The Model School, Abu Dhabi

The Model School Abu Dhabi, also known as New Indian Model School Abu Dhabi, is a part of the NIMS Group of schools. The school first opened its door in 1987 as a branch of the New Indian Model School Dubai. Currently, the school educates over 5,000 students, mainly Indian. However, students from other nationalities such as Pakistani and Bangladeshi coexist.

Like its other sister schools, it follows the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) all the way till Grade 12. However, students in Grade 8 can opt for Kerala board, which is also offered till Grade 12. The teacher to student ratio is 1:17, the average ratio for schools in the UAE.

Besides studies, students can participate in many extra-curricular activities. These activities are supported by school facilities inside a purpose-built campus. The academic prowess and variety of enrichment activities have made The Model School Abu Dhabi one of the best Indian Schools in Abu Dhabi.

Read this comprehensive guide by Bayut to learn more about the Model School Abu Dhabi.

• Location: Musaffah
• School Fee: AED 4,300 - AED 7,200
• Curriculum: CBSE Curriculum
• Co-ed or Segregate: Segregate after 4th Grade
• ADEK Rating: Acceptable
• Years Offered: KG to Grade XII (Grade 12)

The school is in Mussafah — a small industrial area in the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. The community has grown into a mix-used development with residential and commercial opportunities. The area has several amenities, including schools and educational institutes. The school is close to the following residential communities:

• Mohammed Bin Zayed City
• Khalifa City A
• Masdar City

Mohammed Bin Zayed City is closest to the Model School Abu Dhabi. It is a peaceful and serene residential community on the edge of Abu Dhabi with mostly villas.

• Apartments for rent near The Model School

The Model School Abu Dhabi has a spacious, purpose-built campus in Mussafah. The campus has extensive school facilities for students. Classrooms are bright, spacious and airy. They are equipped with furniture and other facilities to aid students’ learning.

The campus has separate laboratories for physics, chemistry and biology. These labs are equipped with all the necessary items meeting the need for secondary education. Students use these labs to work on investigatory projects. Additionally, the school has well-equipped computer labs with updated computers and high-speed internet.

The library is another important part of the school facilities at the Abu Dhabi campus. It is stocked with a wide range of books (fictional and non-fictional), periodicals, journals, newspapers and much more. From grade 6 onwards, students can borrow the book home from the library. The Model School Abu Dhabi encourages students to visit the library in spare time to develop a habit of reading books.

The Model School is located at the intersection of 28th Street and Al Yad’ah Street in the Musafah Community near Deluxe Tea Restaurant and Café. Those interested in visiting the school can reach their destination through Abu-Dhabi – Al Ain truck Road and Abu Dhabi – Al Ain Road. These roads are connected with the school by the Naseem Al Barr Street and 28th Street.

The Model School Abu Dhabi is a part of the reputable NIMS Group of Schools, which has been delivering quality education for decades. The Model School Abu Dhabi is serving the Indian community for over 30 years with high-end education and other school amenities. The environment here is positive and supports the social, emotional and personal development of students.

As an Indian school, it follows the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Kerala Board Curriculum. Both curricula are academically rigorous and focus on the all-round development of students. The CBSE curriculum is well regarded in the international community for its structured approach. Every student studies the syllabus based on the CBSE curriculum until Grade 8. Afterwards, students can continue their education following the CBSE curriculum or opt for the Kerala Board Curriculum.

The experienced teaching body at The Model School Abu Dhabi is another strength of this school. The school has over 350 teachers that have relevant educational background. This is important, as parents trust the school to deliver the curriculum to students by their best teachers. The average teacher to student ratio ensures students receive enough attention and care. Also, the staff turnover rate at this school is 10%. It is lower than most schools in the UAE and shows that most teachers at this school are part of this institution for years.

It is a K-12 school that educates children aged 3 to 18 years old. The school’s education system is split into four sections:

The curriculum followed at The Model School Abu Dhabi is broad and balanced. It is based on the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – an internationally acclaimed curriculum, and Kerala Board of Curriculum.

The curriculum focuses on building the foundation skills, such as reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the early grades. Once these skills are developed, students enter the primary stage and study the following key subjects:

Arabic, Social Studies and Islamic Education are included as per the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

The difficulty level increases gradually with each grade. The school also introduced new subjects in higher grades to prepare students for the external examinations. It uses formative and summative assessment techniques to gauge students’ progress. Students entering the secondary stage have the option of the CBSE based syllabus or Kerala Board Curriculum. Both academic programmes are rigorous and fully support the academic, social and emotional development.

Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is a governmental entity that regulates the education sector of Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra and Al Ain. It aims to improve and sustain the quality of the educational institutes in the regions mentioned above. ADEK started the Irtiqaa Programme through which it inspects the performance of educational institutes every 18 to 24 months. It inspects the performance of schools by judging against the following six performance standards:

• Students’ achievement
• Students’ Personal and Social Development and Innovation Skills
• Teaching and Assessment
• Curriculum
• Leadership and Management
• Protection, care, support and guidance for students

The 6-point rating scale ranges from outstanding (best) to very weak (worst) rating. The brief explanation of each rating is as follows:

The Model School Abu Dhabi was last inspected for the academic year 2017-2018 between May 7, 2018, and May 10, 2018. In this inspection, the overall performance of the Model School Abu Dhabi was acceptable. This shows that the quality of education at this institute meets the minimum quality level that is required by schools in the UAE.

The school scored a ‘very good’ rating for students’ social and personal development and innovative skills. Whereas, it achieved a ‘good’ rating for curriculum and the protection, care, guidance and support provided to students. It rated the rest of the performance standards as acceptable.

The key areas of strength of the Model Indian School noticed by the ADEK are:

• The school has made improvements in achievement in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
• The Model School has also linked the teaching lessons with real life and the culture of the UAE.
• It has established a strong partnership with parents.
• The school’s environment is found to be positive and nurturing for students.
• Students of The Model School Abu Dhabi show a positive attitude and very good behaviour to learning.

Nevertheless, there is a lot of room for improvement for The Model School Abu Dhabi. ADEK jotted down the following recommendations for the school in its latest inspection report:

The school needs to raise the students’ achievement in all subjects, especially English-medium subjects. For this purpose, the school must

• Develop knowledge of curricular benchmarks and self-evaluation skills of teachers so that they can set achievement targets for students
• Provide challenging, active and interesting activities to keep students engaged
• Adopt the practices to raise students’ achievements in Islamic Education
• Improve provision of big and small print books to meet the needs of students with different abilities
• Provide opportunities to students for extended writing
• Develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills

The school must embed the best teaching and assessment practice. For this purpose, they need to:

• Identify and share the best professional practice through leadership, findings and peer observation
• Train teachers to help them overcome their weaker aspects
• Use the assessment information to improve the teachers’ planning
• Provide feedback to students

Furthermore, the school is advised to ensure a smooth turnover of students entering and leaving The Model School Abu Dhabi. For this purpose, the school must:

• Have enough supervision during the arrival and departure times
• Develop and implement guidance for staff
• Review and modify procedures whenever required
• Inform parents when changing procedures

The academic year at The Model School Abu Dhabi starts in April and ends in March. The year is split into three terms. 

• The first term starts in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July. This is followed by summer break that ends in the fourth week of August.
• The second term starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December. Students then go on a winter break that ends in the last week of December.
• The third term starts in the first week of January and ends in the fourth week of March.

For more information, contact the school.

The admission process at The Model School Abu Dhabi is straightforward and easy. To apply, submit the completed admission form available on the school’s website. Students have to pass the entrance test to get admission. Those completing the entrance test are informed via the contact details mentioned in the admission form. If there is no seat available, applicant's name will be placed on the waiting list.

The document required for admission are:

• Passport of student and parents with valid UAE residence visa
• Attested birth certificate of the candidate
• Copy and original emirates ID of the candidate
• Two recent passport-size photographs
• Vaccination record
• Tenancy agreement, water and electricity bill

If any of your children are already studying in The Model School Abu Dhabi, the following documents are required:

• Original passport of student's and sibling
• A copy of students and parent passports
• Attested birth certificate of the candidate
• Original and copies of Emirates ID
• Two recent passport-size photographs
• Vaccination record
• Tenancy agreement, water bill or electricity bill

For more information, read the admission process at The Model School Abu Dhabi.

This is based on the age of the applicant on 31st July (for schools beginning in April). Source: KHDA

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

The annual tuition fee at The Model School is as follows:

The school offers a safe and efficient school transport service to its students. New Indian Private School has a fleet of well-maintained buses that have modern safety and security features. To apply, fill out the online application form. The school charges transportation on a termly basis. Payment can be made via cash or cheque. For more information, read the transportation procedure at The Model School Abu Dhabi.

The school has limited sports facilities at the campus. There is an outdoor play area used for assemblies and other outdoor activities. The indoor multipurpose hall has facilities for basketball and other indoor games. Additionally, the campus has an outdoor practice area for students interested in cricket and an outdoor basketball court.

Students at The Model School Abu Dhabi participate in different extracurricular activities. These activities allow students to learn different skills and develop all-round skills. Some of the noteworthy extra-curricular activities at the school are:

Field trips are an important part of the extra-curricular programme at The Model School Abu Dhabi. Students were taken to various places such as Emirates Park Zoo and Umm Al Emarat Park.

There are no special after-school programme for students at the Model School Abu Dhabi. Some of the extra-curricular programme are offered as after-school activities.

Several modes of communication are available for students at The Model School Abu Dhabi. There is a school portal on the official website that gives parents easy access to key information, such as attendance records, academic performance and much more. Additionally, parents can also download TMS Parent App on their mobile devices. The application is available on the Android platform through Google Play Store.

The official school website is another information resource for parents. It is updated regarding admission, curriculum and other school-related information. Here, parents can also find news and events to check out the current and upcoming events. Feedback forms for parents are also available on the school website.

Other modes of communication at this school are the social media pages and grade-specific WhatsApp groups. The WhatsApp group is an excellent source for urgent enquiry as the teachers and parents of the students studying in the same classrooms are part of these groups.

• General information: +971-2-552-7200
• Email: info@themodel.ae
• The Model School, Abu Dhabi Website
• The Model School, Abu Dhabi Facebook
• The Model School, Abu Dhabi Twitter
• The Model School, Abu Dhabi Instagram

Please note that the cover image belongs to The Model School Abu Dhabi

What are the timings of the school?

The school is operational from 7 am to 5:45 pm.

Does Model School Abu Dhabi conduct after-school activities?

Yes, the school has some activities planned for after-school hours.

How many grades are there in the school?

The school has KG to Grade XII classes.

Does the school follow a co-education model? If yes, from which grade do boys and girls study in separate sections or classrooms?

The school is co-educational until Grade 4 after which girls and boys study in separate classes.

How many students are currently studying in the school?

The Model School has around 5,000 students. Most of the students are Indian, but students from Pakistan and Bangladesh are also part of this school.

Does the school have any special education programmes or learning plans for students of determination?

Students with special educational needs are part of the student population at The Model School, Abu Dhabi. The school focuses on their learning and personal development.

Please describe the academic calendar of the school.

The academic year at The Model School lasts from April to March and is split into three terms.

Please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by the school?

The fee ranges from AED 4,300 to AED 7,200.

How does the school communicate with parents?

The official school website is the prime source of information regarding the school. Parents can also download TMS Parent App and join grade-specific WhatsApp groups.

How often does the school arrange field trips?

The Model School, Abu Dhabi takes students on educational field trips at least once a year.

How many teachers are currently teaching in the school?

The staff comprises 280 members including teachers.