InspectionReport

AlDanatPrivateSchool

AcademicYear201314

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AlDanatPrivateSchool

InspectionDate
SchoolID#

1114May2014
137

LicensedCurriculum

American

NumberofChildren

309

AgeRange
Gender
Principal
SchoolAddress

3to5years
Mixed
ShamsaGharibAlDhaheri
Asharej,AlAin(POBox117,MeshanegIntersection)

TelephoneNumber

+971(03)7670167

FaxNumber

+971(03)7677214

OfficialEmail(ADEC)
SchoolWebsite

[email protected]

Dateoflastinspection 1113November2012

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Theoveralleffectivenessoftheschool
Inspectorsconsideredtheschoolinrelationto3performancecategories
BandA Highperforming(overalleffectivenessgrade1,2or3)
BandB

Satisfactory(overalleffectivenessgrade4or5)

BandC

Inneedofsignificantimprovement(overalleffectivenessgrade6,70r8)

TheSchoolwasjudgedtobe:

BANDA;

GRADE3

Themainstrengthsoftheschoolare:

the childrens good progress as compared to their level of skills and

developmentwhentheyfirstenterschool
the relationships between children, staff members, parents and the
community,creatingacaringschoolenvironment
the dedicated, committed teachers who consistently use professional
developmenttoimprovetheirskills
the very positive aspirations of the leadership, teachers and staff at all
levels,contributingtoavisionofongoingschoolimprovement.

Themainareasforimprovementare:

provision of more opportunities for children to talk, read freely, make

independentchoicesanduseenquirybasedapproaches
thequalityofstudentattainmentdata,astherearenoexternalbenchmark
assessments in place to accurately measure and compare student
achievement
moreeffectiveuseofteachingassistantsandsupportstafftohelpchildren
learn.

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Introduction
The school was inspected by 3 inspectors, who observed 40 lessons. They held
meetings with: the principal, viceprincipal, representatives of the Family
Development Foundation (FDF), curriculum specialists and subject coordinators,
as well as children and parents, and met informally with teachers and support
staff.Assessmentinstrumentsandrecordswereanalysed,aswasstudentworkin
differentclassesinbothyeargroups,andineachsubjectarea.The192responses
to the parental questionnaire, the central register, school policies, records and
otherdocumentswerereviewed.Therewereregularinteractionswiththesenior
leadershipteam,anddailyupdatesanddiscussionswiththeprincipalthroughout
theinspection.

DescriptionoftheSchool
AlDanatisoneoffourschoolsownedandmanagedbytheFamilyDevelopment
Foundation(FDF),andistheonlyonelocatedinAlAin.ItisaprivateKindergarten
(KG1KG2), and is well established in the community. The principal has been
employedbytheschool,invariousrolessinceitopened7yearsago.
AlDanatoffersanAmericancurriculum,andworkshardtoensurethestandards,
outcomesandexpectationsofthecurriculumaremet.Theschoolaimstoprepare
childrentobesuccessfulinanyschool,regardlessofcurriculum,thattheygoto
next. Their goal is to build strong literacy and numeracy skills, while using
integratedapproachestogivechildrenawellrounded,moraleducation.
The school population is stable, and matched to the size of the purpose built
facilities.Classsizeiskeptbelowthemaximum,toallowagoodstudent/teacher
ratio,andthereisawaitinglist.InKG1andKG2thereare158boysand151girls,all
ofwhomhaveArabicastheirfirstlanguage.Thelargestgroupofchildrenis83.5%
Emirati and 9.7% Omani. There are further smaller proportions from other Arab
countries like Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Egypt Morocco, Lebanon and
Comoros.AllstudentsareMuslims.
Theschoolhasanopenadmissionspolicy.Childrenhaveaninitialassessmentto
ensure they are ready. Annual fees are rated as affordable, ranging from AED
7,110 to AED 7,835. No children with additional learning needs are currently
enrolledintheschool.Therearenoexternaltestsorexaminationsundertaken.

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TheEffectivenessoftheSchool

Childrensattainment&progress
Children enter KG1 with limited or no language skill in English, which is the
language of instruction for mathematics, science and language arts. Over the
courseofthe2years,almostallchildrenmakegoodprogressinthesesubjectsto
attainatorneartheexpectedlevel.Asystemofskillbasedassessmentisinplace
tocheckstudentlearningandcomparedtotheAmericancurriculumstandards.At
theendofKG2,childrenlisten,speak,writeandreadwithreasonablefluencyand
accuracy for their age. The increased use of high frequency words and the
acceleratedapproachestowrittenlanguage,resultinmorechildrengaininginitial
reading and writing skills by the end of KG2. Listening skills are well developed,
speakingskillslessso.
Many children enter school without experience in using standard Arabic for
conversation. During their time in school children make steady progress orally,
andlearntowriteandrecogniseArabicletters.BytheendofKG2,mostchildren
accuratelywritelettersandsomewordsinbothArabicandEnglish.ChildrensICT
skillsaredevelopingwell,includingtherecognitionofterms,followingdirections
and physical manipulation of the mouse. In Islamic education, they are learning
storiesandmemoriseprescribedversesfromtheHolyQuran.
The progress of children in mathematics and science is directly linked to the
practical activities provided. In active lessons, children use 21st century skills and
the majority attain the expected standards in class, making consistent progress.
Some lessons are not activity based, and children make less progress in those
lessons.Therearenotenoughopportunitiesforchildrentotalkaboutandexplain
whattheyaredoingorlearning.Inmathematics,childrencanmanipulateobjects,
countandcombineortakeawaysmallquantitiesandrecognisepatterns.
Mostchildrenaredevelopingsubjectknowledge,languageandsocialskillswell;
the development of enquiry, reasoning and higher order thinking skills are less
developed.
Childrenspersonaldevelopment
Childrens personal development is very good. They are well supported to
becomeresponsible,confidentindividuals,andarehappy.Somechildrentakeon
tasksregularlyasgroupleaders,presentersinAssembly,orclassleaders.Theyare
developingselfdiscipline,monitortheirownbehaviourwhileontheplayground,
waitingformaterialstobedistributedinclass,transitioningfromonetabletaskto
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another or standing in a queue. Most children are quiet and responsible in

Assembly,singtheNationalAnthemwellandstandreverentlyduringrecitations.
Children are respectful to teachers and quickly respond to directions. There is a
positive relationship between children and all staff throughout the school. In a
fewinstances,wherechildrenarenotengagedinlearning,thepaceistooslowor
there is not enough challenge, behaviour is not as good. There are reward and
sanction systems in place to encourage children to selfmonitor their behaviour.
Most children put away items on the tables using their own initiative, and
demonstrate good social skills on the playground and in class. Children enjoy
coming to school and learning. They participate in a range of ageappropriate
activities,andtakepartincharitabledonationdrives.
Thequalityofteachingandlearning
There are significantly improved teaching approaches being put into place this
year.Thisisaresultofaconsistentandwellthoughtoutpatternofprofessional
development. The skill level of teachers in implementing these new strategies
varies. Those who are most successful willingly share their newfound expertise
and ideas. Teachers now use clear teaching plans based on standards and
outcomes. The best teachers also utilise different teaching styles to reach more
children,checkskillsassessmentresultstoseewheretherearegaps,andinclude
learning activities linked to the themes. Most teachers are just beginning to put
these strategies into place and are gaining a better understanding of how to
implement these into their classroom practice. There are new approaches to
assessment in some subjects: teachers monitor and track childrens learning of
new skills among the identified list of skills. Teachers have good subject
knowledge,andsomeusequestionswelltohelpchildrenthink.
Notallteachershaveincreasedthelevelofchallengeandraisedexpectationsfor
children.Forexample,someteachersacceptonewordanswersfromchildrenin
KG2;higherexpectationswoulddemandfullerphrasesandsentences,leadingto
even better achievement. In mathematics and science, only a few teachers give
children opportunities to build reasoning skills by talking about why different
approaches could be correct. Not enough teachers consistently use real life
applicationsandproblemsolvingsuitedtoKGchildren.Differentiation,adapting
teaching to the needs of individual children, is used consistently well in some
classes,butisstillanemergingpracticeinmost.
Teachersarededicated,committedtoimprovementandverypositiveaboutthe
changes that have been put in place. Improvements to the systems for teacher
observation and evaluation are now being used, leading to better selfreflection
and teacher skill. Support staff are often not used effectively as aides to help
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childrenlearnintheclassrooms.Forexample,thelackofsupportbyteacheraides
isespeciallyevidentwhenchildrenworkintablegroups.
Meetingchildrensneedsthroughthecurriculum
AlDanathasmadesignificantimprovementinensuringteachersunderstandand
use the American Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics and
English. The expected outcome for each standard is now part of the lesson
planning, and the practices associated with the mathematics standards are
beginningtobeincorporatedintomorelessons.
Innovations, such as the integration of local themes into the curriculum are
successfully implemented to develop childrens understanding of the values,
heritage and culture of the UAE. For example, safety was added to a unit of
transportation, or healthy eating into a unit on vegetables. Art and physical
education are regular classes. Al Danat has identified its own performing arts
curriculum,notingwheremusic,dramaormovementisintegratedintotheoverall
schoolexperienceduringthecourseofayear.
Childrenhaveaweeklylessonintheactivityroomtoallowchildrentoengagein
creative play. At class level, opportunities for free choice, imagination, and
creativityarewovenintothecurriculumonlyoccasionally.Childrendemonstrate
increased levels of engagement and confidence when they are given
opportunities to make choices. In a few English classes, children are given the
chance to use games, make choices for books, or use ICT language activities on
theinteractivewhiteboard.CreativityandchoiceareexpectationsforKGchildren
inthecurriculum;itisnotconsistentlyappliedinallsubjects,acrosstheschool,on
adailybasis.
Parentshaveaskedformoreclasstripsthatlinktospecificlearningthemes.
Theprotection,care,guidanceandsupportofchildren
AlDanatprovidesacaring,secureenvironmentforchildren.Parentsfeelwelcome
and communication with them has increased. There is a nurturing and positive
ethos that reflects the commitment held by everyone in the school community.
Children are well supervised at playtime, when moving within the school, and
whenleavingtheschool.Thereareeffectiverewardsandsanctionsforbehaviour
thataresuitedtotheageofthechildren,andsupportedbyparents.Childrenare
friendlybothinclassandoutside,andshowgoodsocialskills.Theschoolhasa
prayerroom,introducedtochildrenwithintheIslamiceducationcurriculum.
Thecliniciswellrun,withrecordsandspecialstudentneedsefficientlyorganised.
The good quality of guidance provided by the nurse supports and creates a
greater awareness of health education, including first aid. Staff and parents are
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very clear and informed about procedures regarding child protection. Fire drill,
evacuation and emergency procedures arein place. Some additional supervision
oftrafficattheendofthedaywouldhelpensurechildrencontinuetobesafe.
Attendance increased to nearly 95% this year, as compared to 92% in the last
school year; this is above average. This is attributed to the effective system for
followingupabsencesimmediatelyandincreasedcommunicationwithparentsto
raiseawareness.Punctualityisnotashigh.
Thequalityoftheschoolsbuildingsandpremises
Al Danat is a purposebuilt school designed specifically for KG children. The
building and premises are safe, clean, and well maintained, and contribute very
well to support the delivery of the curriculum. There is a large covered outside
area with play equipment which is now resting on a padded surface. Inside
corridors are bright and cheerful, with student work displayed and attractive
painted murals. The two main buildings each have interior courtyards for
activities, physical education and games. There are laboratories and activity
rooms,includingthoseforICT,science,Arabic,Artandcreativeplay.TheICTroom
hasenoughcomputerstoalloweachchildtouseoneduringlessons.Thedisplays,
whiteboards,interactivewhiteboardsandbulletinboardsaresetatchildheight,
toallowchildrentowritemoreeasily,andreadwhatispostedordisplayed.
A maintenance team looks after all needs well. The school maintains records of
theregularriskassessmentchecks.Someofthestudenttoiletsaresettoohigh;
all washrooms are kept very clean, with additional hand sanitizers outside each
door.
Theschoolsresourcestosupportitsaims
The resources continue to be good overall. A very wide range of educational
materials are used across all subject areas. Curriculum based materials are
provided to give children practice in the key subject areas, and these are used
effectivelybythemajorityofteachers.Someteachershaveparticulartrainingfor
teaching young children. Almost all teachers are retained from year to year;
suggesting the promise of a lasting effect from the more rigorous professional
developmentinstitutedinthisschoolyear.
Rather than a central room for a library, there are small libraries in the science,
ArabicandEnglishlabstoprovidechildrenwithbooksinArabicandEnglish.

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Theeffectivenessofleadershipandmanagement
Al Danat has a longserving principal and governing body who know the school
very well. It is supported by the FDF, which closely and independently monitors
how the school moves towards the high expectations held for it. Al Danat has
increased its leadership capacity this year with two curriculum specialists. They
lead innovations in professional development and improvements to curriculum
andassessment.Thesystemforteacherevaluationhasbeenenhanced,aspartof
professional skill development, with encouraging results. All teachers and other
members of the school community, serve on teams for each Performance
Standard.Throughouttheyeareachteamhascollectedinformation,analysedand
recorded progress, both in writing and through pictures for their Performance
Standard. The result is a school with a shared vision, and a united effort to
improve.Allteacherswereeffectivelyinvolvedinwritingtheselfevaluationform
(SEF),andhaveacollectivevoicethatislistenedtobytheschoolmanagement.As
a result, the school development plan (SDP) is based on an accurate
understandingoftheschoolandsetsoutanambitious,butappropriate,agenda.
TheFDFworkswellwiththeprincipaltoensurecontinuedmovementtowardsthe
SDPsgoals.
Professional development is beginning to have significant impact, particularly in
theincreasednumberoflessonsplannedtomeetthesetobjectivesandlearning
outcomes based on standards. A few teachers are successfully integrating 21st
century skills in their lessons. The full effect of this on childrens academic
progresswilltaketime.Thecumulativeeffectofsuchpromisemayhaveledtoa
selfevaluationslightlyhigherthantheoutcomesindicatedinlessonobservations
and other sources. Without data systems using external benchmarks, the
comparativestrengthofstudentoutcomesisdifficulttomeasureaccurately.
The school finances are aligned well to the school development needs. The
administrativeteamsworkeffectively.Parentsareverysupportiveoftheschool.

Progresssincethelastinspection
The senior leadership team have achieved or worked towards most of the
recommendationsofthepreviousinspectionreport.Effortstoraisestandardsin
English, mathematics and science are evident in the higher level of progress
observed this year. More children are being encouraged to enquire, investigate
and deepen their understanding in some lessons. The ongoing skills based
assessment now in place allows consistent tracking of childrens skill
development. Teachers skills is improving, and some have raised expectations
and are working to match childrens needs. The improved capacity within the
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leadershipoftheschooltoaddresstheseteachingmattersisbeginningtoshow
results.
Thecurriculumhasbeenbroadenedthroughtheintegrationofmusicanddance
andmovementintodifferentsubjectareas,ensuringallchildrenhavethechance
to use their natural talents and enjoy learning. ICT facilities are beginning to be
usedmoreeffectively.

Whattheschoolshoulddotoimprovefurther:
1.

2.

Improve the quality of teaching and learning so lessons are consistently

verygoodoroutstandingby:
i. increasing the amount of lesson time dedicated to dialogue and
conversationinallsubjectareas,particularlyinEnglish
ii. ensuring children have regular opportunities to make choices in
theirlearning
iii. creatingtimeeachdayforfreereading,inArabicorinEnglish
iv. building student enquiry skills through regular opportunities for
childrentotalkaboutideas,explain,andusereasoning
v. utilising teaching assistants and support staff more effectively to
helpchildrenlearn.
Investigate the possibility of using curriculumbased external benchmark
assessmentsto:
i. accuratelymeasurestudentlearningoutcomes
ii. comparestudentattainmenttoschoolswithasimilarcurriculum

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InspectionGrades

Inneedofsignificant
improvement

Poor

Very
unsatisfactory

Satisfactory&
Improving

Unsatisfactory

Satisfactory

Satisfactory

Highperforming

Good

BandC

VeryGood

BandB

Outstanding

Performance
Standard

BandA

Standard1:
Childrens
attainmentand
progress

Standard2:
Childrenspersonal
development

Standard3:The
qualityofteaching
andlearning

Standard4:The
meetingof
childrensneeds
throughthe
curriculum

Standard5:The
protection,care,
guidanceand
supportofchildren

Standard6:The
qualityofthe
schoolsbuildings
andpremises

Standard7:The
schoolsresources
tosupportitsaims

Standard8:The
effectivenessof
leadershipand
management

Summary
Evaluation:The
schoolsoverall
effectiveness

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