THE SHEIKH ZAYED PRIVATE ACADEMY FOR BOYS IS NEASC ACCREDITATED!
THE PROCESS
Over the past three years, SZPAB has worked to be come a NEASC accredited school. This international award is given to American curriculum schools, and certifies that it is in line with American curriculum standards, in the US and internationally. The accreditation process looks at every aspect of a school, including classroom practice, leadership and governance. This certification should be a source of great confidence to our community, and will benefit our students. When applying to universities, especially overseas, NEASC accreditation gives students a considerable advantage. It also serves to attract the best teachers and leaders to join our community. Have a read through some of the quotes highlighted in the school's final accreditation report!
SZPAB has created a culture and community with a remarkably strong sense of pride and identity given its relatively short history. Its deep roots in the culture and history of the UAE and the understanding of internationalism and globalism among the students and the school community are to be commended. In addition, it is evident that the school has created a structure for communication within the school and with parents so that their teacher, parent and student voices are all heard.
'It is evident that community trust and respect are being reflected in the high demand for admission, as well as the high rate of retention of the student population.' 'The rapid growth in students’ MAP results, as well as the skills and dispositions mentioned by many members, are the evidence and result of the innovative and creative approach to teaching and learning endorsed by the school.' 'It is evident that SZPAB’s Learning Culture encourages creativity and innovation amongst all learners within the community. Many new, forward-thinking and innovative ideas have been brought forward in the past two years, while the sustainability of the school is taken into consideration and maintained consistently.' 'Purpose-built learning environments trained and dedicated faculty, and a community focus on learning needs and changes over time are all evident. We observed learning experiences focused on explicit skills development within subject areas.'
OUR INCLUSIVE PROGRAM 'High-quality pedagogical practices guide classroom learning that specifically addresses targeted learning goals. By developing a school-wide, needs-based approach to learning, the school has challenged traditional norms that all students should achieve identical high levels of success at all times. The understanding that learning is different for each individual is reflected in daily lessons, actionable analysis of assessment data, and interventions of struggling students.' 'There is a clear effort toward inclusion in the school, and this seems to create an atmosphere of trust and respect among members of the community: teachers, learners and parents. Through The Sheikh Zayed Future Leaders program and the My Identity program, learners understand their values and culture and confidently live these in a global environment, which Abu Dhabi as a cosmopolitan city presents.' 'Through trust and relationship building, the community starts to understand and buy into the efforts the school is making to include every child in the learning process on their level of growth. Every teacher is regarded as a language teacher, which results in English language support being embedded in the context of all learning. This gives all learners a chance to learn subject matter with the language support of their teachers. EAL is seamlessly incorporated in all classes, as well as being embedded in the appraisal system in the school.'
OUR TEACHERS 'Teachers encourage and model respectful and compassionate relationships, which in turn encourages the same in student behavior. The approach to feedback is positive and supportive and engages students in learning from their mistakes. Staff members model confidence and compassion in lessons, which encourages students to become more engaged and active in their practices.' 'Ultimately, the driving force behind transformational change is the teachers. Commitment to change learning and teaching practices requires a deep belief that the change one makes will have a substantial impact on the learners. The passion and commitment displayed by the leadership and staff of SZPB during the virtual visit is commendable, and certainty a clear testament of the commitment of the staff to the vision and the process of transformation of the school towards a 21st century institution of learning.'
OUR STUDENTS 'Students do know exactly where they are in their learning, and they can clearly identify the way forward toward excellence. There is an understanding of the learning processes, teaching strategies and the judicious use of educational resources available that will lead to the achievement of outcomes that truly match the potential of students. 'Students spoke highly of the ways in which the school has helped develop desirable character traits and attitudes towards their own learning.' 'There is a push across the school to encourage learners to be risk takers and try out new dimensions of learning. Through the individualized goal-setting process, learners are aware of their strengths and areas of progress and can consciously set ongoing targets for their growth.'
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM 'It is evident that the current Principal has brought stability and focus to the leadership; he is highly respected and is leading a team of experienced educational leaders who have been working hard on transforming the school which has resulted in significant and desirable changes across all levels.' 'Members of leadership across the school, from the Board members to the Leadership Team that runs the day-to-day operations, are very much speaking the same language, and all have the intense focus on developing their learners to be as successful as possible.' 'The Leadership Team invests considerable time, resources and energy into moving the school into the direction of a learning model where the student is at the center of learning and everything that happens is articulated around that notion. It is evident that members of the teaching staff have the learner’s best interests at heart in all sections of the school and in everything that is done for the students.'
OUR LEARNING SPACES 'The overall design and layout of the school are immediately impressive and inviting. The building is contemporary, filled with natural light and the school’s focus on celebrating its culture and origin is evident.' 'The school has maximized their limited inner city outdoor spaces to include sporting spaces and outdoor spaces for learners to work in during the day. The displays of learning work and achievements across the school are to be commended.' 'The concept of students learning anywhere and at any time has been enhanced by the use of technology across the school. Learners proficiency with using these technologies and the school’s Digital Innovation Program, such as iPads and green screens, has enabled the school to move relatively seamlessly to the blended learning model with some students working online.' SZPAB became a NEASC Accredited School in December 2020.