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The school's purpose, direction and decision-making is guided by clear guiding statements that are appropriate for the needs of all constituent groups.
Self Ratings: Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
Arabian Pearl Gulf School has a very clear mission and set of guiding statements that provide direction and purpose for the institution.
During the meeting with the leadership team, it was noted that the guiding statements are made available to all stakeholders. The school’s recently revised guiding statements encompass a clearly-stated mission, vision, and aims. Whilst noting the growing visibility of the guiding statements around the school, during the morning assemblies, classes, school events and celebrations, and the school website, the school understands that the task of embedding the guiding statements into the day-to-day life of the school remains work in progress.
Survey results confirm 88% of students either agree or strongly agree that they understand the school’s mission, vision and values.
Evidence of the guiding statements as reference points in decision-making was viewed through the strategic plan. The strategic plan and the operational plan provide strong evidence that the guiding statements are used to shape and inform decision-making in the school.
The school is making efforts to ensure the community has wider access to the guiding statements and other school reports and policies that echo the guiding statements through their school presentations and school reports.
Commendations
Domain A Standard 1 – The board of governors, head of school, and higher leadership team for their strong commitment to using the guiding statements as a key driver for strategic planning.
Recommendations: None
The school's Guiding Statements conform to the CIS Code of Ethics.
Self Ratings : Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
The school's guiding statements closely align to the CIS Code of Ethics. This alignment is explicitly referenced to striving for excellence, respect and dignity and developing global citizens.
Conversations with the leadership team, alongside the school’s reporting in relation to this standard, firmly positioned the school’s guiding statements are very well aligned with the CIS Code of Ethics.
All stakeholder groups are encouraged to contribute to being part of a respectful community, and therefore to act as a positive force within the broader school community.
Ethical treatment of all staff and students by the school is explicitly nurtured at all times and articulated by staff and faculty. There is a clear drive for excellence, within a caring and respectful community.
During conversations with the Domain A committee, the evaluators learned that respect is one of the top most values observed as part of the school’s guiding statements, as stated in the school’s report.
100% of the staff and board members agree that the guiding statements influence how the school operates.
Commendations : None
Recommendations: None
The Guiding Statements endorse the school's commitment to developing intercultural learning.
Self Ratings : Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
The school’s guiding statements strongly position the school as being supportive of internationalism and intercultural learning. This whole-hearted commitment is clearly detailed in the school’s reporting in this section and is comprehensively seen in the contextually appropriate definition of international and intercultural education which was developed and implemented by the school since the preparatory visit.
89% of the students 94% of the parents either agree or strongly agree that the school's mission includes respect for diversity and the development of global understanding.
The higher leadership team has put programs into action and shared many examples of how students develop their intercultural skills and dispositions. e.g.: global relationships, competence with money, and awareness of their personal digital footprint. This was visible in curriculum documentation and during conversations with the higher leadership team.
The school’s focused curriculum content, a well-structured co-curricular program, and developing external partnerships i.e. being a participating institution in the UNESCO associated schools network and also part of International Global Citizenship Award (IGCA) community, are just some of a myriad of conduits that help students develop the understanding and traits of global citizens.
Looking forward, the school should look at how it can fully understand the impact of these opportunities on students' development.
Commendations
Domain A Standard 3 – The whole school community for its demonstrable deep-rooted commitment to the concept and ideals of internationalism and inter-cultural learning manifested in many activities both within the curriculum and beyond.
Recommendations
Domain A Standard 3 – The leadership team and faculty measure and assess the impact of the school’s curricular and co-curricular opportunities on students' development as global citizens.
The school is committed to the values inherent in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990).
Self Ratings: Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
As noted in the school’s reporting and in discussions with the higher leadership team, the beliefs and values contained within the school’s purpose and direction statements are supportive of the school’s engagement with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the CIS Code of Ethics.
Suitable references are made in relation to induction procedures and staff professional development on the school practices and proper conduct in order to ensure that the interactions between adults and students are governed by the spirit and values of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the CIS Code of Ethics.
Students are exposed to a positive, healthy, safe, and welcoming learning environment based on respect and kindness.
With a view to raise awareness of child rights at all levels and to prioritize student well-being, specific programs are conducted on child safety to highlight the opportunities for students to grow and develop.
The student survey supports the impression of a caring environment throughout the school, whereby 80% of the students either agree or strongly agree to the same.
Commendations
Domain A Standard 4 – All members of the school community for their contribution to maintaining positive and healthy relationships within the APG community.
Recommendations
None at this time
All school constituent groups are involved and engaged with the development and review of the Guiding Statements on a planned and regular basis.
Self Ratings: Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
As mentioned during the meetings, the school uses a rigorous and collaborative process to review the guiding statements. All school stakeholders were involved in the review process of the revised guiding statements which is referenced to the new strategic plan 2021-2024.
Responses of students and parents with regards to their involvement in the review process of the guiding statements have not been recorded.
Commendations: None at this time.
Recommendations: None at this time
The school has an effective means of monitoring and evaluating the implementation of its
Guiding Statements.
Self Ratings: Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
The update of the strategic plan, which takes place every three years, allows the implementation of the guiding statements through action plans. The school continues to evaluate how the guiding statements look within the current programs and the operational plans are updated, amended, and prepared every year in line with the strategic plan.
The strategic plan and operational plan provide the articulation of how the school will implement its actions and strategies to school improvement plans.
Commendations
Domain A Standard 6 – The board for the use of the guiding statements and a range of data to inform the update of the strategic plan as a driver towards action.
Recommendations
None at this time.
The school has developed and adopted a contextually-appropriate definition of high quality learning and identified expected learning outcomes at each stage of a student's pathway through the school.
Self Ratings: Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
The school, in its reporting, has shared its own definition of high-quality learning which is clear and concise. The definition combines elements of the school’s guiding statements and most modern trends in education. APG School uses their guiding statements as the blueprint for high-quality learning.
The faculty survey shows that over 96% of the staff either agree or strongly agree that the school has a clear definition of high-quality learning related to students' expected learning outcomes.
Commendations: None at this time.
Recommendations: None at this time.
The school is inclusive in its admissions procedures, as defined by its Guiding Statements.
Self Ratings: Met
Evaluator Ratings: Met
Evaluator Response
The school has a clearly articulated admissions policy that is closely aligned with the school's guiding statements. The admissions policy is detailed and transparent and references the APG School guiding statements.
In conversations with the domain A committee, the evaluators learned that the admissions policy has clear guidelines for the age of students and admissions to specific grade levels.
APG School endeavors to be inclusive in its acceptance of students and cater to the needs of all students. The excellent outcomes for the students clearly indicate the suitability of the program for those admitted. The evaluation team confirmed that the school is inclusive in line with the admissions policy.
Commendations: None at this time.
Recommendations : None at this time.
As a result of the self-evaluation, the school identifies the actions necessary to strengthen this aspect of school life. The Self-Study should be action-oriented, with evidence-based evaluation leading to informed planning and proposed actions, in line with the school's Guiding Statements.
Self Ratings: No Rating
Evaluator Ratings : Met
Evaluator Response
The evaluators found that the identified planned actions complement the self-study report and are linked to specific standards in Domain A, especially the core standard, A2: ‘'The school’s guiding statements conform to the CIS Code of Ethics'’.
The evaluation team is in agreement with the school's listed planned actions and recognizes the need to prioritize these in line with the guiding statements and the Strategic Plan. Additionally, the involvement of the finance team is needed to determine specific budget allocation and to ensure implementation and sustainability.
The school’s stated planned actions are appropriate and should be acted on, with those relating to core standards being a priority, in addition to the review of the guiding statements involving all stakeholders.
Further additions are required to incorporate the recommendations in this report into the school's planned actions.
Commendations: None at this time.
Recommendations: None at this time.
The school uses the Essential Questions and Guided Development Questions to inform its investigation and support the gathering of evidence and self-evaluation against the Standards in the Domain.
Self Ratings: Met
Evaluator Ratings : No Rating
Evaluator Response
The Evaluative Commentary has been read and factored into the Domain Summary.