1. UAE National Agenda and UAE Vision 2021
Meeting the challenge and realising the vision

2. The UAE National Agenda
In 2014, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the UAE National Agenda as an extension to achieve the UAE Vision 2021.
Education is a particularly important focus of the UAE National Agenda as it includes eight key objectives that will pave the way towards the next phase of educational development in the UAE
These objectives should lead the UAE to become a leading provider of world-class education.

3. The UAE National Agenda
PISA: to be among the 20 highest performing countries
(The Programme for International Student Assessment)
TIMSS: to be among the 15 highest performing countries
(Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study)
High quality teachers: to ensure that 100% of schools have high quality teachers
Highly effective school leadership: to ensure that 100% of public schools have highly effective school leadership

4. The UAE National Agenda Education Targets
High skills in Arabic language: to ensure that 90% of Year 10 Students develop high skills in Arabic language in the UAE NAP (National Assessment Programme) assessment
Completion of high school education: to ensure that 90% of Emirati students complete their high school education
Attending pre-primary: to ensure that 95% of children in the UAE attend pre-primary education
University foundation programme: to ensure that no students need to join the university foundation programme

5. The UAE Vision Education Targets
Inclusion: the UAE to become an inclusive, barrier free, rights based society that promotes, protects and ensures the success of all groups of students
Innovation: the UAE Vision 2021 sets out the National Agenda for the UAE to be among the most innovative nations of the world

6. What steps has DIA taken to meet the UAE National Agenda targets and the UAE Vision 2021?

7. PISA – how did we do in 2012?

8. PISA – how did we do in 2012?

9. TIMSS – how did we do in 2011? Compared to Year 5 Mathematics Year 5
Science
Year 9 Mathematics
Year 9

10. PISA & TIMSS Targets
Year 5
Year 9

11. PISA & TIMSS – Meeting targets
Curriculum
Modified to meet the content and skill requirements of TIMSS and PISA in mathematics & science
Revised our Learning Ladders to develop ‘threshold concepts’ for key learning aims
Mapped science outcomes throughout the primary to ensure coverage
­Daily mental maths activities to develop skills
Real-life problem solving encouraged through the KG and PYP curricula
Reviewed PYP Programme of Inquiry (POI) to ensure better balance in all four strands of science in each grade level
Guided reading programme introduced in primary and modified set-texts in secondary

12. PISA & TIMSS – Meeting targets
Learning, Teaching & Assessment
Personalised learning approach to ensure all students are challenged
Use of Blooms-style questioning to promote critical thinking
Introduced regular formative ‘stop and check’ assessments to more accurately determine student starting points
Mathematics subject leaders model lessons and deliver whole school PD
Science subject leader in Phase 2 models lessons and drives curriculum development
Introduced PTE, PTM & PTS Standardised Assessments and embedded IBT
­CAT4 for all students in Phases 2-4 to identify SEN & G&T students for personalised learning, and drive target-setting
TIMSS-styled assessments to ensure students are familiar with the questions on a TIMSS test

13. PISA & TIMSS – Meeting targets
Leadership & Management
Forensic data analysis to identify gaps, trends and areas for intervention and improvement
Re-structured MYP streaming in maths to more closely match student needs
­­Greater technology integration especially using BYOD in secondary and iPads in Primary
Introduction of e-reading scheme in primary
Regular learning walks to ensure teaching and learning is always good or better
New science laboratory introduced in Primary, to boost practical inquiry skills
Assistant Teachers introduced in Secondary Maths and English

14. Improving the quality of Arabic education and awareness
Revised Arabic A and Arabic B curricula to match Ministry requirements and the Modern Foreign Language (MFL) framework
Revised Arabic Learning Ladders
Greater variety of learning strategies employed by a more highly qualified and skilled group of teachers
Increased daily focus upon all four language skills in every lesson
Arabic ASA and peer support groups
Regular Arabic days
Consistent success in group-wide competitions
UAE Social Studies mapped and introduced in secondary school humanities

15. University Success
All DIA graduates admitted to university for the 7th consecutive year
90% first-choice entrance in 2015
2015 graduate students admitted to the University of Cambridge, London School of Economics (LSE), Imperial College, and many other prestigious university destinations across Europe, North America, Australia and the Middle East

16. Inclusion
Consistently Outstanding rating for Special Educational Needs provision
Appointment of primary and secondary SEN co-ordinators
Increased number of teaching assistants and assistant teachers to support SEN students in lessons
Greater use of student tracking data by teachers to match learning to the needs of students
Use of CAT4 to improve identification of students with additional learning needs, including Gifted and Talented
Enhanced identification procedures in KG

17. Innovation Alternative learning spaces and environments
BYOD embedded in Secondary
E-learning and 1-to-1 embedded in upper primary
Critical thinking and problem-solving intrinsic to learning in all phases through higher order questioning and metacognitive approaches