Performance of Indian Schools in Dubai 2014-2015 Inspection Finding Key Findings Report - Dubai Private Schools | Page 24

7 years on... Inspecting for school improvement: A collaborative journey

The quality of assessment
Improvement in Assessment
The quality of assessment was judged to be good
or outstanding in 52% of the schools inspected this
academic year, compared to 24% of schools in the first
cycle of inspections. Notwithstanding this significant
improvement in practice, there is still much to be done in many
schools.

24%
20082009

20142015

52%

Good and outstanding
assessment

Assessment for Learning
All of Dubai’s private schools conduct assessments of learning, but only a minority
of schools conduct assessment for learning. In other words, too many schools
only test what students have learned to establish how well they have done.
In schools where assessment is judged as good or better, it is more likely that
students’ learning is assessed on an ongoing basis so that teachers can make adjustments to
the curriculum and their teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students.

External and International Assessments
Almost all private schools use external or international assessments at the end of
the primary or elementary years and at the end of the secondary or
middle school years. In schools where assessment is judged
as good or outstanding, it is more likely that teachers
make use of external or international assessments at various
stages across the age-groups to ensure that accurate, reliable
and valid assessment information is available to them.
This assessment information is usually diagnostic, in that
it points out specific gaps in students’ knowledge and
skills in the area being assessed. Teachers can therefore
use this information to amend the curriculum content
and their teaching approaches to ensure that these
gaps in knowledge and skills are successfully addressed.
Furthermore, students, parents and
teachers can be confident in the quality
of learning because they know that it
measures well against external and
international standards.

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