Our challenge is to craft a culturally appropriate and effective school system which will serve the Emirate of Abu Dhabi into the foreseeable future.
The brief that we are working to has 43 KPIs covering all aspects of school activity. The brief places significant weighting (60%) on academic achievement. The success of our work is measured by a combination of external exam results and a monitoring visit by an independent agency. We have been entirely successful in meeting the KPI in our schools.
We are working in four schools. We have two boys’ schools and two girls’ schools. In each school we have a team leader and a team of advisors. The advisor team includes English, Math, ICT and Science Curriculum experts. In addition each team has an advisor focussed on Teaching and Learning, one on developing staff English Language capability and one focussed on Special Education needs. We employ a team of translators to assist the school teams with their communication with local staff.
Our general approach is founded on the belief that learning is a shared activity. Combined with mutual respect and professionally appropriate relationships this forms an effective student-centred approach. Students’ knowledge, skills and understanding combine with the teacher’s expertise to meet the students’ learning needs. This is supported by a well designed approach to assessment which is an integral component of a coherent educational experience.
The development of our Principals has been another important focus. It is clear that the effectiveness and leadership style of the Principal is critical to our success. We have made good progress in establishing a distributed leadership model. We are convinced that this is the leadership model most likely to ensure the sustainability of the changes we are helping the local staff to make.
For more information, please contact:
Mrs. Tina Blackaby
Regional Director, M.E.N.A.
Beaconhouse Education Services FZ LLC
Dubai Knowledge Village
Tel: +971 4 4484396
Fax: +971 4 454 1065