Private School

Inspection Report

Ryan Private School

Academic Year 2016 2017

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 Ryan Private School

Inspection Date November 7, 2016 to November 10, 2016

Date of previous inspection January 26, 2015 to January 29, 2015

General Information Students

Total number of
School ID 243 1114
students

%of students per Main Curriculum 100%

Opening year of
2014 curriculum (if
school Other Curriculum ----
applicable)
KG 328
Number of students Primary: 532
Principal Paramjit Ahluwalia
in other phases Middle: 224
High: 30

School telephone +971 (0)2 552 7527 Age range 4 to 15 years

Plot 19, Mussaffah, Grades or Year

School Address KG to Grade 10
Abu Dhabi Groups

RyanSchool.pvt@adec.ac.a
Official email (ADEC) Gender Boys and girls
e

Ryaninternational.org/rismu % of Emirati
School website 0%
ssafah Students
1. Indian 93%
Fee ranges (per Low to average Largest nationality
2. Pakistani 3%
annum) (AED 12,000 to AED 22,000) groups (%)
3. Bangladeshi 2%

Licensed Curriculum Staff

Main Curriculum Indian Number of teachers 97

Other Curriculum Number of teaching

---- 27
(if applicable) assistants (TAs)
External Exams/ Teacher-student KG/ FS 1:10
CBSE
Standardised tests ratio Other phases 1:13

Accreditation CBSE Teacher turnover 13%

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 Introduction
Number of inspectors
deployed
Number of inspection days
Number of lessons observed
Number of joint lesson
observations
Number of parents
questionnaires
Details of other inspection
activities
School Aims
School vision and mission
Inspection activities
5
4
121
5
157; return rate: 12%
Inspectors conducted meetings with senior staff,
subject coordinators, teachers, support staff, students
and parents. They analysed test and assessment
results, scrutinised students work across the school,
analysed responses to the parents questionnaire and
considered the schools policies and other documents.
The principal and other staff were involved throughout
the inspection process.
School
Excellence in education and all round development.
To be a premier global educational institution which
develops the human resource for our dynamic and
expanding community, the state, the nation, the
region and the world at large. Through our institutions,
we will cultivate all round development of qualities in
a student through excellence in education that shall
foster academics, understanding, brilliance, spiritual
wellbeing, physical development, physiological
strengths, resourcefulness and creative skills, social
responsibilities and concern for ones environment.
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 To blend high value deliveries with modern learning
tools to ensure that each of the institutions has a safe,
healthy and positively energising, intellectually
challenging, learning and enjoyable environment,
committed to engage students in active collaborative
and technology based learning methodologies to
develop formative and summative assessments of
student learning.

Admission Policy Admission is inclusive and through application.

The leadership team comprises the principal, vice

principal, supervisors of each cycle, a social worker and
Leadership structure subject coordinators.The school is part of the Indian
(ownership, governance and Ryan International group of schools. The school has a
management) local governing body that represents the owner and
includes the Chairperson, principal and representatives
of stakeholders.

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 SEN Details (Refer to ADEC SEN Policy and Procedures)
Number of students Number of other students
SEN Category identified through external identified by the school
assessments internally

Intellectual disability 3 0

Specific Learning Disability 1 16

Emotional and Behaviour

3 0
Disorders (ED/ BD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder
0 0
(ASD)
Speech and Language
0 1
Disorders
Physical and health related
1 0
disabilities

Visually impaired 1 0

Hearing impaired 1 0

Multiple disabilities 1 0

G&T Details (Refer to ADEC SEN Policy and Procedures)

Number of students
G&T Category
identified

Intellectual ability 90

Subject-specific aptitude (e.g. in science, mathematics,

91
languages)

Social maturity and leadership 93

Mechanical/ technical/ technological ingenuity 68

Visual and performing arts (e.g. art, theatre, recitation) 73

Psychomotor ability (e.g. dance or sport) 90

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The overall performance of the school
Inspectors considered the school in relation to 3 performance categories

Band A High performing (Outstanding, Very Good or Good)

Band B Satisfactory (Acceptable)

Band C In need of significant improvement (Weak or Very Weak)

School was judged to be: BAND A Good

Band C
Band A Band B
In need of significant
High Performing Satisfactory
improvement
Outstanding

Acceptable

Very Weak
Very Good

Weak
Good

Performance Standards

Performance Standard 1:

Students achievement

Performance Standard 2:
Students personal and
social development, and
their 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

Summary Evaluation:
The schools overall
performance

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The Performance of the School
Evaluation of the schools overall performance
The overall performance of the school is good. Students achievement overall is
good because they progress well and develop effective learning skills. This is a
result of their positive work ethic and effective teaching. The schools internal
assessment procedures indicate that students reach very good or outstanding
levels of attainment, but this is not borne out by their coursework or activities in
class where attainment is variable and acceptable overall. Gifted and talented
students perform very well in art, music and dance. Most students behave very well
in lessons and around the school. Student-led assemblies showcase many talents
and provide an uplifting start to the day. UAE culture and heritage are very well
understood and celebrated by students. The school is a safe, secure and
harmonious environment for learning. Parents are supportive of the school and
kept well informed of their childrens academic and personal development. The
school is well led and is developing in a positive way overall.
Progress made since last inspection and capacity to improve
The school has made good progress since its last inspection and has a good capacity
to improve further. Students now make good progress in science through hands-
on, practical experiments which are developing their investigative skills. Teaching
is now good overall. Students respond well to the opportunities given to them to
develop their communication and collaboration skills. Students who require
additional help with their learning are supported effectively in lessons. Information
and communications technology (ICT) has yet to be utilised fully in lessons. Children
in KG benefit from an effective Arabic programme based on conversation and their
real life experiences. Attainment in Arabic in Grades 6 to 9 is still not sufficiently
focused on students acquisition of Arabic literacy. Senior leaders are involved in
comprehensive monitoring of teaching although best practice is not always shared.
Development and promotion of innovation skills

The school is developing students innovation skills well. Specific lessons dedicated
for activities and the schools enrichment programme provide many opportunities
for students to develop their gifts and talents. Students of all ages have developed
innovative mathematical puzzles and science models. The robotic car is a stunning
example of research and planning to illustrate built-in safety features. Grade 8
students have developed an efficient water-preservation system for plants. High-
quality art is being used innovatively to illustrate the plight of endangered species.
Teachers are not yet consistent in using innovative methods in lessons to stimulate
interest or challenge.

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The inspection identified the following as key areas of strength:
students positive behaviour and enthusiasm for learning in the secure,
caring and harmonious learning environment
students knowledge, understanding and respect for the culture and
aspirations of the UAE
the range, diversity and participation of students in the schools enrichment
programme
students understanding and practical involvement in local and global
environmental issues
the support and involvement of parents in the life of the school.

The inspection identified the following as key areas for improvement:

the need to improve consistency in the quality of teaching to match the most
effective practice
the need to analyse and use assessment data more effectively for strategic
planning
the need to further improve planning, delivery and assessment of Arabic
throughout the school.

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Performance Standard 1: Students Achievement

Students achievement Indicators KG Primary Middle High

Attainment N/A Good Acceptable Acceptable

Islamic
Education
Progress N/A Good Good Good

Attainment N/A N/A N/A N/A

Arabic
(as a First Language)
Progress N/A N/A N/A N/A

Arabic Attainment Good Acceptable Weak Acceptable

(as a Second
Language) Progress Good Acceptable Weak Acceptable

Attainment N/A Good Good N/A

Social Studies
Progress N/A Good Good N/A

Attainment Acceptable Acceptable Good Good

English
Progress Acceptable Good Good Good

Attainment Good Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Mathematics
Progress Good Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Attainment Good Good Good Good

Science
Progress Good Good Good Good

Language of
instruction (if other Attainment N/A N/A N/A N/A
than English and
Arabic as First Progress N/A N/A N/A N/A
Language)

Other subjects Attainment Good Good Acceptable Good

(Art, Music, PE)

Progress Good Good Acceptable Good

Learning Skills
(including innovation, creativity, critical
Good Good Good Good
thinking, communication, problem-
solving and collaboration)

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The overall quality of students achievement is good. This is because they progress
well and develop effective learning skills in all phases. The schools internal
assessment results indicate that most students reach very good or outstanding levels
of attainment. Observation of lessons and scrutiny of students work, however,
shows that attainment levels are acceptable overall and variable across subjects. In
2016, a small cohort of Grade 10 students achieved above international expectations
in CBSE external examinations in English. In lessons, different groups of students
make progress as good as their peers. Boys and girls make similar progress in
coursework, and students who have special needs also progress well from their
starting points.
The overall quality of achievement in Islamic education is good. For example, most
Grade 4 students can recite fluently Quranic verses appropriate for their age level.
The majority can explain clearly the meaning of the verses they read. In the middle
phase, most Grade 6 students appreciate the value and importance of showing
respect for others and the majority can explain, with examples, how this influences
their lives. Most Grade 10 students can explain the different worship activities during
Ramadan. The majority can explain the spiritual, medical and social benefits of fasting
and make links to their own experience.
Students learn Arabic as a second language. Their achievement is very variable but
acceptable overall. By the end of KG, most children can write Arabic letters correctly
and model them using clay. Most primary phase students write, read, and understand
familiar words and use correct pronunciation. In the middle phase, progress slows
with only a few students able to understand the main idea in a text, and write
sentences with correct spelling using the appropriate grammar rules. Most Grade 10
students are reaching age-related expectations. They can read and understand
suitable Arabic text for their age, infer main ideas and write short paragraphs with
accuracy.
In social studies, attainment and progress are good. In the primary and middle phases,
almost all students demonstrate knowledge, understanding and respect for the
culture and aspirations of the UAE. As well as being able to identify the location of
parks in Abu Dhabi, most Grade 5 students can compare their features and state the
benefits to the local community. Most Grade 6 students are able to identify the main
features of different UAE cities. They can describe the features of well-known places
they had visited.
In English, students enter the school with weak literacy skills. They make acceptable
progress in KG through conversations in English and talking about their own
experiences. Letter formation is developed using a range of media. By the end of KG,
attainment is acceptable with most children able to write age-appropriate sentences.
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Attainment and progress in primary is acceptable. Students reading skills develop
well during this phase as they extract information from suitable texts. Attainment and
progress is good in the middle and high phases. Grade 9 students use role play
effectively as a means of communication. Almost all students are clear, confident
speakers of English by the end of the middle phase, with the majority having strengths
above those expected for their ages. By Grade 10, the majority of students write very
effectively for a range of purposes and show particular strengths in the way they
argue their own points of view when debating with peers.
Overall achievement is acceptable in mathematics. Children enter the school with
weak numeracy skills but then progress strongly so that the majority attain good
standards. By the end of KG, the majority can count to 100 and then handle these
numbers confidently in addition. From primary onwards, most students attain in line
with curriculum expectations. Those in primary can measure angles accurately, while
in the middle phase they have a good understanding of the properties of
quadrilaterals and other shapes. They convert and manipulate irregular fractions with
accuracy. Grade 10 students use mathematical concepts well, for example when
calculating surface area and volume.
Attainment and progress is good throughout the school in science. The majority of
students attain levels above those expected for their age. In KG, children use
mathematics when learning about the life cycle of a butterfly. In the middle and high
phases they are adept in finding solutions to increasingly challenging problem-solving
tasks. Well-organised laboratory experiments consolidate important skills and
students use of the scientific method progresses well from grade to grade. For
example, in Grade 10 physics, most students were able to hypothesise, conceptualise,
generalise and utilise information based on verifying the refraction in light.
In other subjects, attainment and progress are good overall and acceptable at middle
phase. KG children benefit from expert, age-appropriate teaching in physical
education (PE), focusing on ball skills, balance and developing their motor skills. In
ICT, primary students use software programs confidently, including, for example,
spreadsheet functions. Students perform well in dance, and artwork is of a very high
standard and has been recognised internationally. In languages, students reach
acceptable levels in Hindi but French is generally weak. Practical skills in music are
developing well, particularly for the large band that performs at assembly.
Students learning skills are good. Students collaborate effectively in lessons and
embrace the opportunities to demonstrate their leadership skills. As independent
learners, many students have been creative in developing scientific models and
displaying their work in imaginative settings. Students make rapid progress when they

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are presented with open-ended, hands-on tasks and can apply their problem-solving
skills in lessons.

Performance Standard 2: Students personal and social development,

and their innovation skills

Students personal and social

development, and their innovation skills KG Primary Middle High
Indicators

Personal development Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good

Understanding of Islamic values and

Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good
awareness of Emirati and world cultures

Social responsibility and innovation skills Good Very Good Very Good Very Good

Students personal and social development is very good. Almost all students behave
very well in lessons and have a positive attitude to their studies. They have a strong
desire for learning. Students leave the school as earnest, caring and environmentally-
aware young citizens. Their input and response to assemblies is outstanding. Every
assembly is planned and presented by the students themselves. They showcase a
wide range of talents in music, singing, dance and academic excellence. They sing the
national anthem with gusto and show respect for the flag and when the Holy Quran
is read. Students with a range of abilities and interests participate enthusiastically in
extra-curricular activities, competitions and clubs. Students take their school and class
leadership responsibilities seriously. The students council meets regularly to plan
activities and competitions. All students have a secure understanding of healthy
eating and the benefits of exercise. The schools attendance is very good at 96%.
All students understand the importance and relevance of Islamic values in their daily
lives. Teachers, other adults at school and visitors are treated with great respect. They
also show respect for the local and wider community. Most Muslim students take the
opportunity to pray during the day. Students understand the history and culture of
the UAE and show this through the wide range of activities and celebrations of work
around the school, including through impressive artwork. They celebrate both the
traditions and the modern achievements of the country.

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Large numbers of students develop and show their social responsibility through their
commitment to national and international charities and the way they maintain the
school environment, including the vegetable plot. Their innovation skills are
developing well, particularly through science.

Performance Standard 3: Teaching and Assessment

Teaching and Assessment Indicators KG Primary Middle High

Teaching for effective learning Good Good Good Good

Assessment Good Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

The overall quality of teaching is good and assessment is broadly acceptable.

Teachers have a secure knowledge of their subjects, how students learn and know
their strengths and weaknesses well. They prepare lessons using a common template
which provides consistency across the school. Most teachers provide activities and
tasks which meet the range of students attainment levels. Work is not always
challenging or varied enough to hold the interest of and stretch the higher attaining
students. Students respond well to the many opportunities teachers provide for them
to collaborate and present their work. In lessons, they also work productively as
independent learners when given open-ended tasks and research activities. Grade 5
students collaborated expertly in English to present very interesting narratives which
were accurately assessed by their peers. Primary phase students make rapid progress
in science when they are actively engaged in experiments and are encouraged to ask
questions about their work. Students respond positively to opportunities given to
lead groups or when given specific group responsibilities. Students have good access
to ICT but it is not used regularly enough in lessons.
Internal assessment procedures are thorough but sometimes overestimate the
performance of students. The school does not use teacher assessment of attainment
to compare the performance of students between grades or between subjects.
Student attainment levels are generally used well by teachers to plan different
activities. Learning outcomes are not always shared with students or assessed during
lessons, or evaluated at the end. Students who require additional support are
identified and one-to-one support is provided for them in lessons. Students work is
comprehensively marked and appropriate written and verbal feedback is given. Joint
planning between teachers of Arabic- and English-medium subjects is improving but
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there are still inconsistencies in the effectiveness of delivery in the Arabic-medium
subjects. Teachers use questioning well in lessons but it is not always targeted on
individual students to check their understanding.

Performance Standard 4: Curriculum

Curriculum Indicators KG Primary Middle High

Curriculum design and implementation Good Good Good Good

Curriculum adaptation Good Good Good Good

The implementation and adaptation of the curriculum are good. The schools CBSE
curriculum promotes students academic and personal development very well. The
curriculum is broad and meets the schools aims. All students have the option of
studying Hindi or French. Non-Muslim students study moral science when their peers
are studying Islamic education. Students in primary and middle phases study UAE
social studies. The KG curriculum focuses on childrens real-life experiences and this
provides an effective learning framework for them. The curriculum for Arabic has yet
to be implemented as well as most other areas in a way that ensures good
progression and continuity in learning.
The schools focus on developing students learning skills prepares them well for
further education and their future careers. Lessons and the timetabled activities
period provide opportunities for students to develop their creativity and innovation
skills. The schools talent show effectively identifies and showcases students wide
range of gifts and talents. The school provides a wide range of extra-curricular clubs
and activities.
The curriculum is adapted well to meet the needs of students who need special
support. They are given additional help with their studies through programmes of
adapted work in lessons, often with individual classroom support. Some teaching
programmes are not sufficiently adapted to challenge higher attaining students,
although those who are gifted and talented have good scope to develop their skills.
Links to the UAE history and traditions as well as its current achievements permeate
the work of students. The school puts a high priority on developing students skills in
music, dance, art and PE as well as their academic progress. Timetabled library periods
focus on developing students appreciation of literature. Students have opportunities
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to widen their life experiences through many trips abroad. These include visits to
American universities and NASA and to India to participate in the student United
Nations forum. School leaders ensure the curriculum is regularly reviewed and
accessible to all students.

Performance Standard 5: The protection, care, guidance and support

of students

The protection, care, guidance and

KG Primary Middle High
support of students Indicators

Health and safety, including

arrangements for child protection/ Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good
safeguarding

Care and support Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good

The protection, care, guidance and support for students are very good overall. The
school provides a caring and harmonious learning environment for students. The
school is very safe, secure and free from hazards for students and staff. The school is
very clean and well maintained. The school maintains appropriate records on all
required matters to do with health and safety and safeguarding, including those
related to the schools child protection policy which is well understood and applied.
Students are supervised well at all times. Dismissal arrangements are appropriate.
Children in KG appreciate the friendly, stimulating environment in lessons and
assemblies. The schools effective arrangements for attendance and punctuality have
led to very good levels of attendance, and students are punctual to school and when
they move from lesson to lesson.
The school has robust procedures in place for identifying students who require
additional care or additional help with their studies. The teacher with responsibility
for these students provides appropriate classroom support. Students with gifts and
talents are effectively identified by teachers and their work is celebrated well,
including through the schools motivational talent show and displays in classrooms
and around the school.
The school promotes healthy lifestyles well. The minority of students do not follow
the schools guidance on healthy eating. The school ensures that all students
understand the benefits of exercise and participate fully in PE lessons. The school
prepares students well for further education and future careers through its effective
programme of university visits and career counselling. The student council is effective
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in promoting a thriving and orderly community and environmentally aware students.
A very wide range of data on students attainment levels is collected and presented
in a range of formats. It is not in a format that can be used for close analysis of cohort
performance or for tracking individual students progress across attainment levels
and over time.

Performance Standard 6: Leadership and management

Leadership and management Indicators

The effectiveness of leadership Good

Self-evaluation and improvement planning Good

Partnerships with parents and the community Very Good

Governance Good

Management, staffing, facilities and resources Good

Leadership and management are good overall. The recently appointed principal and
senior leaders have a clear sense of how they want the school to develop and share
this generally well with everyone concerned. They ensure the school is a safe, secure
and harmonious learning environment for all students. Relationships among students
and adults at the school are polite and respectful. The traditions and culture of the
UAE are celebrated as well as the current achievements of the country. The
recommendations of the last inspection report have been tackled well overall. School
leaders ensure that lessons have an appropriate focus on developing students
important learning skills. Procedures for sharing the most effective teaching practice
are under-developed.
The self-evaluation form (SEF) is comprehensive with contributions from both staff
and parents. The school has yet to use the national performance standards accurately
in the way it grades its own performance, however. The school collects a wide range
of attainment data. This is not in a clear enough format to help senior leaders with
their analysis of trends and differences across grades and subjects. Recommendations
from the last report have formed the focus of the school development plan (SDP).
Parents hold the school in high regard. They appreciate the efficient communication
channels which keep them informed of their childrens progress. They often input into
the life of the school, for example in assisting staff with trips and talking to students

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about future careers. The school continues to improve the range of communications
with a view to involving more parents actively in their childs learning.
The governing body provides effective advice and guidance to the principal and his
staff. They hold the principal to account for ensuring that provision is of a high quality
and meets the needs of students and parents. The school is fully staffed with suitably
qualified teachers and a range of non-teaching staff. The minority of staff are still
awaiting official approval for their appointment. The school functions efficiently on a
daily basis. There are specialist, well-equipped facilities for a range of subjects. The
library is well resourced. KG classrooms are adequate for the numbers and are
appropriately resourced. The range and quality of school resources are generally
adequate to support the delivery of the curriculum.

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What the school should do to improve further:
1. Improve the consistency and quality of teaching to match the most effective
practice, by:
i. implementing procedures whereby teachers share the most effective
practice at the school
ii. ensuring all lessons have clear learning outcomes that are shared, explained
and assessed
iii. ensuring all students are given sufficiently challenging work in lessons
iv. making more effective use of targeted questioning to check students
understanding
v. developing more innovative approaches to delivering lesson content.

2. Organise and analyse assessment data used for strategic planning, by:
i. ensuring internal assessments for all subjects are fit for purpose and
accurately assesses students attainment levels
ii. presenting data in a format which allows meaningful comparisons between
subjects and grades and over time
iii. using a format which accurately measures the progress of individual students
and specific cohorts of students
iv. ensuring coordinators undertake robust and accurate analyses of students
attainment and progress in their individual subjects.

3. Continue improving the planning, delivery and assessment of Arabic throughout

the school, by:
i. ensuring all lessons have clear literacy learning outcomes
ii. always delivering Arabic lessons in the Arabic language
iii. designing assessment instruments which accurately assess the range of
students Arabic literacy
iv. senior leaders monitoring more rigorously the quality of teaching, learning
and assessment of Arabic.

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