What the inspectors will be looking for in Dubai's schools

The second cycle of inspections by DSIB, part of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) will begin in October, and overall the same seven key questions will form the basis of the process. They are:
• How good are the students' attainment and progress?
• How good is the personal and social development of students?
• How good are the teaching and learning?
• How well does the curriculum meet the educational needs of all students?
• How well does the school protect and support students?
• How good are the leadership and management of the school?
• How well does the school perform overall?.

However, based on feedback and experience gained from last year's inspections (the first ever carried out in Dubai) there have been the following changes made to the guidelines in the handbook which the inspectors must follow. These include:
• Islamic Studies will be called Islamic Education, and becomes the first of the key subjects. Inspectors will look for a wider application of such education to the students' life.
• Science will be inspected at all stages, from KG-G12 (last year it was inspected only from G6-G12).
• The categories of findings will remain as Outstanding, Good, Acceptable and Unsatisfactory (Gradings 1-4 in numbers will no longer be used) and descriptions of what these categories really mean have been expanded.
• Attendance levels for schools, based on international and local research, have been set at 92% as the minimum acceptable level.
• There will be greater emphasis on teaching for effective learning. Inspectors will look for a student's independence of thought and sense of responsibility.
• When looking at a student's personal and social development, inspectors will be assessing students' respect for and understanding of Islam.
• Inspection of a school's curriculum will put greater focus on links with the community, with an emphasis on the special nature of Dubai. Whichever curriculum is being taught, it must prove to be relevant to students living in Dubai.
• Owners, principals, heads of subjects, anyone in a supervisory role will be assessed for their leadership qualities and inspectors will judge how well the school has addressed recommendations from last year's inspections, and how far the school is proving to be responsible for its own improvement.
• Governance will be assessed in all schools, Government and private.

Announcing the Framework 2009-10, Jameela Al Muhairi, Chief of DSIB, said:

"Our inspectors are preparing for the second cycle of inspections. Last year had its own challenges because it was the first time inspectors had ever gone into our schools. This year we look forward to building on the good relationships we have developed with schools. We shall also be interviewing about 10 parents at each school to include their perspective in this year's reports."

"All parents this year will have an opportunity to comment about the work of their school by completing an on-line questionnaire at the time of the school inspection. We have one aim; to improve the quality of education in Dubai. We know we have the support of principals and school owners and are excited about beginning our second year. We wish every school success in this academic year," she added.

A quick guide to overall findings from inspections of Dubai's schools in 2008-09
• Nine out of 10 schools provides an education of at least acceptable quality.
• Four out of every 10 schools are good or outstanding.
• Six out of 10 schools provides an education that is not of the good quality expected of schools in Dubai.
• Half the good schools are private and half are public.
• Some private schools are outstanding (2.1%) but 15.6% are unsatisfactory.
• 117,320 pupils in Dubai get an education that is between acceptable and outstanding, but 20,355 pupils attend schools that provide an unsatisfactory education.
• Three-quarters of the unsatisfactory schools are private.
• There are no outstanding public schools.

The inspectors put schools into four categories: Outstanding, Good, Acceptable and Unsatisfactory, assessments which last for one year. These were divided like this:

Public schools:

Good, 32; Acceptable, 43; Unsatisfactory, 5. None was outstanding.

Private schools:

Outstanding, 4; Good, 34; Acceptable, 54; and Unsatisfactory, 17.

By percentage, this means that 2.1% of Dubai's schools are outstanding; 34.9% are Good; 51.3% are Acceptable; and 11.6% are Unsatisfactory.