Philippine Emirates Private School

Philippine Emirates Private School (PEPS) established in April 1995 as PISCO relocated to its existing building in Baniyas East in 2014. It aims to develop successful learners who have the skills and qualities necessary for succeeding in the 21st Century.

PEPS follows the Philippines curriculum and offers classes from KG to Grade 12 in a co-educational setup. The main language of instruction is English. The school accommodates 970 students, and the primary section currently is the largest. The Philippine-Emirates Private School introduced Grade 12 classes in the 2017-2018 academic session. Almost 97% of the enrolled students are from the Philippines.

Formerly known as PISCO Private School, United Arab Emirates, PEPS is ranked among the top Filipino schools in Abu Dhabi.

The teaching faculty has 52 teachers and 11 teaching assistants. The teacher to student ratio is 1:26 for KG classes and 1:16 for Grades 1 to 12. Philippine Emirates School Abu Dhabi claims to be quite popular with the Filipino expat community.

PEPS is registered with the Philippines Ministry of Education. This means students need not take validation exams when moving to other Filipino schools. Graduating students appear for the National Achievement Tests for primary and secondary levels.

PEPS is easily accessible for families residing in:

• Bawabat Al Sharq
• Al Mafraq
• Mohammed Bin Zayed City
• Al Shawamekh

Bawabat Al Sharq is located in Baniyas district and offers a mix of apartments and villas. Families settled in Bawabat Al Sharq can find malls, clinics and cinema close to their homes. The nearest landmark is Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium. Mohammed Bin Zayed City also has apartments and villas for interested tenants and buyers. Residents can find lifestyle amenities and entertainment spots within easy reach.

Those searching for accommodation near the school campus can consider:

• Apartments for rent near Philippines Emirates Private School
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• Apartments for sale near Philippines Emirates Private School

Philippine Emirates Private School (PEPS) moved from a villa to temporary accommodation in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, where it operated for two years. The school then wholly relocated to a new purpose-built campus in Baniyas East at the beginning of 2013-2014.

The Philippine Emirates Private School facilities include an outdoor sports pitch, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool. Students can also find science laboratories, an art room, a music room, an auditorium, a drama room and a library.

Philippine Emirates School is based in Baniyas East on 42nd Street, close to Abu Dhabi – Al Ain Road. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Road (E-11) to the northwest is almost 10 minutes away from the Philippine Emirates School campus. There are other schools in the proximity, across Abu Dhabi – Al Ain Road.

Philippines School Abu Dhabi envisions itself as the sole quality education provider in the UAE for the Filipino community. The school believes that Filipino kids who are away from their homeland have the right to quality education and take part in the community as responsible individuals.

The school boasts a dedicated, well-trained and professional Filipino faculty. Philippines Emirates Private School’s aim is to prepare young individuals and transform them into successful learners who have the skills and abilities to flourish in the 21st century.

The school’s vision is to provide a supporting, motivational and safe atmosphere to encourage young learners who can achieve their potential. Teachers contribute positively to nurture and embody the culture of cooperation and respect.

UAE heritage and cultural identity are promoted throughout the school. Philippine School follows the vision of Abu Dhabi 2030. The school instils knowledge and confidence in learners and transforms them into independent individuals. Career Guidance and counselling programs are also offered at the school.

The school offers classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Classes are divided into Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary and High School sections.

The Philippines-based education system based on the K-12 Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum is followed throughout the school from KG to Grade 12. Students of Grade 11 and Grade 12 must pass the school-based assessment at the end of the term. The Department of Education organises a general assessment at the end of Grade 10 and Grade 12 in the Philippines. This assessment is also compulsory as per the Philippine Schools Overseas (PSO) guidelines.

Students who graduate are awarded a secondary certificate upon completing and passing:

• The academic and non-academic requirements at a particular level
• Successfully passing semester exams including practical, written or alternative assessments
• Area or practical exam and culminating activity with research output

In Grade 11 and Grade 12, students can choose from Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) or STEM. The academic year at this level is divided into two semesters.

Core subjects for students following Accountancy Business and Management in Grade 11 and Grade 12 are:

• General Mathematics
• Statistics and Probability
• Earth and Life Science
• Physical Science
• Physical Education and Health
• Personal Development
• Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
• Media and Information Literacy
• Reading and Writing Skills
• Oral Communication in Context

Specialisation subjects include:

• Business Math
• Organization and Management
• Fundamentals of Accounting, Business and Management
• Applied Economics
• Business Marketing
• Business Enterprise Simulation
• Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

It should be noted that some subjects are offered on a prerequisite or corequisite basis. Prerequisite subjects are:

• Statistics and Probability
• Fundamentals of Accountancy, Business and Management
• Principles of Marketing
• Organization and Management

Subjects offered on the co-requisite basis are:

● Fundamentals of Accountancy
● Business and Management 2

Older Post 16 students will follow the proposed KS5 offerings; these are currently planned to include the Sixth Form at the school. The KS5 curriculum will consist of A Level subjects and a research dissertation adhering to the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The EPQ Qualification is part of the AQA Baccalaureate. It is based on 100% coursework and helps prepare the student for Higher Education in one particular field depending on his/her interest.

Students who opt for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) have to study the following core subjects:

• Oral Communication in Context
• Reading and Writing Skills
• 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
• Physical Education and Health
• General Mathematics
• Statistics and Probability
• Media and Information Literacy
• Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Region
• Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
• Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
• Earth Science
• Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
• Personal Development
• Physical Education and Health

Contextualized subjects are:

• Research in Daily Life
• English for Academic and Professional Purposes
• Entrepreneurship
• Research Project
• ICT for Professional Tracks

Specialised subjects in Grade 11 and Grade 12 include:

• Pre-calculus
• Basic Calculus
• General Chemistry
• General Physics
• General Biology
• Research Project

ADEK inspected the Philippines Emirates Private School Abu Dhabi from 23 to 26 September 2018 and rated it as “Weak.” This was a step down from the previous inspection results.

Here’s how ADEK rated the school during the latest inspection:

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

According to the Philippines Emirates Private School ADEK rating and report, its overall performance is weak. School governors and leaders must ensure that the school complies with staff licensing and Arabic curriculum standards. Philippines Emirate School Abu Dhabi should also improve the quality of teaching and students’ rate of progress. Their progress in Arabic has declined to very weak and weak in Islamic Education.

As per the latest ADEK reports, students’ achievement is acceptable and has not changed since the last inspection. Their personal, social and innovation skills are good. Teaching and assessment were found to be acceptable.

The school curriculum is also acceptable and has not improved since the last inspection. Protection, care, guidance and support of students has regressed and is rated weak by the authorities.

Since the last inspection, the school has made little improvement in implementing recommendations made by ADEK. Students are keen to learn. If they get quality teaching, they can build their critical and innovation skills.

Overall, the school leaders and governors have not improved the school. Self-evaluation and improvement planning are not effective enough and do not address the critical weaknesses of the school.

Key areas of strength of Philippine Emirate Private School are:

• The way students relate their English learning with other curriculum areas, including the UAE culture and heritage
• The positive and professional relationships that are evident between all members of the school community to support students’ good attitudes towards learning
• School’s effective promotion of how students understand about adopting a healthy lifestyle

ADEK inspectors also highlighted areas that require improvement.

• Philippine School Abu Dhabi has to improve teaching and learning for raising students’ achievement standards in all subjects, particularly in Arabic and Islamic Education by:
  • Providing further opportunities for students’ skills in Arabic reading and writing
  • Using effective and appropriate materials for teaching Islamic Education and Arabic Studies
  • Developing students’ skills in innovation and critical thinking, research, enterprise, scientific methodology and entrepreneurial skills to make links with the wider world. This is especially important for more abled students.
  • Using the appropriate assessment information for planning lessons.
  • Providing targeted and aimed professional development to the teaching faculty and other staff who come in contact with the students as per the 21st century teaching strategies.
  • Making and utilising the existing expertise in the school to support classroom management and organisation.
  • Ensuring that the school curriculum complies with the standards for Arabic.

• Improving the assessment by:
  • Tracking students’ progress throughout the year by robustly analysing the data
  • Using the information that is developed within lessons to plan and match the needs of all learners
  • Using the ongoing assessment within lessons to use and adapt as per the needs of all students
  • Ensuring students understand and improve their work by using marking and critical feedback method

• Ensuring that statutory requirements are followed and met by:
  • Ensuring that the school operates with a valid license
  • Making sure that the authorities responsible for recruiting teacher understand the qualification required to teach specific subjects
  • Ensuring that every teacher has the correct license and visa to stay and teach in the UAE

• Assuring that school leaders are effectively monitoring the school performance by:
  • Understanding the core strengths of PEPS and areas that need development
  • Reviewing the targets throughout the academic calendar
  • Improving the governor’s effectiveness when it comes to the school’s performance and holding senior leaders responsible for students’ achievement
  • Holding discussions with all students about their progress and learning
  • Discussing students’ work phase wise with subject leaders
  • Providing effective and appropriate training to new leaders and monitoring teaching and learning while having the focus on students’ achievement
  • Providing training for school leaders for using the assessment to monitor the progress of students beginning from their starting points

• Ensuring that the school uses improvement documents for effectively raising the standards by:
  • Utilising the most recent internal and external assessment data for setting quantifiable targets for every subject and phase of the school
  • Reviewing student achievement related to the targets at regular intervals throughout the year and adjusting where necessary

• Providing appropriate resources and facilitating the pointing of key weaknesses by:
  • Working to improve the physical atmosphere of the school to support outdoor learning, particularly in the KG and primary phases
  • Improving some aspects of Physical Education
  • Ensuring that senior students get adequate space for their recreational activities during break and lunchtimes
  • Identifying key resources to be used in lessons for supporting the learning and progress of students in all subjects
  • Ensuring that library book stock is adequately updated and reflect all three languages taught in the school

The school’s academic year runs from August until July and is divided into two terms.

Parents interested in Philippines Emirates Private School admissions can check out the official website and complete the online registration. For Philippine Emirate Private School admissions, signing up on the school website is required. The school gives preference to currently enrolled students for the next academic year. Siblings of the already enrolled students are also given a seat on priority. The student shall be registered according to the age group as per the ADEK policies.

Parents should submit the accurate and correct information during the registration stage. Once the school receives the application form, the application is listed as pending until it gets approval.

Please note that if the given information is incomplete, the school registrar returns the application form, and parents have to refill the correct information and wait for application approval.

Once the registration is approved, parents can print the form and submit it to the school’s accounts department with the required documents. The enrolment fee has to be paid at this stage.

These documents are required for completing the admission process:

• Student’s passport and visa page
• Student’s Emirates ID
• The medical record for students applying for KG-1, KG-2 and Grade 1
• Parent’s passport and visa page
• Form 137/ permanent record fully authenticated by the DFA, Manila and the UAE Embassy in the Philippines

Philippine Emirates Private School fee is mentioned below:

School transportation services can be availed after completing the registration process. Registration can be done through the school website. Parents should provide an accurate address and mention the nearest landmarks. Once the registration form is received. The bus department reviews the address and goes through the available bus routes. Parents are then notified through an email with the possible pickup and drop off points. This process can take approximately 1 to 2 weeks or longer.

School ID is used as a student’s pass to board the bus. AED 500 has to be paid at the time of bus seat reservation. This amount is deducted from the annual bus fee, which is AED 4,500.

Transportation fee is as follows:

Philippine School Abu Dhabi has an outdoor sports ground, a gymnasium and a swimming pool for students.

Extracurricular activities are offered to students at Philippine School Abu Dhabi. There are designated art rooms, music rooms and drama rooms at the school. Students are encouraged to participate in the school events that are held in the school auditorium.

Students go on field trips from the school during the academic year. Middle school students were taken to the Abu Dhabi Science Festival, where they were introduced to numerous Science aspects.

Parents can access the Parents Portal through the school website. Grade-specific WhatsApp group are also created where parents can get updates regarding school events and other announcements.

• Telephone: +971-2-641-0918 | +971-2-585-8041
• Email:
  • admin@philippineemiratesprivateschool.ae
  • reception@philippineemiratesprivateschool.ae
• Philippine Emirates Private School Website
• Philippine Emirates Private School Facebook

Please note that the cover image belongs to the Philippine Emirates Private School, Abu Dhabi