Private School

Inspection Report

GEMS Winchester School, Abu Dhabi

Academic Year 2016 2017

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 GEMS Winchester School, Abu Dhabi

Inspection Date October 24, 2016 to October 27, 2016

Date of previous inspection March 1, 2015 to March 4, 2015

General Information Students

Total number of
School ID 230 1222
students

%of students per Main Curriculum 100%

Opening year of
2013 curriculum (if
school Other Curriculum ----
applicable)
KG 195
Number of students Primary: 823
Principal Nigel Cropley
in other phases Middle: 204
High: 0

School telephone +971 (0)2 403 5499 Age range 4 to 15 years

Al Danah, Al Falah Street, Grades or Year

School Address Foundation Stage to Year 9
Abu Dhabi Groups

GEMS.Winchester@adec.ac
Official email (ADEC) Gender Boys and girls
.ae

gemswinchesterschool- % of Emirati
School website 2%
abudhabi.com Students
1.Pakistani 20%
Fee ranges (per Low to average: Largest nationality
2.Indian 19%
annum) (AED 16,800 to AED 23,100) groups (%)
3.Egyptian 12%
Licensed Curriculum Staff
National Curriculum for
Main Curriculum Number of teachers 74
England
Other Curriculum Number of teaching
---- 20
(if applicable) assistants (TAs)
External Exams/ Global Learning progress Teacher-student KG/ FS 1:25
Standardised tests tests ratio Other phases 1:30

Accreditation ---- Teacher turnover 24%

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 Introduction
Inspection activities
Number of inspectors 5
deployed

Number of inspection days 4

Number of lessons observed 129

Number of joint lesson 23

observations
Number of parents
500; response rate: 50%
questionnaires
Inspectors held discussions with representatives of the
owners, the governing body, principal, senior
managers, teachers and other members of staff,
Details of other inspection
children, students and parents. They reviewed a wide
activities
range of school documentation and students
coursework. They observed assemblies, school
activities, arrivals, departures and intervals.

School
Aims and objectives: Offer an appropriate and relevant
curriculum aligned to the National Curriculum for
England and in support of the National Agenda. Ensure
access to learning for all students. Encourage students
to achieve their potential and beyond. Create a safe and
nurturing environment. Develop positive relationships
with all stakeholders. Encourage students to
School Aims
demonstrate the entrepreneurial attributes of
determination to succeed, risk taking, team work,
discipline and creativity. To work in partnership with
parents to deliver the best education possible for their
children. To encourage diversity, in an environment of
mutual respect. To encourage a sense of belonging for
students, parents and staff.

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 Our vision, as a community, is to inspire a passion for
lifelong learning. This will enable out students to
choose their successful pathway and enable them to
contribute to the local and global society.

Winchester School Abu Dhabi will provide every child

with a school experience that is meaningful. We will
School vision and mission instil the desire to learn so that children develop a deep
understanding and the skills necessary for the 21st
century. We will educate every child to accept the
responsibilities of citizenship and develop their
leadership skills by encouraging them to demonstrate
entrepreneurial attributes. It will encourage all
students to be the best you can.

The school operates a non-selective admission policy.

Admission Policy Students are tested on entry using the Cognitive Ability
Tests (CATs) to assess their needs.

Ownership is by Premier Schools International LLC

GEMS Education. Governance is by a corporate body
the local Board of Governors which was formed in
September 2016 and has met once. The Board
Leadership structure
comprises the Chair, parent governor, principal, vice
(ownership, governance and
principal from another GEMS school, and a corporate
management)
member from GEMs. The leadership team comprises
the principal, vice principal, three assistant principals
and the head of Arabic subjects. Middle leadership
comprises 20 team leaders and heads of department.

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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 1 0

Specific Learning Disability 1 0

Emotional and Behaviour

1 0
Disorders (ED/ BD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder
0 0
(ASD)
Speech and Language
0 0
Disorders
Physical and health related
7 2
disabilities

Visually impaired 0 0

Hearing impaired 0 0

Multiple disabilities 0 0

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

Number of students
G&T Category
identified

Intellectual ability 0

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

21
languages)

Social maturity and leadership 0

Mechanical/ technical/ technological ingenuity 0

Visual and performing arts (e.g. art, theatre, recitation) 0

Psychomotor ability (e.g. dance or sport) 0

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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 quality of performance is good. Students make good progress in all
subjects. Senior leaders have managed successfully the significant growth of the
school in the last three years. They have ensured that the large number of students
arriving in all year groups have integrated well. New teachers become established
quickly due to the effective support they receive. The quality of teaching has
improved. As a result, students academic outcomes and their learning skills, such
as the ability to collaborate, are developing well. Students behave well around the
school and relationships with adults are positive. Parents benefit from regular and
informative communications. They contribute well to their childrens learning and
take part in school life. Older students make innovative use of handheld
technology. This is an area of best practice and, together with the wide and rich
curriculum, helps to motivate students to learn. To improve further, the school
recognises the need to promote English language skills more, to ensure higher
attaining students are consistently challenged, and to promote students
independence and leadership.
Progress made since last inspection and capacity to improve
The school has made good progress in all areas. The quality of teaching is now
consistently good or better. Academic progress has improved for all groups.
Leaders have developed a comprehensive system to monitor students attainment
and progress. They now routinely monitor information to assess the impact of
teaching. Effective and prompt support is now provided to ensure students
progress is accelerated. Leaders have instigated self-evaluation and development
planning procedures which include all stakeholders. These, together with very
recent strengthening of governance, underpin the schools good capacity to secure
further improvements.
Development and promotion of innovation skills
The school is integrating innovative learning technologies and methods in lessons.
This is most noticeable in the middle school where students bring their own tablets
and portable computers. They have access to carefully chosen on-line resources
which encourage them to collaborate and present their learning to the class using
large displays. Teachers publish learning resources on the schools learning
platform for students and parents to access at home. The curriculum is broader and
now includes an enrichment programme which includes an environment group and
computer programing. Innovation is contributing to improved progress and
attainment.

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The inspection identified the following as key areas of strength:
students progress in all subjects and their attainment in Islamic education,
Arabic and social studies
relationships between students and the respect they have for their teachers
and other adults
teaching that develops students academic knowledge and collaboration
skills
a wide and rich curriculum which includes innovative learning technologies
improvements made to the school by leaders since the previous inspection,
and communication with parents.

The inspection identified the following as key areas for improvement:

the need to improve the contribution all areas of the curriculum make to
promoting students English language skills
the need to provide work and activities that challenge highly achieving
students to achieve their full potential
the need to increase opportunities students have to develop leadership
skills and plan their own learning.

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Performance Standard 1: Students Achievement

Students achievement Indicators KG Primary Middle High

Attainment N/A Good Good

Islamic
Education
Progress N/A Good Good

Attainment N/A Good Good

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

Arabic Attainment N/A Acceptable Acceptable

(as a Second
Language) Progress N/A Good Good

Attainment N/A Good Good

Social Studies
Progress N/A Good Good

Attainment Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

English
Progress Good Good Good

Attainment Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Mathematics
Progress Good Good Good

Attainment Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

Science
Progress Good Good Good

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

Other subjects Attainment Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

(Art, Music, PE)

Progress Good Good Good

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

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Students progress is good in all phases and subjects. Continuous assessment data
confirms that progress is good in all Arabic language subjects and the majority of
students attain above curriculum expectations. Most students join the school with
skills and knowledge in English subjects that are below curriculum expectations for
their age, but progress well to attain expected curriculum levels. This represents good
progress from low starting points. For example, by the end of Year 2, most attain level
2b or higher in English, mathematics and science. The majority of the 600 students
who join the school in other year groups have skills and knowledge below age
expectations when they begin. By Year 6, most then attain appropriate standards in
all of the core English language subjects. Overall, all groups of students, including
those with special educational needs (SEN) or who are gifted and talented (G&T)
make similarly good progress. Occasionally, a few higher attaining students make less
progress in individual lessons when work is too easy.

Attainment and progress are good in Islamic education following recent

improvement. By Year 2, for example, most students can recite Surat Al Feel by heart
and explain its meaning. By Year 6, most talk knowledgeably about how to protect
the privacy and dignity of other people and can recite verses from the Holy Quran
fluently following correct recitation rules. This good progress continues and, by Year
9, most students can differentiate between Halal and Haram ways of living and how
they affect the social and economic aspects of societies.

Overall, students make good progress in Arabic lessons. Attainment is good for
students who have Arabic as their first language and acceptable for the minority who
are second language learners, who enter the school with low skills and knowledge.
For example, in the primary school, most first language students can recognise vowel
and consonant formations, they can read simple words and have clear handwriting.
Most second language students in Year 4 can name animals and write short
descriptions about them. In the middle phase, attainment improves and almost all
first language students can understand long texts and explain their meanings. They
use Al Modhaf and Al Modhaf Eleh in sentences. Most second language students in
Year 9 can use a wide range of vocabulary to write meaningful sentences. The majority
can form a short paragraph. This represents good level of progress.

Attainment and progress in social studies are good. By Year 2, most students can
name and describe animals in the UAE and their habitats. By Year 5, student
attainment improves and most can describe historical and contemporary UAE life and
link this with culturally important artefacts displayed in the schools heritage tent. By
Year 9, almost all students can explain global economic systems and actively research
and present their learning using technology.

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In English, students attainment is acceptable and progress is good. Robust, externally
benchmarked assessments confirm that most students attain in line with curriculum
expectations representing good progress from low starting points. For example,
most foundation stage children can make simple marks representing letters and they
can repeat songs in English. By the end of the primary phase, most can speak fluently
in English at an appropriate level and express opinions. Writing is less well developed
than reading. By the end of the middle phase, students have acquired good spoken
English and can write longer pieces in different genres.

Overall attainment is acceptable and progress is good in mathematics. External

assessments show that, overall, most students achieve curriculum expectations,
showing good progress from their low starting points. By the end of foundation stage,
most children can count to ten in English and write single digit numbers. By Year 6,
most have progressed to being able to use the four rules of number using double
digits, and they can compare proper and improper fractions. By the end of the middle
school, most use a range of mathematical functions confidently including, for
example, working with geometry.

In science, attainment is acceptable and progress is good. Benchmarked assessments

for 2016 confirm that, overall, most students achieved expected curriculum levels.
This demonstrates good progress over time. In the foundation stage, for example,
most children can identify simple properties of solids and liquids such as sand and
water. By Year 6, most students know the properties of mirrors and can explain
reflection. This good progress is maintained through middle school. For example, by
Year 9 almost all students can describe transpiration and its role in plant growth.

Across the school, attainment is acceptable and progress is good in other subjects.
For example in music by Year 3, most students know the designations of different
lengths of notes and understand time signatures. By Year 7 in information and
communication technology (ICT), most can use a programing language to create
animations and games. The range of other subjects includes French, where by Year 9
almost all can write postcards in French and hold conversations with each other.

The overall quality of students learning skills is broadly good, though there are few
inconsistencies and not all lessons encourage the use of the full range and set of skills.
Students have good collaboration skills and can solve problems together. They are
not consistent in initiating their own learning or working independently, although an
exception to this can be found in physical education (PE) where students lead the
learning and offer critical analysis of each others skills to suggest improvements.

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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 Good Good Good

Understanding of Islamic values and

Good Good Good
awareness of Emirati and world cultures

Social responsibility and innovation skills Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable

The overall quality of students personal and social development is good. Their social
responsibility and innovation skills are acceptable. Students demonstrate respect for
the diverse heritage and cultural backgrounds of each other and their teachers. They
respond well to the help and advice teachers and other adults give them. In class, their
good attitudes help lessons proceed smoothly and without interruption. Students are
punctual to school and lessons and attendance is good at 95%.

Students have a well-developed understanding of Islamic values and they

demonstrate this in their caring interactions and support for others. For example, they
help teachers prepare lessons, tidy resources away and contribute to clearing food
packaging in the canteen. Students have good knowledge and understanding of the
UAEs heritage and culture. In assemblies, for example, they sing the national anthem
enthusiastically and respect the flag. The student council leads celebrations of
nationally important events such as National Day and Martyr Day. Students also have
good knowledge and respect for other cultures from around the world.
Students enjoy taking leadership roles. The student council is well supported and
actively promotes social and charity fundraising events. For example, it organises a
talent show and collects food for charitable causes. The student council now meets
with school leaders to share ideas for school improvement. A good example of their
influence led to the enrichment programme being included in the school day to enable
all students to attend. Only a minority of students benefit from volunteering within
school and in the local community including, for example, by helping tend the school
garden and by reading with younger students. Their innovation skills are not yet
sufficiently well developed or applied in learning.

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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

Assessment Good Good Good

The overall quality of teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and
recent professional development has improved their understanding of how students
learn. Lead teachers provide effective support for new or less experienced colleagues
including by modelling teaching for others to watch. The schools lesson planning
template ensures that teachers prepare work at different levels, link learning to
relevant contexts and promote students learning skills. Work is generally well
matched to the learning needs of students though, occasionally, higher attaining
students are required to complete work that is too easy before they can progress to
more challenging tasks. Teaching encourages the skills of problem solving and
collaboration. For example, in mathematics, older students work in teams, using
handheld technology to research and prepare presentations about the academic
performance of different ethnicities. Teachers mostly use questions well to promote
academic learning and probe understanding. In the primary school, questions are not
yet promoting students English speaking skills fully because students have too few
opportunities to formulate longer answers. In the middle school, students are not
writing extensively enough to help improve their English writing skills.

Teachers and leaders have improved their use of attainment data to adapt teaching.
They regularly benchmark students attainment against national and international
standards. As a result, students receive early interventions to help them catch up and
teachers receive support when required. This is helping students accelerate their
learning. Teachers share objectives and aims with students at the start of lessons.
They provide regular oral feedback to help students understand their progress in
lessons. Frequent and informative marking helps students make improvements and
track their progress towards personal academic targets. Students themselves do not
have enough opportunities to reflect on their own progress and plan their own next
steps.

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Performance Standard 4: Curriculum

Curriculum Indicators KG Primary Middle High

Curriculum design and implementation Good Good Good

Curriculum adaptation Good Good Good

The quality of the curriculum planning and delivery is good and students are taught
the full range of subjects based on the English National Curriculum. The Ministry of
Education curriculum is taught for Arabic, Islamic education and UAE social studies
subjects. The curriculum has been extended through the addition of an enrichment
programme and an increased use of learning technologies. The senior leaders along
with the leaders of subjects, now review the curriculum three times per year by to
identify where improvements can be made. Knowledge and skills development
proceeds smoothly between year groups and phases.
Links to Emirati and UAE culture are well promoted, especially through Arabic
language subjects. Weekly themes encourage cross-curricular links and promote the
national agenda. A good example of this was healthy eating week which gave
students impetus in making wise food choices. Links between curriculum areas to
promote students writing skills are under-exploited.
Leaders have enriched the curriculum so that students now have regular
opportunities to choose between a wide range of additional learning including, for
example, Spanish, Arabic dance and Islamic drama. Effective use of handheld
technology has helped improve the engagement of older boys. Older students can
bring their own devices to school and use them in lessons. As a result, students are
developing valuable learning skills in using technology.
The curriculum has been modified to meet the needs of different groups of students.
Additional support is available for students who require it. For example, teaching
assistants support the learning of individual students in classrooms and students also
gain extra support in specialist rooms. Teachers lesson plans include extension tasks
for the higher attaining. Lesson plans often require students to start their learning
from the same level of difficulty. Occasionally this does not fully match the needs of
higher achieving students.

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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/ Good Good Good
safeguarding

Care and support Good Good Good

Arrangements for protection, care, guidance and support are good. Parents, students
and school staff are aware of the child protection procedures. Maintenance routines
are robust. The schools procedures to ensure safety on school transport are
appropriate. Specialist facilities are suitable and lifts and ramps enable physically
disabled students to be fully integrated into lessons and school life. Bullying is very
infrequent and, if it does occur, it is dealt with effectively.

Daily assemblies promote safeguarding and care messages. For example, they
promote healthy lifestyles and important information about how students can
contact adults for help and support. Posters around the school reinforce the schools
anti-bullying and behaviour codes. Students can use an innovative online system to
directly contact senior leaders if they feel unhappy. The school counsellor provides
effective emotional support. Students benefit from regular academic coaching with
tutors during the daily form periods.

The school uses formal testing to identify students who may have special educational
needs. Students receive good support in class and in specialist bases. Parents are fully
involved in developing support plans and these are distributed to teachers. The
school recognises the need to further improve procedures to identify and match
intervention strategies to meet the needs of students who are higher attaining or
gifted and talented. While the identification of these students is acceptable, this does
not lead to consistently effective provision which ensures they can achieve to their
full potential.

Regular communications with parents enable them to take an active role in

supporting academic progress and good learning behaviours. These communications
include newsletters and detailed termly formal reports. In the foundation stage,
teachers make innovative use of an online learning journal to inform and involve
parents in their childrens learning.

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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

Leadership and management are good. Effective senior leadership has led to
improvements in all areas of provision and students academic achievement. Senior
leaders, through their highly visible presence around the school, demonstrate
commitment to national priorities, role model best professional practices and
promote inclusion. A positive learning culture has been established and high
expectations are promoted consistently. For example, displays around the school
promote the importance of academic achievement and assemblies always end with a
rousing refrain of the schools motto. However, more able and gifted and talented
students are not always suitably stretched and challenged to enable them to employ
the full set of learning skills needed for their futures.

Self-evaluation and improvement planning are successful and embedded in all aspects
of the schools work. Staff are involved in the creation of the self-evaluation form
(SEF) and school development plan (SDP). Both of these are accurate and ambitious
documents. They make good use of robust sources of information and hold leaders
to account. In addition, subject leaders write their own development plans with their
teams. Parents and students have only recently begun to contribute to improvement
planning through the parents and students councils. School leaders canvass the
opinions of parents by using questionnaires and students views are beginning to be
taken into account to good effect. The newly formed local governing body has the
potential to add further capacity and is likely to complement the effective governance
already provided by the GEMS corporation.

Relationships with parents and the community are positive. Communications and
reporting arrangements are thorough and informative. The school has strong links
with other GEMS schools and this helps promote the sharing of best practice. Links
with other national and international communities are less well developed. Staffing
arrangements are well managed and the resources available to support learning are

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well developed. As a result, staff and students enjoy their time at school and learning
proceeds smoothly. Both staff and students are proud to be members of the school
community. The school runs smoothly on a daily basis and routines, accommodation
and resources are all well organised.

What the school should do to improve further:

1. Improve students English skills by ensuring that:
i. younger students are given more opportunities to formulate longer
spoken answers to questions using full sentences
ii. older students are expected to transfer their learning in English
between subjects more often and write more extensively across all
subjects.

2. Improve the progress and attainment of higher achieving students by

ensuring that:
i. activities are well matched to their individual needs and prior
attainment
ii. access to more challenging work is provided readily in all lessons.

3. Increase the opportunities for students to be innovative, to develop

leadership skills and to take responsibility for their own learning by:
i. implementing a whole-school planning approach for the promotion
of the full set of learning skills in all lessons
ii. enabling students to volunteer more within school and in the local
community
iii. ensuring students are helped to review their own progress, set
themselves challenging next steps and carry these out
independently.

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