United Arab Emirates

School Inspection Framework

5. The protection, care, guidance and support of students

5.1 Health and safety, including arrangements for child protection / safeguarding
Elements
5.1.1 Care, welfare and safeguarding of students, including child protection
5.1.2 Arrangements to ensure health, safety and security
5.1.3 Quality of maintenance and record keeping
5.1.4 Suitability of premises and facilities for all students, including those with special educational needs
5.1.5 Provision for, and promotion of, safe and healthy lifestyles

Brief descriptors

Outstanding Very Good Good Acceptable Weak Very Weak

5.1.1 Care, welfare and safeguarding of students, including child protection.
The school has The school has The school has The school has The school has minimal The school has no
rigorous procedures rigorous procedures effective procedures adequate formal formal procedures procedures for the
for the safeguarding of for the safeguarding of for the safeguarding of procedures for the for the safeguarding safeguarding of
students including child students including child students including child safeguarding of of students including students including child
protection. All staff, protection. All staff, protection. All staff, students including child child protection. Staff, protection.
students and parents students and parents students and parents protection. Most staff, students and parents
are fully aware of these. are fully aware of these. are aware of these. students and parents are not aware of these.
The school is highly The school is very The school is effective are aware of these. The The school is ineffective
effective in protecting effective in protecting in protecting students school takes adequate in protecting students
students from abuse, students from all forms from all forms of abuse, steps to protect from all forms of abuse,
including bullying and of abuse, including including bullying and students from all forms including bullying and
via the internet and bullying and via the via the internet and of abuse, including via the internet and
social media. internet and social social media. bullying and via the social media.
media. internet and social
media.

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5.1.2 Arrangements to ensure health, safety and security

The school consistently The school provides a The school provides The school meets the The school’s The school does not
provides a fully safe, very safe, hygienic and a safe, hygienic and general requirements for arrangements to ensure provide a safe, hygienic
hygienic and secure secure environment secure environment maintaining the health the health, safety and and secure environment
environment for for students and staff. for students and staff. and safety of students security of students for students and
students and staff. Safety checks are Safety checks are and staff. Safety checks and staff are ineffective. staff. Safety checks
Safety checks are frequent and thorough. regular and thorough. are regular. Supervision Safety checks are are inadequate.
frequent and rigorous. Supervision of students Supervision of students of students is effective, irregular and lack Supervision of students
Supervision of students is highly effective at all is very effective, including on school rigour. Supervisory is ineffective. Staff and/
is exceptionally effective times. including on school transport. procedures are weak or or students are not
at all times. transport. inconsistent. familiar with emergency
procedures.
5.1.3 Quality of maintenance and record keeping
Buildings and Buildings and Buildings and Buildings and Some parts of Lack of maintenance
equipment are equipment are very equipment are well equipment are buildings or equipment and attention to hygiene
maintained in excellent well maintained. The maintained. The school maintained in sound are unsafe and/or and safety put students
condition. The school school maintains maintains accurate repair. The school unhygienic. The school at risk. The school’s
maintains very detailed comprehensive and and secure records, maintains secure maintains records record keeping is highly
and secure records, secure records, including records records, including but these may be disorganised and inef-
including records including records of incidents and records of incidents and disorganised or not fective.
of incidents and of incidents and subsequent actions. subsequent actions. secured.
subsequent actions. subsequent actions.
5.1.4 Suitability of premises and facilities for all students, including those with special educational needs
The school’s premises The premises and The premises and The premises and Some aspects of Many features of the
and facilities provide facilities provide a safe facilities provide a safe facilities provide a safe the school premises premises and facilities
an excellent physical and secure physical and inclusive physical physical environment and facilities do not are inadequate and
environment, which environment that is environment which that is fit for purpose meet the needs of impede learning.
meets the learning very well suited to the meets the needs of all. for all. all students and may
needs of all. learning needs of all. impede learning.
5.1.5 Provision for and promotion of safe and healthy lifestyles
The school’s promotion The school’s promotion The school’s promotion The school promotes The school does little The school gives very
of safe and healthy of safe and healthy of safe and healthy safe and healthy living to promote safe and little attention to the
living is successful. It living is very effective. living is systematically although this may not healthy living. promotion of safe and
is given a high profile It permeates almost all built into most aspects be systematic. healthy living.
and clearly influences all aspects of school life. of school life.
aspects of school life.

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The quality of health and safety, including in the school. The school conducts a thorough risk analysis
arrangements for child protection / safeguarding, and assessment when planning for students to engage in
illustrated below would be evaluated as any activities, such as sports or educational visits, which
outstanding. take place outside school. Potential risks are recorded and
mitigating action is taken to ensure students’ safety. The
• Child protection / safeguarding arrangements are defined school meets all legal and regulatory requirements, including
clearly in a written policy and well-understood by students, emergency evacuation drills.
staff and parents. The school has very effective arrangements
to protect students from all forms of verbal, physical and • Comprehensive records are kept of regular and routine fire
emotional/psychological abuse and bullying, including by drills, evacuation procedures and other incidents, with clearly
staff and by other students, and via the internet and social stated action taken, to prevent their recurrence. Medical
media. Staff deal sensitively and effectively with students’ staff are vigilant in their care of students. Routine checks
needs and concerns. The training of all staff in safeguarding are carried out and detailed records kept. Relevant medical
students, themselves and other staff members is regular and information is shared with staff in the school in a systematic
thorough. There is an accurate central register of all adults way to ensure students’ medical care at all times whilst they
who work in, or are involved in the school. Cyber safety and are working with different school staff. Medication is kept in a
ensuring practical steps to prevent abuse of students are locked room or cabinet and all staff are well informed about
high on the school’s agenda. how and by whom it can be administered.

• There are very effective policies and procedures in place to • The school premises, equipment and resources are excellent
ensure that students are safe. These are reviewed regularly and very well suited to the educational needs of all students,
and all staff receive frequent training to brief them about including those with special educational needs and children
updates or changes to policy. Staff fully understand their roles in the early years phase. They ensure that students are safe
and responsibilities in ensuring health and safety. Thorough at all times whilst participating in a wide range of challenging
measures are in place to maximise the protection for and motivating educational experiences.
students including, for example, very efficient arrangements
for school transport. Students state that they feel very safe

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• Healthy living is systematically built into and promoted in all • The school undertakes a careful risk analysis and assessment
aspects of school life. School meals and snacks provided when planning for students to engage in any activities, such
by the school are consistent with the school’s policy on the as sports or educational visits, which take place outside
promotion of healthy choices. The school provides very school. Potential risks are recorded and staff take steps
good advice to students and their parents on food choices to ensure students’ safety. The school conducts regular,
and offers a broad and regular programme for physical thorough checks on the accommodation and premises to
education and sport to promote healthy living. Very good ensure that any dangers are noted and swiftly addressed.
measures are taken to provide reasonable protection from Students are always properly supervised around the school
the sun, including shading, headwear and ready access to and on school transport to ensure their safety. The school
fresh drinking water. meets all legal and regulatory requirements, including
emergency evacuation drills.
The quality of health and safety, including
arrangements for child protection / safeguarding • Any incidents affecting students’ health, safety or well-
illustrated below, would be evaluated as good. being which may arise are systematically logged and stored
securely along with detail of any resultant action taken.
• All staff know how to safeguard students, themselves and
other staff members and the procedures to follow if an • The learning environment supports students’ learning well.
issue of child protection arises. Students feel safe and are It is accessible for students with special educational needs
confident to report any concerns to an adult in school. The and also meets the needs of those in the early years phase.
school clearly communicates its policies and procedures to The school is clean and well maintained.
staff, parents and students, including those for protecting • The school regards the promotion of healthy living as an
students from bullying and potential dangers of the internet important part of its provision. The curriculum content of
and social media. Policies are reviewed regularly and all staff some programmes includes references to healthy lifestyles
receive frequent training about updates or changes. There such as aspects of diet and exercise. The variety of food
is an accurate central register of all adults who work or are provided by the school ensures that students always have
involved in the school. healthy options from which to choose their snacks or meals.
Appropriate measures are taken to provide reasonable
protection from the sun, including shading, headwear and
ready access to fresh drinking water.

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The quality of health and safety, including take place off the school site, such as such as sports events
arrangements for child protection / safeguarding, or educational visits, staff consider any potential risks and
illustrated below would be evaluated as take steps to ensure students’ safety, although there may be
acceptable. some occasions when arrangements are too lax.

• Child protection/safeguarding arrangements are in place • Records of health and safety procedures are up-to-date and
but the responsibility for their implementation may be in the appropriate risk assessments are completed in relation to
hands of a few senior staff or members of the administration. visits and potentially hazardous activities. Routine fire drills
The training of staff in child protection takes place from time and other evacuation procedures take place. There are
to time. The school is aware of the need for cyber safety sufficient medical staff to carry out routine checks. Medication
and has some systems to protect students but these are not is kept locked away and all staff know how and by whom it
comprehensive or not routinely applied. The central register can be administered.
of adults who work in or are involved in the school may not • The school premises, equipment and resources are suitable
be up to date. and provide a safe, inclusive environment for students.
• There are effective policies and procedures in place to • The school has included in the curriculum planned
ensure that students are kept safe but these may not be opportunities for students to take part in physical activity
reviewed at least annually. Staff understand their roles and to promote a healthy lifestyle. The meals and snacks
responsibilities in ensuring health and safety but not all may provided by the school are generally healthy. Parents are,
understand the need to safeguard themselves as well as at times, involved in school activities which successfully
students. Practical measures are in place to protect students raise awareness of healthy choices. Adequate measures are
and arrangements are reviewed to ensure that they are taken to provide protection from the sun, including shading,
effective. Students are mostly supervised around the school headwear and ready access to fresh drinking water but these
and most students state that they feel safe in the school. The may be applied inconsistently.
school meets all legal and regulatory requirements, including
emergency evacuation drills. When planning activities that

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The quality of health and safety, including • Some parts of the buildings, play areas and/or school
arrangements for child protection / safeguarding equipment are unsafe or unhygienic and the buildings/
illustrated below is unlikely to be acceptable. campus may not be inclusive for all students or for children in
the early years phase. The premises do not have appropriate
• Child protection/safeguarding procedures are inadequate facilities to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
and there is no general register listing all adults who either
work in, or are involved in, the school. There is evidence of • School meals and snacks include unhealthy choices and
bullying by members of the school community. Staff do not little variety. The school is not sufficiently proactive in the
fully appreciate the need to safeguard themselves as well promotion of healthy lifestyles amongst students. Insufficient
as students. The school has limited or no awareness of the measures are taken and/or there is inconsistent application
need to protect students from the dangers of the internet. of measures to provide reasonable protection from the sun,
including shading, headwear and ready access to fresh
• Policies and procedures for health and safety, including drinking water.
those for school transport, are not reviewed. Supervisory
and emergency procedures are weak or inconsistent. Staff
are not trained in implementing policies which therefore do
not happen in practice.
• Health and safety checks are irregular and/or not rigorous.
Supervisory practices are weak. The school does not
conduct a risk analysis and assessment when planning and
engaging in activities.

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5.2 Care and support

Elements
5.2.1 Staff-student relationships and behaviour management
5.2.2 Promotion and management of attendance and punctuality
5.2.3 Identification of students with special educational needs, and those who are gifted and/or talented
5.2.4 Support for students with special educational needs, and those who are gifted and/or talented
5.2.5 Guidance and support for all students

Brief descriptors

Outstanding Very Good Good Acceptable Weak Very Weak

5.2.1 Staff-student relationships and behaviour management
Staff-student Staff have very positive Staff have positive Staff have courteous Not all staff are Staff are inconsiderate
relationships are and purposeful relationships with all relationships with all considerate towards and disrespectful
exemplary. Systems relationships with all students. Systems students. Systems students. Systems towards students.
and procedures for students. Systems and procedures for and procedures for and procedures for Behaviour management
managing students’ and procedures for managing students’ managing students’ managing students’ is highly ineffective.
behaviour are highly managing students’ behaviour are behaviour are adequate. behaviour are
effective. behaviour are effective. successful. inconsistent.
5.2.2 Promotion and management of attendance and punctuality
The school‘s approach The school’s approach The school’s approach The school’s approach The school The school does not
is highly successful in is successful in is effective in promoting is adequate in has ineffective monitor or promote
promoting outstanding promoting very good good attendance and promoting attendance arrangements to attendance and
attendance and attendance and punctuality. and punctuality. promote or manage punctuality consistently.
punctuality. punctuality. attendance and
punctuality.

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5.2.3 Identification of students with special educational needs and those who are gifted and/or talented
The school has The school has The school has The school has The school may not School policies may
comprehensive and rigorous systems to thorough systems to appropriate systems to admit students with actively exclude
rigorous systems to identify students with identify students with identify students with special educational students with special
identify students with special educational special educational special educational needs. The school is educational needs.
special educational needs and those needs and those needs, and those not aware of their needs When students are
needs and those who are gifted and/or who are gifted and/or who are gifted and/or and/or has ineffective admitted, the school
who are gifted and/or talented accurately and talented. talented. systems to identify their lacks systems to
talented accurately and promptly. needs accurately. identify their needs
promptly. accurately.
5.2.4 Support for students with special educational needs, and those who are gifted and/or talented
The school provides The school provides The school provides The school provides The school provides The school provides
highly effective support effective support for all effective support for appropriate support limited support for little or no support for
for all students with students with special most students with for most students with students with special students with special
special educational educational needs and special educational special educational educational needs and educational needs
needs and those those who are gifted needs and those needs and those those who are gifted and those who are
who are gifted and/ and/or talented. It who are gifted and/ who are gifted and/or and/or talented. The gifted and/or talented.
or talented. Accurate matches intervention or talented. Accurate talented. The support support does not Consequently, only a
identification swiftly well to students’ identification leads to enables the majority enable the majority few students make
leads to highly outcomes. The quality prompt and appropriate of students to make of students to make adequate progress.
appropriate intervention. of support enables intervention. The quality adequate personal and adequate personal and Intervention to support
The quality of support most students to make of support enables academic progress. academic progress. students is haphazard
enables almost all their best personal and most students to make and weak.
students to make their academic progress. consistent personal and

best personal and academic progress.

academic progress.
5.2.5 Guidance and support for all students
The well-being and The well-being and The well-being and The well-being and The well-being and The well-being and
personal development personal development personal development personal development personal development personal development
of all students are of all students are of all students are of all students are of all students are not of all students are
closely monitored. efficiently monitored. routinely monitored. monitored at intervals regularly monitored. not monitored.
The information is The information is The information is throughout the year. Consequently, personal Consequently, students
used to provide highly used to provide very used to provide The information is used and academic guidance do not receive any
effective personal and effective personal and effective personal and to provide appropriate and support and, personal, academic or
academic guidance and academic guidance and academic guidance and personal and academic for senior students, careers’ guidance and
support and, for senior support and, for senior support and, for senior guidance and support careers’ guidance are support.
students, careers’ students, careers’ students, careers’ and, for senior weak and inconsistent.
guidance. guidance. guidance. students, careers’ 79
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School Inspection Framework

The quality of care and support illustrated below process and ensure that all other staff are well trained in
would be evaluated as outstanding. identifying special needs. The school’s entrance procedures
are wholly inclusive. The school has identified students
• Teachers know all their students very well, being aware of their who are gifted and/or talented and meets their needs very
individual social, physical, emotional and intellectual needs. effectively.
Teachers have a very good rapport with students. Mutual
respect, trust and confidence characterise interactions • The school’s support for students with special educational
between staff and students. Behaviour management is needs is comprehensive and highly focused. The facilities
defined clearly and wholly understood by the students and resources include necessary modifications and
and the staff, who implement the policies wisely and are provide thoroughly for the diverse range of special needs.
supported fully by the senior management team. Although Individualised planning and effective review procedures
the behaviour of almost all students is exemplary, firm action ensure that the students’ needs are fully met. As a result, the
is taken when necessary. Parents receive comprehensive students make excellent progress.
information about the school’s expectations of behaviour • All students have ready access to known and trusted
and of how staff will deal with any misbehaviour. members of staff who provide well-informed advice and
• The school keeps accurate records of attendance and guidance about a range of important matters, including their
punctuality. Systems for managing attendance and academic progress, health and future careers. Students’
punctuality, including follow up of unauthorised absences questions, needs and concerns are handled sympathetically
and lateness, are exceptionally efficient and effective. and, when appropriate, in confidence. Students have access
Prompt and decisive action is taken when levels fall, and to an effective complaints procedure. High quality advice and
parents fully support the importance of maintaining high guidance result in actions that bring about improvements
levels of attendance and punctuality. Parents are contacted in students’ performance. For older students, the school
immediately when students fail to arrive when expected. is proactive in providing personalised advice and guidance
about career choices and higher education pathways aligned
• The school has detailed and informed procedures for to personal and national aspirations.
identifying students with special educational needs. Their
needs are identified at an early age or as soon as possible
after they join the school, and shared with staff. The school
has specialist staff with the expertise to lead the identification

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The quality of care and support illustrated below • The school has some specialist staff to assist with
would be evaluated as good. identification and support but not all teachers may be familiar
with procedures for supporting students. Some modifications
• Staff are well aware of the needs of the students in their care. have been made to accommodate the range of special
Led by the senior management team, the school operates needs but these are not comprehensive. The needs of most,
in an atmosphere of mutual respect between students and but not all students are met.
teachers. This is based on a code of behaviour, which is
understood clearly by the whole school community including • The school’s personal support system ensures that all
parents and temporary staff. students have an assigned a member of staff with whom they
can discuss any concerns. The school has reliable systems
• The school keeps accurate records of attendance and for monitoring the wellbeing and personal development of all
punctuality. Systems for managing attendance and students. Each student has access to individual advice and
punctuality, including follow up of unauthorised absences guidance, the quality of which they say is helpful. Students
and lateness, are very efficient and effective. Parents are feel well supported and have confidence in the school’s
notified promptly of any concerns about individual students. arrangements for their academic and personal development.
The school actively promotes good attendance but may not For older students, the school provides effective advice
have measures in place to recognise and reward it. and guidance about career choices and higher education
• The school is inclusive and provides a welcoming and pathways aligned to personal and national aspirations.
nurturing environment for students with special educational
needs. Following admission, their needs are identified
and plans are put in place to ensure that they receive any
necessary support. The school has identified students who
are gifted and/or talented and has taken some effective
steps to meet their needs effectively.

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The quality of care and support illustrated below • The school has appropriate procedures for identifying
would be evaluated as acceptable. students with special educational needs. Their needs are
identified and all relevant information is shared with staff.
• Teachers know most of their students well and are aware of The school has staff with sufficient expertise to lead the
their social, physical, emotional and intellectual needs. They identification process and train other staff members. The
have a good rapport with students and respond positively school’s entrance procedures are inclusive.
to them. Teachers and students respect one another and
generally show care and concern for the needs of others. The • The school’s support for students with special educational
school has an effective approach to managing the behaviour needs is appropriately managed. Support is given individually
of its students. The staff know how to implement the policies and through in-class guidance, as required. Students’
and are supported in doing so by the senior management progress is monitored routinely. Facilities and resources are
team. Parents receive information about how staff members modified to address their needs. As a result, students with
will deal with any misbehaviour. special educational needs make acceptable progress. The
school has identified a few students who are gifted and/or
• Systems for managing attendance and punctuality, including talented but steps taken do not consistently and effectively
follow up of unexcused absences and lateness, are mainly meet their needs.
effective. The school records attendance and punctuality
but it may not systematically analyse the data. Monitoring • Students’ questions, needs and concerns are usually
procedures are known to students, staff and parents and are dealt with efficiently and, when appropriate, in confidence.
intended to ensure the safety and well-being of the students. They receive advice and guidance from staff on a range of
Parents receive feedback about improved attendance and matters, including their individual progress and health, and
punctuality, and understand the action the school takes most feel confident to ask adults for help. For older students,
when it is required. the school provides appropriate advice and guidance about
career choices and higher education pathways.

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The quality of care and support illustrated below • Students with special educational needs are provided with
is unlikely to be acceptable. little or no specialist support.

• There are strained relationships between staff and students • Advice, support and guidance to all students are limited
and inappropriate behaviour management strategies are and uninformative. For older students, the school provides
used. limited effective advice and guidance about career choices
and higher education pathways.
• Arrangements to promote or manage student attendance
and punctuality are absent or ineffective.
• The school’s admissions policy is too restricted and does not
allow for the enrolment of students with special educational
needs. The procedures to identify the specific needs of
students with special educational needs are slow and/or
inadequate and intervention to address identified needs
is not effective and may not be available. The school has
no process for identifying students who are gifted and/or
talented and does not meet their needs.

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