Al Ittihad National Private School Abu Dhabi

Established in 2006, Al Ittihad National Private School Abu Dhabi follows the American curriculum and offers classes from KG to Grade 12 in a co-educational setup. Over 1,300 students are currently enrolled at INPS-AD out of which 94% are Emirati nationals. The teaching faculty includes 129 teachers. English is the medium of instruction. The student to teacher ratio is 1:12.

INPS Abu Dhabi is one of the five Al Ittihad Private School branches operating in the UAE. It aims to develop strong partnerships with the local and global community to provide better intellectual and personal development opportunities for all students.

• Location: Khalifa City A
• Fees: AED 19,960 - AED 40,740
• Curriculum: US Curriculum
• Co-ed or Segregated: Co-ed till Grade 5
• Grade: KG1 to Grade 12

The school is based away from the city centre but can be easily accessed by families residing in:

• Masdar City
• Al Mafraq
• Mohammed Bin Zayed City
• Airport Street Area
• Shawamekh

Masdar City is a large, mixed-use development in Abu Dhabi. Established in 2006, it aims to become a truly sustainable urban community. Mohammed Bin Zayed City or MBZ City offers affordable villas to interested buyers and tenants. Airport Street Area, also known as Airport Road, is home to numerous apartment buildings.

Al Ittihad National Private School Abu Dhabi has a well-maintained kindergarten section with eight well-equipped classrooms. Students have access to indoor and outdoor play areas besides a large multi-purpose hall used for indoor events.

The modern campus also has a well-maintained art room, music room, auditorium, drama room and talent room. Sports facilities include a cricket pitch, school gymnasium and swimming pool. There is a well-stocked library with lots of reading material. Last, students can find well-equipped laboratories for Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

The school is based in SE -16, Khalifa City A close to Al Nafi’Een Street and Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street (E-20). INPS-AD is rated as one of the best schools in Khalifa City A. Other popular schools in the neighbourhood include Raha International School and Horizon Private School.

INPS Abu Dhabi offers a broad and balanced American curriculum for every child’s best academic, social, physical, cultural and emotional development. The wide range of extracurricular activities complements the well-designed educational program to ensure students of all ages are innovative, independent individuals who are well equipped to meet future challenges.

The school prides itself on working hand in hand with experts in the industry. The management not only facilitates students in every way but also focuses on staff training. As a member of AdvancED and NEASC, INPS-AD teachers get numerous opportunities for professional learning and collaboration. They also get adequate in-house professional learning to become familiar with best practices and instructional strategies and their impact on student performance and achievement.

The school maintains strong communication with all stakeholders. It helps in the school’s growth and makes students understand the role of their social skills. Students are encouraged to respect others and are appreciated for their efforts to the betterment of the community.

The school has a talented student body that prepares young learners for a future leadership role. Students also benefit from an Individual Education Plan that is formulated using advice from Educational psychologists and therapists. This Education Plan is communicated to teachers and parents and is reviewed twice in an academic year.

The school supports students who face learning difficulties. They get adequate support and are provided with possible alternatives leading to desirable outcomes.

The school offers classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12. All classes are divided into Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle/High School for Boys and Middle/High School for Girls section.

Al Ittihad School Abu Dhabi offers a K-12 American curriculum aligned with internationally recognised standards and benchmarks. This curriculum and education system is supported by a rich variety of ongoing assessments and feedback by teachers to ensure individual growth and academic success.

English is the primary language of instruction for all subjects except those taught in Arabic, including Islamic Studies and Arabic Social Studies.

In Kindergarten, students have to study the following:

INPS- Abu Dhabi has a balanced assessment system that includes MAP tests, TIMMS, PIRL, TOEFL, IELTS, EMSA, ICDL and SAT assessments to evaluate student attainment of learning objectives.

Here’s an overview of the different assessments used at the school:

• Classroom Assessments
• Formative
• Summative
• Dispositions
• Benchmark Assessment
• External Summative Assessment
• Cognitive and Personality Tests

The student report acknowledges their performance and achievements throughout the academic year.

The School Management System “SMS” generates colour coded reports to help teachers and parents understand how well students’ attainment and progress performs against curriculum expectations.

ADEK inspected Al Ittihad National Private School Abu Dhabi from January 13th to 16th 2020 and rated it as ‘Very Good.’

According to the latest Al Ittihad National Private School Abu Dhabi ADEK report, the leadership and training staff have remained stable. The overall performance of the school has improved since the last inspection.

INPS Abu Dhabi scored a ‘Very Good’ rating in all six performance standards, including:

• Student’s achievement
• Students’ personal and social development and their innovation skills
• Teaching and assessment
• Curriculum
• Protection, care, guidance and support of students
• Leadership and management

According to ADEK inspectors, INPS’s key areas of strength are:

• Students’ improving achievement in all subjects
• Students’ positive attitude to learning, behaviour and attendance
• Students’ understanding and appreciation of Islamic values and UAE Heritage and culture
• School’s secure, caring and nurturing learning environment
• Effective leadership
• Staff’s commitment to school improvement

The report also highlights areas that need improvement. Al Ittihad National Private School must:

• Further raise students’ attainment in all subjects, particularly in Middle and High School
• Provide opportunities for independent learning and come up with interesting and engaging activities
• Guide students on what they have to do
• Monitor lessons and focus on students’ achievement more rigorously
• Develop strategies to meet the learning needs of all students, particularly those who are more abled
• Monitor learning outcomes and incorporate them into teachers’ planning
• Share best practices for teaching and learning

The academic calendar of Al Ittihad National Private School has two terms. The school year starts in August and ends in June. The important dates in this year’s calendar are as follows:

Besides, the school remains closed on many national and religious days. For more information, contact the school.

Al Ittihad National Private School has a non-discriminatory admission policy. The document is available in both Arabic and English. The school accepts students from different backgrounds and encourages parents to visit the facility with children to become familiar with the campus and the learning environment.

Al Ittihad National Private School admissions are also open for students with mild to moderate special education needs and chronic medical conditions. However, their applications are accepted only if INPS can provide appropriate learning support as required or needed.

KG-1 and KG-2 applicants are not required to sit for tests or assessments. Interviews are conducted to screen for SEN cases and provide proper support.

For admission in Grade 1 to Grade 12, students must appear for an entrance exam in basic subjects such as English and Mathematics (based on the Common Core Standards) and Arabic (based on the MoE standards). This entrance exam is conducted to gauge the student’s performance level and whether the school can provide proper learning support to match their needs.

At Al Ittihad National Private School, admission requests are accepted during the first week of April. All new students must submit the official transfer certificate. Students from schools based outside the UAE should get their reports attested by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the U.A.E. Consulate in the country of origin.

Al Ittihad National School Abu Dhabi also interviews students. However, the school gives priority to the following:

• Students who attended the school in the previous year
• Children of the school staff
• Students with siblings already in school

Once the school accepts the admission application, the school notifies parents and gives them one week to officially confirm their enrollment.

Documents required to complete the admission process at Al Ittihad National Private School include:

• Copy of child’s residence visa or the UAE entry stamp with a letter from the sponsoring company indicating that the residence is visa under process
• Original transfer certificate
• End of the year school report from the previous school. This must include comments on academic and social progress as well as behaviour
• Birth certificate of the student
• Copy of the completed immunisation card
• Four recent colour passport size photographs of student
• Current complete and detailed interim school report for the current school year as per the UAE Ministry of Education guidelines

Prior to enrolment, the school requests parents to review age placement guideline provided below.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st March (for schools beginning in April) and 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: ADEK

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

Here’s an overview of Al Ittihad National Private School Abu Dhabi fee structure:

The mentioned fee should be paid in three instalments.

• First instalment has to be paid by 1st September
• Second instalment should be paid by 1st December
• Third instalment should be paid by 1st March

Second and third instalments must be paid via post-dated cheques for December 1 and March 1. Both cheques should be handed over along with the first fee instalment.

The registration fee for new students and the reregistration fee for existing students is 5% of the annual tuition fee.

The fee mentioned above does not include the cost of:

• Books
• Uniform
• Transportation

Failure to pay the school fees on time can result in withholding of the student’s academic report. INPS has fee discounts (5%) for second child onwards. In case of withdrawals during an academic year, fee refunds will be calculated as per INPS financial policies.

The school encourages students to consume healthy and nutritious meals. Parents must avoid sending food items containing nuts to prevent allergic reactions. Parents should communicate their child’s food requirements to the school staff and pack healthy lunchboxes. Cookies, chips, fizzy drinks and sweets are not allowed in the school.

There are specific rules and regulations for the cafeteria:

• Students should enter and exit in a line
• Students must clean the cafeteria before leaving
• They should only eat inside the cafeteria
• Students should wash their hands after eating

Ittihad National Private School AD offers transportation services. All vehicles are equipped with safety seat belts and have a supervisor onboard to assist students during the journey. Parents get the contact numbers of school bus supervisors as well as the pick-up/drop-off timings at the start of the academic year.

Kids less than 11 years of age must be received by an adult at the drop-off spot. In case there’s no one to receive the child, she/he is taken back to school. Students cannot change their buses. Any concern or issue can be discussed with the School Transportation Officer or Section Administrator before noon.

Students travelling through school bus should abide by the school bus rules for their own safety. They should remain seated throughout the journey. For the new academic year, the bus re-registration form should be filled and submitted at the school.

• Two-way school transportation fee within Abu Dhabi is AED 5,000
• One- way school transportation fee within Abu Dhabi is AED 3,800

The school organises cultural, social and scientific extracurricular activities to help students widen their knowledge base.

Al Ittihad School Abu Dhabi organises field trips throughout the academic year and considers them extremely important for educating children and helping them make practical connections between the curriculum and their everyday experiences.

The school team focuses on providing children with an opportunity to explore, investigate and learn. Once ADEK approves the venue, the school activity coordinator sends a permission letter to parents. This letter is sent at least three days before the trip and contains information about the trip and a permission slip that should be signed and returned to the school.

If a child has to take any medication during school hours, parents must submit it to the school nurse. These medications should be clearly labelled with the child’ name and grade. If any medication has to be administered by the school nurse, parents are contacted to give permission.

If a child falls sick during the school day, parents are notified. If there is a serious accident or the child needs specialised medical care, he/she is taken to the nearest hospital or clinic.

Students’ attainment and progress are communicated to parents throughout the academic year. The School Information System (SIS) generates a detailed skill and standard-based report card. Parents and teachers can then discuss the child’s strengths and weaknesses based on the detailed report that is issued twice in an academic year at the end of each semester. Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year or whenever needed throughout the year.

Parents can use the parent portal to know all the updates related to their children. The school works on increasing parents’ involvement in the education process of students. Al Ittihad National School Abu Dhabi campus encourages parents’ involvement by arranging orientation sessions at the start of the academic year. In these orientations, parents are informed about the school program, assessment methods and the curriculum.

Parents can also visit the school to meet the Principal and the Head of the Department of the child’s teacher.

Various communication channels are kept open such as letters, telephone calls, newsletters, SMS, Emails, Meeting, School Website, Social Networks and apps, including Edmodo, ClassDojo, Instagram and D6 communicators.
Parent Communication Officers are responsible for communicating important announcements to parents.

Parents can email their feedback and concerns to parents@inpsabudhabi.com. They can also use suggestion boxes placed throughout the school for communicating with the management. The school takes parents’ concerns seriously and addresses them promptly.

• Telephone: +971-2-556-2666
• Email: parents@inpsabudhabi.com
• Website
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Twitter

How many grades does the school have?

Al Ittihad National Private School currently educates children from KG1 to Grade 12.

Does the school follow the co-ed model?

Yes, it follows co-ed model till Grade 5. Afterwards, boys and girls study separately.

How many students are part of Al Ittihad National Private School?

Al Ittihad National Private School Khalifa City A currently has 1,412 students, predominantly Emirati students.

What is the academic calendar followed at Al Ittihad National Private School?

The academic calendar as per the school’s official website has two terms. The school year starts in August and ends in June. For more information, check out the academic calendar section in this guide.

What is the tuition fee charged by the school?

The Al Ittihad National Private School tuition fee ranges between AED 19,960 to AED 40,740. Check out the tuition fee for each grade in the guide.

How does the school communicate with parents?

There are many ways for Al Ittihad National Private School to communicate with parents. The school has an SIS portal, parent portal, social media profiles and an official website. Furthermore, the school arranges parent-teacher meetings to discuss the progress made by children. The school also has WhatsApp groups to facilitate parents.

Does the school have a cafeteria or a canteen?

Yes, there is a canteen that serves snacks and drinks to students.

Does the school arrange field trips?

Yes, the school takes children to recreational and educational trips.

How many teachers are part of this school?

Currently, the school has 129 full-time teachers.