Al Dhafra Private Schools, Abu Dhabi
Surrounded by the oil and gas industry in a climate of technological and innovative endeavour, Al Dhafra Private Schools, Abu Dhabi has a proud history of providing high quality education to their students, who originate from the United Arab Emirates or other regions of the Middle East. The school has over 1300 students and an impressive record of a 100% acceptance rate for their Grade 12 students by universities, both in the UAE and across the world. Al Dhafra is a US College Board testing centre, hosting PSAT, SAT and AP examinations, to its own students and other children from their local community.
David Evans is an inspirational and successful school leader with a proven track record in delivering outstanding educational outcomes and learning experiences for students. As a passionate educator with significant international experience in US, IB and UK curriculum schools, he possesses a wealth of knowledge, experience, and skills to help prepare students and teachers to thrive, in a rapidly changing and technologically focused world.
Having spent two decades developing the use of music technology in high schools in Manchester, England, David then moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2011, to witness first-hand the innovative technological innovation taking place across the country’s private schools. Since that time, he has successfully led and developed the use of digital technologies and STEM practices, in schools located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Curriculum Development
Al Dhafra’s “STEM Journey” developed from a long-standing tradition of their graduating students pursuing science, math, and technology majors at university. These traditions evolved further, with the introduction of more innovative, cross-curricular teaching and learning approaches, as promoted by the local education authority, Abu Dhabi Education and Knowledge (ADEK).
Today, all students at Al Dhafra experience an enhanced educational experience, since the expansion of the curriculum to include subjects such as STEM robotics. Furthermore, the curriculum-wide focus on sustainability, innovation and technology has helped prepare the students for life beyond their secondary education, as further supported by bespoke high school academic pathways, including AP courses in Biology, Calculus, Physics and Computer Principles.
Digital Strategy & Extra-Curricular Dimensions
Recent curriculum developments in STEM and robotics benefitted from a solid foundation in digital practices, led by the school’s Head of IT, Ziyad Ashour. Under his leadership the school’s digital strategy has facilitated the students’ use of 1:1 devices from Grades 3 to 12, which effectively supported the development of programming and coding skills, which are now being effectively used in lessons and extra-curricular activities. Al Dhafra students’ skills and abilities are also evident in their successful participation in IT competitions, where students have consistently won events in the SWIFT Student Challenge coding competition, Inspiring the Next Generation of Makers, and the Unmanned System Exhibition event.
Today the students engage in a curriculum that systematically integrates content across all STEM disciplines. The children participate in STEM processes and practices, including design thinking processes and engineering design. One example of this is the Mubarnij 50 where Gifted and Talented students designed and built their own robots, to participate in a highly challenging competition against other UAE schools.
Sustainability Through STEM
Building sustainable futures has been a worldwide focus during recent years, and Dubai’s hosting of EXPO 2020 and COP28 provided UAE students with a multitude of innovative activities which have then inspired educational opportunities within schools. Al Dhafra recently joined The Alliance of Sustainable Schools (TASS) and the schoolwide focus on sustainability inspired some exciting STEM initiatives. One example was when our students designed an app for the iOS Design Challenge to promote and support sustainability, combining personal and social development with STEM practices.
Leading Professional Learning
Al Dhafra staff are involved in an extensive, weekly professional development program, which has helped to develop teaching practices and curriculum development. This has been supplemented by additional robotics training provided by Mr Robert Widger of ‘Shape Robotics” on how to use the fable robots and further develop their STEM curriculum. Robert has provided a coaching and support program, enabling primary class teachers and secondary science, math and IT specialists to expand their teaching practices, to deliver innovative and effective STEM Robotics lessons to elementary and middle school children. The teachers have aligned their courses to adopted and recognized sets of standards and benchmarks, including the Virginia standards and NGSS. The school’s STEM curriculum is organized around real-life, interdisciplinary, problem-based and project-based units of study. The results have been impressive!
Today the students engage in authentic inquiry, through systematically planned and implemented project-based units of study. They work collaboratively to complete rigorous tasks, including problem identification, investigation, and analysis. Students have opportunities to be critical and creative thinkers and are encouraged to be owners and managers of their own STEM learning experiences.
Learning Skills
Whilst learning exciting cross curricular approaches involving STEM it has been important that the children understood the purpose of their learning and the values which a STEM curriculum can support. The “Al Dhafra Learner Profile” is an innovative set of 11 competences which are connected to all lessons in the school. These range from “leader” to “reflective” and “caring”, and by linking the learner profile to the school curriculum our students have developed a real sense of purpose to some of their STEM projects. Additionally, students have embraced opportunities to be critical and creative thinkers and are encouraged to be owners and managers of their own STEM learning experiences. Every day the children communicate their learning on the school’s social media platforms, which has helped them practice their English speaking skills. This is extremely important as for nearly all Al Dhafra students English is their second language, and by supporting literacy across the curriculum the school has been able to raise standards related to the use of English language. Likewise the science fairs which take place in the school’s multi-purpose theatre allow for the children to explain their projects to other students and parents, again reinforcing essential communication skills and language development.
Excellence through Partnerships
Al Dhafra has adopted a systematic approach to partnership with a diverse group of community organizations, including local businesses, STEM practitioners, and institutions of higher education. The school leaders proactively seek, and consistently receive, resources and support from STEM partners to improve STEM teaching and learning. The universities in the UAE are extremely proactive and keen to support educational transition, from high school into their institutions. They regularly visit the school to meet with the students and provide advice about preparing for life at university, whilst also explaining the courses which they are offering. Likewise, the students also visit the universities to explore their campuses, meet the staff and participate in academic events and subject specific bootcamps, in subjects such as physics and engineering. These partnerships have been key to supporting excellent preparation for the next stage of the students’ educational journey.
Another example of a successful partnership has been our school’s partnership with the US Curriculum accreditation body, Cognia. Cognia defines continuous improvement as “an embedded behaviour rooted in an institution’s culture that constantly focuses on conditions, processes, and practices to improve teaching and learning.”
Cognia accreditation is a continuous improvement process that helps an institution improve teaching and learning. Using their Performance Standards, the institution examines its current effectiveness as well as its capacity and capability to achieve its vision and goals for the future. Cognia also recently introduced additional, specialist accreditation awards, in addition to its established school engagement reviews.
The Cognia Engagement Review visit focuses on 4 key characteristics which are as follows:
- Culture of Learning
- Leadership for Learning
- Engagement of Learning
- Growth in Learning
Al Dhafra was delighted to receive the news recently of the school’s highest ever Index of Educational Quality score (IEQ) which was 379 out of a possible 400 points. This resulted in the school achieving the accolade of being a 2024 “School of Distinction”. Talking about the experience, Vice Principal, Sara Noble said, “As a school committed to excellence, earning the School of Distinction Award is a testament to our dedication to providing high-quality education and creating an environment of innovation. We are so proud of our staff and students as we prepare our students for future success in a rapidly evolving world.”
Cognia’s STEM accreditation also provided an excellent framework to review and further develop STEM practices in the school, and Al Dhafra was delighted to be the first school in Abu Dhabi to successfully achieve this extra layer of curriculum accreditation, whilst using the experience to target areas for further growth.
Al Dhafra’s partnership with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) provides students with diverse opportunities to enhance their education and future careers. The ADNOC Outreach Program engages students in grades 7-12 through school visits, promoting ADNOC as a leading career destination. The Elite RO’YA Program offers a 2-year professional development experience for grade 10 students, focusing on leadership and business skills. The Work Placement Program provides hands-on internship experiences, while the Young Coders Program equips youth with foundational coding skills. Scholarships are available for top universities, and the Fresh Graduate Program offers training and career development for Emirati graduates.
Al Dhafra students have access to a diverse range of internships that cater to various interests and needs. Opportunities include doctor job shadowing at Health Point Hospital, providing hands-on exposure to the healthcare field, and the Fall 2024 Engineering Shadow Program at the College of Engineering (CEN) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) for aspiring engineers. Additionally, ADNOC offers specialized internships for students with special needs, ensuring inclusivity and professional growth. Students can also explore internships at Abu Dhabi University and gain industry experience through Al Masaood Energy’s partnership with ADIPEC. These internships provide valuable real-world experience and professional insights.
Next Steps
Moving forward, Al Dhafra intends to establish additional connections within the community and partner with establishments or agencies. Such partnerships have the potential to benefit the school, particularly in terms of field trips and internships to promote students’ experiences in STEM environments, whilst preparing their students for an exciting and innovative future.
