Outstanding schools revealed in Abu Dhabi

The highest rankings for Abu Dhabi's private schools in the fourth round of inspections conducted by Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) were revealed this week. 
The four schools, which received the "outstanding" rating, were Al Mushrif Primary, Al Bateen Secondary School, Al Muna Primary School, Bloom Academy, as well as Raha International Schools. 
ADEC announced that as part of the fourth round of private school checks, in total 110 out of the 186 schools were inspected in the Capital, and 74 per cent had a satisfactory to high-performing ratings. 
As well as the four "outstanding" schools, 12 achieved a rating of "very good" by the authority, while 27 received a "good" rating. Moreover, 38 schools were judged to have an "acceptable" standards, 23 as "weak" and the rating of "very weak" was given to six of the school. 
31 of the inspected schools are American curriculum, 27 are Ministry of Education curriculum, 25 are British curriculum, 11 offer Indian curriculums, and 16 inspected schools offer other curriculums, including International Baccalaureate. 
Although a majority of the schools revealed remarkable progress, the authority however also noted that six schools had a "very weak" rating - four of which are located in Al Ain. 
ADEC noted that the ratings of 40 per cent of schools have however improved, although four schools require better standards. 
With over 236,000 students enrolled in private schools during the 2015-2016 academic year, much of which are expats, parents are urging other parents to carefully inspect schools, before choosing the right one for their children. 
British expat Kathryn Simms, who moved to the Capital five years ago, has two daughters studying at Raha International School, which was among the four that received the "outstanding" rating. 
The 40-year-old mother highlighted that it is crucial for parents to study the school, especially those that are new to the country. 
"Look at the inspection report to evaluate the strength and weakness of schools prior to making a choice." 
"It's also important to speak to other parents who have kids at the schools you are looking into." 
She noted that her husband's early arrival in the UAE also helped the family choose the school wisely. 
"He arrived in UAE before me, so he looked at the school and spoke to other parents." 
"The school offers a parent team, which allows the school to connect with every new coming family, and this makes our community stronger." 
Simms noted that she noticed the school had a strong reputation back in the UK, which made her feel at ease. 
"I chose this school because of its quality and the way the International Baccalaureate is run." 
She pointed out that it is also vital for expat parents to have their child involved with different cultures and nationalities. 
"The school has 86 different nationalities, so I wanted my children to have a fully international experience." 
"It is a three way process, which involved the students, the parents and the schools. This is what helps make a stronger community." 
Eight-year-old Rebecca, who is studying at the same school, highlighted on the notion that the school teaches kids how vital it is to focus on reading books, despite modern times and technology. 
"I really like the way the teachers help us with in-home reading. They also allow us to take books home and return them later," noted the eight year old. 
The fourth round of inspections in private schools, which takes place every two years, will continue until the upcoming academic year. 
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com