, English, Mathematics &
Science
Grade 10 : Arabic, English & Mathematics Cycle Three Proficiency Level 4 Cycle Three Proficiency Level 5
Grades 11 & 12: Arabic, English &
Cycle Three Proficiency Level 5 Cycle Three Proficiency Level 6
Mathematics
Internal Assessment 65% 75%
Group A: Mark 2 Group A: Mark 3
AP (Advanced Placement)
Group B: Mark 3 Group B: Mark 4
ACT (American College Test) Minimum College Benchmark: English=18, mathematics=22, science=23
US Curriculum
International mean (2015) for mathematics: 511
SAT I
For critical reading: 495 and writing: 484
performing in line with the mean averages (varying mean range
MAP performing above the mean averages (varying mean range every year)
every year)
Children achieving a good level of development are those achieving at least
Achieving expected level in communication and language; physical the expected level within the following areas of learning: communication
Foundation Stage
development; personal, social and emotional development. and language; physical development; personal,
social and emotional development; literacy, and mathematics.
Can read 32 out of the 40 words
Year 1 - Phonics Screening This level is not defined
National Curriculum of (pass threshold)
England (old version End of Key Stage 1 – Y2 Level 2b Level 2a and above
with Levels)
End of Key Stage 2 – Y6 Level 4b Level 4a and above
End of Key Stage 3 – Y9 Level 6 b Level 6a and above
GCSE / IGCSE - All Subjects Grade C Grade B
New GCSE (1–9) 5 6
GCE A Level (A*-E) and AS level (A–E) Grade C Grade B
CIE (Cambridge Key Stage 2 - Primary Checkpoint (1 - 6) Minimum 4 5
International
Key Stage 3 - Secondary 1 Checkpoint Minimum 4 5
Examinations)
CBSE Board: Class 10 - 12 Minimum Grade C1 Grade B1
ICSE Board (CICSE): Class 10 ICSE and
Minimum Grade 5 Grade 7
Class 12 ICSE
Indian
Kerala Board: Grade 10/ SSLC (Secondary
School Leaving Certificate) and Grade 12 C+ (50 - 59%), Grade Value 5 B+ (70 - 79%), Grade Value 7
(Higher Secondary)
French French And Franco-Lebanese Curriculum 10 (Out of 20) 12 (Out of 20)
IBDP (International
Baccalaureate Diploma All Subjects (Levels 1 - 7) Level 4 Level 5
Program)
MYP (Middle Years
All Subjects Level 4 Level 5
Program)
Philippine National Curriculum 75% 83%
FBISE (Federal Board of Intermediate
Pakistan Grade D (40%) Grade B (60%)
and Secondary Education)
Alberta Diploma: Grade 12 Standard of Acceptable Standard of Excellence
In line with the assessment expectations for: Above the assessment expectations for:
Canadian Grade 3 (Reading & Writing) Grade 3 (Reading & Writing)
Nova Scotia
Grade 4 (mathematics) Grade 4 (mathematics)
Grade 6 & 8 (Reading, writing & mathematics) Grade 6 & 8 (Reading, writing & mathematics)
Iran National Curriculum 10 (Out of 20) 14 (Out of 20)
PSC (Primary School Certificate - Class 5): 33% PSC (Primary School Certificate - Class 5): 60%
JSC (Junior School Certificate - Class 8): 33% JSC (Junior School Certificate - Class 8): 60%
Bangladesh Dhaka Board Curriculum
SSC (Secondary School Certificate - Class 10): 33% SSC (Secondary School Certificate - Class 10): 60%
HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate - Class 12): 33% HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate - Class 12): 60%
Japanese National Curriculum 50% 70%
German National Curriculum Level 3 on the ranking scale (1 is the highest) Level 2 on the ranking scale (1 is the highest)
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Attainment Benchmarking Table

Academic Year 2016 – 2017

Appendix: Attainment Benchmark 33

To apply a world-class and comprehensive evaluation system in order to measure quality

The Core Values

 Unrelenting commitment to high quality and continuing improvement in education

 Transparency and integrity

 Co-operation and partnership

 To evaluate levels of performance quality in schools within the Emirate of Abu

 To provide schools with clear recommendations for improvement

 To inform policy-making at sector level

 To encourage the sharing of best practice in education and exchange of

 PISA: to be among the 20 highest performing countries in PISA

 TIMSS: to be among the 15 highest performing countries in TIMSS

 Completion of High School Education: to ensure that 90 % of Emirati students

 Attending Pre-Primary: to ensure that 95 % of children in the UAE attend pre-

 High skills in Arabic Language: to ensure that 90 % of Grade 9 students develop

 High-quality teachers: to ensure that 100 % of schools have high-quality teachers

 University foundation programme: to ensure that no students need to join the

 to periodically identify the levels of performance quality in schools within the

 to provide schools with clear recommendations for improvement

 to encourage the sharing of best practices in education and the exchange of

 schools that have General Licenses – every two years

 schools holding a Council-Accredited License – every five years, in addition to

 new schools – within the first year of opening.

On-command (Emergency) inspections

Licensing is not applicable to government schools.

0 - 125 2 inspectors, 2 days 1 1

126 – 250 3 inspectors, 3 days 2 1

251 – 500 3 inspectors, 4 days 2 1

501 – 1000 4 inspectors, 4 days 2 2

1001 – 2000 5 inspectors, 4 days 3 2

2001 - 3000 6 inspectors, 4 days 4 2

3000+ 8 inspectors, 4 days 5 3

PRIVATE MOE SCHOOLS and Government Cycle 3

126 – 250 3 inspectors, 3 days 2 1

251 – 500 3 inspectors, 4 days 2 1

501 – 1000 4 inspectors, 4 days 2 2

3 international and 2 Arabic

0 - 125 2 inspectors, 2 days 1 1

126 – 250 3 inspectors, 3 days 2 1

251 – 500 3 inspectors, 4 days 2 1

501 – 1000 4 inspectors, 4 days 3 1

1001 – 2000 5 inspectors, 4 days 3 2

2001 - 3000 6 inspectors, 4 days 4 2

5 international and 3 Arabic

At the heart of school self-evaluation are three questions:

 How are we doing?

 How well should we be doing?

 What will we do to improve/ how will we get there?

How are schools inspected?

Schools’ Notification and Preparation

 the completed school self-evaluation form (SEF)

 a prospectus, if available electronically

 the school timetable

 the curriculum schemes or plans used by the school

 student attendance records and analyses of trends over time

 any health and safety reports

 results of any school-based surveys of parents, students, teachers or other

 any other information/document(s) that the school or its affiliated organisations

After the pre-inspection visit

The Inspection Visit

Inspectors record their first-hand evidence as they experience it through observations,