Summary Inspection Report Lycée Louis Massignon Published in 2013
Lycée Louis Massignon Inspection Date 9 th 12 th June 2013 School ID# 038 Type of School Private Curriculum French Number of Students 1688 Age Range Kindergarten (KG) Grade 12 Gender Mixed Principal M. Bruno Maris School Address BP 2314, Abu Dhabi, UAE Telephone Number (+971) 02 4448085 Fax Number (+971) 02 4449290 Email (ADEC) louismassignon.pvt@adec.ac.ae Page 2 of 8
Introduction The school was inspected by five inspectors. The inspectors observed 61 lessons, attended assemblies, had discussions with teachers, senior managers, counsellors, parents and students and scrutinised school documents, including information on the school s website. The school did not distribute the Irtiqa a parent questionnaires. The school s normal teaching timetable was modified for a period which included the dates of this inspection because of the need to accommodate Baccalauréat examinations. This meant that there was no access to the work of the oldest students at the school and no teaching of top grades was taking place. Changes to the teaching schedule of other year groups meant that the usual timetable was not being followed. Description of the School The school opened in 1970 and is situated in the Al Rehhan district of Abu Dhabi City. Originally owned by the Total oil company, it later became a French Embassy school. It is now under the jurisdiction of the French authority for schools outside France (AEFE). It offers the French National Brevet and the French Baccalauréat. The school aims to teach an enriched French curriculum with a particular focus on languages and enable all students to achieve their potential. All classes are mixed gender. The language of instruction is French. The pupils come from varied cultural backgrounds. The number of students at the school is as follows: Section Boys Girls Total Kindergarten (KG) 98 102 200 Primary 278 270 548 Secondary 482 458 940 Just over half the students are French, 15% are Lebanese and 5% are UAE nationals. 31% are Muslim. The school did not provide inspectors with the numbers of students with learning difficulties. Admission to the school is by parental application and a committee of the French Ministry of Education makes decisions. The socio economic backgrounds of students families is mainly middle class professional. Governance of the school is through a Conseil d Etablissement which includes senior staff, both teaching and administrative and parent representatives. School fees range from AED 19,110 in KG to AED 35,180 in Grade 12. The school charges AED 8,000 for books, AED 450 for uniform, AED 5,000 for sports, AED 360 for examination fees and AED 2,670 5,770 for school transport. Page 3 of 8
The school employs 143 teachers whose salaries range from AED 7,731 to AED 15,873. Most teachers are French nationals. The Principal has been in post for one year. Other senior staff include a Deputy Principal (Head of Secondary) and a Head of Primary, who is leaving at the end of this trimester. The Effectiveness of the School Band B Grade 4 Inspectors judged the Lycée Louis Massignon to be in Band B; that is a school that is satisfactory and improving. This judgement reflects the school s position against international best standards. When judged against similar Abu Dhabi private schools, it has many strengths. Students, for example, achieve well in international tests, particularly in mathematics, science and French. To make the progress towards best international provision which the Emirate of Abu Dhabi requires for all its schools, it must do more to develop the 21 st Century skills the nation needs. For this reason, this report recognises the good things which the school Principal and teachers currently do but also gives a clear recommendation of what more needs to be done to take the school forward. Standards in mathematics and science are good and above international expectations. Standards in Arabic are above that expected in the UAE for students of this age in all grades. French students learning Arabic have standards well above that expected of second language speakers. These students develop competent oral skills and a wide vocabulary. Islamic studies, social studies and English are satisfactory and improving. National Brevet and Baccalauréat examination results have shown consistently high attainment over twenty years at this school in all examined subjects. Pass rates usually exceed 90% with high numbers achieving top grades. By Grade 12, they achieve standards in line with secondary schools worldwide, placing them above the standards seen in most schools in Abu Dhabi. In Islamic studies, students show an interest in learning about their faith and acquire a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the Holy Qur an. In social studies, standards and progress are satisfactory. Students know about UAE history, geography and climate. Standards in French are above that expected internationally. Many students develop a deep understanding of grammar, acquire a wide vocabulary and speak with confidence and accuracy. Students information communication and technology skills (ICT) are satisfactory. Students do not develop ICT skills consistently across the curriculum, due to a wide variation in provision. In KG, ICT skills are barely satisfactory. Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well by withdrawal from specific lessons to work in small groups with a teacher. This enables them to make progress in line with their peers. Students that are more Page 4 of 8
able, do not always reach their full potential due to a lack of challenge in some classes. When they leave the school, a large majority of students go on to higher education, including universities in the UAE and abroad. Students personal development is good. All students quickly become proficient in French. Students are also confident in using the English language because they are taught from a young age. Students are mature, confident, and respect each others culture. Boys and girls socialise together well in all grades. They also show good understanding and respect for the UAE values and beliefs. They are keen and enthusiastic to learn and develop their knowledge and understanding further. Some secondary students say they want to be challenged more and have a greater choice of subjects. Students feel safe and well cared for at all times. The quality of teaching and learning is inconsistent across the school. In the best lessons, teachers use targeted questioning well to encourage student response and articulation. Teachers and students display good modelling skills to support and illustrate appropriate responses to the lesson activities. Teachers sometimes use ICT to enhance and enrich learning experiences. They provide opportunities for students to use the interactive technology during lessons so that they can participate fully. Teachers have good subject knowledge and can take students to a high level of skill and in depth understanding, for example in French grammar. Too few teachers foster the development of 21 st century skills such as critical thinking, for example in Arabic, and enquiry in mathematics. Teachers explain planned activities clearly, but do not share intended learning outcomes. They use a whole class approach, pitching the learning at the middle range of ability rather than providing challenge for the more able and support for those who learn more slowly. Students of all abilities are given very few opportunities to learn from each other through peer talk or co operative learning. Apart from responding to teacher directed activities, students talk is mostly kept to a minimum. The school uses a wide range of assessment methods. Observations, diagnostic tests and marking provide teachers with an understanding of their students level of skills. Teachers do not use this information to its full potential to match lessons to the different abilities of the students. The statutory French national curriculum has been appropriately and sensitively adapted to include Arabic and Islamic studies. The celebration of UAE culture, understanding of Islamic values, and a growing appreciation of developmental issues facing Abu Dhabi and the UAE are strong features of the curriculum. For example in mathematics Grade 7 students conducted research into traffic congestion on the Cornice. Appreciation and celebration of Arabic design traditions are also creatively embedded in the mathematics curriculum. Students academic progress is promoted effectively through the breadth, balance and Page 5 of 8
relevance of the curriculum. Students benefit from a wide range of well attended extra curricular activities, including a swimming competition in Malaysia, interschool rugby matches, the hosting of the mathematics Olympiad, the robotics club and visits to local mosques. Students awareness of the wider world is enhanced by visiting speakers to the school, such as highly acclaimed chefs from local French restaurants and a forthcoming visit from a French Nobel Laureate. Skill progression throughout each subject is an integral part of each syllabus. Although there is some joint planning to make learning more holistic by linking knowledge, skills and understanding across the curriculum, it is not a consistent feature. In general, students tend to copy information into workbooks for reference and revision. Consequently, key study skills such as note taking and note making are underdeveloped. Though the KG provides a broad and balanced curriculum, opportunities are missed to involve children in decisions about the topic they are learning and the choice of materials to use. Insufficient use is made of computers, programmable toys and electronically operated robots to further develop students skill in technology as preparation for the next stage of their learning. The school looks well after students health safety and welfare. The school clinic makes a strong contribution to the well being of students and is a valued facility. Students behaviour around the school is good, despite inconsistent use of positive reinforcement from teaching and pastoral staff. The school has an elected students council, but some older students do not feel this provides a suitable platform for giving them a voice. Students receive satisfactory guidance about careers and university applications. There is no child protection policy. The staff know and understand the written practical procedures for child protection. The quality and upkeep of buildings and premises are good. Most buildings are sufficiently spacious and fit for purpose. One older block has some cramped classrooms and narrow corridors and staircases, but careful scheduling ensures that the flow of students is never excessive. The smallest classes normally use these rooms. During the inspection, other classes were relocated to very small rooms to free up space for Baccalauréat examinations. This temporarily inhibited active learning, peer collaboration and teacher monitoring of students work. Access for students with mobility problems is inadequate because upper floors in all buildings are only accessible by stairs. The school provides a very clean, healthy environment for students. Risk assessments and fire safety arrangements are very thorough. Science laboratories are large, well equipped and each has an adjacent preparation room. Canteen facilities are excellent. Play areas are large, with sufficient outdoor shaded space. Custom built specialist facilities for performing arts and sports are good. The theatre has an ample stage area and stalls for Page 6 of 8
spectators. The 25 metre indoor swimming pool gives all students the opportunity to learn to swim. Teachers use the large sports hall well to teach a good variety of sports and games. Overall, the school is adequately resourced to support teaching and learning across the curriculum. Well organized libraries for both primary and secondary sections of the school offer a range of fiction and non fiction books in French. They contain many books that enable students to gain further knowledge and understanding of UAE culture and values. Older students, who pursue language study options, are encouraged to use the internet to access an extended range of authentic multi lingual reading materials as there is a limited range of such books in languages other than French. The library for the secondary school is well equipped with up to date computers but in general, technology resources are barely satisfactory in quantity, particularly in the KG. In general, classrooms are resourced to satisfactory levels. The science laboratories are well resourced to include equipment required to ensure secure and safe practice throughout. The Principal has secured his vision with the leadership team. He has developed the curriculum with more of a focus on the teaching of modern languages. He is well supported by the Deputy Principal and the Head of Primary School. These leaders have clear responsibilities for their designated areas and collectively ensure that the school runs efficiently. They provide strong strategic direction for the staff and maintain the focus on improving the provision for and outcomes of students. This, along with plans to secure additional accommodation in an adjacent ex school building, illustrates a good capacity to improve further. The school provides satisfactory value for money taking into account the appropriate range of fees charged, the education provided, and the standards achieved by the students. The 2010 2015 5 year plan was created with parents, teachers and senior students in a series of workshops. This plan sets out the priorities agreed by the school community and a shorter term improvement plan takes these priorities forward. Multilingualism features very strongly and the school is rightly proud of students competence in three or more languages. Planned developments have targets, but no milestones for achieving them. The school budget has funds appropriately allocated for the current year. As a major hub school in the AEFE global network, the lycée works with many other schools and partners which enrich the life of the school. A French national inspector has a base at the school and undertakes annual evaluations of teaching and learning. He provides feedback to teachers with development points to improve their practice. Regular meetings take place between teachers in the same section of the school, but neither these, nor inspection reports, are used sufficiently to share the best Page 7 of 8
practice. Good quality teaching taking place in some subjects and classes is unknown to teachers in others. Relationships with parents are strong. The parents association represents all those with children at the school and has direct access to school leaders in order to ensure their views are taken into account. They are also well represented on the governing board. The school has a comprehensive and very informative website which is used by students, teachers and parents. School assemblies do not comply with ADEC requirements. The UAE flag is not raised and respected every morning. Opportunities are missed at assemblies to convey daily notices and prepare students for their day of learning. What the school should do to improve further: 1. Strengthen teaching and learning by: i. increasing the number of computers and allowing students more opportunities to use ICT to support their learning in all subjects; ii. iii. developing students study skills such as note taking, choosing materials and making choices in their learning activities; and providing more opportunities for students to learn from each other through techniques such as talk partners and focussed group work. 2. Leaders and management should: i. ensure the UAE flag is flown and respected in morning assemblies; ii. iii. iv. write a child protection policy and ensure that this is understood and acted upon by all staff; give teachers opportunities to work together to ensure that best practice is shared across the school; ensure teachers use information from assessments to match work to students abilities, and that teachers are held to account for students progress and attainment; and v. undertake a curriculum review to develop closer links between subjects and areas of learning. Page 8 of 8