ADEK’s 2025 Irtiqa’a inspections reveal 13 Outstanding schools and 23 are upgraded to Good
Private schools in Abu Dhabi continue to demonstrate year-on-year progress, with the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) announcing the results of its most recent Irtiqa’a inspections.
According to ADEK’s latest inspections, the overall breakdown of private school performance in Abu Dhabi is as follows:
- 13 schools rated Outstanding
- 51 schools rated Very Good
- 93 schools rated Good
- 42 schools rated Acceptable
- 5 schools rated Weak
Within this overall picture, 13 schools achieved the highest grade of Outstanding.
The 13 Outstanding Abu Dhabi schools
This year, 13 private schools achieved the highest possible Outstanding rating, representing a cross-section of British, American, Canadian, and International Baccalaureate curricula.
Outstanding-rated schools in Abu Dhabi (2025):
- American Community School of Abu Dhabi (ACS) (American)
- Bateen World Academy, Aldar Education (IB)
- Brighton College Al Ain (British)
- British International School Abu Dhabi (BIS Abu Dhabi) Nord Anglia (British/IBDP)
- British School Al Khubairat (BSAK) (British)
- Canadian International School (Alberta Curriculum)
- Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, Aldar Education (British)
- Merryland International School (MIS) (British)
- Muna British Academy, Aldar Education (British)
- Repton Foundation School, Cognita (British)
- Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Boys (American + MoE)
- Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls (American + MoE)
- Yasmina British Academy, Aldar Education (British)
These schools represent the very highest standards in ADEK’s framework, excelling in teaching quality, leadership, student achievement, and wellbeing.
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23 schools improve to Good
Alongside the Outstanding ratings, ADEK confirmed that 23 private schools improved from Acceptable to Good within the same inspection cycle — an encouraging sign for families across the emirate.
Schools rated Good meet the minimum UAE standard and are free from restrictions on expansion and Emirati enrolment. The steady rise in schools reaching this level underlines the impact of ADEK’s regulatory oversight and school support measures.
The 23 schools that improved to Good are:
- Zakher Private School
- Pakistan Community Welfare School
- Australian School of Abu Dhabi
- Emirates Future International Academy
- Horizon Private School (MoE) – Khalifa
- Emirates National Schools – Al Nahyan
- Islamiya English School
- Model Private School
- Vision Private School
- Ain Al Khaleej Private School
- Al Ain Juniors School
- Baraem Al Ain Private Schools – Muwaiji
- New Indian Model School
- Pakistani Islamic Private School
- Asian International Private School – Madinat Zayed
- Abu Dhabi Island International Private School
- Shining Star International School
- Al Muneera Private School
- Al Manara Private School – MBZ
- Al Shohub Private School
- Future Leaders International Private School – Madinat Zayed
- American National School
- Al Maharat Private School
What is ADEK’s Irtiqa’a programme?
Irtiqa’a (Arabic for “aspiration”) is ADEK’s school inspection framework, part of the UAE Unified School Inspection Framework. It evaluates private schools every two years across six standards and 17 performance indicators.
Schools are rated on a six-point scale: Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak, and Very Weak.
Good is the minimum standard expected for all UAE schools. Schools rated below this level face restrictions, such as limits on expansion and the enrolment of new Emirati students, until improvements are verified.
The six inspection standards are:
- Students’ achievement
- Personal and social development, including innovation skills
- Teaching and assessment
- Curriculum
- Care, guidance, and student support
- Leadership and management
According to ADEK, the programme ensures accountability and provides parents with transparent information while “raising the bar for all learners.”
What this means for parents
For Abu Dhabi families, the findings offer reassurance. Not only is the number of Outstanding schools growing, but more schools are reaching the Good standard, expanding the pool of quality education options across the emirate.
With clear benchmarks and transparent reporting, parents now have a broader range of quality choices — and inspection results demonstrate an upward trajectory year after year across Abu Dhabi’s private schools.
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