Deira International School Dubai
Jeff SmithDirector
Acceptable to Good to Outstanding
more outstanding features
first impressions on appointmentWhat was good:
• standard of teaching• focus on teaching & learning• excellent facilities (except no performance hall)• well qualified teaching staff
Why were we acceptable
• no real belief in our Vision, Mission statements – no connection to policy and practice
• teachers did not relate vision and mission to what they did in the classroom
• confusion – KHDA targets, CIS targets, School Improvement Plan targets
• student attitudes to learning, some teachers professional attitudes
Why were we acceptable
• poor structure of school timetable in the Secondary School• Year 6 students in Secondary School instead of Primary
School & Middle School concept were not working• Overall – school grew too quickly in student numbers and
staffing! This was not backed up by strong bedrock policies and procedures for:
Assessment, Reporting and tracking School Improvement planning and Department
Improvement Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy
Quickly moving to goodImmediate Actions required –
• one timetable for Secondary School• focus on staff professionalism• raise students expectations on behaviour and attitudes (Director
controls behaviour not parents)
• Year 6 back into Primary School• End the Middle School concept• keep the focus on Teaching & Learning• assessment -immediate plans to introduce CEMS across whole
school• all SMT teach - including the Director• new management structure (21 new positions inc. CPD
manager)
One key change that had the biggest immediate impact
a new style 1 -3 Year DIS Strategic plan andnew 1 year action plan linked to the DIS Strategic Plan, that:• everybody understood • everybody believed in• everybody understands and plays their part on
the journey to ‘outstanding’
SuddenlyEverybody knew:• where we were going• how we would get there• why we were making changes.
Deira International School Dubai
Thank You
Jeff SmithDirector
At DIS the students are the most important people and the staff are our biggest asset.
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