Private School

Inspection Report

Liwa International Private School

Academic Year 2015 2016

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Liwa International Private School

Inspection Date
Date of previous inspection

15 18 November, 2015
20 -23 January, 2014

General Information

Students

School ID

163

Total number of
students

2482

Opening year of
school

1997

Number of children
in KG

460

Principal

Shereen Gobran

Number of students
in other phases

Primary 1338
Middle 451
High
233

School telephone

+971 (0) 3 781 0444

Age range

3 to 18 years

School Address

Falaj Hazaa, Manaseer Area,

Al Ain, UAE

Grades or Year
Groups

KG1 Grade 12

Official email (ADEC)

Liwaint.pvt@adec.ac.ae

Gender

Mixed

School Website

www.liwaschool.com

Percentage of
Emirati Students

86%

Fee range (per

annum)

AED 14,900 AED 26,900

Largest nationality
groups (%)

1. Egypt 3%
2. Jordan 3%

Licensed Curriculum

Staff

Main Curriculum

American

Number of teachers

164

Other Curriculum

----------

Number of Teaching
Assistants (TAs)

59

External Exams/
Standardised tests

MAP, SAT1&2 EMSA

Teacher-student
ratio

1:20 KG
1:14 Other phases

Accreditation

----------

Teacher turnover

26%

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Introduction
Inspection activities
6

Number of inspectors deployed

Number of inspection days

135

Number of lessons observed

Number of joint lesson
observations

19

Number of parents
questionnaires
Details of other inspection
activities

299; (response rate: 12%)

Lesson observations; meetings; work scrutiny;
review of documents; surveys; discussions with
parents, students, teachers and board of trustee
members.
School

School Aims

------------

School vision and mission

VISION: To provide an outstanding international

education that inspires students to be self-disciplined,
internationally minded, and independent life-long
learners who are innovative leaders and critical
thinkers. This is done within a supportive, safe,
sustainable and advanced technological learning
focused environment.
Mission: Through partnership with parents, teachers
and the community, the school is committed to
educating students to high academic, internatonal
standards by applying a learning centred approach,
which prepares self-confident and socially responsible,
young adults for an evolving and changing world.

Admission Policy

Entry into Kindergarten (KG) is by interview to assess

whether children are able to access the curriculum
adequately. Entry into all other grades is by an
assessment test.
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Leadership structure
(ownership, governance and
management)

The owner is also the chair of the board of trustees. The

board consists of four core members, two parents and
two school representatives plus the principal.
School Leadership Team (SLT) consists of the principal,
vice-principal, headteachers of KG & Primary, Middle
and High Schools, Head of Learning, Head of e-learning,
head of MoE Subjects, Head of examinations & Head of
Community Service plus four other senior post holders.

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SEN Details (Refer to ADEC SEN Policy and Procedures)

Number of students
identified through
external assessments

Number of other students

identified by the school

Intellectual disability

Specific Learning Disability

10

Visually impaired

Hearing impaired

Multiple disabilities

SEN Category

Emotional and Behaviour

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

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

G&T Category

Number of students
identified

Intellectual ability

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

languages)

Social maturity and leadership

Mechanical/ technical/ technological ingenuity

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

Psychomotor ability (e.g. dance or sport)

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The overall performance of the school

Inspectors considered the school in relation to 3 performance categories

Band B

Satisfactory (Acceptable)

Band C

In need of significant improvement (Weak or Very Weak)

(A)

Good

High Performing

Satisfactory

Acceptable

Band B

Good

Band A

Very Good

Performance Standards

BAND

Outstanding

School was judged to be:

Band C
In need of significant
improvement

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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Very Weak

High performing (Outstanding, Very Good or Good)

Weak

Band A

The Performance of the School

Evaluation of the schools overall performance
Liwa International School offers students a good level of education both
academically and in their social development. The strong drive for improvement is
evident through all layers of leadership; from the very experienced board of
trustees, a principal with a clear vision for the school and an exceptionally
determined newly formed senior leadership team (SLT) who have brought
expertise and fresh insights. All students start school without any spoken English
and with low literacy and communication skills. In Kindergarten (KG), they make at
least good progress and this continues throughout the school. In the higher grades,
teaching is stronger and prepares students very well for their next phase of
education, training or employment. The very well maintained building and clear
organizational structures allows the school day to run very smoothly.
Students are respectful and behaviour and attendance is very good, reflecting the
impact of UAE culture, Islamic values and the caring ethos of the school.
Progress made since last inspection and capacity to improve
All recommendations from the previous inspection have been met and the school
has made significant progress. A rigorous approach to school improvement and
thorough self-evaluation has resulted in focused interventions and positive impact.
The appointment of additional experienced school leaders has provided increased
momentum to whole school improvement and significantly raised standards. The
focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning is evident, in particular in
Arabic where a major impact upon standards has been achieved, as well as in KG
and the senior classes. There are good links between subjects across the school.
UAE culture and Islamic values are prominent features and are becoming more
apparent through both planning and delivery of lessons.
Development and promotion of innovation skills
The school has made a determined start to the development of innovation skills.
The appointment of a very experienced head of e-learning and innovation has aided
the fast integration and growth of innovative practices. A dedicated team has been
established to support innovation development, incorporate existing good practice
and utilise the effective use of modern technology. The majority of teachers
integrate these approaches well into the structure of the lessons. The innovation
team has created kits for staff members with a range of targeted activities
promoting higher thinking and investigative skills. For example in Grade 9 science,
the teacher used the cars made from water bottles to demonstrate friction. A few
teachers apply higher-order thinking skills in a checklist approach, which weakens
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their impact. Individual skill development is hampered by an over-emphasis on

group, collaborative activities that result in fewer students actually being engaged
in the intended outcomes of the exercise, particularly in the primary and middle
phases. Opportunities are missed in lessons and across the school to provide
students with the direction to work with initiative and enterprise.
The newly designed LIWA Cloud acts as a repository of all resources, innovation
plans, extended materials, planning, students work and professional development
activities and ideas. This has supported teachers increasing use of enterprise and
entrepreneurial approaches and activities. Older students have access to Google
drive where their work, plans, assessment and evaluation is made, allowing access
in school or home and immediate interaction and feedback from teachers. The use
of these approaches is defined in a well written action plan for development across
the whole school.
The primary section has a Discovery Centre where students go to create and
innovate. The school is an ADEC model/signature school for ecology as it has taken
the initiative of planting creepers all around the building to keep it cool. It also has
solar panels to generate its own electricity.

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The inspection identified the following as key areas of strength:

the improvement to the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in

Arabic
school leaders have a strong, cohesive sense of purpose and are making
rapid change to establish best practice in modern leadership
leadership at all levels have clear understanding of the strengths and areas
for improvement in all subjects and set high expectations
interpersonal relationships between all members of the school community
are strong, contributing to the welcoming environment and positive ethos
the school promotes strong UAE culture and Islamic values which is evident
across all aspects of school life, both academic and social
the care, guidance and support of all students is very strong, ensuring
students and staff enjoy a very well maintained and organised school
environment
the broad and balanced curriculum with strong cross-curricular links,
augmented by good enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities.

The inspection identified the following as key areas for improvement:

the benchmarking of assessments against standardised criteria for all

grades
consistency in the quality of teaching and learning in all phases and across
all classes, particularly in meeting the needs of all groups of students.

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Performance Standard 1: Students Achievement

Students achievement Indicators

Islamic
Education

Arabic
(as a First
Language)
Arabic
(as a Second
Language)

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Attainment

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Progress

Acceptable

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Attainment

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Progress

Good

Good

Acceptable

Good

Attainment

N/A

N/A

Acceptable

Acceptable

Progress

N/A

N/A

Acceptable

Acceptable

Attainment

N/A

Acceptable

Acceptable

N/A

Progress

N/A

Good

Good

N/A

Attainment

Good

Good

Acceptable

Good

Progress

Good

Good

Acceptable

Good

Attainment

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Good

Progress

Acceptable

Good

Good

Good

Attainment

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Good

Progress

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Good

Attainment

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Progress

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Attainment

N/A

Good

Good

Good

Progress

N/A

Good

Good

Good

Good

Acceptable

Acceptable

Good

Social Studies

English

Mathematics

Science
Language of
instruction (if other
than English and
Arabic as First
Language)
Other subjects
(Art, Music, PE)
Learning Skills
(including innovation, creativity, critical
thinking, communication, problemsolving and collaboration)

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All students start school speaking English as an additional language. In KG, the
majority make better than expected progress in relation to their starting points and
curriculum expectations, particularly in developing their speaking and listening skills.
Students in the primary and middle phases continue to achieve at least acceptably,
with end of phase outcomes showing most students are in-line with or above
curriculum related expectations. Progress improves as students move through the
school. Most students develop the skills, knowledge and understanding in line with
the curriculum requirements for the teaching of Arabic, Islamic education and social
studies. EMSA results indicate that attainment levels are at least in line with other
similar schools. In lessons, the majority of students make better than expected
progress in relation to appropriate learning objectives.
Children in KG make good progress and are achieving very well by the time they move
to Grade 1. Their development of English speaking and literacy skills from a low entry
point is strong. They enjoy their learning and are provided with a range of
opportunities to practice and rehearse their developing skills in communication,
writing and listening. Able students can read, write and construct sentences from a
list of random words. In Grade 1, students build on their phonemic awareness to help
read and write new words.
Internal assessments based upon curriculum expectations indicates that most
primary and high school students make at least expected progress and the majority
do so in middle school. In Grade 8, students were able to recall and build on skills and
strategies about writing a paragraph using the Sandwich strategy. Grade 12 girls
narrative writing, showed that they were able to express complex ideas, clearly and
coherently. The fluency of spoken English in primary and middle schools is sometimes
restricted by teachers domination of discussions and tendency to direct the learning.
Achievement in Arabic in KG is good, considering childrens low starting points on
entry. A majority of children attain in line with or above curriculum standards. They
are able to identify letters and provide the vocabulary related to them, in addition to
developing good sight vocabulary. In the primary phase, students can read with
acceptable fluency and accuracy and they show appropriate understanding of the
ideas in the given texts. Students are able to express their ideas in correct standard
Arabic. Attainment in Arabic lessons is not even better because teachers
expectations are not always high enough, there is too much teacher-led instruction
and not enough focus upon students grammatical skills. Most students make
expected progress because of motivating teaching that encourages participation,
positive discussions and use of appropriate resources. In Grades 10, 11 & 12 the

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majority of students attain above curriculum standards because of better teaching

that uses varied strategies to enhance students learning.
Achievement in Islamic education in KG, primary and middle school is acceptable and
good in the high school. Most students in primary and middle school attain in line with
curriculum expectations. Students have basic knowledge and understanding of
Islamic concepts and their application to real life. In Grade 2, students showed
reasonable understanding of the main ideas of the required surahs (verses) from the
Holy Quran. Recitation and memorisation in some classes is not adequately
developed. In high school, attainment and progress is good because of motivating
teaching that develop presentation and debating skills.
Attainment and progress in mathematics accelerates as students move through the
school. It is above the expectations of the curriculum and students make good
progress, especially in the high school. In KG1 and 2, attainment and progress is
acceptable. Children can sort shapes and colours effectively. Children have
reasonable understanding of the concept of more than and less than. Attainment
observed in lessons in the primary and middle schools is acceptable due to the
variable effectiveness of teaching. Progress is good for students who have language
barriers to their learning. Less able students have insufficient grasp of basic numeracy
operations, skills and knowledge. In a Grade 1 lesson, students were insecure in their
concept of subtraction because they received inaccurate teaching. Grade 3 and 4
students know the vocabulary of angles. Grade 9 students have acceptable
knowledge of trigonometry when finding angles of elevation and depression. More
able students in Grade 11 can find domains of functions and in Grade 12 students have
good knowledge of derivatives of trigonometric functions.
Attainment and progress in science is good in the middle and high school and
acceptable in KG and primary. Achievement in science increases over time, including
for SEN students, who are supported effectively by shadow teachers. Teacherstudent interactions in science are such that students feel at ease to ask questions,
engage in dialogue, take on leadership roles in paired/group arrangements, conduct
investigations and experiments, and construct scientific models. Information
technology skills are strongest in the high school where a focus and redesign of the
curriculum now offers integrated application. American social studies and art provide
outcomes that are at least in line with curricular expectations.
Most students are willing learners, follow teachers instructions and complete work
set. They are comfortable in using technology to apply their skills learned in lessons.
Critical thinking and problem solving skills and the application of innovation practices
are still to become an embedded experience for all students, particularly in the
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primary and middle schools. Their application is held back by teachers neither
providing the opportunity to explore these skills, nor providing the correct
scaffolding and lesson structure to do so.

Performance Standard 2: Students personal and social development,

and their innovation skills
Students personal and social development, and
their innovation skills Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Personal development

Good

Good

Good

Good

Understanding of Islamic values and awareness of

Emirati and world cultures

Good

Good

Good

Good

Social responsibility and innovation skills

Good

Good

Good

Good

Almost all students behave respectfully and have a positive attitude to one another.
They are keen to learn, happy, enthusiastic and enjoy school. School leaders model
very good inter-personal relationships and this is reflected by a good rapport between
all members of the school community that promotes the welcoming school ethos.
Attendance is very good at 97% and punctuality to lessons is also very good, resulting
in continuity of learning and little wasted time at the start of lessons.
Students say they feel safe, valued and supported by their teachers, as do the parents.
Only a few students miss physical education lessons and many participate in a range
of additional extra-curricular activities in sport. A proactive approach by the student
council to improve, develop and promote healthy lifestyles by providing better
choices of food and drink in the canteens is being implemented. This demonstrates
opportunities for leadership development and offers ownership and empowerment
to the student body. In the best lessons, a similar approach is used to offer more
ownership of learning.
Students have a clear understanding of Islamic values and UAE heritage and culture.
Students have good interpersonal skills and a willingness to undertake and be
involved in many charitable, community and celebratory activities. They can discuss
contemporary UAE and contrast and compare the past to the present situation,
including the impact of environmental sustainability. The school is part of an ADEC
sponsored environmental project resulting in the greening of the school and use of
solar panels.
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Performance Standard 3: Teaching and Assessment

Teaching and Assessment Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Teaching for effective learning

Good

Good

Good

Good

Assessment

Good

Good

Good

Good

Most lessons observed were of at least an acceptable standard, with the large
minority deemed good or better. A few lessons were weak and these were mainly in
the primary and middle school. In the majority of lessons, students have a positive
attitude to learning, they are well behaved and listen to the teachers. When given the
opportunity they are responsible and work well independently, as they do in KG,
primary and the middle school. In the high school, there is sufficient challenge in most
lessons for students to fully develop their problem solving, higher order and critical
thinking skills. The needs of SEN and the most able students are not consistently met.
Most teachers have secure subject knowledge so that students learning is accurate.
Lesson planning uses a common template. Most plans identify learning objectives and
expected outcomes, which are usually shared with students so they are aware of
what they are to learn. Teacher training and other school improvement approaches
have, in the main, been implemented at the start of this academic year and need time
to embed in practice. Teachers receive regular and focused continual professional
development (CPD) and this supports their ongoing improvement.
In the most effective lessons, teachers use questions to challenge students to think
deeply and enable them to explain their thoughts in depth. Teachers check on
students understanding and adjust or re-frame the explanation to ensure most
students can make progress. Leaders are very clear about the schools strengths and
areas for improvement. CPD and coaching are having a positive impact on classroom
skills. Where teaching is not consistently good, teachers are not sufficiently
competent in developing students independence or ensuring differentiation is
effectively deployed for all students, including those with SEN and the very able.
Teachers do not always ensure students converse in English to develop their
vocabulary and presentation skills. The over use of collaborative activities does not
ensure that all students participate, have equitable talk time or all present ideas and
opinions.
The school has a robust internal system using formative and summative assessments
to monitor attainment and progress. Currently assessments for Grades 1 9 are
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internal and the school is developing the system to benchmark these against
international criteria. The school analyses the data effectively and identifies groups
and individuals who are at risk of not attaining their potential. In the KG and primary
phases, students make good use of rubrics to self-assess their work and plan their
progress. The quality and impact of marking in exercise books is inconsistent and the
presentation of work is acceptable. The use of innovation skills, higher order
reasoning, investigation and enquiry is best developed in KG and the high school.

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 school follows the American Common Core Curriculum. It has a clear rationale, is
broad and balanced and develops relevant skills and knowledge. The curriculum
design has undergone a number of changes over the past two years and remains an
area of focus to ensure that it is modified as and where appropriate. For example, at
the beginning of the academic year the school felt that students progress in English
was hindered by weak reading skills. They added a reading programme to increase
reading and comprehension skills. The curriculum committee meets every week to
discuss the impact curriculum has on teaching and learning. This is informed by
regular evaluation and feedback from teachers, parents and students. The curriculum
is adequately modified to meet the needs of SEN and the very able students. This is
not always evident in the delivery of all lessons.
The progression within curricula delivery ensures students are adequately prepared
for their next stages of learning. Leaders from all phases meet to make sure the
transition of students from one phase to another is smooth. In the higher grades
students meet regularly with university counsellors. Cross-curricular links are a key
feature in the school, particularly between English, science social studies and Islamic
education. ICT is increasingly effectively utilised in lessons.
Students speak highly of the extra-curricular activities. There are many opportunities
to engage in activities that promote creativity and social interaction across the
curriculum, including some specifically created to support innovation e.g. robotics
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club. The variety of extra-curricular activities enable all students to participate.

Students take part in a number of competitions locally and at a national level, and
have plans for international engagement.
The curriculum includes programmes that effectively develop students knowledge,
understanding and appreciation of the heritage of the UAE. It has many links to the
local community and UAE heritage embedded within the scheme of teaching. In
lessons, students are able to discuss the difference between the old ways of
communications and present developments.

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

of students
The protection, care, guidance and support of
students Indicators

KG

Primary

Middle

High

Health and safety, including arrangements for

child protection/ safeguarding

Good

Very Good

Very Good

Very Good

Care and support

Good

Good

Good

Very Good

This large school benefits significantly from very effective systems to ensure safety,
well-being of students which results in smooth day to day running. Child protection
policy and procedures are a high priority and an integral part of all new staff training.
Updates for all staff are given at the beginning of, and throughout the year. Staff are
fully conversant with the procedures to be followed if they have concerns.
Site security is good throughout the day. The school is kept very clean and tidy and
students are developing their responsibility in supporting this, through the house
system and student council. Proactive and thorough approaches to school health and
safety arrangements are very good. All emergency equipment, staff training and
evacuation procedures are in place with very good documentation to support them.
The site is accessible by all students via ramps and elevators to upper floors. They
have access to spacious canteens in each block where food is served in very hygienic
conditions. Displays around the school promote healthy eating, and the school
council have taken the initiative to improve the provision of healthy food for purchase
in the canteen.
Relationships are very strong across the school between peers and with staff.
Attendance and punctuality is very good, mainly due to a rigorous attendance
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management procedure and lessons becoming more interesting. Identification of

students with special educational needs (SEN) and those deemed gifted and talented
(G&T) is good. There is appropriate support for SEN students and some external
opportunities for G&T students to participate in. Students are nurtured in the older
grades to help them make informed choices about their next phase of education,
training or employment. support

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

Good

Governance

Good

Management, staffing, facilities and resources

Good

School leaders have a strong sense of purpose and are making rapid, effective change.
Leaders at all levels know the strengths and areas for improvement and their areas of
responsibility. There is a strong drive for improvement and change, coupled with high
expectations, to align both curricula and teaching to the needs, interests and
aspirations of students.
The board of trustees offers significant support to the leadership of the school,
developed through very well qualified and experienced personnel. They have
conducted a skills audit to ensure current members can adequately meet the
demands of the new inspection framework. Trustees are well informed and take an
active role through committee structures. Through trusting, supportive and exacting
relationships, trustees have invested heavily in the new SLT structure, further middle
leadership staffing, and incisive improvements to buildings maintenance, health,
safety and security.
Communication with all members of the school community are effective, ensuring the
very smooth running of the school on a day to day basis; all contributing to the warm
and welcoming ethos. Relationships between students and staff are very positive.
Teachers support one another very well and are keen to improve their practice:
welcoming peer observations, critical appraisal and the opportunity to participate and
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learn from professional development opportunities. Teachers receive focused,

personal CPD through an effective performance management process. Regular
evaluation of the impact of the curriculum, performance data and lesson observations
by school leaders effectively targets additional support to teachers aiding their
performance.
School self-evaluation processes make robust and accurate use of assessment
information in all subjects and set clear priorities for improvement planning. Systems
recently adopted are very effective in measuring attainment and progress of
individual students and how different groups are performing. The e-portfolios used
with grades 11 & 12 show an innovative approach to students taking more
responsibility for their learning and identifying their own next steps. Teachers have
instant access to assessment tracking data and one to one communication with
students. The development of the school improvement plan is inclusive; devised by all
school staff through separate committee structures. Actions, priorities and success
criteria are well written and form the basis of regular monitoring and appropriate
adjustments.
The Parent Association Committee provides a helpful sounding board to the
development of school activities and functions. The school utilises many
opportunities to engage with the local community and builds constructive
relationships with organisations that help students prepare and be better informed
about their next stage of education, training or employment.

What the school should do to improve further:

1.

Continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning and ensure

consistency across all phases and classes by:
i. ensuring teachers are given precise and accurate targets for
improving their practice through more focused lesson observations
and are held accountable for swifter improvement
ii. providing students with more opportunities to develop personal
learning and thinking skills, leadership capacities and engage more in
entrepreneurial and enterprise activities within lessons
iii. ensuring all teachers understand the effective use of differentiation
by pitching work accurately to the needs and interests of all groups
of students, particularly SEN and G&T students.
2. Ensure that assessment of attainment and progress is benchmarked against
external standardised criteria for all grades and subjects.
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