Administrator ' s Corner
Figure 1 . Sources underpinning the CFE
that they can navigate these uncertain complex and yet exciting times with growing self-belief , resilience and resourcefulness . Over recent years , the mixed performance of UAE state school students in international tests adds to the case for accelerated change .
The CFE is based around five design principles .
1 . It is ambitious in setting high standards and offers a demanding set of quality indicators to inform evaluation .
2 . It is bespoke or tailored to the UAE , although informed by international research and evidence .
3 . It is inclusive in promoting practices to meet the needs of all students , including those of determination .
4 . It supports adaptability , for example , by enabling students to pursue different education options through
streams and academies . |
5 . And it is evidence-based in drawing |
on theory , research and first-hand |
experience to inform its ongoing |
monitoring , |
development |
and |
improvement . |
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The CFE content is informed by four main sources ( Figure 1 ):
First , the CFE draws on the experience and expertise within the UAE . This has been gleaned from stakeholder discussions , for example with subject specialists , school leaders and teachers , administrators , academics and senior policymakers , alongside findings from inspections , selfevaluation and commissioned reviews of the education systems ( e . g ., OECD , 2020 ). Second , the CFE contents are very much grounded in grassroot experiences of excellence gathered through lesson observations , both in face-to-face and , most recently , remote learning context . Findings from education research , both within the UAE and globally , represent a third major source . Nowadays , there is extensive evidence from metaanalyses ( e . g ., Hattie and Yates , 2013 ) and bodies such as the UK-based Education Endowment Foundation , which signify what works well in learning and teaching , including online contexts . And finally , short desktop reviews were conducted of the curricula in high-performing countries as well as those that have recently undergone curriculum reform e . g ., Ontario , Finland , Singapore , Australia , New Zealand , Wales and Northern Ireland .
Reflecting on these sources led to a theory of change which aims to achieve excellence in five broad interrelated goals . For simplicity , three of
Figure 2 CFE broad goals
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