Alarqamacademyqnsaselfstudy

Qatar National School Accreditation Self Study Report
(QNSA) 2013-2014
Al - Arqam Academy
for Girls
Self Study Report
2013- 2014
Submitted to:
Supreme Education
1-
Council
2-
Evaluation Institute
Al- Arqam Academy
for Girls
Qatar National School
P.O Box 23148
Doha - Qatar Accreditation (QNSA)
TEL: 0097444505557
FAX : 0097444505558
www.info@alarqamacademy.com
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Table of Contents
PREFACE: Organisational Chart for Schools Self-Study ................................................................................ 3
CHAPTER 1: School Community Profile ..................................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER 2: School Mission and Learning Results...................................................................................... 36
CHAPTER 3: Self-Study Analysis of Standards............................................................................................. 41
Standard 1: Educational Leadership ....................................................................................................... 42
Standard 2: Educational Performance and Learning Environment ........................................................ 58
Standard 3: Development and Care for Learners ................................................................................... 72
Standard 4: Resource Management ....................................................................................................... 91
Standard 5: Parental and Community Partnerships ............................................................................. 101
CHAPTER 4: Short and Long Term Action Plans........................................................................................ 109
CHAPTER 5: Supportive Documents for Review ....................................................................................... 160
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PREFACE: Organisational Chart for Schools Self-Study
In this section, provide a brief summary into the schools overall self-study process.
Include reflections and comments. Make sure to include the final organisational chart
that illustrates:
Stakeholder involvement
At Al Arqam Academy we have always valued the process of continuous improvement and
believe that through shura (consulting with all stakeholders) and the blessings of Allah (SWT) a
high level of excellence can be achieved. We agreed very early on that this process was not only
about the accreditation certification itself; it was and is about continuing to recognise what we do
well and improving on the areas that we are not satisfied with. In the spirit of these beliefs we
discussed with all stakeholders how best to conduct the self-study that would contribute to
understanding who we are as a school and where our goals and challenges for the future are.
How self-study was compiled
Our self-study was compiled in several phases over the course of 18 months. In spring of 2012,
the initial accreditation application was compiled according to the application requirements.
Upon acceptance of the application, we met with teachers to discuss the work that had been done
so far and to map out how we all saw the accreditation process continuing. All stakeholders
agreed that it was important for everyone to be involved in the process and to contribute to the
gathering of information for the self-study. Based on our strategic goals, yearly action plan and
the Qatar National School Accreditation Standards we identified five areas within the school that
needed to be represented; Management &Leadership (vision, mission and school leadership),
School Planning (to include curriculums, programs, teaching and learning), Student Support
(development and care for learners), Staff Support (resource management, recruitment and
professional development) and Parent and Community (parent involvement).
The five committees were assigned various responsibilities from the yearly action plan and from
the accreditation process including gathering of evidence, discussing findings and writing
reports. The purpose of the teams was not solely based on the accreditation process as we feel
they will have an integral role in our continuous improvement process through self-review,
evaluation and monitoring of our work. The teams and committees met according to their needs
and the schedule of the members in addition to dedicated meeting times provided by the school.
As the teams and committees made progress on the tasks assigned to them updates were sent to
the Principal and other teams.
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The gathering of evidence to support the responses to the indicators in the QNSA self-study was
done in a process that involved all members of staff. In brief, a series of meetings were held with
Heads of teams, committees and departments and a common understanding of the standards,
indicators, best practices and evidence guides was developed. This process was multi-tiered with
departments gathering initial evidence which was then checked by committees and teams in a
process that involved all stakeholders. In addition to reviewing the evidence, teams and
stakeholders were asked to review the recommendations of strengths and weaknesses for each
standard and to provide feedback to the team responsible for the standard.
Several meetings were also held with the staff, parents and students to explain the process of
teams and committees and the responsibilities of each team and their role in gathering the
evidences and giving their opinions. They were then given the opportunity to choose the team or
the committee that they would like to join. We ensured ALL staff were involved and registered
their names.
A schedule was set out by the Accreditation Coordinators for teams and committees to work
according to outlined aims and objectives. Firstly they met with the Chairperson of the team and
committees, who explained the process to them. The teams not only worked with the
accreditation but also followed up with the goals of the strategic planning for the school.
When self-evaluation process started, it was agreed by all that gathering the evidence and
information for the five standards had to be through the Heads of the department and teams, as
they are the ones working on the respective jobs and were most familiar with the evidences
available. Meetings were held every Monday from 12-2pm and sometimes on other days as per
needs required. Evidence was gathered, based on the staff knowledge of the outlined aspects
from the particular standard. For e.g. SMT gathered the evidence for Standard 1-Educational
Leadership. Academic Coordinators gathered the evidence for Standard 2 and 3, Educational and
Learning Environment and Students Care. The Administrative Department gathered the evidence
for Standard 4- Resource Management. The Social Guidance team gathered the evidence for
Standard 5- Parental and Community Partnership.
Once the departments had completed collecting the evidences, this was submitted to the Teams
and Committees to give their feedback. In turn, the feedback was submitted back to make the
necessary changes and ensure that all the stakeholders involvement was included. Parents,
Students and the Board of Trustees were invited to evaluate the files and give their comments.
Finally the strength and growth points were summarised which formed the basis of identifying
priorities that need to be worked on.
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The Accreditation team collected the complete questionnaires with all comments, including the
strength and growth areas for each standard. These were carefully collated and filed safely,
readily available for anyone to read and verify. From the strength and weakness and according to
the priorities the team starts to initiate development plans for the school such as the strategic plan
for five years, the action plan for one year and the operational plan. Stakeholders are involved on
the evaluation and application of these important plans, through the teams and committees.
As the stakeholders reviewed the self-study evidence files they were also asked to review the
reports that detailed the strengths and growth areas of each standard. They were asked to
evaluate, based on the evidence, the validity of each point of strength or growth and to add their
own comments where ever they disagreed. Each team then reviewed the comments and adjusted
their report if necessary. The growth areas from these reports were gathered into the strategic
development plan with details for each area provided. These growth targets were then prioritized
with the urgent items becoming the core of the yearly action plan for 2013-2014. The strategic
plan and the yearly action plan are provided in detail in Chapter 4 of this self-study report.
1. The self-study Co-ordinators and Focus group
The self-study Coordinators:
Mrs. Ola Abdel Rahman, Ms. Kelsie Abdul Jawad, Ms. Maha Fahmy, Ms. Saima Alvi
Focus Group ;
Ms. Kawther Al Ali, Ms. Amany Baseem, Ms. Asma Salahuddin, Ms. Shreen Darwish,
Ms. Azadeh Khan.
2. Staff involved in the completion of the study

A. School Management Team (SMT)
Areas of Responsibility
To provide overall leadership and management of the school-wide improvement

initiatives and guiding frameworks.
Address Accreditation for Area 1 Educational Leadership (See QNSA Handbook).
Will evaluate and recommend a whole school action plan for Goal 5 International
Accreditation (School Management Plan, KIVA analysis, QNSA Handbook)
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Team Leader and Members (who participated in the self-study)
a. Mrs. Aisha Al Emadi CEO, Team Leader

b. Mrs. Ola Abdelrahman Academy Principal
c. Mrs. Kelsie Abduljawad Assistant Principal / Head of Primary & EY
d. Mrs. Maha Fahmy Head of Secondary
B. School Planning Team
Areas of Responsibility
Will address Accreditation for Area 2 Educational Performance and Learning

Environment (See QNSA Handbook)
Will evaluate and recommend whole school action plan for Goal 1Raising Academic
Levels (See School Management Plan & KIVA Analysis)
Will evaluate and recommend whole school action plan for Goal 4 Develop effective
communication systems (See School Management Plan & KIVA analysis - Internal
Communication Systems)
Is comprised of representatives of the parents/families, teachers, administrators and
support staff, middle and high schools, students are also represented.
Contributes to the development their schools strategic plan and evaluates and
modifies strategies, quarterly.
Provides communication to everyone in the school. Representatives bring input to the
team from their constituent groups, and then keep their respective groups informed
about School Planning and the School Management Team decisions and evaluation
findings.
Team Leader and Members (who participated in the self-study)

Mrs. AzadehDadkah Head of Academics in Secondary School, Team Leader
Committees
i) Academic Development Committee To provide academic achievement support
(a) KG Sub-committee (Year group teachers)

Staff participating in the self-study:
Mrs. Azadeh,Mrs. Summer & Mrs. Kawther, HananFathi, Fatma El Zhraa, Eraa
Abed Al Majd, SharifaBegam, SummaiyaShafee, Naira Gaber,Sara Aboelyazid,
TahaniAlkhawaldeh ,Suzan Mohamed, Heba El Ghafour, Eman Ahmed Sayed,
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Yasmine Salah, Mariam Haider,AmanyAbdalla,Rania Gouda, BeenaManzoor,

RubaNezam ,Noor Jehad, Dina Ahmed.
(b) Primary Sub-committee (Subject teachers)

Mrs. Azadeh, Asher, Mrs.Birjees ,& Mrs.DabhiaSuzy Zakarya, ShaimaaJomaa,
Areege Ibrahim Ghanim, AmalElgadirElamin , Farah Yasmin, DoaaAbokhait,
HamedaFouizy, SabhaElsayedElkoudous, AmanyBaseem, HajraTasneem, Shahira
Ibrahim, Asmaa Mohamed,SamaaYousef, AfraaShihab, Sara Omar, Iman
Mahmoud
(c) Secondary Sub-committee (Subject teachers)

Mrs. Azadeh,Saffa Ahmed Ali Younes ,Sannet Brits, LailaMoustafaSaad, Saffa
Mustafa,GulnazAlam, RuchiShangari, Anna CritinaAderson,HinaTareq, Maria de
Jager,MayadaMamdouh
ii) IT Committee To provide support in technology and web-based resources

(a) Technical Support Sub-committee (Staff related to technology maintenance)
(b) IT instructional and Resources Sub-Committee (Staff related to identifying web-
based instruction resources)
(c) Website Management Sub-Committee (Staff related to updated and maintaining the
website)
Staff participating in the self-study
Mrs. Azadeh,Mrs.SaimaRaheel, Sara Abu Elyazed, NesmaYamany, FerdousShaik,

Ameera Abdel Hameed, Shomaila Nawaz, TasneemAbdo, ShifaJihan,
NousheenNaeem, AzzaHashem
iii) Internal Communication Committee To facilitate mechanisms for clear internal

communication amongst staff (Administrators, teachers, Counsellors,and
administrative staff members)
Mrs. Azadeh,Mrs. Jennifer , Alia Zaitar, Mariam Dur, Huda Musa, SadafHaider,
RauleAlameol, Sakina Begum, NesmaYamany, SadiaTahir
iv) AESN Committee To provide academic and psychosocial support to students with
physical or learning disabilities(Teachers, Counsellors, nurses, student affairs staff,
and social workers)
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v) Student Discipline & Behaviour Committee To provide monitoring of the

effective implementation of the student behavioural code of conduct (Administrators,
teachers, Counsellors, nurse, social workers, and student affairs staff).
Mrs. Azadeh, Mrs.Nehal& Mariam Hamid , Rania Salahuddin, FathimaRasmy,
Maryam Habib, MemounaBehraim, LishnaFaizy, AnjumanRheman, RaseenaSerag,
Michelle Ward , Nabila Rahman, Nabila Rahman, RukiyaIssa, Dina Ahmed, Noor
Jehad Baker, Rehab Samir, Nazneen Elias, BushraIsrar, AmalMohamead, Youmna
Ahmed, YasminNasereldine
C. Student Support Team
Will address Accreditation for Area 3 - Development and Care for Learners (See
QNSA Handbook)
Will evaluate and recommend whole school action plan for Goal 2 To build the
character of the students (See School Management Plan & KIVA Analysis)
Is comprised of student assistance staff and others with expertise in child
development and mental health.
Coordinates and integrates the work of any mental health or other professional
support person within the school.
Works with individual students or small groups of students to address problems,
crises, and global issues that affect the healthy operation of the school.
Serves as a resource for staff and parent/families with an emphasis on child
development and how changes in the school environment impact student behaviour.
Has representative on the School Planning and Management Team in order to tailor
school programs to students needs.
Committees
(a) Pastoral Care Committee To provide psychosocial support, counseling and
guidance to students (Social worker, counselor,
Mrs. Sandi Stone, Ekhlas Nabil, SakilahMelcuishua,AliyahMelcuishua,
Kimberle Roan, Mariam Awad, NahidaRasul, ShaimaaYusri, AiofieMurtagh
(b) Academic Support Committee To provide student academic support

1. AESN Sub-committee To provide support to students with physical or
learning disabilities (Teachers, Counsellors, nurses, student affairs staff, and
social workers)
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Mrs. Sandi Stone,Ms. EmanNajm, Sumaiah AlRahman, MarwaHefny,
HadeelHany, Gada Hussein, Nehad Ahmad, Mona Abdallah, Amany Ahmed
2. Service Learning Sub-committee To provide student support in linking

curriculum standards to service projects (Teachers and Counsellors)
Mrs. Sandi Stone,Mrs. Eman Hassan,Aya Mohamed Ahmed ,Eman
Mohamed Ahmed, Ahlan Osman, RaghdaElhady
D. Staff Support Team
To provide staff with professional and psychosocial support

Address Accreditation for Area 4 - Resource Management (See QNSA Handbook)
Evaluate and recommend a new whole school action plan for Goal 3 To develop
Strong Staff Teams (See School Management Plan & KIVA Analysis)
Committees
a.) Professional Development Committee (Administrators, teachers and

administration staff)
Staff participating in the self-study: Mrs. Doaa, Mrs.AsmaaSalahuddin,
ZainabKazi,SameenaFarheen, ErimHabib, Marium Bashir, Amena
Begum,SumayaShafaqt, Amany Abdullah, Fatima Alzahraa, AlaaSobhy,
AsmaaKhaled Amin, Omnia Hassan, Samia Hassan Ali, WafaaHarb
b.) Staff well-being Committee (Administrators, teachers, Counsellors, social
workers, members of staff affairs)
Staff participating in the self-study: Mrs. Doaa, Mrs.Enas,
AwadiaYosefAbdallaa, AsmaaKhaled, Reggie May Tubio
c.) Recruitment Committee (Administrators, teachers, and administrative staff
members)
d.) Induction Committee (Administrators, teachers, and administrative staff)
Staff participating in the self-study: Mrs. Doaa, Mrs.Nayyar, Safia Jane
Sherif, Firdous Hakeem, Sana Emtiaz, Nadia Emtiaz, KhalidaNazir Ahmed,
Sally Salah, Sara Samir, Hind Eid
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E. Parent and Community Team
Will address accreditation for Area 5 - Parents and Community

Will evaluate and recommend a new whole school action plan for Goal 4 Effective
communication with parents and community (External communication)
The parent and community team is comprised of parents and other family members.
Develops activities for parents/families, which enable parents/families to support the
overall development of their own, and all children in the school.
Has representative on the School Planning and Management Team in order to tailor
these activities to the social and academic program of the school, as reflected in the
comprehensive School Plan.
Committees
a. Parent Support Committee To provide parents with support regarding student
development as well as, college and career preparation (Teachers, Parents, guidance
Counsellors, and social workers)
Mrs. Wafaa, Aziza Fouad Mohamed, JihanAbdMousa Ali, WassilaAbd Al
Hameed, Huda Said Ahmed
b. Parent/Community Involvement Committee To provide parents and
community stakeholders with a process in which to engage in volunteering at the
school (Parents, social workers, and community members, i.e., banks, hospitals,
engineering firms, government ministries, etc.)
Mrs. Wafaa, Mrs. Mariam Roweny, MayadaEzzat, FahimaGamal, Mira, Rania
Essam Mohamed, HanadiHamoudy, NermeenFathi, Omnia nabil, Shahira Amin,
Reda Ahmed, Nehal Osama, Azza El Nahas,RehamHamdyAllaithy, Safaa Mustafa,
NermeenAbdelkareem
c. External Communication Committee To provide clear and effective
communication between parents and the school (Parents and social workers)
Staff participating in the self-study: Mrs. Wafaa, Heba Al Desouki Mohammed,
Samah Salah, RoubaAlamEldine, Mariam Omar, Suzan Seliman
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CHAPTER 1: School Community Profile
School General Characteristics and Overview
Al Arqam Academy is an Islamic international school for girls, which offers

an international style educational experience. The school was established in 1996 as
a private school to meet the needs of Qatari and expatriate families in Qatar. In 2004, keeping
pace with education reforms, the school changed to an international English curriculum,
combined with progressive Arabic, Islamic Studies, Life Skills and values programs. Today,
the school is a college preparatory school following the British National curriculum and teaches
rich Arabic, Sharia and values curricula and extracurricular activities, serving students from Kg1
to year 12 (IGCSE and AS exams). The school is a fully recognised Cambridge International
Examinations (CIE) and Edexcel Examination Centre. Al Arqam Academy is under the umbrella
of the Supreme Education Council of State of Qatar and follows SEC standards in Arabic, Sharia
and Arabic Humanities curricula. Al Arqam Academy has also been chosen last year amongst
few other schools to join the Educational Vouchers System adopted by the SEC. Throughout this
program, the school was able to serve more Qatari students and this year was a rewarding
experience for both the school students, and their families.
Currently the school has 1375 students comprised of Muslim girls from a variety of cultural
backgrounds with a majority of Qatari students (67% of Al Arqam students).
School premises were originally designed to fulfill school purposes and requirements but were
established in phases that were fully completed in 2010. Now, school campus consists of 3
different school buildings (KG, Primary and Secondary), equipped with safety precautions and
educational facilities required for the respective schools. Facilities include Libraries, ICT Labs,
interactive white boards, Cafeterias, fully equipped Science Labs, Food and Nutrition Lab,
indoor playing areas, Art rooms, Life skills rooms, clinics and air conditioned classes, halls and
corridors. The three schools share facilities such as the swimming pool, Theatre for holding
lectures, meetings, and celebrations, PE Hall and outdoor area. Provision of these resources
proved to have a great impact on students learning, interest and feeling of belongingness to
school community. Nevertheless, the self-study helped us evaluate how different stakeholders
view school facilities and what the school can do in order to achieve our anticipated learning
results in a rapidly changing world. Al Arqam promotes a safe, secure learning environment,
supported by all staff, and particularly by our administrative and custodial staff.
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School facilities
Al Arqam Academy is located in Al Maamoura district of Doha on a purpose built campus. The
campus is comprised of five modern buildings; staff accommodations, sports centre, Kg
building, Primary building and Secondary building. The staff accommodations building is
comprised of 12 individual flats either one or two bedrooms that are all fully furnished. The
sports centre has a fully equipped gymnasium, covered pool, locker room and showers. This is in
addition to the aerobics room and game room which are located in the secondary building.
The KG section of the campus is comprised of two fully equipped and covered outdoor
playgrounds with a beautiful track for tricycle riding. The outside area is surrounded by well-
kept gardens which provide a natural sense of serenity and comfort to our youngest students.
Inside the building students are welcomed in the grand foyer and then directed to the indoor soft
play area to wait for school to start. All floors in the Kg building are covered in special flooring
for safety and aesthetic appeal. There are 12 classrooms, spacious library, two staffrooms, nurse/
guidance office, prayer hall, administrative offices and plenty of storage for our vast resources.
The Primary section of the campus is home to the main administrative offices and this is where
parents will find the offices of the CEO, Principal, board room, accounting as well as staff and
student affairs personnel. The school is comprised of three sections; lower primary, upper
primary and a shared facilities section. Lower and upper primary sections each have 15
classrooms, two staff rooms, toilets and an area for gathering for the morning line up and
assemblies. The shared facilities consist of two ICT suites, two science labs, Art room, library,
prayer hall, small gymnasium and cafeteria. Outside students enjoy two fully equipped play areas
plus a blacktop area with games to enjoy during their breaks.
The Secondary section of the campus opened in 2012 and offers students everything they need
for modern education. The building has 30 classrooms which are subject based, four science labs
specially equipped for the subject taught in them, two ICT suites, Art & Design suite, Home
Economics lab, teachers rooms, student lounge, cafeteria, library, meeting room, clinic, guidance
room, administrative offices and a fully outfitted theatre with stage specially designed for
acoustics and visual presentations. Outside, students will find two garden areas with seating for
relaxing during their break times.
Classroom aspects
All classrooms are all air conditioned, well lit and ventilated. Class size is between 25 to 27
students. Furniture used in classes is suitable for students age and teachers needs and is of good
quality, colorful and is in good condition. Display boards are provided in all classrooms for
displaying students work. Interactive white board is also available in all classes. Based on
students and teaching resources requirements for every year group, those requirements and
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resources are being provided. For instance, all KG classrooms include bathrooms, posters and
colorful displays, carpets and toys. Corners in classrooms are used in KG and Primary for
various purposes and activities such as circle time, story time, reading club, golden time to award
students and others.
In Primary classrooms, shelves are provided for students to keep their notebooks. In Secondary
building, every student has a locker to keep her books and tools in an organized way. Cleaning
tools are provided to ensure cleanliness of classrooms. Students are encouraged to maintain their
desks, lockers and classrooms neat and clean at all times. Cleanliness competitions are held
regularly to help achieving this purpose.
Students Community
Al Arqam Academy caters for students from KG1 up till Year 12. It consists of three schools:
Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary. A number of 1375 students are studying this year at Al-
Arqam; 302 students in KG, 600 in Primary and 295 students in Secondary.
Although Al Arqam admits some new students every year and cannot accept many others due to
limited palaces except for the early years in which new classes were opened this year, it is worth
mentioning that many of Al Arqam students remain with the school for many years that some of
them joined the school when the school started and complete their final pre university year at Al
Arqam. These students were able to successfully cope with the changes and shifts in curriculum
the school made to develop during those years.
N.B: Secondary refers to Years 7-12.
Students cultures and Nationalities
Al Arqam Academy represents a homogenous multicultural community with a majority of Qatari

students representing 67% of the student community and a range of diversity of cultures and
backgrounds for the remaining portion of that community. Our classes include students from
Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Bosnia, United States, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Oman, Spain, UAE,
South African, Libya, Canada, Pakistan, Sudan, Malaysia, Srilanka, France, Iran, Australia,
Algeria, Portugal, Singapore and Britain. Each has different customs.
At Al Arqam Academy we manage to bring them all together by offering various activities, such
as International Day. Students are encouraged to display their nations customs, traditions,
traditional foods, traditional dress and fine arts. This diversity among students enriches the
school community and encourages students to learn from each other, recognise the strengths of
others and themselves and find out how to build good productive relationships. Moreover,
sticking to school vision creates a general friendly atmosphere that brings all students to a shared
framework in which all students understand the general principles and guidelines and know they
all have many things in common.
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The following graphs show the trend of student community composition for 3 successive years.
Student Community 2011

500
450 445
400
350
300
250
200
150
100 82 79
50
0 3 3 2 18 15 3 15 5 5 4 1 1 3 1 6
Graph 1

Egypt
Palestine
Syria
Iran
Canada
oman
Pakistan
India
Yemen
British
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Number of Students
Graph 2
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500
400 437
300
200
100 97 68 No.of Students
0 16 3 1 2 4 2 2 6 2 1 3 2 17 3 1 12 12 1 1
Egypt
India
India
Portugal
Syria
Iran
Iraq
canada
Pakistan
Qatar
Sudan
UAE
British
America
Bahrain
Bosna
New Zealand
Palestine
Spain
Oman
Jordan
Yemen
Graph 3
As graphs1, 2 and 3 show, school student community tends to be more multicultural in 2013 with
more nationalities added. Our experience at Al Arqam proved that this enriches the school
environment and broadens students minds regarding openness to other cultures.
Students socio-economic backgrounds

Al Arqam students also come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, mostly average
and high class with some students from the ruling family. There are 15 students who are staff
daughters and they get 50% discount on tuition fees. The school also sponsors through a
scholarship program approximately 10 students annually.
Languages spoken
As a multi-national community, 34 students representing 3% of the students community have
Arabic as their second language while the rest are Arabic speakers with English as a second
language. Al Arqam tries to provide support for non Arabic speakers to improve their Arabic as
part of Al Arqam Academys mission is to foster a generation of students who can communicate
confidently both in Arabic and English. For that, while the school adopts the British National
Curriculum, 30% of the school curriculum is taught in Arabic including subjects as Arabic,
Sharia, Arabic Humanities and life skills and values.
Amazingly, by end of Secondary, some of our students who Arabic is their second language take
Arabic as first language and pass it successfully, while various other Arabic speakers manage to
take English as a first language for their IGCSE course and get excellent results.
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Student enrolment and drop out
Student enrolment has increased significantly in the early years program during the last two
years 2011-2013. Therefore school management opened new classes in order to meet parents
needs and requests. This arises from the increased number of parents who are interested in the
school vision as well as the very good outcomes of the school during the same period which
prove to parents that school vision is applicable and is reflected in students results, manners,
dedication to Islamic values as well as progress in students learning and character.
Students Enrollment 2011

Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Yr 7 Yr 8 Yr 9 Yr 10 kg2
3%
6%
14%
44%
8%
3%
6% 8%
5%
3%
Graph 4 - Student enrollment 2011
Student Enrollment in 2012

Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Yr 6 Yr 7
Yr 8 Yr 9 Yr 10 Yr 11 Yr 12 Kg1 Kg2
6% 0% 0% 0% 0%
4% 6%
33%
7%
9%
8%
16%
7% 4%
Graph 5 - Student enrollment 2012
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Students Enrollment 2013

Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Yr 7 Yr 8 Yr 9 Yr 10 kg2
3%
6%
14%
44%
8%
3%
6% 8%
5%
3%
Graph 6- Student Turnover 2013
Although the number of students who apply to be enrolled at Al Arqam is very large in the lower
year groups, also the turnover in these years is relatively high. This is due to various reasons
such as young age of students, transportation issues, moving houses and others. Moreover, it is
evident that drop out level slightly increases after students complete Key stage 3 and sometimes
after Key stage 4, completing IGCSE. This is due to the high level of commitment, hard work
and English language required for successful completion of IGCSE and AS courses. Some
parents and students prefer to keep their daughters till end of key stage 3 to improve their
English language and character building then move them to other schools with less demanding
academic requirements.
Student Turnover in 2011

Yr 9
6% Yr 10
Yr 8 kg2 Yr 1 3% Yr 11
6% 8% 13% 3%
Yr 7 Yr 12
6% 2%
Yr 6 Yr 2
7% 16%
Yr 4 Yr 3
Yr 5 11% 12%
7%
Graph 7 Student turnover 2011
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Yr 8
8%
Yr 9 Yr 1 Yr 10
6% 12% 6% Yr 11
Yr 7 3%
7%
Yr 12
Yr 6 1%
8% Yr 2
Yr 5 12%
10%
Yr 4 Yr 3
11% 16%
Yr 9
Yr 8 Yr 1
6%
6% 15% Yr 10
Yr 7 5%
7%
Yr 11
Yr 6
5%
7%
Yr 12
Yr 5 4%
10% Yr 13
Yr 2
12% 1%
Yr 4
10% Yr 3
12%
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Residential areas
As Al Arqam Academy is located in Doha, most of Al Arqam students live in Doha with very
few students coming from Al Khor. Most of students live in areas that are near to school.
Staff Community
Our teachers also come to us from countries all over the globe, such as the United States, Britain,
Australia, South Africa, India, South African, Pakistan, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Canada and
Syria. The 163 faculty members ( June, 2012-2013 records) play an important role in introducing
our students to a global society as they all have different cultural backgrounds. The school makes
sure that staff members especially the new staff are well introduced to the school vision and
principles starting from the recruitment process, interviews and then during the induction
program and cultural awareness sessions, staff handbook, meetings with school management and
regular meetings and memos. Therefore, all teachers regardless their different backgrounds, play
an influential role in promoting school values and ethos both inside and outside classrooms.
Teacher to student ratio

Al Arqam Academy strives to provide the right number and quality of teachers and assistants for
students to meet students needs and provide a supportive educational school taking into
consideration the international standards. The following tables show the trend in teacher to
student ratios within the last 3 years.
Teacher to Student Ratio 2011-2012 Table 1
Total # of Students Total # of Campus Level Ratio

Teachers
250 15 Kg 1 and 2 1:16
484 36 Primary Years 1-6 1:13
232 28 Secondary Years 7-12 1:8
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Teacher Assistant to Student Ratio 2011-2012 Table 2

Teachers
Assistants
250 10 Kg 1:25
484 18 Primary 1:27
Teacher to Student Ratio 2012-2013 Table 3

Teachers
302 18 Kg 1 and 2 1:16
600 41 Primary Years 1-6 1:14
295 25 Secondary Years 7-12 1:12
Teacher Assistant to Student Ratio 2012-2013 Table 4

Teachers
Assistants
302 12 Kg 1:25
600 18 Primary 1:33
Staff turnover
Generally, staff turnover at Al Arqam Academy is not high. As a girls school with mostly female
staff members, most of the time staff turnover is due to reasons such as husband leaving the
country, getting married, completing contracts, moving to independent schools as well as other
reasons. It is worth mentioning that there is a good number of staff members who have been
working at Al Arqam since it was established and others who have worked with Al Arqam for 8
years and above. Moreover, this does not only apply to Arabs but also to overseas staff members
of whom some spend many years at the school. Surveys and asking staff members, many feel
that the school has a friendly atmosphere where they feel comfortable. In addition to that, as a
girls Islamic International School, teachers find the students generally behaving well and
motivated and they enjoy teaching most of them. Following graphs show trend and percentage
of staff turnover according to departments which is relative to department size and number of
staff members in each department.
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Staff Turnover
2011-12
38%
2012-13
62%
Graph 10- trends of staff turnover during 2011-2013
Staff turn over 2012-13

Department wise
KG
12%
secondary
42%
primary
46%
Graph 11- staff turnover according to departments
Teacher expertise and qualification
Almost all Al Arqam teachers have bachelor degrees, 11 staff members have Masters degree and
6 others have post graduate diplomas (June, 2013 records). Senior management team members
either completed or are working on completing their master degree in Educational Leadership.
63% of Al Arqam teachers have teaching qualifications while the rest have a bachelor degree
close to their teaching subjects.
Regarding teaching experience, 70% of our teachers have more than 5 years of experience,
among whom 10% have more than 20 years of experience.
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Secondary
School Teacher's Qualification
Certificate
14% 2010-2011
Diploma
18%
Masters
11%
Bachelors
57%
Graph 12 Teachers qualifications 2010-2011
Teacher's Qualification
2011-2012
Diploma
Masters
0% 3%
9%
Bachelors
88%
Graph 13 Teachers qualifications 2011-2012
Graphs 11 and 12 show huge great increase in number of teachers who have bachelor degree and
that the school stopped accepting any teachers without bachelor degree. The school also has been
encouraging and supporting some teachers to apply for and complete their studies to gain their
bachelor degree.
Parent Information
The parental community of Al Arqam Academy is distinguished for parents interest in raising
up their daughters in an environment that promotes values and Qatari culture, high level of
Arabic and English language abilities as well as high academic level that enables students to be
competent with their peers worldwide and to be positive responsible citizens who contribute to
the prosperity of their society. Most of Al Arqam community parents are educated with high
level of awareness and willingness to participate in the school community in many ways
including participation in activities and events, volunteer work as needed by the school and
matching their specialization, attending meetings and board of trustees meetings for helping the
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school and giving opinion in various matters. Through surveys and meetings with parents, it is
clear that parents always support their daughters academically, have high academic expectations
and ambitions for their daughters academic future.
Generally, the largest segment of our students parents work in the public sector, including
ministers, Army, petrol companies and Media. Moreover, 61 parents of Al Arqam students work
in the educational field. Some other parents are business men, doctors, engineers etc.
Professional development
Al Arqam Academys commitment to professional development of all staff members is evident
in the in-house and external programs staff members attend. At the beginning of the school year
all staff attend a week long induction program that familiarizes new staff with local and school
culture and the processes of the school while serving to motivate and unite old staff once again.
In addition to the induction program, the school used to provide six paid professional
development days through-out the year and every Monday afternoon from 12:00 2:00 pm was
devoted to staff development plus other external programs. This year, the 6 days of professional
development will be replaced with an extra hour on Mondays to make it 3 hours weekly devoted
to professional development in order to better serve professional development purposes, allow
teachers the opportunity to implement what they learn, discuss it within their departments, reflect
on their practice and share good practices with their colleagues till embedded in their daily
teaching. Some of the programs introduced last year included topics such as: differentiated
instruction, outstanding teaching, planning for student individual learning goals, assessing
pupils progress, using interactive board, the scientific research process, interactive learning and
the Leadership That Works Series for all SMT, instructional leaders, and administrative
supervisors.
Additional training for specific curricular areas, such as ICT, Math, Arabic and Sharia has also
been offered, Arabic and Sharia teachers are always encouraged to attend PD sessions on SEC
Arabic and Sharia standards for. Moreover, weekly departmental and team meetings provide
opportunities for professional development, planning and support.
This year, a performance management program for teachers, leaders and administrators will be
fully in action from the beginning of the year with focus on implementing peer coaching and
other strategies in order to enhance learning communities and help making a good progress in
professional development where all staff members develop their skills and help their colleagues
to develop their skills and knowledge as well.
Consequently, teachers are observed regularly by subject coordinators informally and formally
and given regular feedback about their areas of development and proficiency. Staff members are
rewarded for their achievements and efforts at the end of the year in a whole school assembly.
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School programs, co and extra-curricular activities and support programs
The school provides an extracurricular program designed by the Life Skills department
coordinators and class teachers. They include their extracurricular plan in the whole school
action plan and review it at the beginning of each term. This plan includes a clear description of
the activity or event, the main objectives, the number of students who will participate and their
year group or age. The Life Skills department and coordinators are in charge of supervising and
following the implementation of the whole extracurricular program.
Extracurricular programs in kindergarten:

Open day (every week); where students implement what they learn in a practical way and
participate in different activities like cooking, computer, sports, crafts, etc.
Competitions between classes
Field trips, sight visits and fun trips
Celebrating different events; environmental, international and national
Qatar Environment Day on 26th February
International Food Day on 16th October
Tree Week from 1st to 7th November
National Day 18th December
Water Day 22nd March
Health Day 7th April
Family Day 15th May
Environment Day 5th May
Childhood Day 7th October
Extracurricular programs in Primary School:

Morning assembly that has different programs related to Islamic, national and
international events such as first ten days of Dulhijja, National Day, and Environment
Day.
Achievement Day: to be held at the end of the year to award students. The ceremony
includes some drills and rehearsal by students.
Teacher prepared activities as follows:
-Little Daiyah program: Enriches students Islamic knowledge and trains students
to speak to a wide audience on Islamic topics and principles.
The Mothers of Believers: Ummahat Al Momineen: students attend lectures on the
prophets wives biography and have competitions at the end of the program.
Caliphate Al kholafaa Al Rashideen: students attend lectures on the biography and
achievements of great caliphate and have competitions at the end of the program.
Book Day
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Science Day
Math Day
Character Day; students choose a character they like, dress up like their character and
represent it, talk about it in front of their parents and peers.
Story Day
Professional Day; Students choose professions that they would like to perform in the
future and talk about them in front of their parents and peers.
Each term, the students choose an after school activity of their choice (eg; scrabble, board
games, flower making, sewing, painting, and creative writing)
Open day: To be held at the end of each term for students to have some fun,
entertainment and competitions. Students apply what they have learnt in values and life
skills in a practical way.
Extracurricular programs in Secondary School:
Morning assembly
Sports day
Debate competitions (English, Arabic)
ICT Competition
Annual book fair
Math Week
Science Week
Democracy Day
Qatar National Day
International Day
Cancer supporting Campaign
Diabetes supporting walk
Fresh juices Day
Educational Field trips Scientific club, The Pearl, the Zoo, Katara
Fun trips Katara, Vellagio, Land Mark
Charity days
Green environment program
Al Bairaq scientific research program
Activities program on Sundays including: Glass painting, cooking, science club, robots,
basket ball, media, first aid, Library friendsetc.
Camps/sleep over
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The School and Community Partnerships
The Academy seeks to enhance the lives of our students and develop community partnerships to
strengthen ties to the public and privates sector business as a resource and support system to
enhance our students opportunities for a better future as young adults. As a result, the following
community partnerships have been developed:
The Green Project Enhances our students awareness regarding their responsibility to
protecting the environment
Qatar Foundation/Qatar Debates Provides our students with a plat form to develop their
self confidence, speaking skills in Arabic and English, presentation skills, and analytical
skills, team building skills, and research skills.
Doha Centre for Media Freedom Engages our students in the importance of print and
broadcast media by developing their photography skills, interviewing skills, future career
choices in the field of communication.
Qatar Foundation Universities Provides visits to school and students visits to
universities for introducing the various universities and their requirements and courses
offered.
Qatar University Provides introductory sessions for students about Qatar University
programs, requirements and scholarships.
Al Bairaq( Scientific research department in Qatar University) providing great
opportunities to students to learn steps of conducting research, sessions by specialists are
provided. Al Arqam students had excellent contributions and won places.
Qatar Gas as a result of Al Arqam Academy winning 1st place in Al Bairaq competition
in 2012-2013, Ras Gas decided to financially sponsor our 3 students who won the prize
during for their university studies.
Sorbonne University in Dubai- liaison for opportunities of cooperation and students
admission.
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar Providing new modern Alice ICT Programme
for enhancing the use of modern teaching and for preparing students for high Computer
courses and studies at university level.
Moza Centre Coordination regarding Quran competition, other competitions, students
attending lectures and Islamic awareness sessions.
Eid Charity, Qatar Charity School organizes charity events and sponsors students and
orphans by students.
Some independent, private and international schools exchanging visits, participating in
competitions and exchanging experience.
RAF Organising projects and lectures that enhance our students awareness and
contribution to the society.
Fanar Centre arranging lectures by Fanars speakers.
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The Red Crescent Society Organising for First aid workshops for students and staff,
contribution by staff through blood donation.
Darul Hekma Quran centre Al Arqam hosts and attends many of Darul Hekma events
and lectures.
Mariam Bint Umran Quran Centre- participation in competitions for staff and students.
Schools Sports Olympic Department- Participation in sports competitions among schools.
The Matriculation & Rates of School Success
Part of the vision and mission of Al Arqam Academy is to prepare our students for higher
educational experiences. The Academys graduation rate has been above 85% for the last three
years as follows for our year 12 students:
Graduation Rate - Table 5
Year # of year 12 students Percentage

who graduated
2009-10 13/14 92%
2010-11 7/8 87%
2011-12 10/10 100%
2012-13 22/24 92%
Table 5 shows that apart from 2009-2010, the number of students graduated from Al Arqam
Academy increases every year to reach its maximum in 2012-2013.
University Acceptance 2009-10 Table 6
# of Students University
6 Qatar University
2 Georgetown University
1 Texas A&M University
1 North Western University
1 Cornell University
2 Carnegie Melon University

3 Qatar University
2 Virginia Common Wealth University
1 Qatar University - Academic Bridge
Program
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14 Qatar University
1 Texas
3 AUS
School Achievements
Summary of Assessment Results 2011-2013 IGCSE and Checkpoint
Subject( IGCSE) 2011 2012 2013
Arabic (C /average &above) 100% 100% 100%
English (C /average &above) 50% 50% 70%
Maths (C /average &above) 58% 81% 76%
Science( bio) (C /average &above) 87% 73% 74%
Table 9 Sumary of IGCSE results from 2011 to 2013
Table 9 shows that IGCSE Arabic results have always been good with all students scoring C and
above. High level of Arabic taught at school as well as Arabic is our students first language are
both behind the high scores. While English results improved greatly improved last year, Math
was fluctuating and Biology results were steady in the last 2 years.
Subject( Checkpoints) 2011 2012 2013
English (3/ average &above) 32% 29% 29%

Maths (3/ average &above) 82% 50% 75%
Science (3/average &above) 80% 55% 80%
Table 10 Sumary of Checkpoint results from 2011 to 2013
Explanation of Checkpoint scale:
Scores on the Checkpoint scales are from 0 the lowest ability to 6 highest level of ability. The
students achieving between 3 to 4 have a sound understanding of most of the curriculum content.
Students more than 5 have an excellent understanding of the curriculum content.
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The Checkpoint results show that there is a significant improvement in science result compare to
the 2012 result, the average result for the students in yr 9 has gone up from 3 to 4, this means the
result has increased from good to very good status based on CIE report. The best result in science
was in chemistry and scientific enquiry. It is very pleasing to see the strongest point in science
result was for scientific enquiry 4.2 compare to last year which was 2.9; we believe incorporating
scientific research in our curriculum has made some positive impact on students thinking skills
which was not very strong in previous years. Also revision classes and devoting more time on
focusing on Checkpoint criteria, has resulted in a better achievement this year.
There is a steady increase of 0.4 in Maths result from 3.1 to 3.5. There is no change in the
English result despite of streaming the students for the first time this year. Usage was the
weakest point for our students in year 9.To achieve a better result English department will have a
new strategy on how to improve the students achievements in general in Checkpoint Exam.
There will be more focus on spelling, punctuation, and grammar and sentence structure. Teachers
will concentrate on writing as well as reading and give more thorough feedback to students to
improve their writing
Summary of Assessment Results for Primary
Subjects Year One *Year Two Year Three Year Four Year Five *Year Six
2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013
Reading 73% 74% 94% 74% 59% 39% 88% 68% 85% 65% 78% 58%
Writing 51% 76% 86% 61% 56% 48% 63% 69% 78% 52% 73% 72%
Mathematics 97% 92% 99% 85% 82% 67% 92% 93% 72% 76% 70% 57%
*=targeted year group
Table 11- Equivalent National Attainment Levels End of each Year (2012/2013)
The table shows that in Mathematics, generally there was a decline in the students attainment across all
the year groups. This is due to the international change that took place in the National British Curriculum
using the Block system in Math. It was a new system for both teachers and students that they could not
adjust to quickly.
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Regarding reading and writing, it is evident that there was an increase in the students level for some
years groups in writing such Yr1 and Yr 4, reading and writing are among the main growth areas the
school will address in the action plan set for 2013-2014.
Other achievements in the academic year 2012-2013
1st place in Al Bairaq scientific research competition for Yr 12 students sponsored by Qatar
University
1st place in Al Bairaq scientific research competition for Yr 10 students sponsored by Qatar
University
2nd place in the SEC scientific research in Science
3rd place in Art competition sponsored by UNESCO
3rd place in Healthy food competition by UNESCO
Won a prize for participation with Doha Media Centre
8th place in Robots competition over 48 schools

Support and Enrichment Programmes
Al Arqam Academy strives to maintain and increase the academic level of all of its students. Its
goal is to produce students with exceptional knowledge. The school provides support and
enrichment programs for various levels of students in order to meet the needs of all students.
Students performing below the standard
All students performing below the standard are identified, their areas of need are noted,
and the number of students identified. For low performing studentsweekly support
lessons are offered during school hours on Sundays.
For students who need more support than Sunday support lesson an after school support
program is provided by teachers in the Secondary School.
Parents are notified by letter of students in need of support (Term 1). Additionally,
suggestions are given as to how the parents or family can help the student at home.
Parents and teachers are in constant contact during the support period (Terms 1, 2, and 3)
Students are provided on-going support during Terms 1, 2, and 3, and parents are notified
of their daughters progress at the end of each term. If the students progress has not
improved by the end of Term 2, the student maybe placed on academic probation at the
beginning of Term 3.
If her level has not improved, by the end of the year, a meeting is called with the parents
to discuss the students progress.
The parents are given the choice of having the student repeat the year or to transfer to
another school that might be better suited for her.
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Students with other problems, such as ADHD, hyperactivity, etc. are provided assistance
and guidance through our counselling services in finding outside help from appropriate
sources.
Al Arqam Academy teachers make special efforts to help low-level students during
regular classes through differentiation. Encouragement is given to the student by the
teacher and principal for all efforts made.
Exceptional students
Constant encouragement is given to exceptional students to maintain and improve their

levels further.
At the end of each term, exceptional students are recognised with special events and
certificates.
Exceptional students are given the opportunity to help their classmates by acting as
teacher assistants in the classroom.
An Honors Board is used to display names of exceptional students.
Academic competitions among gifted students from classes.
Creative students
Al Arqam identifies and encourages artistic and creative students as follows:
Enrichment courses are offered to students who demonstrate creative talents. At the end
of the school day, talented students in Secondary are given special lessons in order to
develop their talent further.
Exhibitions and programs are offered for students to demonstrate their talents.
Talented students are encouraged to participate in exhibitions outside the school as well.
Students talents are celebrated in the class as well. Students are gathered weekly to
show off their talents.
Enrichment
The Academy provides enrichment programs to enhance the teaching process as
follows:
1. Al Qaidha Nooraniya: A Quran/Arabic phonics program for 4 year old

students
2. Tafakkur program: To reflect and contemplate the purpose of creation.
3. My Math program from Year 2 to Year 9: Interactive online lessons and

homework. (myimaths.co.uk)
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4. Values (cooperation, respect responsibility and cleanliness), Scientific

research and Robots program.
5. Debate programs to train students to participate in internal and external

debating competitions
6. A Formal Arabic speaking program
7. Guided English and Arabic reading programs using the Scholastic series from
year 1 year 9
8. National Scientific Research Program
Behaviour and Discipline Code of Conduct
Al Arqam behaviour policy is set mainly to reinforce school values and set high
expectations of Al Arqam students, to encourage good behaviour and deal with negative
behaviour.
At Al Arqam Academy all teachers are required to use positive disciplinary techniques
and in fact positive reinforcement rather than discipline as the norm. Class teachers may each use
their own classroom management techniques such as reward charts, traffic light system or others
in addition to having a set of class rules displayed in her class. The class rules are discussed and
decided by students and their teacher at the beginning of the school year. In Secondary, a
Mid-term progress report including behaviour as well as academics is sent home once a term.
School rules and regulations are clearly communicated to staff, students and parents through
student handbook and school diary. Communication with parents regarding behavioural issues
and discipline problems is evident through using school diary, calling parents, sending sms,
calling parents in school and sending letters and memos home.
Students deviating from the schools expectations will be guided under the following 6 Stage
discipline system. Parents will be informed as soon as disciplinary issues arise. Through
applying an early intervention strategy discussions may be held with the parents and child so that
a course of action can be initiated at an early stage to prevent escalation.
At each stage, the school will provide guidance to students on moderating their behaviour or
actions in order to be ultimately successful in school. When a disciplinary incident occurs, the
pupil will be moved to the appropriate stage depending on the nature of the incident. In the most
cases, students will not go beyond Stage 3 and it will be very rare for Stage 5 to be reached.
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Stage 1: Verbal warning(s) to pupil

Stage 2: Letter to Parents
Stage 3: Detention
Stage 4: First formal meeting between school and parents
Stage 5: Second formal meeting between school and parents
Stage 6: Suspension/Exclusion
The Schools Growth Needs
Al Arqam Academy has identified growth needs in every standard through the self-study which
will be addressed in details within this report. Generally, Al Arqam growth areas include focus
on professional development for staff, new modern teaching strategies, building and
strengthening more partnerships with community institutions and other international institutions
for serving school goals as well as the teaching and learning processes. Moreover, ensuring
achieving school vision and mission and measuring its impact on students behaviour and
academic progress, and developing teachers abilities to deal with different categories of
students; gifted and talented and learning difficulties are both part of Al Arqam growth areas as
well.
Questionnaires
Al Arqam Academy seeks feedback from parents, students and staff members through various
ways such as meetings with different stakeholders and discussing their concerns, the suggestions
and complaints box where parents include their suggestions, complaints and comments,
distributing questionnaires to students, staff members and parents and this year the academy
started to use electronic questionnaires as well by sending them to staff school emails.
Example of results of conducted surveys:
When asking students about values and they feel that the values programs at school have
a positive impact on their personality the answers were as follows:
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Question Strongly Agree Disagree Strongly Total

agree Disagree number of
students
Values that I have learned
in the school have a direct 16 11% 101 66% 30 20% 7 5% 154
effect on my personality.
.
When asking parents about their satisfaction with their daughters school, the results were
as follows:

agree Disagree number
of
students
As a parent, are you
satisfied with your 98 34% 179 61.3% 6 2% 8 2.7% 291
daughters school.
.
When sending an electronic survey to staff members about their satisfaction and the
working environment, the results were as follows:

agree Disagree number
of
students
The school atmosphere is
positive, cooperative and 9 28.1% 22 68.8% 1 3.1% 0 0% 32
with a sense of
responsibility.
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agree Disagree number of
students
The school leadership

ensures that staff are 5 15.5% 25 78.5% 2 6% 0 0% 32
empowered in shared
responsibility and
accountability for teaching
and learning to support
students.
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CHAPTER 2: School Mission and Learning Results
A. School Mission and Vision
The intention of the founders of Al Arqam Academy is to provide outstanding education, that
that focuses on the development of the whole child through a unique and enriched curriculum.
They believe that educational success is a combination of blending Islamic belief and principles
with academic knowledge and learning, in a beautiful and balanced way. This motivates students
to dedicate themselves to the core values and ideals of Al Arqam, whilst instilling a love for
learning.
The vision and mission of Al Arqam Academy are the heart of the school and a large part of
what makes us a unique and successful institution. We fully recognise the importance that all
stakeholders understand, agree with and know how they contribute to the achievement of these
important ideals. To ensure that the vision and mission are a part of our consciousness as we
work on daily tasks the senior leaders of the school meet with stakeholders each year to discuss,
question, understand and internalize all aspects of them. The format of these meetings is open
giving all the chance to talk about the meaning of the key components of the vision and mission
in terms of their own work and achievability. Suggestions for modifications to these important
statements are taken and discussed so that by the time we leave we have a clear understanding of
and consensus on the meaning of our vision and mission.
During the discussion of the vision and mission with stakeholders in 2012 the stakeholder groups
suggested several changes and additions to the vision and the mission of the school. All of the
stakeholders agreed that while outstanding academic achievement is a very important aspect of
the school, they also agree that building the character of our students is equally important. The
changes that the stakeholders requested were incorporated into the vision and mission and
subsequently to the learning results of the school.
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Fig. 2 Process for review of Vision, Mission and Learning Outcomes
Review the mission and Suggestions for Finalized changes

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
vision of the school with
school stakeholders via
changes to the are presented to
meetings, surveys and vision and mission the Board of
questionaires. are discussed in Trustees for
Stakeholders are asked meetings with discussion and
to discuss what the stakeholders to approval.
vision & mission mean
to them, what their role make the vision &
in achieving them are mission more
and how the vision and realistic, achievable
mission impact them as and meaning full.
learners, educators and
parents.
Older versions The new vision

Step 4
Step 5
of the vision and mission

and mission are presented
are removed to the school
from formal community.
documentation
and replaced
with the new
ones.
Vision:To prepare a generation of students who are; faithful to their origins, committed to
values, dedicated to academic excellence and connected to humanity.
Mission: AlArqam Academy focuses on providing a quality education based on Islamic

principles and values, critical thinking, responsible citizenship and leadership to prepare students
to face modern challenges and contribute to local and global society. The Academy ensures a
healthy and safe school environment that supports the development of students in all areas.
Our Values
Honesty
Respect
Cooperation
Responsibility
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Objectives
1. To develop the students socially, physically and psychologically via varied curricula, skills
and activities which commensurate with our culture, and our identity.
2. To deliver the highest levels of education in Arabic and Religion, English, Science, Maths and
other subjects to prepare our students for local and international universities.
3. To develop personal and social skills; be able to obtain information, solve problems, think
critically, and communicate effectively. Encourage students to respect others and themselves by
building positive values, confidence and cooperation.
4. Ensure students enjoy learning throughout their lives and apply this learning to real life
scenarios.
5. To foster a generation of students who are proud of their identity, adherent to values and
morals and are responsible citizens.
6. To embrace and utilize cutting-edge Information Technology ensuring students have the tools
to succeed in a rapidly changing world
7. To ensure that parents, students, school and the community are joined in a partnership of
mutual respect.
The Six Organisational Guiding Principles
1. Mutual Respect All stakeholders ideas or concerns are considered important.

2. Cooperation - All team members contributions to the improvement of the organization are
valued.
3. No Fault/No Blame Resolve challenges or differences without blaming others.
4. Team Work - Share ideas and thought and applying them together.
5. Common understanding in making a decision - A clearly outlined expectation and shared
understanding of how to execute a daily organizational function
6. Fair and flexible Knowing when to allow exceptions.
These principles align with our vision, mission and values at an operational level so that all
stakeholders understand the expectations put upon them when joining our community.
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Learning Results
As part of the on-going continuous improvement cycle at Al Arqam Academy the leadership of
the school meets with all stakeholders at the end of each year to discuss school achievements,
progress and goals for the future. This is usually done during Term 3 to allow for a complete
picture of the academic year to have developed. In the spring of 2012 changes were proposed
and made to the vision and mission of the school. With these changes came a need to adjust the
school wide expected learning results to reflect the new ideas incorporated in the new vision and
mission. A meeting was held to introduce the new vision and mission to the staff and to work
together to develop and update the learning results. We also used this meeting to introduce the
accreditation process to all stakeholders and to get their feedback on our achievements for that
year. During this workshop stakeholders were divided into teams that were asked to cooperate as
a group to draw a representation of Al Arqam Girl. They were asked to include any artefacts
that represented our goals, values and vision and mission in their drawings. Each team then
presented their version of the Al Arqam Girl to the rest of the school. We discussed each of the
drawings with the artefacts and what they meant to us. A team of teachers volunteered to code
the drawings and to report back on the recurrence of the themes. From this report another
meeting was held to decide on the actual wording of the learning results.
Meaningful discussion of the embodiment of the vision, mission, values and goals of the school
deepened our common understanding of what we are working towards. During these discussions
the importance of our students developing strong faith based upon the Holy Quran and the
traditions of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in addition to outstanding academic achievements
became very clear. All stakeholders agree that success of academic knowledge meant using this
knowledge to benefit families, communities, the country and the world. Achieving this depends
on building the character of our students in ways that reflect the meaning of the vision and
mission of the school.
In addition to strong faith and excellence in academics, the stakeholders agree that Al Arqam
girls should be creative and independent thinkers. They see her as having a personality that is
confident without being arrogant, aware of the world around her and yet still willing and able to
contribute to her family and local community. Al Arqam students work hard to improve the
world they live in for themselves and for others, while always remembering the hereafter. Their
beliefs guide them on a daily basis but maintain a moderation of thought and behaviour to reflect
the teachings of Islam. She adheres to her roots and identity while being a responsible and
positive person, able to face recent and coming challenges of the 21st century. We want our
students to understand and respect the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for their
physical, spiritual and mental health.
It is important to us that she is a faithful citizen who loves her country and contributes positively
in its progression by working with others in achieving Qatars 2030 vision.
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Al Arqam Academy Expected School Wide Learning Results
Al Arqam Academy will prepare its students to be:
1. Devoted and thoughtful Muslims who:

a. adhere to the teachings of the Holy Quran and the traditions of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH)
b. demonstrate their devotion to their faith through their thinking, manners,
behaviour and life style
c. are independent thinkers
d. are proud of their Arabic and Islamic identities
2. Masterful in 21st century skills who:

a. demonstrate use of critical thinking, problem solving and self-reflection
b. are self-motivated and adaptable yet confident
c. plan for and work towards achieving her academic and personal goals
3. Aware of the importance of a well-balanced lifestyle who:

a. maintain their physical, spiritual and mental health
b. respect the blessings of good health
4. Effective communicators who:

a. are equally confident in communicating in English and Arabic
b. comfortably use a variety of methods when communicating; reading, writing,
listening and speaking
c. Use their linguistic ability to communicate clearly and confidently with others in
meaningful and productive interaction
5. Responsible global citizens who:

a. are aware of their responsibilities as citizens
b. demonstrate a commitment to making real and positive contributions
c. are dynamic members of their family, school, nation and global environments
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CHAPTER 3: Self-Study Analysis of Standards
INTRODUCTION
Provide summary of the process used to in the analysis of each standard.
A series of meetings were held with Heads of teams, committees and departments to discuss the
standards and brainstorm what each standard meant and what type of evidence might be
appropriate for each aspect. A common understanding of the standards, indicators, best practices
and evidence guides was developed and it became clear that initial evidence needed to be
gathered by individual departments and sections of the school. They are the people who do the
work and are familiar with processes and have easy access to the evidence. To ensure that the
evidence collected was a true representation of our work, a review process was established. After
reviewing all the evidence files internally, they were then reviewed by parents and students in an
open forum conducted by the Principal of the Academy and Heads of Schools. Notes, comments
and feedback from all staff, parents and students were gathered and given to the appropriate team
to incorporate into their final findings. Finally, the evidence files were reviewed by the Board of
Trustees who provided comments and feedback to the teams for consideration when writing the
final reports. The files were then collected and kept in a secure place for review during the
writing of the self-study report.
Department Heads meet Teams and Committees Each Team reviewed the
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
with department review the evidence files evidence files of all of

employees to discuss for the standard the other teams
the QNSA standards and assigned to them and ensuring that all staff
gather appropriate returns them back to reviewed and gave
evidence. Dept. Heads with feedback on all aspects
comments or approve of all standards
the file as is.
Evidence files were Board of Trustees Evidence files and

Step 5
Step 6
Step 4
reviewed by parents reviewed evidence final reports were

and students. files and provided collected and kept for
Comments and feedback and reference in the
feedback were given comments to teams writing of the
to teams and included to be included in final self-study report.
in final reports. reports
Figure 3 Process for Gathering Evidence at Al Arqam Academy
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Standard 1: Educational Leadership
1. School Mission and Vision

In this section, summarize the schools mission, vision, and objectives, reporting on how they are
communicated to stakeholders, and its effectiveness.
The vision and mission is the driving force of Al Arqam Academy and is well known to all. The
Academy has a clear vision and mission and works towards realising it through planned
programmes and activities that enable its achievement and its success. The vision and mission is
reflected through the educational process and the behaviour of the students permeates within the
school as a whole. The school has realistic objectives that are achieved through strategic plans,
action plans and the school development plan. These plans are evaluated to ensure that the
Academy is heading in the right direction, in order to achieve excellence.
Al Arqam communicates its vision and mission to all stakeholders; students, teachers, Board of
Trustees and the wider community. Entering any one of the three buildings, the standards the
Academy strives towards are evident to all and have an immediate effect; as the vision and
mission is physically visible and clearly displayed. It is also clearly communicated through all
publications - particularly homework diaries and students are reminded on a daily basis of what
they need to be striving towards. The vision and mission is also clearly communicated in all
classrooms, IT suites, library, labs, art rooms, activity rooms, cafeteria, reception, PE hall,
theatre, corridors etc. For those that visit the Academys website they will find the vision and
mission clearly outlined, as well as the history of the school and how the Academy strives to
make the vision and mission a reality.
It is mandatory for all staff to attend the staff induction at the beginning of the academic year.
A starting point is always a clear explanation of how the vision and mission is central to
achieving the overall objectives of Al Arqam Academy. The staff are also given the opportunity
to discuss the vision and mission and their opinions are always taken account of, which help
shape future planning. The staff role in achieving the vision and mission is discussed, as well as
how it can be lived and breathed and applied inside and out of the classroom. Teachers need to
incorporate the meaning of the vision and mission within their lessons and it must radiate
through their teaching. The SMT were heartened to learn from a new staff member that required
picking up by an Al Aqram driver that she immediately recognised the school vision. She had
seen the vision in the marketing materials on the website and saw it dangling from the sun visor.
Consequently she felt reassured and safe to enter the car.
The vision, mission and objectives are also reflected through the dedication of Al Arqam
teachers as well as the quality of teaching. As a starting point, only the most suitable teachers are
employed and serious consideration is given to matching their qualifications, skills and
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experience against the job role expected. The SMT personally go overseas to help recruit staff,
using reputable recruitment agencies, through advertisements in quality broad sheets such as
TES (UK). Staff are provided with competitive salaries and all the extra perks, in line with the
expectations of an International School, which helps reinforces their commitment and dedication.
All teachers have a specific training session, conducted by an external consultant, on cultural
expectations of living and teaching in Qatar. This leaves no room for discontent. Teachers are
provided with outlines of their roles and responsibilities, copies of the curriculum and planning
information. They are also encouraged to participate in extra curricular activities with the
students, which are an important element of achieving the vision and mission. They are allocated
a line manager whom they can refer to for any queries or clarifications at any time. Teachers
lesson plans and observations are regularly monitored and go hand in hand with the Performance
Management plan. Staff appraisals are held termly, which provide invaluable feedback to both
management and staff on achievement of the school objectives and offers a chance for
improvement and development. Regular CPD is provided for teachers in identified areas of need,
such as classroom management, lesson planning, incorporating the use of technology, etc.
Teachers are regularly rewarded for their commitment to teaching through certificates and
bonuses.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study most stakeholders agreed that the school objectives
reflect teaching quality and dedication, but felt that further emphasis could be given to classroom
management and that teacher dedication must encompass all areas of school life. This has been
added to the professional development aspect of the school 2013-2014 action plan.
At the beginning of the year students are grouped and the CEO and Principal personally address
them, explaining the true meaning of the vision and mission, how it has evolved over the years
and how students should practically live it. Al Arqam Academy wishes students to become
future leaders and role models of a good Muslim. The students are strongly encouraged to be
faithful to their origins and the Academy has an emphasis on promoting the Arabic language
and the Islamic identity of the individuals, in an interactive and enjoyable way. The students are
also told that their own personal safety and mental well is paramount and there are various
policies that are referred to. An onsite school Counsellor is available at any time. We explain that
an Al Arqam Academy student is renowned for her strong values and commitment to academic
achievement and excellence. The Academy is realistic in preparing students for a challenging
and ever changing global, high technical society. Secondary students are strongly encouraged at
this stage to think about a local or international charity/ organisation that they can volunteer with,
which will eventually contribute to them becoming all round citizens of the future.
Al Arqam Academys vision, mission and objectives positively impact on student behaviour and
there is a clear behaviour policy that is communicated via the Student Handbook and homework
diary, which is reiterated throughout the year. The school has always taken the approach of
espousing good behaviour through encouragement and rewards. Sanctions are a last resort, but
nevertheless will always be implemented and consistently followed up, as and when required.
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Students are regularly rewarded through a variety of methods including; reward charts,
certificates, prizes, mention in the monthly newsletter, inclusion on extra trips as well as termly
assemblies where achievement is celebrated and shared. Class identity is important and
certificates are given periodically for the best behaved class, the cleanest classroom as well as for
punctuality and attendance.
As part of the schools commitment to values prayer (salah) is highly encouraged and we aim
to encourage girls to not only have an intrinsic love for these values but to understand why they
perform certain duties. Special programmes and rewards are allocated for salah. Additionally
there is a focus on respect at all levels, for their teachers; fellow students, families, wider
community as well as the environment. They are encouraged not to litter, but indeed to pick up
litter and rebuke a fellow student if they litter! When entering and leaving school as well as
going on trips, an Al Arqam student is clearly identifiable in her neat abayah and scarf, which
girls wear in school from Year 5 onwards. They know that whilst in uniform, they are
ambassadors for the Academy and the girls always make the school proud. The school has a
record for donating to various charities and again this reinforces values, respect and encourages
girls to help organise and take on responsibility. This year girls have focused on charity fayres
and collected much needed funds for Syria in particular. They are also associated with local
charities such as Dreama, whereby they visit an orphanage and conduct activities with the
children. A cave is created in school and gifts are collected over time and then presented to the
orphanage as well as poor local children for Eid. The girls also have an affiliation with Hamad
Hospital whereby they visit the sick and elderly. Al Arqam continuously encourages girls to
become confident leaders and facilitates a variety of leadership roles via the School Council as
well as students planning for various whole school programmes e.g. The Delani programme.
The vision and mission is reflected in the academic level of the students and there is a high
expectation from teachers on student achievement. Students results are carefully analysed and
plans are always in place to increase curriculum levels and the academic attainment of students.
The Academy aims to consistently increase the number of students who achieve 90% by
providing extra support, which is identified. Some students are selected to participate in the SEC
National Award for excellence in line with achieving Qatar 2030. Achievement is always
celebrated with assemblies and parents are invited to share. The Academy allocates a
considerable budget to ensure modern up to date resources are provided, in order to enrich the
curriculum and maximise student achievement in an enjoyable and long lasting way.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study most stakeholders agreed that behaviour policy is
positively implemented, however there is room for developing more roles for student
responsibility and looking at ways of ensuring good manners at all times from students. This has
been added as a point to the school action plan 2013-2014.
At the beginning of the year, Al Arqam holds a parent introduction meeting, where all parents
are invited to a friendly open evening. An explanation is provided on how the vision and mission
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helps in building and developing the personality of their daughter. More importantly the school
discusses the parents role in providing input and participation in their daughters education. As
stakeholders, the school explains to parents that to enable us to realise the vision and mission,
they need to be involved in their childrens education, activities etc. The Academy ensures that
parents are consulted on Academy decisions via meetings and questionnaires.
In the Board of Trustees meeting at the beginning of the year, the starting point is
communicating the vision and mission. Consultation, further guidance and advice is sought as
well as additional ideas from the Board, on the most effective methods of achieving the vision
and mission. In the past, support towards achieving the vision and mission has been provided
from the Board by improving the school website, as one example.
It is evident that the School Management makes a concerted effort to promote the vision,
mission, objectives and values to all stakeholders but more importantly these values should
radiate and be applied throughout the school at every level, in a practical way.
The Academy ensures that the school curriculum is realistic and attainable and as far as possible
the school ensures that appropriate resources are available to fully support the curriculum. The
vision and mission should be reflected in student and teacher behaviour and inculcated in the
hearts and minds of all. The SMT focuses on the Arabic, Quran and Islamic curriculum in
addition to the International British Curriculum. There is a special department for students
known as Life skills, which conducts various hand on activities, building on personal hobbies
and skills, trips, competitions, camps, charity events etc. These all help reinforce a love for
learning as well as an identity of the students origins.
The QNSA self-study identified that some teachers felt that there should be more parental
involvement, especially at the secondary level. In addressing this point, the school will focus
more on motivating and encouraging parents to attend the parent induction meeting at the
beginning of the year and outline positive ways parents can practically contribute. Parental
involvement is also reflected as a priority in the school strategic plan 2013-2014.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study most of the stakeholders agree that the vision and
mission is clearly displayed and communicated throughout the school. However, they feel that a
variety of additional methods need to be initiated, to ensure that the overriding message of the
vision and mission, particularly Islamic values, is clearly applied particularly to students and
staff. The details of how this will be implemented are highlighted as a priority, in our action plan
2013-2014.
On an annual basis the stakeholders, staff, students, parents and Board of Trustees are consulted
on improvements and development of the vision and mission. At the end of the school year,
questionnaires are distributed to parents and meetings are held with separate stakeholder groups,
whereby the vision and mission is thoroughly evaluated. Stakeholders comments and
suggestions are implemented, where considered appropriate, so for example parents suggested
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we include a healthy and safe environment within our mission statement and this was
implemented and approved by the Board of Trustees.
Al Arqam Academy fully appreciates and continues to work towards the future and strives to
ensure that the vision, mission and objectives work hand in hand with the values, identity, social
and academic expectations of Qatar 2030 The Academys SMT ensures that the school vision,
mission and objectives are aligned with State guidelines and SEC policies, plans, regulations and
programmes. This includes implementing the SECs Arabic, Shariah and Humanities curriculum.
The QNSA self-study stakeholders commented that they generally agreed that the Academys
vision, mission and objectives are in line with the SEC, but some suggested that further SEC
policies are taken on board e.g. the professional standards for teachers. Subsequently, all of the
SECs professional teacher standards have been added to the school Professional Development
plan 2013 -2014.
The Academy ensures that the wording of the vision, mission and objectives is realistic and
achievable. It also needs to be in line with the budgeting of school resources and allocated
staffing at every level of the school. The QNSA self-study stakeholders commented that they felt
that the vision, mission and objectives are realistic, however there were suggestions that further
development was required within the area of employing and training extra staff. This action point
has been added to the school 2013-2018 Strategic Plan.
Providing a healthy and safe environment is one of the most important priorities for the school,
as this is always a strong indicator of a successful school. The Academy is in line with the
Health and Safety Policy issued by the SEC from which it has developed internal health and
safety policies. The Academy has three separate medical rooms over the three sites, and two
qualified nurses are employed as well as a qualified on site doctor.
When a student registers they completed a medical form, which highlights any pertinent issues
such as nut allergies for example. The relevant medical officer will then pass this information
onto the teachers, administration staff, cafeteria staff etc. As a result of the QNSA self-study, for
future development, it has been suggested that the students photo should also be included.
Each medical officer implements an individualised health check programme for students across
KG, primary and secondary schools. This includes checks on: weight, height, hearing, sight and
also identifies any other major concerns such as heart murmur, diabetes etc. This information is
presented on a separate list and after consultation with the parents is also sent to the relevant
parties. Additionally, the medical officers visit each class to explain the importance of healthy
eating and living. They provide workshops, activities as well as interactive question and answer
sessions that include quizzes and prizes. The medical officers regularly oversee what food is
available in the cafeteria, as well as expiry dates on products and hygienic standards for
preparation of food.
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The Academy also deals with outside agencies such as the Supreme Health Council which
conducts vaccination programmes, and this year one of the medical officers added extra dental
health checks from her own initiatives, for all students. Within year 5 and 6 girls are informed
about menstruation and what growing up and body changes will mean to them and they are
given an opportunity to openly ask questions.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study most stakeholders agree that Academy has worked
hard to ensure a healthy environment but could focus on more healthy food options in the
cafeteria. This has been added to the school 2013 -2014 action plan.
Al Arqam Academy has a strong commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for all.
There are separate policies for trips, entering and leaving the building, appointments during the
day, break time, safety in classes, school bus policy, safety in labs, how the technician must deal
with handling chemicals etc. All policies are reviewed and evaluated on an annual basis and this
year the exit gates have changed to improve the safety and security of the students. All students
and staff are issued with ID cards and in KG and the primary schools, parents have to enter the
playground, before their children are safely handed over to them.
The fire safety policy and programme is clearly communicated in the Staff Handbook and is
discussed in detail within the induction week. There is a clearly displayed fire plan, including all
exits, within each learning and administration area. There are clear physical emergency exit
indicators displayed in all three schools and regular fire drills are held. Each school vacates
within two minutes and there is a clear procedure in place for accountability of all students.
Additionally the Fire Brigade check all fire equipment, which is modern and updated. This
check enables the School to renew its operating licence annually.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study all stakeholders agreed that safety is given priority
within the school, however they advised that there needs to be regular maintenance on the fire
alarm, avoiding false alarms in the secondary building. Additionally safety policies and
documents need to be clearly communicated to staff and students, for example the incident report
sheet. Policies need to be more clearly displayed and this has been added to the school action
plan 2013-2014.
Al Arqam has procedures in place to measure its on-going commitment to the vision, mission
and school objectives. There is annual on-going evaluation, and this year it is in line the SEC
accreditation process. Specially convened meetings are held with parents, teachers, students and
the Board of Trustees. After discussion and input, information is collated using surveys and
questionnaires (in both Arabic and English).
Important changes are added to the annual school development and long term strategic plan,
where relevant.
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To ensure the school is achieving the vision and mission the evaluation process must be
included, applied and monitored, as a standard element within the annual school development
plan. This has been added as a separate goal with clear procedures in the school action plan
2013- 2014.
2. Planning and Administrative Organization, Empowerment

In this section, analyze the schools various plans that are in place, which support school
improvement, including short and long term planning. Review impact of these present plans,
the system of monitoring, implementation, follow-up, and revision as needed to support
school mission.
Al Arqam Academy has plans, policies and procedures in place that contribute to achieving the school
vision, mission and objectives. The school has a clear organisational structure, low SMT and staff
turnover, generally has a positive atmosphere and is considered a happy school. Al Arqam is working
towards consolidating and improving policies and procedures and ensuring that the delegation of tasks
is clearly outlined and all information clearly communicated to staff.
Al Arqam has always demonstrated a sincere commitment to SEC regulations and indeed to the
vision of Qatar for the future of the education of its citizens. This commitment is manifested in a
number of ways including prompt response to any and all SEC directives and regulations
communicated to the school, seeking advice and support from the SEC as required, acting as a
model school in a public stance, supporting all SEC projects and interests. At a time when the
leadership of the country and the SEC have directed all schools to support and provide
appropriate education for their students in Qatari national history and citizenship, Arabic
language and culture and knowledge/commitment to Islamic beliefs/ values; Al Arqam Academy
has been a forerunner in dedicating additional resources to those already in place, in these
priority subjects. The findings of the QNSA self-study recognise the Academys commitment to
working promptly in conjunction with all regulating bodies including the SEC.
The commitment of Al Arqam to the leadership of Qatar, the SEC, the wider school community
and the schools vision, mission and values are the basis of the identification of school priorities
and objectives. Al Arqam Academy identifies its priorities which are implemented through an
Action Plan, reflecting the schools vision mission and objectives.
Within the academic year, several opportunities are provided and clearly communicated to
parents, staff, students and the Board of Trustees to provide feedback. Agreed priorities are
identified and evaluated within designated timescales from this information. Feedback for
developing school priorities is obtained using a variety of sources including; lesson observation,
teacher appraisal, analysis of on-going and summative assessments, regular Keys Stage
departmental and SMT meetings, parent and teacher questionnaires, staff and parent induction
meetings, coffee mornings for parents, monthly Board of Trustees meetings etc.
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Additionally, evaluation from the previous years action plan is reviewed, discussed and
implemented where necessary. The feedback and comments of parents, students, teachers and
the Board of Trustees are an integral part of school decisions when setting priorities. This
feedback is seen as constructive in nature and used as an opportunity for honest reflection on the
progress of the Academy in achieving its vision and mission.
It is generally agreed that the process used for the setting of school priorities is effective yet it
requires formalisation through the establishment of policies that ensure the required consistent
practice and follow-up. Additionally, because the teams and committees structure is relatively
new, a closer look at their effectiveness and ability to complete their regular assigned tasks is
required. This has been added as a point to the action plan 2013-2014.
As part of the continuous improvement cycle, Al Arqam Academy identifies evidence based
priorities which form the basis of the five year strategic plan, which is then used as a guide for
yearly action plans, taking into account financial and human resources. Priorities that are
identified as urgent, by agreement of stakeholders, are addressed in the yearly action plan for the
next academic year. Those priorities that require extensive change or adaptation in the existing
culture of the school are taken at a slower pace to allow for deep and lasting change.
Therefore, three specific types of planning have been completed;
i) a five year strategic plan 2013-2018 that includes growth areas identified through the
accreditation self-study and additional areas of growth according to the vision and
mission of the school and the 2030 Qatar National Vision
ii) a yearly action plan 2013-2014 for the next academic year which is based on the
urgent growth areas identified
iii) an operational (executive) plan 2013-2014 for the next academic year which is based
on the daily and yearly work done in the school that requires follow-up but is not
considered a growth area.
Within each respective school KG, primary and secondary, the Head of Academics highlights
pertinent points from within the action and operational plan. Relevant information is then passed
onto Co-ordinators whom develop their own individual plans, focusing on priorities, enabling
teachers to develop weekly, termly and yearly plans. This structure ensures that the planning in
each department is co-ordinated and all are working towards the agreed goals and priorities
within the overall school development plan.
Al Arqam has a variety of other plans that are regularly used and evaluated and include;
Co-ordinators plans, departmental plans, IEPs - remedial plans for students requiring extra
support, performance management plans, professional development training plans etc.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study, further development and publication of the planning
process, types of plans done and details of the plans is required to ensure that all stakeholders
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contribute to the successful achievement of the Academys goals.

Additionally, a policy and formal mechanism for follow-up on the progress being made needs to
be developed and implemented. This mechanism should include a closer look at the impact of
priorities and targets on student achievement in a formalized manner and is one of the urgent
priorities for 2013-2014.
The hierarchy organisational structure of Al Arqam Academy consists of the CEO and Board of
Trustees followed by a Senior Management Team (SMT) which includes Principal, Assistant
Principal, Head of Schools, Head of Academics and Head of Administration followed by middle
Management (Co-ordinators and Heads of Department), a lower Management team (Year Group
Heads) and teachers and assistants.
The Board of Trustees play an advisory role to the Academy and are an important part of
finalising decisions, facilitating parent/school communication and providing support to the
school. Specifically, during the 2012-2013 school year the Board of Trustees approved the
amended vision and mission, advised on a parent communication policy, advised on
development of the schools website, reviewed and approved the accreditation self-study files
and strategic and action plans developed. Functioning as a Governing Body, the Board has
supported the leadership of the school whilst providing valuable feedback and effectively
representing the parents who voted them in place.
The CEO (owner of the school) directly oversees the Principal, who in turn oversees the
Assistant Principal and Heads of School. The Accounts Manager has responsibility for
centralised services such as buildings, security, IT, transportation etc. and this department is
directly supervised by the Senior Management team. The KG, primary and secondary schools
has a structure that is mirrored in each school including a Head of School, Head of Academics,
Head of Administration and other positions. Each section is responsible for the daily running of
their school whilst still being accountable to the Principal for following agreed upon policies and
systems. Whilst there may be differences in the specific responsibilities of staff members based
on the requirements of the students and the recommended best practices, generally the roles of
each job are the same in the three sections of the Academy.
Staff members are first made aware of their general responsibilities through a Letter of
Employment and their employment contract. Their specific responsibilities and assigned tasks
are presented through the job description and meetings are held throughout the induction week to
clearly explain the role of the individual teacher within her classroom as well as the staff
members role working within the whole school system, in cooperation with all levels and
departments. Staff members are given the yearly action plan and operational plan for their
department as well as staff and student handbooks. The job descriptions, plans and handbooks
are then discussed with staff members in precise detail with their direct supervisors.
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From the findings of the QNSA self- study stakeholders agree that the school has a well-defined
and detailed organisational hierarchy, indicating staff roles. However the chart needs to be
communicated more effectively and clearly displayed within each school.
Job descriptions need to be regularly updated and staff need to be clear about their precise roles.
More time will be allocated in the induction week to define staff roles and expectations, ensuring
staff clearly understand the information being presented. These points have been added to the
action plan 2013-2014.
Al Arqam has established policies and procedures in line with the SEC regulations and school
objectives. The key areas include; student registration and assessment, employee recruitment and
appraisal, behaviour policy, rewards and sanctions policy, health and safety policies etc. Some of
the ways theses are communicated to stakeholders include; handbooks, memos, meetings and
students diaries/planners. Where the need to initialise a new policy is identified, data is
accumulated and evaluated to draft a provisional policy. This is then discussed with all parties
involved and concerned with the policy, adapted where necessary and then approved by the CEO
and Board of Trustees. The new policy is then communicated, distributed and applied.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study it is recognised that a complete policy manual should
be created, incorporating all relevant policies and procedures that are correctly filed. The
Academy policies that are not included in the Staff Handbook, as well as other regulations have
yet to be gathered in a central location .Work on this began in 2011 and continues to be a priority
in the action plans for 2013-2014. Al Arqam also aims to ensure that all policies and procedures
are clear and well communicated to staff, using the shared drive as well as the school website.
The organisational hierarchy forms the basis of the delegation of job roles and subsequent tasks.
Al Arqam uses interviews, qualifications, skills set and experience of staff to fairly allocate tasks
according to individual capabilities and aptitude. Follow up, using Performance Management
ensures high standards are applied and extra support allocated where required to ensure the
school objectives are achieved. However, Al Arqam needs to devise a clear policy to assign and
distribute tasks to staff, as this has led to confusion on some levels and needs to be addressed in
order to facilitate the effective achievement and completion of work. It is important that there is
agreement of task delegation and a spirit of mutual co-operation. These points have been added
to the action plan 2013- 2014.
Al Arqam school management endeavours to involve all stakeholders in decision-making,

seeking their opinions and suggestions using a variety of means including; questionnaires and
surveys, different types of meetings at every level of the school hierarchy, coffee mornings,
student council, email and written communication etc. Feedback and results of information is
carefully analysed and evaluated with the aim of improving systems within the school.
Stakeholders have been involved in making many decisions in the school, so for example when
teachers were not happy about attending professional development on Saturdays, after
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consultation and evaluating questionnaires the day was changed to Mondays after school.
Students were asked to participate in a competition to design the school uniform and the current
uniform the students wear is the outcome of their decision.
Parents were consulted about whether they wished to hire or buy texts books and consequently
texts books are now hired on an annual basis.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study it is generally agreed that the school involves
stakeholders in decision making, however this is a growth area and the school aims to improve
communication in terms of questionnaires and meetings to enable all stakeholders to have the
opportunity to be involved in decision making. The school will work on trying to avoid making
swift decisions due to time constraints, as this leaves little time for consultation. All of the
aforementioned issues have been added as points to the action plan 2013-2014 to ensure
stakeholder satisfaction with regard to their participation in the decision making process.
Communication is considered integral to ensuring efficiency and effective organisation. Within

the individual schools successful communication includes; morning staff briefings, departmental
meetings, meetings between the Head of School and Heads of Departments, Co-ordinator
meetings, whole school meetings, performance management meetings, memos, group and
departmental emails, shared documents, text messages, etc. Additional means of communication
include notice boards in the administration area of each school, notice boards in staffrooms,
newsletters etc.
To facilitate a better understanding of the functions and daily operation of the separate schools
weekly job alike meetings are held to discuss issues and cooperation on common tasks. These
meeting were implemented in the 2012-2013 school year and have greatly contributed to
improving communication between the schools and departments within them.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study, whilst meetings are held regularly there needs to a
focus on more accuracy with regards to agendas, minutes and conclusions of meetings as well as
feedback to staff. Additionally to improve communication amongst the staff, the school aims to
add more notice boards, introduce the intranet and website log in for staff, parents and students.
Steps have been made during 2012-2013 to improve communication and it is a priority in the
action plan 2013-2014.
Members of the leadership teams recognise that effective communication will empower
stakeholders and build a stronger sense of inclusion in decision making.
There is generally a positive atmosphere within the school. Stakeholders consistently come
together to work in teams on tasks required to help the school progress in a multitude of areas.
This process has created a sense of community and care for each other, especially for the
students. The majority of students complete fourteen years of education within the school, even
visiting when they have go onto University. Al Arqam fosters a relationship with students
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ensuring they are valued and respected. The SMT identify students by their first names and they
are always welcome to express and share their views with the SMT, which reinforces a sense of
co-operation and security.
Most members of staff are dedicated to completing their work in the best possible way as they
see themselves as integral members of the school community. The SMT were overwhelmed
with the cooperation of staff who recently volunteered to supervise an Al Arqam stand at the
Exhibition Centre from 8-8pm at the weekend. There is a low staff turnover amongst the teachers
and the SMT, and some staff, including auxiliary level, have worked at the school for more than
fifteen years. As the school has continues to grow and develop, so have members of the school
stakeholder population. New members of the school community bring with them a variety of
expectations, different cultural experiences and practices and various levels of education and
beliefs. It is sometimes a challenge to meet the varied needs of the multi-cultural staff, students
and parents, but this issue is positively addressed. There is a shared core belief that we have
come together with a common purpose and as a community we must all cooperate to achieve the
vision we have for our school.
From the findings of the self-study stakeholders agree that we need to focus on developing
further programmes and activities to reinforce a positive atmosphere and cooperation within the
school. Some stakeholders feel that we need to inculcate a greater feeling of co-operation and
motivation, which should be measured more accurately by improved data collection. In turn,
surveys and questionnaires need to be carefully analysed in order to pinpoint specific areas of
focus and this has been added as a point to the action plan 2013-2014.
3. Quality Assurance System: Monitoring and Follow-up of Operations

In this section, analyze the schools current internal quality assurance procedures and
systems in place (school oversight). Report on how this system contributes to school
improvement in the various facets of the school.
For several years, Al Arqam Academy has been working towards developing an effective quality
assurance system to monitor and contribute to the development of school success. The school
recognises that the ability to self-assess and evaluate the impact and efficiency of programmes on
student progress and operations has a direct impact on the ability to ensure that decisions are
made soundly with appropriate measures taken to allow for maximum success. In fact, this drive
for quality is a major contributing factor to Al Arqams enthusiastic participation in the QNSA
accreditation process. The standards provided are seen as a framework for working towards
becoming an outstanding school where clear guidelines for targets and best practice are
established across all aspects of school organisation. Through completion of the self-study, all
members of the school community participated in a standards based assessment of the school and
all that it encompasses and impacts. Al Arqam believes that this is a huge step towards the
overall development of the Academy at several levels.
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In terms of staff accountability Al Arqam has always had systems in place for assessing and
evaluating staff and student performance alike. However, in the last few months the Academy
has developed detailed and specific policies for managing staff and leadership throughout the
entire Academy. A need for a performance evaluation plan for all administration staff has been
identified and is currently under development, in line with tasks assigned and job descriptions.
During the past five years the SEC has developed a system of standards and proficiencies for
teachers and school leaders. This system reflects internationally agreed upon best practices
which reflect the local culture and educational climate in Qatar. In 2012 Al Arqam Academy
appointed a special committee made up of an external consultant, the Assistant Principal, Head
of Secondary and the Heads of Academics of both the Primary and Secondary schools to
evaluate and compare the SEC standards to other internationally recognised standards for
teachers. The committee compared standards from the US, UK and Australia and recommended
that Al Arqam Academy use the SEC standards as a basis for teacher assessment and
performance management. This recommendation was based on several factors; the
comprehensive coverage of important professional practice domains, the clarity of the
professional standards for teachers and the availability of key documents in both English and
Arabic.
Based on this recommendation a Teacher Performance Management programme was developed

and implemented during the 2012-2013 school year and Al Arqam now has a far more structured
Staff Performance plan in place, which encompasses detailed procedures and methods of
evaluation. This information is clearly communicated to staff in the induction week by the line
manager and staff are given a separate booklet which includes relevant forms with
accompanying timescales. Al Aqram has also recently developed a Leadership Performance
Management plan in line with the SEC professional standards for leaders. The school has
carefully adapted the standards according to the tasks assigned within the hierarchy of leadership
such as; Head of Year, Co-ordinator, Head of Academics, Head of School, Assistant Principal
and Principal. The plan incorporates evaluation on a termly basis.
The SMT follow up and evaluate teacher performance using a variety of methods including;
lesson observation, classroom visits (where displays might be checked to ensure they are up to
date) and feedback to discuss lesson observation and general teacher performance. Staff are
always given an opportunity to reflect on how they felt their lesson went and the discussion is
very open and non- threatening; with a view to ensuring that the SMT are fully supporting
teachers. During the follow up, the SMT ensure that teachers are meeting targets and goals,
enabling students to meet the required levels of academic progress and achievement. However,
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when the SMT identify a teacher who is not meeting the required levels of progress and
expectations, an intervention programme is set up which includes a focus on that teacher with
specific targets to be achieved within timescales.
All necessary assistance and support will be afforded to the teacher to ensure their performance
meets the required standard. Additionally, all teachers are involved in peer observation of
learning and teaching, which includes observing lessons of their colleagues and sharing in the
SMT evaluation of these lessons.
The ultimate goal of staff and leadership performance is to ensure that staff are provided with
multiple opportunities for self-reflection and goal setting that will contribute to their professional
development and have a positive impact on student achievement. Al Arqam believes that staff
accountability begins with the staff member clearly understanding the importance of their role in
the school and how daily work impacts all other stakeholders, particularly students. Many of the
staff at Al Arqam are intrinsically motivated which is demonstrated by the level of volunteerism
and cooperation in working on various projects and goals. There is a sense of pride and
ownership of the work done, especially in year groups and department teams.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study, stakeholders generally agreed that the school
monitors staff performance through policies and procedures and staff have welcomed the
enhanced Staff Performance plan, which is far more encompassing.
Some staff felt that certain policies, although in place, need to be more clearly communicated
and more help should be sought from parents, in order to assist teachers. This point has been
added to the action plan 2013 2014.
Whilst continuous improvement of programmes and employee performance are important; their
success can only truly be measured by the final impact on student achievement.
Al Arqam has a clear policy to assess and evaluate students performance and analysis of their
results, using both formative and summative assessment/external examinations. This information
is used to improve teaching practices and student academic outcomes. The formative on-going
assessment process used at Al Arqam helps improve teaching, by allowing for continuous
monitoring of student progress especially in core curricula such as Arabic, English and Maths.
The school ensures the curriculum is correctly levelled and adapted for students where necessary,
so that they meet the International expectations in English as well as the SEC standards in
Arabic, Shariah and Humanities. Students performance is assessed using tests, quizzes,
observations etc.
Lessons plans reflect any required modifications identified towards student success and
performance. The SMT continuously evaluate and improve student success and outcomes,
implementing student intervention where deemed necessary. For example last year student
achievement in Maths for one particular class, was identified as a concern. In response to this,
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Maths lessons for this class were observed by supervisors and peers and eventually a special
Maths assistant was hired to provide support for the entire year group. The SMT continuously
strives to raise the academic level of students and they personally read and sign the termly
reports, which are an indicator of student success.
On a termly basis, the overall results of students are analysed and used to identify professional
and programme development needs, as well as improve learning outcomes.
Whilst stakeholders agree that student results help develop future programmes, more effective
methods need to be implemented in terms of carefully analysing student results, in order to
contribute to overall school academic success.
The school management understand the value and importance of implementing evaluation of
plans, programmes and projects. This is significant not only for the three strands of management,
SMT, middle and lower middle levels but also for students in terms of teaching, learning and
their programmes and activities. Assessment of programmes and school efficiency is measured
using a variety of methods, which help raise school performance and overall success and
effectiveness.
Currently, Al Arqam SMT evaluates programmes and activities as a whole, without the focus on
KPIs. To some extent project evaluation forms and minutes of meetings have been used,
however the use of KPIs is a priority growth area in the school action plan 2013-2014 and there
are now clear steps in place to achieve this, which all stakeholders support. By measuring the
efficiency of programmes and their impact on students Al Arqam Academy will be able to
improve the level of education provided to students and continue to enhance overall school
success.
QNSA Standard 1: Educational Leadership
Overall Strengths and Growth Areas
Major Strengths Growth Areas

Stakeholders are involved in Procedures to be put in place to
developing the strategic objectives, measure and assess the progress made
which realise the school vision and in achieving the vision and mission of
mission. the school.
The school educational mission, vision Establish further methods to promote
and objectives are aligned with the the school vision, mission and
states guidelines and SECs plans and objectives ensuring that they are known
programmes. and inculcated within the student, staff,
The school is committed to the SECs parent and wider community.
regulations and follows up work The school vision, mission and
instructions precisely. objectives will focus on developing
There are clear plans (strategic, further policies to ensure an enhanced
executive and operational) which lead healthy, safe and happy environment
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to the achievement of the school for all.

objectives. Further reinforcement and focus of
The school management has quality behaviour and attainment to ensure it is
regulations for efficient staff reflected in the vision and mission and
accountability. permeates within students everyday
The school management involves all lives.
stakeholders in decision making. Develop further school policies and a
mechanism to ensure that policies and
The Governing Body makes policies regulations are more clearly
and is involved in the strategic planning communicated.
for the school and also authorises the Initiate new methods to improve the
school administration to implement its efficiency of assessing school systems.
decisions. Ensure that outcomes from the
There are clear job descriptions in place Performance Management programme
for all staff. are reflected in the academic
There is a relatively low turnover of achievement of students and in
staff which contributes to continuity improved performance of teachers.
and progression. Continue to evaluate programmes,
plans and projects, in line with
performance indicators.
Increase data collection, by more
questionnaires (in English where
required) and ensure the opinions of all
stakeholders are taken into account of
with a view to informing important
school decisions.
The organisational hierarchy needs to
be regularly updated and should be
prominently displayed within each
school, ensuring clarity of roles and
positions.
Implement more programmes and

activities to reinforce and develop a
positive school atmosphere.
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Standard 2: Educational Performance and Learning Environment
1. Methods and Pedagogy

In this section, analyze the schools commitment and application of various
teaching strategies towards effective learning processes. Analyze differentiated
instruction and other learning methods that meet the needs of students.
Al Arqam Academys mission is to create life-long learners, by providing an environment of

engaged learning, whereby students strongly identify with their Islamic heritage and the schools
core values of honesty, respect, responsibility and cooperation. Al Arqam Academy considers
teaching and learning as its first priority. This is demonstrated by its continued commitment to
employ teachers with best practice, who understand that the key to success is the ability to
provide lessons that are engaging and motivating, differentiated, empower students to think
critically and promote creativity. Al Arqam continuously endeavours to improve its quality of
teaching The Academy follows the rigorous standards of the British Curriculum and infuses
Arabic language instruction, Islamic Studies and Arabic Humanities as prescribed by the SEC to
create a unique learning experience for all students. The learning environment, classroom setting,
use of updated resources to enhance and support all curricular areas; are all vital factors in
promoting increased student motivation towards learning. The assessment tool provides
stakeholders with measurable evidence of students performance, teaching strategies and an
effective curriculum, thus reflecting school success.
Heads of Departments and Heads of Academics observe teachers regularly and giving
constructive feedback both verbally and in writing. Based on feedback from lesson observations,
schemes of work and daily lesson plans, teachers are encouraged to use an array of teaching
strategies, in different combinations for students with various learning styles and abilities, to
improve learning outcomes. It is evident that generally in good/outstanding lessons, collaborative
learning is used, where students work in small/large groups to complete tasks. Additionally,
paired and individual activities are used to promote learning using differentiation, which takes
into account student levels and interest. Learning is not only engaging and motivating but more
effectively retained and applied, when students interests are incorporated into teaching. CPD,
on-line courses, peer coaching and good practice are all used to ensure teachers have updated
knowledge on differentiation.
Varied teaching strategies also include multimedia instruction which integrates varying formats
such as lecture, text, graphics, audio, video, web resources and interactive devices in lessons.
These have increased motivation, alertness and improved the quality of student responses. Films
and video clips in particular have engaged students in English and Humanities. Animation and
scientific clips, power points and projects are regularly used in science e.g. to discuss physics
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concepts or discussing Biology topics like forensics to highlight points. Problem solving is
integrated in most lessons, sometimes as scenarios to allow students to strengthen creative and
critical thinking.
Brainstorming is also used, most often with groups simulations or scenarios. Students
presentations assist with improve communication skills, confidence building and sometimes role
play. When teachers illustrate a concept or ideas with a real life application or case study, web
based instruction, blogs, building websites, research and storytelling are also planned.
At Al-Arqam realises that it is very important to use strategies which help raise challenges for all
students and motivate then by offering interesting and engaging lessons, where inclusion is a
basic aim. Incidentally, inclusion is not just for pupils, but all staff should be included, and thus
all training, lectures, documents, and leaflets are translated to English as well as Arabic for staff.
The idea behind incorporating personal information into lessons and Every Child Matters is at
the core of curriculum planning and motivates and engages students in what happens within the
classroom. Knowing that a student has just had twins siblings, moved house or experienced any
other event can be exciting and interesting additions to storytelling, class discussions or other
activities. It helps students feel connected to what is happening in the class by using information
that is personal to them. In primary the Star Class Competition rewards students with a pizza
party at the end of the term for cleaning up the playground after break. This not only motivates
students to want to achieve this award, but reinforces school values of cleanliness and
cooperation. In addition to these types of awards, each class has a system of recognising student
achievement such as Star Charts, Golden Time and coupon rewards which allow children to
select particular rewards. These programmes, although effective have inspired the Academy to
continually explore other means to motivate students.
Al Arqam teachers have been provided CPD about the importance of the using diverse teaching
methods, which is an on-going process. A variety of activities are planned that take into
consideration different aspects of learning styles such as visual games, auditory tools and
kinaesthetic activities. Teachers are encouraged to find out about their students learning styles
and plan according ensuring personalised teaching and learning. A questionnaire is given to
students in order to identify their own learning styles and this information helps teachers to
balance instruction to include different learning approaches. Students can be encouraged to
practise learning styles and a particular project in secondary I am responsible encouraged
students to take responsibility for their own learning and work independently. Teachers have
been asked to incorporate PLTS (personal, learning and thinking skills) into their planning,
enabling students to learn to be self-mangers, reflective learners, active participants, creative
thinkers and independent enquirers. Again, the school reward system encourages students to
have self-determination, make decisions and direct positive behaviour to meet goals. Students are
also involved in the decision making process and are encouraged to express their ideas, opinions
and suggestions. Secondary students have designed their uniform, a cover for the school diary
and notebooks, evaluated school performance and given input on type and places of trips,
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discipline policies, types of rewards etc. Research projects across the school allow students to
acquire skills, techniques, principles and rules to help problem solve and complete tasks
independently.
In Al Arqam self-monitoring and self-questioning is used in many lessons and students have
opportunities to express their interest throughout many activities e.g. Qatar Debates in English as
well as Arabic, MUN and THIMUN, presentations, projects and essay writing.
Research has shown that children appreciate being acknowledged for their efforts. Therefore, the
school aims to exploit every opportunity available for children to achieve a sense of well-being
and connectedness to their school, enabling them to achieve success.
The targets set out by British National Curriculum provide a comprehensive plan of academic
education, which builds upon learning outcomes that are progressive from one year group level
to the next. Year groups meet weekly to ensure a collaborate approach to lesson planning and the
collaborative lessons not only support academic areas of learning, but are designed to motivate
students to reach their full potential in all areas. Additionally, lesson and activities are
implemented to encourage student participation. Simple to more complex methods are used to
check students understanding depending on the desired outcomes and skill level of the activity.
In some instances, students are asked to explain their reasoning for a response, in other instances
answers are checked by a simple thumbs up or thumbs down response. Such activities and
lessons support the schools mission of developing independent learners, who not only learn
skills, but can actively apply them to current and future learning.
The preparation of yearly, termly and weekly planning supports teachers by ensuring they are
delivering the correct set of objectives systematically, within the academic year. These plans are
regularly monitored and updated, ensuring they are in line with National Curriculum
expectations and the needs of Al Arqam students. However, it is clear, it is vital to employ
experienced and qualified teachers to impart such a curriculum at each key stage. Al Arqam
teachers possess specialised knowledge in many areas of learning including literacy, assessment
planning and curriculum development. This enables them to provide the necessary motivation
and skills to students that help develop questioning and inquiry skills; benefitting students now
and in their future. To ensure teachers continuously develop and are supported in the growth of
their professional techniques, the Academy promotes weekly CPD training opportunities.
Additionally, some specialised training is offered to teachers based on its relevance and
availability.
The use of modern technology plays an important part in many lessons in Al-Arqam Academy to
deliver the curriculum. During classroom observations it was observed that children generally
enjoy the varied activities and are motivated to employ their best efforts when engaged in
meaningful work. The incorporation of interactive whiteboards in every classroom has increased
the use of technology by staff and students. ICT schemes of work ensure that students are
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actively using computers and different techniques in order to broaden their IT skills. The school
has purchased various curriculum related software including a Licence for Myimaths.com, where
students have access to interactive games and puzzles on line competition and on line homework.
The additional purchase of software that supports core texts in literacy and mathematics has
provided a greater opportunity for students to not only engage with relevant curriculum content,
but increase their exposure to the use of twenty first century technology that they will require
throughout their education. Al Arqam is vigilant and proactive in brainstorming various ways
that technology can be effectively incorporated to ensure students maintain and improve their
technological skills throughout their time at the Academy.
As English is the second language of most of the Academys students, support staff has been
employed to ensure all students have equal opportunity to a positive educational experience.
Under the direction of the SEN Co-ordinator, the department has implemented a schedule of
lessons designed to improve student achievement the core subjects of both English and maths.
There is a range of subject specific vocabulary in maths needed to successfully support progress
which can affect other subject areas. Experience at Al Arqam has shown that students, who
sometime achieve poorly in maths, do so because of weak English language skills and not a
deficit in problem-solving strategies. A range of resources are used to help engage students in
SEN lessons and student progress is assessed and reviewed at 6-8 week intervals. There are a
handful of students for whom Arabic is a second language and likewise support is afforded to
them. In KG as special folder is set up for such students with additional activities and similarly
students at other key stages have their needs appropriately addressed. The development of the
SEN department is an ongoing goal as outlined in the school 2013-2014 action plan.
To monitor the success of planning and the impact on student learning Al Arqams assessment
policy outlines that all students must be regularly assessed in all subjects, throughout the
academic year. This varies according to the age group and in KG includes observational
assessment to ascertain the students interest, needs and capabilities.
Where applicable, homework is marked regularly according to departmental policies and all
teachers have been trained on how to give constructive feedback. Teachers are asked to set
targets on how to improve work to the next level/grade of achievement. Differentiated lessons
are partnered with lesson assessment, which is used to check student understanding and help the
teacher realise what subject content may need more review and teacher planning can be
accordingly adjusted. Both differentiation and assessment are embedded in Al Arqam
Academys planning process for all core subjects and as well as highlighting existing practice it
is also used to effectively plan future teaching and learning opportunities. Heads of departments
are given termly reports on students achievements, curricular plans and challenges within their
department. It is their responsibility to monitor students progress across all the subjects/year
groups within their designation.
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There are a variety of formative and summative assessments used at Al Arqam; including a
diagnostic assessment at the beginning of the year, end of term assessments, external
assessments such as EYFP, SATs and Optional Tests as well as International exams such as
Checkpoint, IGCSE and AS.
Assessment results are evaluated on a regular basis and demonstrate the success of students
applying what they have learned and that they are using their knowledge and skills actively. The
continual assessment cycle measures on-going student achievement and provides invaluable
feedback on the effectiveness of educational programme in serving the needs of students. It also
indicates where changes need to be made in order to achieve the schools educational objectives.
Relationships between students and staff are based on values of respect and cooperation.
Teachers set the tone for the classroom and their actions and behaviours can impact students
positively or negatively. Therefore, the Academy has developed a policy on teacher/student
relationships which is provided to teachers via the Staff Handbook. This policy clearly explains
that the treatment of students should be respectful at all times and rules teachers must adhere to
when interacting with students. Further, it stresses the importance of effective classroom
management whereby all teaches should establish classroom routines and rules within the first
week of school. This process helps to establish boundaries for both student and teacher, so they
know what to expect from one another. Also teachers must design activities within lessons,
which not only promote active participation but also encourage the school values of respect and
cooperation. This policy is reviewed yearly to ensure it comprehensively addresses the needs of
students, staff and the ethos of the Academy.
Al-Arqam provides career advice for Year 9 to 12 students and the Head of Students Guidance
Counsellor closely liaises with various Institutions including; Qatar University, Qatar
Foundation, North Atlantic and Community University. Updated information is provided,
regarding courses and admission requirements. Year 11 and 12 students visit local universities,
who in turn are also invited to Al Arqam to provide further information on courses, facilities,
resources and requirements. The Head of Students Guidance also arranges to meet with Year 11
and 12 students and their parents individually, to gauge their interests and plans for future. They
are given a career booklet which contains all information regarding universities and related entry
examinations e.g. SAT, TOEFL, IELTS etc.
Additionally, students participate in career fairs where they have a further opportunity to talk to
different professionals with face to face conversations about specific career options.
Al-Arqam holds an Options Seminar for Year 9 students in March, enabling Year 9 students
and their parents to discuss IGCSE course choices. An Option booklet, containing detailed
information on subjects is sent home to all Year 9 parents, who are also given taster sessions
about subjects and associated future opportunities and careers.
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From the findings of QNSA self-study, stakeholders advise that Al Arqam must ensure that
modern teaching techniques are consistently applied and updated/ working resources are used.
There is the suggestion of incorporating iPads and Listening Centres, which obviously requires
an allocated budget. Continual Professional Development for teachers must be firmly established
and incorporate further information on clearly documenting and delivering differentiation in
lessons, as well as swiftly moving students through transitional key stages. It is important
students focus on critical thinking and apply what theyve learnt, especially through the Life
Skills programme. As early as KG, students need to be encouraged to contribute to the local and
global community. There is a need to ensure the continual development of positive
teacher/student relationships and assessments must be consistent.
Additionally, non-Arabic speaking students must be provided similar academic support as Arabic
speaking students are. Finally, to improve the evaluation and measure of success within the
learning environment, more questionnaires need to be incorporated. These points have been
considered as a priority and have been included in the school action plan 2013-2014.
2. Curricular Standards, Quality, and Implementation
In this section, analyze the schools curriculum currently in place, its impact on student
learning, and its support of student achievement attainment of learning needs and skills.
Review the schools policy for monitoring, planning, and support of school curriculum.
The curriculum of Al-Arqam serves the aims of the school and its community as defined through
the schools mission statement; where quality education combined with Islamic principles and
values, helps cultivate an environment whereby students use their level of thinking and creativity
to become responsible citizens, capable of facing the challenges of wider society. Al-Arqam
Academys curriculum recognises that all knowledge is sacred and worthy of pursuit and that
learning is a lifelong tradition in Islam. It is designed to foster thought, curiosity and a desire for
learning in all students, regardless of their backgrounds, strengths and needs. The curriculum
should be a gateway to opportunity and a knowledge-base for Qatar and beyond.
Ensuring that personal, social and academic needs are being met is a major objective of the
Academy. Further, ensuring a healthy and safe environment includes not only physical safety,
but mental and moral safety as well. The core values of honesty, respect, cooperation and
responsibility are instilled to; encourage responsible participation in the community, give
students a sense of their religious and social rights in society, be respectful and tolerant of all and
empower students with the necessary skills and abilities to play a full and inclusive role within
society without compromising their principles. The Academy calls upon each member of its
school community to help safeguard each other and to be accountable for their efforts in
achieving their personal best.
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At the core of the British National Curriculum is student achievement which is measured through
the development of a sequence and progression of skills. These core skills are introduced in KG
through the attainment of seven areas of development and continue on throughout the primary
years and beyond. Student progression is measured through a series of Assessing Pupil
Progress (APP) indicators. They provide a systematic benchmark that allows teacher to track
and measure how well students are achieving in the areas of English, mathematics and science.
These benchmarks help teachers determine how well students have engaged with a particular
skill and which students may require additional teaching and support. Further, the curriculum
incorporates a system of levels which range from P-8 throughout the school. These levels are
used as indicators of achievement across all core subjects to acknowledge student progress or the
lack of it. The Academy has adopted a minimal level system that determines student
achievement for each year group, which also incorporates sub levels acceptable for that year
group.
The British National Curriculum is built on strong academic standards that support all
curriculum areas. It is differentiated to support various levels of students while still maintaining
its rigor. Differentiation is included broadly at the framework level, so that teachers are able to
gain a perspective on how best to customise curriculum areas to support both gifted learners and
low achievers. This extra support provided at the curriculum level allows teachers to be proactive
and provides them with more time to spend developing specific strategies to support the needs of
students. Additionally, various educational strategies are used to ensure every student is engaged
in active learning. The inclusion of the many suggested activities, in addition to teacher created
ones; enhance curriculum experiences for all learners. The broad based curriculum also
incorporates physical education lessons to support a healthy mind and body connections. PE is
delivered by teachers that specialise in physical and nutritional sciences and incorporate
swimming instruction for students in Year 6 and beyond.
The curriculum provided is revised and modified, where possible, across the range of subjects to
reflect the students background and culture as well as the school mission and Islamic values. In
secondary the curriculum is sometimes modified to ensure that learners are provided with a
broad scope of knowledge and as well as being able to articulately debate two points of view on
issues
In secondary, core subjects are taught but in science the Islamic and contemporary scientific
models of thought will be compared and contrasted through the Ideas and evidence aspect of
the science course. The often forgotten rich Muslim heritage of science, learning and
progressions is celebrated and incorporated into history lessons along with the study of other
civilisations Also there is emphasis on the History of Qatar as well as Islamic history and
students are encouraged to feel proud of their rich cultural heritage.
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Citizenship, focusing on themes such as; distinguishing right from wrong; respect for the law;
tolerance for, and respect for the rights of others and their cultures and faiths. This is linked to
some modern day negative stereotypes of Muslims, especially in other parts of the world.
Students are taught how to address these perceptions and ensure they become balanced and
contributing members of their community. The English Scheme of work is modified to English
as first Language and English as second languag and most students are taking IGCSE English as
second language. At KS3 students are streamed for English subject based on their ability in
English. In year 7 the results from primary schools and diagnostic exam result will be used for
streaming the students at the beginning of the year. At KS4 students will be entered for either
IGCSE Core or Extended CIE exams, based on their achievements and performance throughout
the course.
Al Arqam Academy has worked extremely hard to ensure essential learning resources are
available to teachers to support their lessons. The inclusion of interactive whiteboards in
classrooms provides further opportunities to access the varied audio/visual resources that are
available to support and enhance student learning. Additionally, the curriculum is vigorously
reviewed on an annual basis to identify needed resources which may then be purchased.
Ensuring adequate and up to date resources are available to staff is an on-going process. All
school areas are purpose built and furnished with subject specific equipment to ensure students
are provided with maximum opportunities. The schools are designed and resourced to deliver the
curriculum to the various key stages and house; a fully customised age appropriate learning
environment for KG, fully equipped science labs, computer labs, modern libraries, art rooms,
fully equipped home economics rooms, PE hall, gym, training room, theatre, prayer hall, multi-
purpose hall, dedicated life-skills and room, cafeteria, outdoor sports areas and a swimming pool.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study it is indicated that the application of the British
National Curriculum continues to evolve at the Academy. However, it must be expanded to
include more definitive programmes for gifted and special needs students, with a focus on using
curriculum levelling appropriately. It is vital to ensure that students with particular needs are able
to reach their full potential. Also, the findings conclude that more specialised equipment is
needed in PE across the three schools as well as science, in order to enhance the learning
experience. It was also discovered that although the Academy currently has four complete
reading schemes in primary, more diverse an interesting books are needed in all school libraries
to adequately meet the needs of the increasing number of students. In secondary it is important to
ensure that Humanities and Islamic Studies are further developed to include a more formalised
approach. These points have been added to the action plan 2013-2014.
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3. Learning Environment
In this section, analyze the schools learning environment and the resources in the
classroom that foster a proper learning environment that is positive, healthy, and
conducive to learning. Reflect on the learning environment and its impact on stimulation
and encouraging students to academically achieve.
Al Arqam functions as an effective learning community and supports a climate conducive to

achieving excellence. There is leadership support for a safe, orderly, and equitable learning
environment. Experiences are created, that foster and support the belief that all children can learn
at high levels and teachers must provide learning experiences that produce continuous
improvement in student achievement. Teachers hold high expectations for all students
academically and behaviourally, and this is evidenced in their practice.
Teachers recognise and accept their professional role in impacting student motivation, which
ultimately could result in either success or failure for the student. Teachers communicate
regularly with families about individual students' progress (e.g., engage through conversation,
parent/teacher meetings).There is evidence that the teachers and staff care about students and
inspire their best efforts as well as building positive relationships with individual students.
Through teacher modelling and classroom strategies based on cooperation and mutual support,
an environment is created where students feel confident to pursue inquiries and express
themselves. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and pursue and try
out new ideas.
Al Arqam Academy provides necessary facilities in each classroom which include computes,
IWB, etc. Teachers engage students in active learning by using various software and subscribe to
websites to enhance the learning experience. In KG, student achievement is displayed outside
each classroom on an appropriate sized display board and other students learn from this work
and are also motivated to achieve. Also the names of outstanding students are mentioned in the
school newsletter as well as being displayed on the Board of Honour in the school hall.
In primary, students work around the shape of the classrooms in order to facilitate group work
and create learning centres. All classrooms have display boards that are regularly updated and
are used as a learning tool to reinforce key concepts, as well as allowing students to have pride in
their work that is shared by others. Student achievement is also highly valued and publicly
celebrated through assemblies and monthly newsletters. Good quality student displays enhance
learning, teaching, and supports assessment for learning through key vocabulary. This actively
involves students in their own learning and helps them recognise the standards which they are
working towards.
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Classrooms are ventilated through a central system which adjusts the airflow depending on the
temperature. This ensures that a comfortable temperature of not less than 20 degrees Celsius is
constantly maintained.
All classrooms are well lit and equipped with good quality age appropriate furniture that meets
the needs of students. Curtains are used to block the sun, darken the room where required and to
protect equipment. The equipment that is very new is cleaned daily and maintained in a very
good condition. Staff must report any furniture that is broken or needs replacing to the Head of
School and Al Arqam has a maintenance policy for ensuring resources are kept in a good
condition at all times.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study stakeholders agree that Al Arqam is continually
improving the school learning environment but must ensure that all teachers have timetabled
access to technology as well as being adequately supplied with the resources they require at a
given time. Sometime resources are moved around and shared, so there needs to be greater
emphasis on the policy of looking after equipment. There need to be more displays in secondary
and teacher reflection on display boards would also be welcomed. Finally when IWB are fitted
they must be positioned correctly and the A/C temperature must not be meddled with.
Additionally, because the Academy is growing, it must ensure that age appropriate furniture is
available for all classrooms. Addressing these points is part of an on-going process of
improvement and have been included in the school action plan for the 2013-2014.
4. Assessments
In this section, analyze the schools regular assessment of students and programs, and the
measures that are in place to regularly evaluate the impact of these assessments. Report on
the impact of these assessments on student learning. Include detailed information of the
frequency, the various modes of assessments used, and its integration to the learning
process. Analyze how assessments measure skills, student progress, and its use to monitor
and plan for curriculum and student programs, and decisions for the allocation of school
resources.
At Al Arqam Academy, assessment is used to raise learning standards and expectations

throughout the school, improve teaching and learning and to enable every child to fulfill their
potential. Assessment is used not only to assess students knowledge, skills and progress at
different times of their learning process, but also to assess progress of achieving school learning
outcomes, goals, strategic and action plans as well as covering curriculum standards.
Assessment results are also used to guide and inform decisions relevant to Professional
Development plans for teachers, developing teaching strategies, allocation of school human and
financial resources, streaming and courses offered for IGCSE and AS students, types of
assessments used, effectiveness of differentiation and support provided to students with learning
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difficulties. Management reports are used to track learner performance and create goals and
targets for students and indicators of success criteria for teachers.
Assessment is firmly embedded into school practice and per the school assessment policy; all
students must be assessed at least 3 times in a term. Teachers are encouraged to use variety of
assessment methods to suit their students learning styles. Al Arqam uses both summative and
formative assessments to find out what students know and are able to do and understand.
Summative assessment e.g. Optional SATs papers, provides a snapshot of what has been learned
and formative assessment e.g. marking of work, questioning informs the next stage of learning. It
also involves pupils in the process of self-improvement/self-assessment and peer assessment.
In order to form an effective baseline of attainment in all curricular areas, teachers work together
to monitor and mark assessments and tests. Sometimes, peer assessments are marked and tasks
from assessments are moderated by the entire year group, to ensure that all teachers are marking
in a uniformed fashion.
Assessment procedures typically include;
Diagnostic Assessments: At the beginning of every year in English, maths and Arabic.
Teachers provide a diagnostic test in the first week of school as baseline information on students
understanding and knowledge, to determine previous learning and to decide on appropriate level
of instruction. After assessments, teachers give students feedback; encourage them to find out the
correct answers and how they can avoid certain mistakes in the future.
Ongoing Assessments: include teacher observations as well as an agreed upon criteria

of the entire year group (rubrics). In primary this includes;
English Assessment at the end of each unit:
-includes essential targets/objectives of the unit and must include a minimum of one
(each) of the following:
Reading Task of specified text type

Writing Task to produce a specified type of text
Completion of a task that clearly demonstrates the learning outcomes of
specified unit (needs approval of Head of Academics)
However, in some instances it may be necessary to formally assess other areas of learning
associated with those listed above. These areas include
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Spelling and Vocabulary (to include phonic knowledge and HFW

practice)
Grammar and Punctuation
From Yrs 5 to 10 students complete a group research project which helps
develop higher order thinking skills.
Maths Assessments: at the end of each block used as an on-going picture of how students
are progressing individually and as a class.
On-going Assessments in primary and secondary may include:
Weekly test
Spelling and Vocabulary test
Mental maths skills- (skills determined by year group teachers (according to
topic or at the request of the Academic Coordinator).
Midterm Assessments (Term 1 and 2) - Teacher assessments are used to check
attainment and progress levels of all students at each half-term. Members of each
year group work collaboratively work to prepare and submit these assessments
to the head of academic under the guidance of their coordinator.
End of term Assessments (Term 1 and 2 )- Check-up of termly attainment targets
in English, Maths are undertaken to ensure progress is being made in the form of
Blind assessment for Maths
Levelled reading comprehension and writing assessment for English
End of Term 3 Assessments in KG, primary and secondary may include:

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP)
End of Year Levelled Diagnostic Assessment (Year 1 only)
International exams such as SATs papers, optional tests, checkpoint, IGCSE and AS
are all used in order to assess students learning against international standards of
achievement.
Additionally other assessment methods in other key stages may also include; show and tell,
power point presentations, plays, debates, essays, orals exams, listening exams, cooking exams
and sewing exams.
Assessments provide students, teachers and parents evidence to evaluate students performance,
teaching strategies and the curriculum. The outcomes/results of termly assessments inform the
following terms planning and the outcomes of formal assessments are recorded in the learners
records or student portfolio as a record and for the next class teacher.
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At the end of each term, Heads of departments meet with teachers to analyse assessment results
and graphs providing information on both class and student comparisons. It also enables tracking
students progress and performance which in turn evaluates school performance.
End of term assessment analysis is used to review program effectiveness and influences the
Academys decision to continue, revise or stop academic programs. Additionally, it provides
clear evidence of student overall achievement throughout the Academy and allows
comprehensive look at the efforts of the Academy to raise its standards from one year to the next.
Termly student reports are sent home to inform parents on their childs performance, progress
and achievements as well as helping students reflect on their own learning.
Al Arqams assessment policy promotes high expectations and gives every learner confidence
that they can succeed .Furthermore it helps teachers to establish what learners already know and
use this to create future targets and build progression. Teachers use success criteria to provide
pupils with the opportunity to assess themselves and understand how to improve. This involves
children in self-evaluation/assessment. Teachers adjust their teaching to take account of the
results of assessment, and give feedback which allows learners to recognise their next steps.
The findings of the QNSA self-study suggest learning outcomes do provide guidance for future
planning and teaching in Al Arqam. However, stakeholders advise that the Academy must
continue to monitor the relevance and effectiveness of assessments, to be certain they match the
needs of students. Also there needs to be a more rigorous form of tracking assessment
information and overall conclusions analysed by senior management, must be shared in a timely
manner. These points as well as monitoring and updating assessments is a key part of the 2013-
2014 school action plan for improving teaching and learning practices at the Academy.
QNSA Standard 2: Educational Performance and Learning Environment Overall

Strengths and Growth Areas
Teaching practices are consistent with Implementing teaching techniques that

the schools vision and mission are based on differentiated instruction
in order to meet students needs.
Morning line-up reinforces Islamic
ethos of the school and helps build More PD for teachers on how to deal
positive relationships within the school and set programs for the gifted and
special needs students need to be
Established assessment procedures and further developed and implemented
use of international assessment criteria
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Clear system of student progression

Ensure the assessment policy is fully
Reward systems in place developed in all three schools and
accurately applied in a way that ensures
Integration of technology in lessons achieving goals and reflects actual level
of students and explain it to all
Student learning outcomes inform the teachers.
next steps in planning and teaching
Clarifying and communicating
The learning environment is safe and educational policies to all stakeholders
suitable for students needs
Support services for non-Arabic
Up-to-date teaching resources are speaking students need to be enhanced
available to ensure teachers are well
equipped to assist student in gaining Focus on students physical, social and
knowledge psychological needs.
Teacher- student interaction is very Develop more programmes that

positive and this is reflected in the encourage and support gifted and
classroom and general school talented students and help raising level
environment of students who have learning
difficulties
Students are regularly assessed.
Various assessment tools and criterions Develop teachers skills which include
are used to check progress of students use of smart boards and other
technology resources and techniques
Diversified teaching activities are effectively.
employed to suit childrens learning
needs To develop policies for using more
online techniques for homework
assignments etc.
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Standard 3: Development and Care for Learners
1. Students Academic Achievement
In this section, analyze the level of overall student assessment results, what types of
improvement trends have been observed, and the evaluation/monitoring system that is in
place to collect data. Report on how performance is evaluated and how this is
communicated to parents and other important stakeholders.
Al Arqam Academy has clear policies and procedures in place for assessing the academic
achievement of students. Where particular learner needs are identified, specific measures are put
in place to maximise learning opportunities for the individual. Assessment results are reviewed
and analysed to inform and improve the planning process. This information is communicated to
stakeholders and is used to ensure continuous school improvement. Al Arqam also supports
student learning and achievement by implementing clear policies and procedures with regards to
student discipline and behaviour; which creates a positive school environment. Additionally Al
Arqam Academy provides support services as well as programme enrichment through
extracurricular activities to harness student potential and talent, with an overall view to
enhancing the learning process.
At Al Arqam Academy a variety of assessments methods are used to determine the overall
progress of students. The first assessment that any student entering Al Arqam Academy will
undergo is the entrance test and for secondary students an additional interview along with
parents. All students applying for admission to the Academy must pass entrance tests in English,
Maths and Arabic. The pass mark for entrance is 70% and must be achieved in all three core
subject areas for acceptance. Students who achieve between 55% and 70% on any of the tests
may be given the opportunity to retest, after time is provided to improve and bridge the learning
gap. Students who demonstrate excellence in two of the curricula may be accepted conditionally
with a signed commitment from the parents to provide extra support in the area that needs
improvement.
Upon entering the Academy the progress of students will be evaluated at regular points during
the year. Baseline diagnostic tests are performed at the beginning of the academic year, which
guide planning and student targets for the first term. Based on these diagnostic tests, initially a
review program is set up to consolidate student learning and then students move onto focusing
on targets for the academic year. At the end of the first term students are given a standardized
test in English and Maths, in line with the International curriculum and for Arabic, Shariah and
Humanities in line with the SEC standards. This determines progress made, highlights learning
gaps and is used as a guide for planning in the new term.
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Prior to Al Arqam becoming an International School it was renowned for its innovate techniques
in student centred learning and activities, as opposed to rote learning. An Al Arqam student is
encouraged to think critically, develop analytically skills and relate the learning process to their
life and experiences. Al Arqam uses a combination of formative assessment and summative
assessment which provides feedback, gauges student level, knowledge and skills and allows
teachers to improve and evaluate the learning and teaching process.
Al Arqam Academy has a documented assessment policy that is communicated via the
departmental handbook and through various meetings and memos. Within each school, KG,
primary and secondary a variety of both formative and summative assessments are used
according to the student age group and level.
From the findings of the QNSA study some stakeholders agree that although there is an
assessment policy is in place, it is important that it is correctly implemented and requires more
development in KG. This has been added as a priority to the action plan 2013-2014 as well to the
Professional Development Plan.
Formative assessment, also known as Assessment For Learning, is an important tool used at Al
Arqam that allows teachers to feedback information to students, enabling the student to learn
better as well as engaging in the self- reflective process and ultimately improving performance
outcomes. The on-going assessment of students involves various techniques including; oral
response and feedback, comments on marked work, research and project work, quizzes, class
competitions, general observation, brainstorming, discussions, high order level questioning and
the use of concept questions etc. Such techniques allow the teacher to assess competencies and
track student progress on a on a daily basis, providing feedback to students. Weaker students
who require more support, have IEPs developed and the needs of gifted and talented students
are also accounted for within the planning process. Thus, using formative assessment, teachers
are able to improve student performance by differentiating work and creating personalised
learning as they understand the strengths and weaknesses of students. According to the
continuous monitoring across all subjects grades and marks are allocated and recorded for
students, over specified time periods. Subsequently, teachers regularly adapt lessons plans,
activities and methodology to improve student performance and the learning process.
From the findings of the QNSA study some stakeholders advise that there need to be clearer
strategies in place for supporting students and consistently following up students results and
evaluation; with a view to informing planning and improving teaching techniques thus ensuring
continuous improvement. These priorities have been added to the action plan 2013-2014 as well
as to the Professional Development Plan.
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Al Arqam also uses a variety of summative assessments, which are more formal standardised
types of tests that occur at the end of a unit or time period, determining if the content being
taught is understood and retained.
These include; end of unit tests, chapter tests, termly assessments, Foundation Stage Profile,
Optional UK tests, UK SATs tests for year 2 and 6, Cambridge Checkpoint tests as well as
International SEC, IGCSE and AS examinations. Summative assessment is important as it
provides a clear mark or level against fundamental criteria within the standards or curriculum. It
also provides students with an opportunity to stop and reflect and make sense of what they have
learnt and improve their metacognitive skills as well as academic level.
From the findings of the QNSA study some stakeholders advised that internal assessments need
to be more aligned with the standards of the International Curriculum, especially in KG. We
need to ensure that all teachers are applying the assessment policy accurately to achieve the
required goals. Parents feel that they require more familiarisation with the assessment policy
especially details about levelling and how they can help their child at home to achieve the
required levels and what information needs to be learnt. Some stakeholders advise we need to
further develop support programmes and review how extra support lessons can be more
effectively delivered, in order to achieve our objectives and improve academic achievement
across the school. This has been added as a priority to the action plan 2013-2014 as well as to the
Professional Development Plan.
Al Arqam strives to ensure that student assessment is realistic yet challenging and the Head of
Academics is responsible for devising internally structured tests. Teachers are keen to maximise
student potential and tests are constructed using a variety of interesting test methodology that
reflect a variety of skills including; analyses, critically thinking etc. Assigning this responsibility
to an independent member of the academic team, has proved extremely beneficial and
successful; as it is important to ensure that students are not being spoon feed and assessments are
not just a means of glorifying the teacher. However assessments are constructed so they are
measurable and achievable, in line with the age and year group of the student.
From the findings of the QNSA study some stakeholders advised that assessments need to focus
more on questions that builds on thinking skills and this has been added as a priority to the action
plan 2013-2014 as well as to the Professional Development Plan.
It is the responsibility of The Head of Academics to produce a management report in liaison with
Heads of Departments and Co-ordinators about the results of internal termly assessments, as well
as any International or external examinations that the students have sat. This includes an analysis
of individual subjects, using tables and colour coded bar charts, indicating the overall progress of
students. Internal assessments results are clearly documented in the form of excel sheets and this
information is also annually submitted to the SEC.
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Most external International examinations are held in the summer term and likewise a complete
management information report is produced, which carefully documents student achievement.
The SMT carefully review and analyse the results of these assessments and this information is
not only used to inform planning and provide additional support to students, but to also evaluate
teachers performance, resources and the curriculum to make improvements. In turn, the SMT
convey the results of this information to the Board of Trustees and CEO for discussion and
evaluation.
Where areas of improvement are identified a clear action plan is implemented and changes are
made. For students within the KG, primary and secondary schools this is based on student
curriculum levels and percentages. Improvements have been made using this system and in the
primary school, as a result of evaluating student assessments a lower than average percentage of
reading was identified within KS1. Remedial action was immediately taken and an extra reading
lesson was added to KS1. Similarly lower percentages were identified for Maths in KS2 and
subsequently an additional Maths teacher was employed in a supportive role, to raise student
achievement, which has had a positive impact on the results. In the secondary school, it was
noticed that the English levels in KS3 were not up to the required expectation, so following
consultation with the SMT and KS3 English teachers; a decision was made to stream year groups
7/ 8. An English support teacher was employed, which has reflected some improvement within
termly exams.
In secondary, if a student has scored below 60% in core subjects such as English, Science, Maths
and Arabic they must join a support programme, which is a specified lesson one day a week. For
students who achieve less than 50% they must stay after school and receive booster lessons. For
high achieving students who achieve over 85% they are rewarded and their success is celebrated
through an achievement assembly, which is also attended by their parents.
The evaluation information on students results also directly affects decisions on staffing and in
most cases professional development is provided but ultimately if it is deemed a staff member
does not meet the required teaching standard, their contract will not be renewed. Evaluation
results also impact school resources and additional resources are purchased to enhance and
improve the learning process e.g. additional software in sciences was purchased to enable
concepts to be more visual. Evaluation results for external examinations are used to adapt the
existing curriculum and identify which subjects are more popular with students, which IGCSE
subjects can be added and dropped as well as which AS subjects should be offered to students.
Al Arqam school evaluation is shared and communicated regularly with stakeholders including,
parents and the Board of Trustees to ensure they are updated with student progress and
achievement. We have begun to send mid-term reports to parents with details about behaviour,
attitude and a brief student comment. The end of term report which is produced electronically
and sent out three times a year, contains a more detailed breakdown of student levels and
percentages against termly objectives, as well as comments about the students performance and
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behaviour. Within the report, student goals and targets are identified and this information is
discussed on a one to one basis with parents in the termly Parent/Teacher meetings.
Parent/Teacher meetings in the secondary school are also attended by students, whom
accompany their parents. Within these meetings teachers share the students assessment portfolio
which contains evidence of the students work and achievements. The objective of reporting and
evaluating student results is with a view to raising student achievement, a process that often
involves all school stakeholders. In addition to periodic reports, if areas of support are identified
then an IEP is initiated and there is regular oral and written communication between home and
school
From the findings of the QNSA study some stakeholders advised that Al Arqam needs to provide
more professional training on implementing strategies related to student target setting, as well as
improving the reporting system so that it reflects students behaviour as well as academic levels.
Al Arqam is currently looking at developing an electronic management information system that
allows students progress to be tracked which will improve the reporting system and ensure that
data is more effectively monitored. Additionally it is important to ensure that reports are
consistently sent out in a timely manner and that in the secondary school homework diaries are
being effectively used to communicate information home. These points have been added as a
priority to the action plan 2013-2014 as well as to the Professional Development Plan, where
applicable. 1
0
2. Differentiated Instruction, Support for Student with Special Learning
Needs/Care for Different Categories of Students
In this section, analyze the level of overall efficacy in meeting the learning needs of all
students groups. Assess programs, policies, and learning environments in place to support
these students to ensure that learning improvement is observed in all student groups,
including those with special needs.
Al Arqam Academy recognises that within any large group of learners, it is enviable that there
will be categories of students at either end of the continuum. These include students with special
learning needs as well as gifted and talented students and both groups of students requirements
must be recognised. A support programme should be implemented, which tracks student progress
and is evaluated. Additionally teachers must be provided with appropriate professional
development to address the needs of these groups.
Al Arqam Academy has some policies which refer to students with special learning needs and
gifted and talented students, but these need to be developed and improved. Al Arqam is currently
able to cater for students who require educational support, to enhance and improve their learning
but the school is not currently equipped to cater for students with physically disabilities. Such
students might require adjustments to the school environment such as ramps for wheelchairs,
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specific resources such as braille material etc.

Al Arqam does not have a qualified learning needs specialist, but some staff do possess some
experience and training in these areas and can broadly recognise symptoms of dyslexia, ADHD
and emotional and behavioural difficulties.
The initial starting point for identifying special needs students in all three schools is the
diagnostic testing held in the first week of the academic year. In addition to the student data
collected at this stage, Al Arqam uses further assessment information collected over an initial
time period of around the middle of the first term, to assist identifying students that require
support. During these first few weeks the learning needs of students are identified using a
combination of classwork, observation, assessments and teachers reports. Subsequently
programmes are put in place, across the three schools that not only identify and support gifted
and talented students, but maximise their full potential.
Al Arqam provides programmes for outstanding students and in KG they are identified according
to the area they are excelling in which can include; academic achievement, behaviour,
confidence and self-awareness, Quran achievement etc. Students are honoured through reward
assemblies and their work is celebrated and shared with other students, as well as being
displayed.
In the Primary school outstanding students are identified and encouraged to participate in various
international and national competitions. For example, My imaths is an on line programme that
not only allows students to practise Maths but enter competitions. Outstanding students are also
urged to create power point presentations on various topics and present workshops and talks to
their peers.
In the secondary school, Al Arqam has initiated an in house programme entitled Excellence,
which is comprised of students who achieve more than 85% in their academic achievement. The
Student Guidance Counsellor facilitates the programme, the objective of which is to enhance and
maximise the students individual talents. The Guidance Counsellor creates documentation on
each student which enables tracking of their progression as well as providing any additional
support that they might require. Identified students are selected to participate in leadership
programmes, local and international competitions, represent the school within the community
and in other schools, volunteer, build up interpersonal skills, writing competitions, research
projects linked to Universities etc. Al Arqam recently received first place with Qatar University
and third place with the SEC in a research project. Additionally Al Arqam students are
nominated for the SEC Excellence programme, which is a national competition that identifies
outstanding students in all aspects of achievement including, interpersonal skills, volunteering as
well as academic success. Evaluation for outstanding students requires further development but
is conducted using a variety of methods including; analysis of the results of programmes and
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feedback from all parties concerned.
Opportunities are also provided to harness students non-academic talent through clubs and
activities such as the robotics, theatre and debating club etc. Also the school recently nominated
students for the Qatar National Day Art Competition, Schools Olympics Competition and ICT
Competitions.
From the findings of the self-study stakeholders agree that although programmes and plans are in
place for gifted students, the school needs to be more consistent in implementing and evaluating
these programmes with updated resources. The school also needs to be sure that there is clarity
of the criteria and rewarding programme and further opportunities to enhance the skills of such
students are provided. This has been added as a priority to the action plan 2013 -2014.
Across the three schools there is also a mechanism and structure in place to identify students that
do not meet the expected standards and levels required and subsequently differentiated
programmes are initiated. In KG, students that require support have an IEP set out, in
consultation with the class teacher and Co-ordinator. The IEP is evaluated each term by the KG
Head of Academics alongside the Co-ordinator, to ensure that action points are implemented and
the student has made improvement.
In primary, Al Arqam has allocated SEN primary support responsibility to nominated staff for
English and Maths and a separate staff member for Arabic. The SEN team consists of a Co-
ordinator and two teachers, who identify students that require support in consultation with the
class teacher and generate an IEP. Again the IEP is evaluated each term alongside the SEN Co-
ordinator to ensure action points are implemented and the student has made improvement.
In secondary the Head of Students Academic Guidance identifies and refers any students that
require extra support. A programme is created for student support, based on teachers
recommendations and this information is documented in an IEP. The action plan is agreed and
signed by the parent and student and includes extra support lessons once a week and after school.
The IEP is evaluated at the end of each term in consultation with SMT, namely the Head of
Academics and Head of Secondary.
In all three schools evaluating support programmes ensures that student progress is documented
and tracked at regular intervals, which enables decisions to be made as to whether support should
be withdrawn or conversely further support, enhancement and adjustment required to the IEP.
From the findings of the self-study stakeholders agree that although support programmes are in
place for students not meeting the required standards, they need to be delivered ensuring that
planning accurately caters for individual student needs and updated resources are provided.
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Further professional development training needs to be provided specifically in differentiation of

student learning and delivering programmes that clearly take into account the ability and levels
of individual students, ensuring inclusion. This has been added as a priority to the action plan
2013 -2014 and the Professional Development Plan.
Al Arqam ensures that learners from categories such as, special needs and gifted and talented are
appropriately rewarded for their efforts and achievements. This includes; achievement
assemblies, achievement days, gifts, certificates, special trips, nominated to participate in an
overnight school camping programme etc. It is evident that rewarding students motivates them to
develop and improve further, as well as serving to consolidate their relationship with their
teachers and other staff members. From the findings of the self-study some stakeholders advise
that there needs to be more clarity for parents on the rewards system in place and rewards must
be fair across the board. This has been added as a priority to the action plan 2013 -2014.
Al Arqam does provide professional development to staff in identifying students with special
learning needs and workshops on how to differentiate teaching and learning programmes, in
order to meet the needs of the individual. However from the findings of the self-study all
stakeholders agree that professional developing training need to include more detail on
differentiation and specific goals for teachers and guidelines for assistants. Additionally policies
catering for students with special learning requirements need to be fully developed and updated,
reflecting clear procedures for applying and evaluating programmes. These policies need to be
clearly communicated to all stakeholders. These points have been added as a priority to the
action plan 2013 -2014.
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3. Students Discipline and Behaviour
In this section, analyze the school atmosphere in its promotion of positive student
behaviour. Report on students behaviour and policies in place to ensure student
commitment to ensure a positive impact on learning.
Within the three schools, Al Arqam Academy has comprehensive behaviour policies that
underline discipline, are consistently and impartially applied and are communicated to all
stakeholders. The behaviour policies foster a spirit of positivity and include rewards and
incentives to encourage good behaviour. They also promote mutual respect and behaviour with a
view to improving learning outcomes as well as contributing to a positive school environment.
However, where infringements occur there is a clear and documented policy in place to deal with
consequences. The policies are updated and annually reviewed in consultation with all
stakeholders, ensuring a positive impact on learning.
Essentially Al Arqam behaviour policies are communicated to staff, students and parents through
the Staff Handbook and Student/Parent handbook. From the findings of the QNSA self-study
some of the stakeholders advised that a separate document consisting specifically of the
behavioural policy should be distributed to parents and students, to promote clarity of
requirements. This has been added as a point to the school action plan 2013-2014
In KG the behaviour policy is clearly outlined in the Parent Handbook and for primary and
secondary sections, an additional attached declaration must be signed by a parent. This states that
parents have understood Al Arqams rules and regulations and they will support their daughters
in following the guidelines. The behaviour policies for each school are highlighted on the
website and pertinent aspects of the policies are documented in the students homework diary.
During the academic year there is a formalised procedure in place to initiate any new policies
that might arise, from an identified need. The draft policy is collated by the Head of
Administration and discussed with teachers and Heads of Departments. It then passed onto the
SMT, Board of Trustees and CEO for discussion and approval. During the year if any new policy
is initiated, it is sent to parents via written communication, prompted by an SMS text message.
Teachers are given an opportunity to discuss and understand the students behaviour policy in
their induction week. The line manager will discuss the policy in detail with staff, ensuring they
understand the importance of equitably applying the policy across the entire spectrum of
students. This is irrespective of the students social background, nationality and ability. Staff are
given an opportunity to ask questions and clarify any issues they are unsure about. For students,
the homeroom/form teacher outlines the behaviour policy in the first week of school. In the
primary and secondary sections students are given the chance to discuss and formulate their own
classroom rules, based on the school behavioural policy. This gives the students a sense of
responsibility and ownership, which encourages them to approve and implement the rules.
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In some cases if they feel an existing rule needs adapting, their suggestions are seriously
considered and forwarded to the SMT for further development and implementation, where
applicable. Classroom rules are clearly displayed along with the applicable sanctions in all
classrooms, labs, ICT suites PE hall, Art room and library etc.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study, some stakeholders advised that the behavioural policy
should be more visible and promoted further by having it displayed in school corridors, the
playground and other key areas. This has been added as a point to the school action plan 2013-
2014.
Parents are introduced to the behaviour policy via the Student/Parent handbook sent home and
also during the parent induction meeting at the start of the academic year. This provides an
opportunity for parents to be fully aware of the schools expectations and the role parents should
play in their contribution to ensure polices are adhered to.
In terms of evaluating existing policies it is the responsibility of the Head of Academics in

liaison with the Head of Administration and Co-ordinators to firstly review existing policies with
a view to updating them. Secondly, before the end of the academic year, again in liaison with
middle and senior managers, they collate record and document any suggestions that will help
improve and develop behaviour policies. These suggestions are namely from; teachers in
meetings and discussions, students via questionnaires and discussion and parents through the
monthly coffee mornings.
Any documented suggestions and improvements that involve changes to be made to the
behavioural policy are discussed and approved by the SMT, Board of Trustees and CEO.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study, some stakeholders advised that the input of parents
and students in formulating the behavioural policy needs to be improved, ensuring that they have
an opportunity to contribute more suggestions and opinions. They also feel that Al Arqams
behavioural policy needs to be updated, to ensure it fully reflects the needs of students and
teachers. Both have been added as points to the school action plan 2013-2014.
Within the three schools, KG, primary and secondary, homeroom/ form teachers maintain an
individual student behaviour record which is used on a regular basis to record positive and
negative behaviour and this information is also used to complete end of term reports. Al Arqam
ensures behaviour data is tracked as these records are regularly reviewed by the Head of Year.
Where particular areas of concern are identified or patterns of behaviour are highlighted, the
Head of School will discuss the data and trends with teachers and the Social Welfare Officer.
Progress is identifiable and where applicable measures can be established to reinforce these
values. Such a monitoring process ensures that values the school wishes to promote are
regulated.
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From the findings of the QNSA self-study, some stakeholders advised that there needs to be
more follow up in specific areas of behaviour. By developing an electronic tracking system, there
will be an improvement in data collection per se and areas that need addressing will be clearly
identifiable. This has been added as a point to the school action plan 2013-2014.
Al Arqam recognises in order to effectively promote positive behaviour there needs to be an

emphasis on positive reinforcement so that there is a high probability that the desired outcome
will be repeated. Thus Al Arqam believes that by focusing on rewarding well behaved students
this has the effect of minimising disruptive behaviour and modifying the behaviour of the class
or other students. A safe and positive learning environment is important in enhancing the
educational goals of students.
There are clearly set out structures within all schools to reward students for good behaviour. In
KG positive behaviour includes; adhering to the class rules, helping others, being responsible for
having the cleanest and tidiest class. Rewards include trophies, a mention in assembly,
certificates, stickers and the choice of a gift. Results of competitions between classes are
documented and a record is kept by the Social Welfare Counsellor.
In primary and secondary good behaviour includes; attendance and punctuality, wearing the
correct uniform, being helpful, the ideal student, tidiest class, voluntary contributions to activities
and charity events, participation in morning assemblies and performing salah regularly etc.
Incentives are also awarded for positive student behaviour and include; certificates, reward
charts, mention in achievement assemblies, prizes, gifts and vouchers, selected for special trips
and in house overnight camps, food treats, pizza parties at the swimming pool, student is selected
to represent the school, member of the student council, breakfast with the Principal and CEO.
Merits are awarded with varying levels of reward according to the number of accumulated merits
based on positive actions. These merits may also be converted into redeemable cash vouchers
for students to buy gifts of their choice. Al Arqam strives to ensure that rewards are consistently
and promptly delivered so that students perceive the link between behaviour and response.
Al Arqam is fortunate that major disciplinary problems do not exist and this an appealing factor
for parents to send their children to this school. Al Arqam conveys to students the importance of
clearly understanding what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, which will also
help to guide and prepare students for their future lives. Al Arqam recognises that negative
behaviour hinders the learning process and can be disruptive, distracting, detrimental and in
some cases even pose danger for students and their peers. Additionally, disruptive behaviour can
have negative effects on not only the classroom environment, but also on the school experience
as a whole. Al Arqam teachers are encouraged to minimise the attention given to students who
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misbehave and focus on rewards. However, where negative behaviour is apparent it is dealt with
firmly and promptly.
Within all three schools when negative behavioural issues occur they are dealt with primarily by
the class teacher and where required, intervention is sought from the Social Welfare Counsellor
who may also involve the parents. More serious and complicated issues dealing with negative
behaviour may also be referred to the Head of School and in some cases the Principal. The Social
Welfare Counsellor might request parents to have their child referred to a specialist for example
a psychologist. This can be done in house via the school or the parents can directly take the
responsibility to refer their child and seek the help required. In the primary and secondary
schools, disciplinary action is clearly documented in line with the level of infringement and in
accordance with the behavioural policy. The implementation of the disciplinary policy is the
responsibility of the class teachers, however all staff are encouraged to feel a shared
responsibility for students, even if the student is not known to them. For example if a student is
seen running in the corridor they must be rebuked by any observing member of staff.
Students must feel confident to address any issues that might be festering with a member of staff
and KG and primary students are encouraged to develop a secure relationship with their
homeroom teachers. In secondary form tutors also endeavour to establish a nurturing role that
allows students to feel comfortable in approaching their teacher with issue, thus minimising
disruptive behaviour or potential issues. Students are also encouraged to report any potential
issues concerning their peers with complete anonymity and without any fear of retribution.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study some stakeholders advised that the behaviour policy
needs to be consistently applied by all teachers across the board in both the English and Arabic
curriculum sections. Also both positive and negative behaviours need to be carefully
documented. Some parents advised that firmer policies need to be in place for antagonistic
students and duly followed up. These points have been added to the school action plan 2013-
2014.It is a school priority to ensure that student discipline and behaviour is appropriately
applied, which in turn will reflect improved academic achievement as well as quality assurance.
When recruiting staff and within professional training, the importance of teachers demonstrating
exemplary behaviour is always emphasised. Al Arqam staff have a responsibility to behave in
accordance with local and international professional teacher standards and most importantly treat
students with respect. A teacher acting as good role model promotes a harmonious classroom and
learning environment, encourages positive responses from students and fosters a spirit of
cooperation thus enabling students to achieve school objectives and goals.
Al Arqam teachers are encouraged to exhibit positive behaviour and values, professional
classroom conduct and management as well as commitment and discipline. It is important that
when teachers initial convey their expectations of students, they should also ensure that students
are aware that they also have expectations from their teachers. An Al Arqam teacher is expected
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to be punctual, deliver well prepared and interesting lessons, instruct and evaluate students
appropriately and deal with any issues fairly, without showing favouritism.
Teachers must respect rules and regulations in terms of their contractual obligations such as
signing in, holidays, absences as well as working as part of a team in a positive and productive
way. Al Arqam teachers are also encouraged to be good learners and listeners, ensuring that they
are willing to develop and adapt themselves around the learning environment and school culture.
Specific training is given to teachers in their induction week on dos and donts in Al Arqam as
well as general teacher expectations. Staff are supported through the Performance Management
procedure which consists of appraisals and feedback.
Teachers spend a huge amount of time with students and for younger pupils in particular the
teacher may be considered to be the fountain-head of all knowledge and the teacher can very
often leave a permanent impact on the lives of their student. Teachers are encouraged to be
empathetic and considerate, cultivating a relationship of mutual trust and reliability. If teachers
do not apply strict work ethics they will face accountability through the Staff Disciplinary
procedure and issues may be highlighted through classroom observations, concerns from parents
and other staff as well analysis of questionnaires. In the past teachers who have not met the
standards set by Al Arqam have been offered support and if they have still continued
unsuccessfully they have been replaced.
Al Arqam encourages teachers to develop a positive rapport between students and staff alike so
they might be fondly remembered in the lives of their students. Some students act as a mirror
which reflects the learning and knowledge of that teacher and the impact of a teacher may affect
how students interact with other teachers and pupils as well as in their future lives. An Al Arqam
teacher is trained to not only have regard for students academic progress but their social welfare
and all round development as future citizens of tomorrow.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study, some stakeholders advised that teachers need to
demonstrate that they are consistently good role models across the board. They have advised that
teachers need to ensure that their tone is appropriate at all times; avoiding shouting and always
using acceptable language at all times. For example staff should say be quiet and not shut up.
These points have been added as priorities to the school action plan 2013-2014.
Within its documentation, as well as Al Arqams promoting its vision, mission and objectives the
values of honesty, respect, co-operation and responsibility are also highly emphasised. Al Arqam
promotes mutual respect in the classroom which encompasses more than just the interaction
between students and teachers. Students need to treat each other properly which results in a
classroom where more learning takes place as students feel safe, motivated and, of course,
respected. Mutual respect also incorporates administrators, all staff members, students, parents,
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& visitors. It is also important to implement consequences for students and staff alike who do not
follow the etiquettes of mutual respect and values.
In Al Arqam experience has shown that once this atmosphere is established, students will usually
work to maintain and develop a positive classroom and overall school environment.
Practically this can be achieved in a variety of ways including; students and teachers greeting
each other with salaam and kind words, student/teacher exchanges being friendly and positive as
well as an appropriate tone used to maintain respect. Al Arqam has its own unique school culture
and using simple words such as please and thank you are basic ways of respecting each other. In
building a positive school atmosphere, Al Arqam builds on the good practice that already exists
in terms of values and respect and reflects on the ways in which the school can enhance self-
esteem, build effective communication and foster respect for diversity. Workshops and training
is also provided in building positive relationships and respect for teachers and students alike,
particularly those that come from different cultures. Misunderstandings are addressed so for
example managing a situation where a student was highly offended by being called a cheeky
monkey by a European teacher. Obviously in some cultures such phrases are used as a term of
endearment and are certainly not meant to cause offence! The situation had to be sensitively
handled ensuring that the misunderstanding was ironed out.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study, some stakeholders advised that it is important to
measure outcomes more accurately in terms of school atmosphere and positive behaviour. More
frequent and accurate questionnaires need to be developed that reflect the opinions of staff,
students and parents. This will help identify areas of concern and ensure clearer documentation
and more effective strategies are drawn up and implemented. These points have been added as
priorities to the school action plan 2013-2014.
Al Arqam seeks to promote preventative strategies to encourage good behaviour and address
negative behaviour. Regular training for staff is seen as an effective mechanism to improve
awareness on how to deal with contemporary behavioural issues. The Social Welfare Counsellor
has the responsibility to organise various workshops throughout the academic year for staff and
parents, where specialists are invited to deliver training in specific areas of relevance. For
example child psychology, growing up with an adolescent, avoiding confrontation with students,
recognising various disorders as well as signs of self-harm etc. This helps educate participants
and keep them informed on recommended practice that not only help to identify situations but
sensitively handle issues with students or their own children.
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4. Student Connectedness
In this section, analyze the effectiveness of the school in promoting student connectedness
through various activities and support services at school.
Al Arqam ensures that students are provided with enrichment opportunities to support their
talent, growth and subsequent learning.
The purpose of the Programme sand Life Skills department is to initiate and respond to the needs
of students by providing a variety of programmes and extra-curricular activities. These
contribute to enhancing the vision, mission and particularly religious and cultural objectives of
the school. Orientation for students between transitional levels of their school career is provided
through various programmes/ courses and within the secondary school this is generally under the
supervision of the Student Guidance Counsellors.
There is also SEN support in place that provides intervention strategies for students that are
unable to meet the required standards, with support provided through an IEP. Also documented
programmes are in place for gifted and talented students and these strategies have been clearly
outlined in aspect two of Development and Care for Learners.
Al Arqam School was founded on the premise that academic education must be complimented
with sound enrichment programmes ensuring all round achievement for students. The objective
of the Programmes and Life Skills department is to work in collaboration with teachers and other
staff to provide programmes and activities that not only harness talent but nurture self-esteem
and confidence One of the key objectives is to promote values and build personalities as well as
empowering students in terms of personal growth and character development.
Within the KG there is a specific activity day for students held on Thursdays, that parents are
also invited to participate in which includes; art, scientific experiments, colouring etc. The
students immensely enjoy the day and benefit from the structured activities by exploring their
latent talents and developing their skills in an enjoyable manner. In primary and secondary there
are various clubs and activities offered to students on a weekly basis that include; reading, chess,
young writers, gym, basketball, swimming, art, debating, cooking, media, science, maths,
yearbook, sewing etc.
Al Arqam also provides extracurricular activities outside the classroom by taking students on
various outdoor activities and trips. Quite often locations are selected depending on the age
group and choice of students and may include; the Zoo, Jungle Zone, Heritage Village, Aspire,
Al Jazeera, Newspapers, the beach, pizza making etc.
Additionally in the primary school there are dedicated events and days built around students
interests that support their learning and personal growth, but not in a traditionally academic
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classroom learning situation. Students are encouraged to build their confidence and self-esteem
as well as learn new skills and work collaboratively with their peers in an independent way. They
are all encouraged and given the opportunity to participate in school events that have included;
Book Day, Maths Day, Charity Fayres. During the Character Day students are encouraged to
imitate an inspirational book character, by dressing up as that character whilst performing a
rehearsed activity related to the character in the book.
In year 6 students are encouraged to demonstrate their developing confidence in terms of
learning and responsibility. They decide what their chosen future career might be and develop a
presentation, which also helps them exercise public speaking techniques. The students create a
visual high quality power point presentation that is successfully delivered to an audience of
parents.
The secondary school also holds similar extracurricular activities and students particularly enjoy;
Fun Days, in school camping, special trips to the farm and beach etc. As previously referenced in
Chapter 3 standard 1, the older students are especially encouraged to develop their leadership
skills for example through the Delani programme. The girls also raise funds for various
charities, visit patients and the elderly in local hospitals as well as provide gifts to children in a
local orphanage and poorer communities. This reinforces values, respect and encourages girls to
organise and experience responsibility and enables them to demonstrate their ability to positively
use peer influences. There is clearly a very special level of interaction between the SMT and the
secondary students, as the former interact with the students by commending them and attending
their programmes and activities.
The Life Skills Department also reinforces the religious and cultural identity of students as well
as the schools core values of honesty, respect, responsibility and cooperation. Teachers prepare
extracurricular programmes and activities that support the moral and ethical development of
students such as Daiyaa Sagirah (Little Helpers) for Years 4-6, where students prepare
presentations related to Islam. In the lower school the morning line-up reinforces key Islamic
concepts such as memorisation of hadith, learning the names of Allah etc. Throughout the
school, Al Arqam promotes recitation and memorisation of the Quran linked to rewards, prayer
(salah) and various other activities and competitions based on the core values of the Academy.
In the secondary school girls role play Hajj activities and present information interactively. Girls
are encouraged to be patriotic and have a love for Qatar, its governance and values, always
willing to defend their country. Such programmes and activities support the on-going efforts of
the Academy to ensure that students develop both their academic and cultural identities.
From the findings of the QNSA self- study some stakeholders advise that character development
for KG should be integrated more within core curricular subjects to ensure it is reflected in the
classroom. It is also acknowledged that in all schools there needs to be clarity on the policy and
defined objectives for recognising special needs, especially from an early age.
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In primary and secondary some stakeholders advised that the Delani programme should be also
conducted in English to maximise its success. Students felt that trips should be more varied and
their opinions polled more regularly. This has been added as a priority in the school action plan
2013-2014.
In the primary and secondary school students are voted in by their peers as representatives of the
School Council for the academic year. They discuss pertinent issues during their monthly
meetings and their role is to act as a voice for students. Their suggestions have been taken on
board seriously by the SMT and they have been involved in decision-making concerning; school
trips, selecting designated charities, making changes to the cafeteria menu, choosing uniform
styles and designing logos for the homework diary and exercise books. Some students have also
been involved in the QNSA self-study and teams and committees that were initiated through the
accreditation process, will continue to work as groups in the future. Such participation helps
build characters and develop personal skills. Students learn the importance of being a good
listener as well as negotiating and avoiding conflict. Encouraging students to participate in
activities that harness their skills, leads to enhancing the educational goals of the school in
addition to their whole school experience. However from the findings of the self-study some
stakeholders advise that the role of the Student Council needs to be more encompassing,
ensuring that the Council is more effective in representing the needs, abilities and opinions of
students to the school management. This allows for changes to be made in the Academy and
ensures that the student voice is really being heard. This has been added as a priority in the
school action plan 2013-2014.
All students are supported through their transitional stages of school and from KG to Year 1
there are various orientation programmes in place and KG teachers accompany their students
into Year 1 classes for a week. From Year 6 to Year 7, towards the end of the academic year,
there is a specific orientation programme that parents are invited to, which highlights the new
structure in secondary school. The form tutor is introduced, as opposed to homeroom teacher and
individual subject streaming as well as moving to different classes is explained. From Year 9
students are given careers advice as they have to choose their options and Year 10 teachers go to
Year 9 classes to give short presentations on their subject. Additionally, there is a presentation
evening held for parents, where an overview of subjects, grading and examinations boards is
outlined and also documented in a handbook for them to take home. Building on the skills that
students have already acquired, from the beginning of Year 12 the Careers Guidance Counsellor
starts to prepare them for writing CVs, applications, interview techniques etc. At this time, links
are also created with Universities and it is the responsibility of the Careers Advisor to support
students and provide them with adequate information about suitable Universities courses and
career paths. Visits to Universities and vice versa are organised and a job fayre is held in school,
giving an insight into possible career choices.
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Evaluation of the values programme was conducted using questionnaires and one to one
meetings, to gauge students opinions on how the programmes have impacted them and how
effectively they are delivered. The students felt that overall the programmes are effective and an
example was cited where the skills of learning and cooperation with teachers and peers has
helped a student improve her academic level in Maths. She gained the confidence to speak up
and obtain the help she required.
However, from the findings of the QNSA most stakeholders felt that there has to be far more
measurable data generated in terms of evaluating school events, extracurricular programmes and
student involvement. The school needs to develop a structured process to gauge students
participation and success stories in activities. There need to be more interviews with parents for
their perspectives on how to develop their daughters abilities. The analysis of such data will
allow for plans to be more effectively developed and improved. These will reflect the aspirations
of students and ensure that support activities programmes offer maximum learning opportunities.
This has been added as a priority in the school action plan 2013-2014.
QNSA Standard 3: Development and Care for Learners


Students are assessed when they join Monitor and evaluate students
the school to identify their academic performance in all content areas over
level and diagnostic testing is used at successive periods and set support
the start of the academic year. programmes needed for improving
students levels.
Each school uses internationally
recognised standards for assessing Analyzing students results and using
students, ensuring that students perform them to improve teaching techniques to
at required levels and towards meet students needs.
recognised qualifications. These
include the Early Years Foundation Address students negative behavior firmly
and fairly in order to limit and prevent
Stage Profile (EYFSP), SATS,
behavior infractions and train staff
Optional Tests, Cambridge Checkpoint, members to implement it effectively with
SEC Examinations, IGCSEs and AS respect to students rights.
levels
Student assessment results are regularly Set an evaluation system to assess the level
analysed and documented. The results of involvement, student interest,
inform curricular decisions enabling effectiveness, and positive outlook to the
action plans to be created that highlight resources and extra-curricular activities
strengths as well as areas that require made available to students, school wide.
development.
Provide professional training for staff
Student academic progress and other on how to deal with students and build
accomplishments are recognised and good relationships with students.
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accordingly rewarded with varying

levels of incentives within each school. Apply behavior regulations consistently
and fairly to all students at all times.
Develop special plans and programmes for

each of the students categories(gifted,
Outstanding students as well as those talented, learning difficulties)
who require support have differentiated
instruction provided so they reach their Providing further teacher training in
full potential. differentiating students learning; and
how to set programs for the different
Al Arqam has detailed and categories of students.
comprehensive behavioural policies
and regularly reviews data on students Clarify and communicate behavior policy
behaviour. Rewards and incentives for to all stakeholders
good behaviour are in place.
Al Arqam conducts meetings and

prepares coherent reports on student
academic performance and behaviour.
Teachers reinforce school values and

act as good role models, fostering a
relationship of mutual trust between
teachers and students.
Al Arqam provides enrichment

opportunities and fosters an
environment that supports students
personal growth, sense of
responsibility, self-esteem, character
and moral development.
The school uses evaluation to make

decisions and develop strategies to
improve student learning.
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Standard 4: Resource Management
1. Oversight and Distribution of Staff

In this section, analyze policies in place that are responsible for staff recruitment, qualifications, and
experience to promote quality education. Report on monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up of staff
and rewards that are in place to promote good teaching and minimize staff turnover.
Al-Arqam Academy is committed to providing all necessary provision to support the teaching
and learning processes, ensuring that the school is always well equipped in terms of human
resources and distribution, school infrastructure, equipment and the provision of CPD. All these
factors provide for a high level of efficiency and the delivery of quality education.
The focus of the provision of resources is both human and material and for the human resource,
Al Arqam has a clear policy in place for interviewing and appointing staff. This is strictly based
on their qualifications and experiences, ensuring that the knowledge and experiences of new
employees is appropriately matched to the expectations of the school. Al Arqam demands quality
teachers that can maximise opportunities for students to learn as well as achieve high standards.
The Academy regulates employee performance through various Staff Performance policies that
provide guidelines, motivation and structure for staff. The SMT ensure staff are undertaking their
assigned responsibilities and promotes a staff rewards system that inspires employees to do more
as it recognises their accomplishments. This also instils staff locality and affiliation to the
Academy, allowing for high staff retention and employees wanting to continue their employment
at the Academy for a sustained period of time. The Academy understands the priority of focusing
on professionally developing the skills and knowledge of staff, using plans and programmes that
take in consideration their individual needs. The ultimate aim is to train staff in all aspects of
curricular and non-curricular areas pertinent to school life. This helps build up the confidence of
staff, enabling them to face variables and challenges in the educational establishment and
beyond. Al Arqam has effective plans in place for managing all aspects of material resources
including; infrastructure, purchasing, managing and distributing resources. Periodic maintenance
of facilities and buildings is essential to ensure safety, durability and operational function of
facilities.
Al-Arqam Academy has a recruitment policy for which follows defined guidelines and sets out
criteria for selecting and appointing new employees. Vacant potions for September of the
academic year are always filled in the previous academic year, apart from if an employee
unexpectedly leaves. In terms of planning for recruiting new teachers for the next academic
year, existing staff fill in a response sheet on where they indicate whether they anticipate to
continue with the Academy for the following academic year. Thus, numbers of continuing staff
members and the number of vacant positions are determined.
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Apart from this, the SMT also make decisions, based on Staff Performance and whether or not
the staff has met required professional standards and worked at expected performance levels.
The opinions of Coordinators and Department Heads are also taken into account, when deciding
which teachers might not be asked to renew their contract for the next academic year.
Once vacant positions are determined, a clear and realistic job advert is sent to the local and
international press, as well as various professional websites and recruitment agencies. Received
job applications are then sorted and reviewed to select the most qualified applicants that will be
called for an interview.
When recruiting overseas staff, a small SMT committee is formed, whose task is to review
applications, arrange for interviews and travel abroad to interview teachers, usually in the UK.
Based on the quality of interview and the interviewees responses, those staff with the best
qualifications and skills, who are gladly willing to contribute to ethos of the Academy, may be
given a formal job offer in writing. On acceptance of the job offer, the staff will then be given a
contractual agreement that they complete and sign if they are satisfied with the job offer.
As for local recruitment, a select committee reviews and sorts through applications and
interviews and offers positions to suitably qualified applicants. This also might include
conducting a screening test to ensure their skills and knowledge are compatible with the job. All
staff are offered jobs on the basis of a satisfactory character and work reference.
In reference to the self-study, some stakeholders have suggested the need to update the selection
and recruitment policy as well as publicising it amongst all interested groups, to create a greater
awareness of the recruitment process. Others also expressed the need to form a permanent
recruitment committee which would oversee and update the recruitment process, as well as
ensuring its satisfactory implementation. These suggestions have already been included in the
Academys operational plan for 2013 2014.
Al Arqam assigns job roles and responsibilities to staff members based on their ability and
experience. The Academy is keen to ensure all that teachers hold appropriate qualifications in
terms of certifications and undergraduate degrees and in some cases postgraduate and masters.
Teachers also need to possess the required practical experience for they will undertake or the
willingness to acquire additional training.
Furthermore, the Academy has a clear policy for the promotion of employees as well as rewards
and incentives which are implemented fairly. However, in accordance with what stakeholders
advised in the self-study, this policy and system needs further clarification to ensure it is well
understood and communicated amongst employees. Additionally it needs to be updated which
will help develop a more effective procedure that reflects the needs of staff.
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The ratio of teachers to students at Al-Arqam Academy is around 1:10, which is lower than the
international ratio of 1:12. This reflects the consideration the school gives to recruiting quality
teachers, thus ensuring more individual student /teacher attention. Subsequently more staff help
improve the learning and teaching at Al Arqam. However, the Academys administration needs
to reconsider the actual distribution of employees in its various sections. It is apparent that some
year groups could have more staff based on their needs. In order to fairly distribute staff the
needs of each year group and department, the requirements of each section need to be evaluated
and analysed. Staff may then be deployed more appropriately to address sections where there
might be a small gap. Experience shows that were there seems to be a slight deficiency of staff,
that section is usually experiencing problems due to lack of staff competency.
Recruiting suitably qualified people is a meticulous process of seeking particular skills and
qualities in an employee and then making them a competitive job offer. The self-study report
indicates that such issues have cropped up with certain staff, but measures were taken to
overcome such problems for the next academic year.
To regulate an effective work flow at Al Arqam, there is a clear policy on staff attendance, staff
absence and tardiness. It also contains an explanation of the implications of staff tardiness and
absence, as well as the punitive measures for such infractions. This policy is explained to all
teachers at the start of the induction week and employees are also informed that they can access
all policies through the Academys employee manual, at any time. The implementation of the
staff attendance policy and follow up is an effective way to monitor and track teachers daily
attendance and departure. The school also uses an electronic finger print system which calculates
daily attendance as well as tracking any absences or lates. The system has helped reduce lates
and absence, thus having a positive impact on student outcomes. As a preventative measure to
discourage absenteeism and promote good performance, employees with excellent attendance
and time sheets, are rewarded by have their names publicised. This works positively, motivating
other employees towards the implementation of this policy.
The Academy makes provision for teachers absences and tardiness, so the learning and teaching
at the Academy is not impacted. Co-ordinators and Heads of Departments distribute class periods
and substitute teachers are put in place. There are guidelines about making up missed lessons and
every effort is made to try and deliver the teaching the students were expecting. These classes are
often taught using pre-prepared material and lesson plans for that week, in the teachers absence.
In some cases, the Head of the Department will appoint a specific subject teacher to substitute
and teach a certain class, especially at KS3 and KS4 level. In other cases, a substitute teacher
could prepare her own lesson and activities relevant to the class she is teaching. As a last resort
then possibly a nurse or Social Counsellor could be appointed to substitute and they could talk
about health or social awareness issues or have an interactive class discuss on a topical issue
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such as behavioural problems etc. Every effort is made to ensure teaching time is not lost for
students.
The Academy also has measures it can implement when a teacher is absent for a sustained period
of time, due to maternity leave, sick leave or other extenuating circumstances. In such cases, the
Academy appoints a temporary substitute teacher who takes over the responsibilities of the
absent teacher or the work is distributed amongst department staff if logistically possibly. At
other times, the Head of the Department will cover the class until the return of the regular
teacher. As indicated in the self-study, these measures need updating and amending so they are
more efficient and defectively implemented. Some stakeholders suggested that specialised
teachers should be provided to substitute for absent teachers, but this would be based on the
Academys financial capacity to employ extra staff for daily cover.
2. Staff Professional Development

In this section, analyze policies and plans in place for promoting professional development. Report on
how professional development promotes student learning, and how staff is supported in improving
their skills, reflective in student achievement.
The Academy takes the development of teachers skills and knowledge very seriously, as this
will enable them to impart good quality teaching that ensures students are provided with every
opportunity to excel and reach high levels of academic achievement. Staff require updated
training as this will also help student to meets the demands of a quality education programme,
where they may face challengers and difficulties in their pursuit of education. Therefore, the
Academy identifies the development needs of teachers and employees in various ways such as
observing their lessons, overseeing and evaluating their level of work performance. Additionally
the development needs of the teachers students will also be taken into consideration, so as to
pin-point or target areas that require support. This will help develop and enhance not only the
teachers performance, but the students also. Once training needs are determined, a development
plan is put in place which includes a series of relevant workshops and peer-observation amongst
teachers, to share best practices. Teachers may also be asked to meet with Department Heads for
advice, guidance and feedback on their lesson observations. Therefore, individual teachers may
also be offered personal development objectives, which they are supported and encouraged to
achieve. The staff development plan also includes workshops for employees that focus on the
general aims and objectives of the Academy, which may also assist them in improving and
becoming better practitioners.
The Academys administration also allocates part of its budget towards academic training
programmes and professional development, which includes participation in internal and external
training, to raise the effectiveness and standards of teaching at the Academy. Teachers may be
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sent to workshops abroad, so they learn the very latest in terms of curricular techniques,
knowledge base and methodology.
As an accredited CIE Assessment Centre, there are several external courses that are mandatory
for certain staff to attend, for example, Examinations Officers, invigilators etc.
The Academy also provides professional development for groups of teachers and other schools
may participate and benefit from the training imparted. In the past, the Academy has hosted
certified local and International Trainers to conduct workshops for large groups of teachers.
Specific staff development is conducted at the beginning if the year , through a specific induction
week programe. This is carefully planned by SMT as to introduce staff to basic school
procedures in terms of using technology, the library, labs and more importantly effectively
preparing students to be engaged in lessons that they enjoy! New staff are closely evaluated
through their initial probation period and orientation plans for them are set out at the beginning
of the year. There is also a plan to develop and train existing and new employees with extra
professional qualifications in line with their job role. Recently, some SMT have completed
Masters in Educational Leadership, which has been hugely beneficial in assisting them in their
everyday job roles. It has enhanced their skills and provided new ideas and different approaches
to aspects of their job role for example strategically planning for both short and long term
strategic school development.
However, attaining the desired professional development, demands follow up of programme

implementation and application, as well as measurement of its impact on the teacher
performance, which will also impact the student levels. This requires a concerted effort and
regular observation and support of the staff member over a period of time. It is important to take
account of student results when considering professional development. Sometimes a pattern can
be identified in particular areas where students seem less confident and possibly teachers require
more skill and knowledge. It has been advised by some stakeholders in the self-study report that
the induction period for new teachers in particular, could be extended to allow for more support
at the beginning of the year. If for some reason teachers have missed the indution they should be
given a separate training session, otherwise they will be at a disadvantage. This has been
included in the Academys operational plan for the coming year 2013- 2014.
3. Infrastructure, Equipment, Materials Distribution, Resource Availability and

Distribution
In this section, analyze school resources and management. Report on overall school facilities and
infrastructure. Ensure resource availability and policies in place for purchasing, monitoring of
resources, and measuring their impact on student learning.
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Al-Arqams has thre school buildings for each of the three phases; Early Years, primary and
secondary phases. The school is housed in what is definitively a modern building, constructed
over a vast area and able to safely accommodate a large number of students. Most classrooms are
spacious and this is conducive to a healthy learning environment, appropriate for a various age
ranges of students. The school also has spacious hallways and playground areas appropriate for
the age-group at each phase. The Academy provides separate live in accommodation for
workers, drivers, and school guards which does not compromises the safety and security of the
students.
The Academy also has suitable purpose built facilities such as; well-equipped science labs in
accordance to international standards, libraries containing audio-visual and print resources, a
well-equipped home economics room based on the requirements of UK certification criteria.
There are also activity rooms, designed and equipped to enhance the creative and thinking
abilities of students and these are sometimes used for summer and other seasonal activities.
There are also well-equipped rooms for private study and research, art, computer labs, cafeterias,
state-of-the art sports hall, gymnasium, and swimming pool. The staged theatre is used
frequently and provides an ambience that motivates the students and ensures they enjoy activities
and strive to work harder to achieve their goals. The ultimate aim of accommodating students in
modern day, safe, clean and well equipped buildings is to ultimately promote achievement and
meet both their physical and intellectual needs.
The Academy is careful to ensure the maintenance of these facilities on a regular basis, and
renews or upgrades resources as needed. Smart boards are provided in classrooms and activity
halls, which contribute to the students general creative skills and allow them to enrich their
academic curriculum through research. For example, they have the opportunity to create and
delivering power point presentations. In the self-study, most stakeholders agreed that a childrens
library must be added in KG, in line with primary and secondary. Others advised that books and
resources in the primary libraries should be regularly updated and reflect a variety of interesting
topics and content. These points have been included in the operational plan for the coming year
2013- 2014.
The Academy is also very diligent in regularly maintaining all school buildings and facilities,
through on-going contracts with different companies who are only used if their work is
completed promptly and efficiently. Maintenance is on-going and may include; swimming pool,
air-conditioning, cameras, computers, smart boards, fire extinguishers and elevators.
The Academy also has a complete team of 16 cleaners, that have a certain level of literacy and
they must be presentable and experienced. The cleaners are female and are hired and certified by
the Academy. They are taken care of and not exploited and Al Arqam provides them with fringe
benefits of; housing, transportation and health care. During their prescribed working hours, the
cleaners are responsible for the daily cleanliness of the premises and have three supervisors who
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ensure their tasks are satisfactorily completed. There are separate companies hired for cleaning
external areas that the cleaners are not trained to be responsible for, such as the swimming pool.
The Head of Maintenance is responsible for the supervision of all workers, making sure their
tasks are adequately completed and also keeping records of maintenance orders. It is the Head of
Maintenances responsibility to also ensure the safety and cleanliness of the campus and
following up with companies about their work.
Al-Arqam Academy has libraries specifically for primary and secondary schools Both are
stocked with educational, scientific, fiction and non-fiction and pleasure-reading books. They are
also equipped with the latest audio-visual resources, all of which promote the raising of
educational levels and encourage students to have a curiosity for knowledge and a love for
reading. Each library employs a certified librarian, skilled in both English and Arabic, who is
responsible for cataloguing books and resources electronically. It is also important that the
librarian selects and orders book that are of interest to the students, correctly levelled and fall
within the designated library budget. Additionally the librarian must ensure that the contents are
appropriate in terms of the values of the school and its Islamic ethos. The librarian may review
existing books if there is cause for concern and is also responsible for responding to requests for
resources from teachers and of course students. It is the librarians responsibility to ensure that
the book-borrowing process is efficiently administered and books are borrowed through the use
of a library card. She also ensures that students borrow books appropriate for their age and
academic level and should be proactive and suggest suitable and interesting books that students
and teachers alike may wish to borrow. Students are required to borrow both an Arabic and
English book and the librarian must also ensure that library stock is looked after, as books are
expensive and need to last!
Even though there are a large number of books contained in the two libraries, as a result of the
self-study it was advised that additional books and varied references should be purchased. This
was agreed upon by all stakeholders and it was further suggested to update the electronic
logging system as well as seeking other modern reading methods such as kindles to enhance
the quality and value of learning and teaching through the use of the libraries. This is being
considered in line with the annual school budget.
The secondary school library has a sufficient number of computers with internet connection for
students to browse and search for information. However, the primary library is in need of more
computers with internet connection, in line with the rising number of students in each key stage.
It was also agreed that there should be a KG library in addition to a well-stocked library for each
classroom. This has been added to the operational plan for the coming year 2013 2014.
Al-Arqam Academy students are fortunate that they benefit from smart boards in all classrooms,
teaching rooms and activity halls. These smart boards are connected to the intranet, which is
relayed to administrative offices, classrooms and other learning areas. The intranet facilitates
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communication amongst students and staff, ensuring efficiency and saving much time and effort.
Students benefit from the internet in learning, preparing research and projects as well as
browsing for additional information in a safe and secure environment. There is an internet
usuagee policy and students are protected from unsuitable sites. A team of efficient technicians
supervise and observe all browsed pages and some sites may be blocked by the school or Qtel.
In addition to ensuring electronic security, the Academy also provides and follows safety
procedures in all its academic/ non-academic facilities. There is a comprehensive evacuation
plan for all buildings and fire drills are conducted on a regular basis to ensure correct and safe
protocol is followed, in the event of a real emergency, God forbid. Drills are conducted for new
teachers and students at the beginning of each year, and are repeated several times on regular
basis. To ensure everyone knows, remembers and properly implements the correct procedures.
The school can be evacuated within two minutes.
The Academy has emergency exits and emergency doors built according to international safety
standards. It has fire extinguishers in specified places, which are maintained on a regular basis by
a designated person, who submits regular reports on any work done. In addition, the Ministry of
Civil Defence oversees safety and security procedures and the Academy has obtained the
appropriate licenses for schools and has records and invoices for all periodic maintenance.
The Academy seeks to improve the maintenance of fire and emergency alarms so they are more
effective and not just goes off for no reason. From the self-study it has been suggested that this
problem should be taken care of by additional maintenance or replacement of the exiting alarm
units. This has been taken into consideration in the school action plan 2013-2014.
The Academy has a special interest in students health and in providing them with a healthy
environment. To this end two nurses and a female physician are employed, all of whom reside on
site and oversee and provide health care for all students. Additionally, each building has a health
clinic, suitably equipped in accordance with international standards and requirements of the SEC.
Students are periodically given a general physical examination, where they are weighed and
measured and their vision and hearing is also checked. Special cases are followed up regularly by
initiating a special medical plan for the student. The plan includes regular communication with
their parents and ensures their teachers are informed about their special circumstances and other
issues that might be of concern, as a result of their identified condition.
The nurse is in charge of administering (limited) medication and checks their expiry dates. The
nurse ensures all equipment is functional and safe to use and the quality of the drinking water is
acceptable. The nurse keeps a record of any procedures undertaken in the medical room and
carefully notes any medications dispensed to students. Student files for those with identified
conditions are safely and securely maintained, ensuring confidentiality at all times. The nurse
also has the responsibility for supervising the personal hygiene of students and inspects their
hair, nails, and clothes; resolving hygiene issues as soon as they are discovered.
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The nurses are part of a committee that supervises the sanitary conditions of cafeterias and the
purity of food products, ensuring that they are fit for consumption. In addition, the nurses
coordinate health-awareness workshops for students and arrange for meetings with specialised
physicians if required. They will support the students and the parents and give medical advice to
students based on their age and needs.
The nurses entered the school in a health-related UNESCO contest, where the Academy was
ranked third and this had a positive impact on the students, encouraging them to take health and
hygiene issues seriously.
As stated in the self-study report, most stakeholders agreed the need to develop a KG medical
room that would be at the standard as the other school medical rooms, in terms of equipment and
supplies. This has been taken into consideration in the operational plan for the year 2013-2014.
QNSA Standard 4: Resource Management


The Academy has a sufficient ratio of Set up a recruitment committee to
teachers to students in line with supervise the workflow of the selection
international standards. and recruitment process, ensuring it is
well communicated.
The process of recruitment has a clear
policy and competencies and Update and modify the incentives and
experiences of teachers are taken into rewards policy and communicate it to
consideration when recruiting locally all teachers and staff.
and abroad.
Reconsider the distribution of
Absence, attendance and lateness of employees in the sections and make
teachers are followed-up and substitute sure that they are assigned according to
teachers provide, so students learning is their abilities and requirement.
not hindered.
An induction programmes is initialised Develop and communicate a policy for

and prepared for new teachers to cover lessons and make sure they are
support their professional training supervised by relevant teachers in order
needs. to achieve maximum benefit for the
students time.
The Academy has a system to monitor
the performance of teachers and Intensify professional development for
determine a required training and staff and ensure new staff members
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professional development program in who join after the induction week are
order to develop their skills and updated.
knowledge.
Focus on following up workshops and
The Academy has a modern building training courses that are offered to
that includes three schools and teachers and employees and measure
provided all the facilities and their impact in raising student
equipment that is commensurate with performance.
the numbers and the different ages of
students. Increase the number of books and
resources in the libraries and use
The Academy has classrooms, activity modern technology to enrich the
rooms and facilities that ensure students students knowledge and create a love
are engaged in a variety of activities, for reading.
making education fun and enjoyable.
Develop and modernise the KG
The academy provides classrooms and medical room in line with the primary
activity rooms with means of electronic and secondary schools.
learning and smart boards which are
networked to the Internet, so students Improve monitoring and observation of
and teachers benefit from them, under the maintenance of security and safety
supervision and safe usage policies for devices on a regular basis, ensuring the
websites and available programmes. fire alarm is not always going off and
thus providing a healthy and safe
Security and safety procedures are in learning environment for students.
place and applied, ensuring a safe and
stable learning environment for the
students.
The Academy has 2 nurses, a doctor

and 3 medical rooms, that are equipped
and prepared to provide health
services to students.
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Standard 5: Parental and Community Partnerships
1. Parental Involvement and Communication

In this section, analyze effectiveness of parental involvement and communication in place, including
their involvement in various school events, student learning, and extracurricular programs. Report
on school policies for parent communication including involvement in student learning, reporting of
student achievement, discipline support, and other support programs for students.
Al Arqam considers parental involvement and community partnership as integral to academic

achievement and whole school success. In order to achieve the school vision, mission and
objectives, on-going communication and building positive relationships with parents has always
been considered a priority. The school is developing far more structured plans and policies for
parents and the wider community, which will make communication much clearer and ensure that
these target groups feel welcomed and involved. Parents are encouraged to actively participate in
various programmes and activities, allowing them to feel assured that their children are in a
secure and progressive learning environment. Such involvement also gives parents a voice and
enables them to help contribute to, improve and shape school success. Forging such a partnership
with parents reinforces and strengthens their commitment to their childs education and as well
as the satisfaction that they have chosen a school that continuously promotes values and a high
level of academic achievement.
Al Arqam Academy wishes its success to be recognised within the wider community, as a major
player amongst International Schools within Qatar. Al Arqam is striving to create partnerships
and networks with a variety of institutions. These are from both the business and education
community and they must be willing to promote school success by working hand in hand with Al
Arqam. Ultimately, involving the aforementioned key stakeholders will contribute and enhance
the quality of education at the Academy.
Al Arqam Academy considers the views of parents as instrumental in developing the vision,
mission and objectives of the school. Parents are invited to a meeting at the beginning of the year
where the vision, mission and specific goals for that school year are outlined. Parents are given
the opportunity to ask questions and obtain clarifications. Towards the end of the academic year
parents are invited again, but this time to review and evaluate the performance of the school
against the outlined goals for that year. Success points will be highlighted and development
points will be discussed and evaluated and where necessary added to the next years school
action plan.
Al Arqam Academy communicates with parents using a variety of effective methods and as a
starting point a Parent Orientation/Introduction meeting is always included in the academic
calendar at the start of the term. Parents are invited to a specially convened meeting where they
have an opportunity to meet the SMT, teaching staff and administration team. The school vision,
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mission and objectives are clearly outlined and they are given the chance to ask any questions
they might have. Parents are then taken to respective schools; KG, primary and secondary where
they have a more personalised session with teachers who explain; the curriculum, levelling,
report system, school expectations, homework and behaviour policies, uniform rules, health and
safety in the classes etc. Parents are made to feel welcome and they are also informed on how
they can directly contribute to working in partnership with the school by attending the coffee
mornings held on the first Thursday of every month.
The coffee mornings, which have been held for at least two years now, have proved to be an
extremely effective method of communication with parents. This has provided a clear
mechanism for parents to help contribute, as well as suggest positive changes, within the school.
It has superseded the previous PTA structure that was in place, but practically not very effective.
Experience has shown that face to face communication generates a far more personalised
approach with parents, whom are then more likely to put themselves forward and contribute to
school life. The monthly coffee mornings begin with an agenda of points that parents have
highlighted and these are openly discussed by the SMT, who seriously take on board the views
expressed. Some time ago there were issues with the procedures in place for student departure at
the end of the day (more than 1200 students leaving three schools). With the help of the parents,
a more effective plan of action was devised, improving the entire process which then became
part of the school action plan. The school has also consulted parents on major decisions such as
whether they wish to buy or hire out textbooks. Subsequently a collective decision was made and
then implemented.
As part of the ongoing QNSA accreditation Al Arqam has developed a Parents Communication
Committee to ensure a clear structure for parental contributions. From the findings of the QNSA
self-study, parents felt that they are not involved enough in decisions that lead to develop
policies and procedures. It seems that information is not clearly communicated to all parents and
we are working at improving this in the school action plan 2013-2014. The school aims to
ensure that a broad range of parents from all backgrounds, have access to information and are
able to contribute to decision making, which has also been added as one of the goals to the
schools long term strategic plan.
Al Arqam Academy regularly communicates with parents using a variety of methods, to ensure a
good flow of information and communication. On a regular basis there is written communication
in the form of letters sent out to parents as well as SMS texts to parents mobiles, and emails to
their personal accounts. Information is also regularly updated on the school website and parents
are also kept informed by downloading the monthly newsletter which reviews what has been
happening in school. In light of phone devices that almost all parents possess, there is an entire
range of social networking media that can be exploited and the school will be encouraging
parents to use; Whats app, Facebook and to follow the school on twitter.
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Al Arqam Academy encourages parents to monitor their childrens academic levels by

encouraging attendance at the Parent/Teacher meetings held every term. This is an opportunity to
go through their childs report in detail with the teacher and plan future targets. When a student
requires extra support an intervention programme is put in place and this is carefully reviewed
and monitored by the teacher and student, ensuring that parents are regularly updated on progress
made. Additionally if behavioural problems are identified then a similar process is undertaken,
involving the teacher, student and parent. Any new secondary parents are interviewed alongside
the prospective student to ensure that they fully understand the responsibility involved to support
their child, within an International School. It is also important to ensure that the behaviour and
maturity level of the students meets the required standards of Al Arqam Academy.
On the academic level, homework dairies allow a two way communication between school and
home and parents are required to sign the diary on a daily basis. Additionally, parents are also
encouraged to celebrate their childrens academic success by attending achievement assemblies,
graduation ceremonies and any special events such as Character Day and Excellence Day.
Al Arqam Academy actively encourages and promotes parent participation in school life by
involving parents in activities and keeping them well informed. Mid-year in KG, grandmothers
are invited to spend a day in the class of their child in addition to the parents spending a day in
the class. This idea will be extended and developed for primary and secondary in the future. In
primary, parents have been invited to attend World Literacy Week and all parents are also
invited to Information Evenings, that provide a comprehensive summary of relevant and
important information. These have been held for Year 10 options as well as the entire IGCSE
and AS International Programme. Parents are always given the opportunity to ask questions and
their suggestions are welcome. Parent workshops are held at least once a term and are
conducted by Specialists, covering various topics according to the students Key Stage. For
example in secondary, sessions have been held on How to Deal with Teenagers, Dealing with
different Stages of childhood, and in primary Developing a love of Reading.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study Al Arqam needs to develop further ways to encourage
more effective communication with parents which will allow them to be aware of activities that
they are able to participate in. Al Aqram will endeavour to improve communication with parents
by ensuring more parents use the email system and by also placing parents notice boards up in
the reception of each school. The school will also carefully monitor and follow up the parents
attendance sheet for events and ascertain why some events may have low attendance. Al
Arqam also wishes to have a more structured plan for parent workshops and all these points have
been added to the school action plan 2013-2014.
Al Arqam sent out a questionnaire to all parents to ascertain their skills set and which area of
school life they would like to volunteer in. The school was heartened with the response from
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parent volunteers and their information was matched to sections where they could most
effectively support the school. Consequently, parents directly interact with students both within
the classroom setting as well as within an informal group setting. This has helped parents
develop a greater understanding of techniques used to promote both academic and social
objectives.
Some of the activities parents have assisted with include; listening to childrens reading in Key
Stage 1, whereby they sign the reading records alongside the teachers. They have also
volunteered to help with Shariah by helping students memorise Quran. Parents enthusiastically
participate to help prepare activities and programmes alongside students and teachers for the
Qatar National Day, Charity Fayres, National Sports Day and they even join in the bi annual
sleep over programmes conducted for secondary students.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study parents have suggested new ideas and further
activities that they can volunteer in. This action point has been added to the school action plan
2013 -2014.
Within each respective school the designated Social Welfare Officer is at the forefront in terms
of parent liaison and has the responsibility to interface with parents. Al Arqam Academy has a
parent suggestion box within each reception area in each school, where parents can confidently
and anonymously, if necessary, write down and leave suggestions and concerns in the box. These
suggestions are filed accordingly, regularly reviewed by the SMT and where parents have left
their details a timely response is given.
There is a policy and procedure is in place for parent complaints, which is communicated via the
Student Handbook and highlighted in the Parent Introduction meeting. If a parent makes a
written complaint, the administration will file the complaint and swiftly pass it onto the SMT to
address and action. The complaint must be addressed within two weeks and the SMT member
writes her comments, dates and signs the complaint, ensuring that it has been addressed. Parents
also have the option to telephone the school or request a face to face meeting about a complaint.
A similar procedure is undertaken and the administration office makes careful notes of the
complaint, which are then passed onto the relevant SMT to action. Any complaints are taken
seriously and are also reviewed by the Board of Trustees to ensure that they have been
appropriately actioned. Additionally, there is an independent Communications Committee
made up of selected Board members. The Head of the committee meets with parents explaining
that their role is to liaise with parents, listen to their concerns and facilitate any disagreements
which are then passed onto the SMT.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study it is apparent that the school needs to improve the
response time for answering telephone calls and providing parents feedback from queries,
complaints as well as suggestions. This has been added as an action point to the school action
plan 2013-2014. There is a suggestion of having the complaints system entirely implemented
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electronically, which was something the school was previously doing, but faced difficulty with.
Al Arqam might review this again and work towards a more efficient email complaints system.
Parents views are taken seriously in terms of decision making and strategic planning. Parent
satisfaction is measured using questionnaires and surveys that are carefully read and analysed.
These are currently sent out annually and are also translated into English for parents that cannot
read Arabic. The results of the surveys are used to inform future school planning.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study the school needs to implement questionnaires and
surveys on a more frequent basis, as a clear way of obtaining the opinions of parents to inform
future decision making. This has been added as an action point to the school action plan 2013 -
2014.
2. School Community Partnership

In this section, analyze level of involvement of school in forging and promoting community
partnerships in the local community.
Al Arqam Academy recognises the importance of forging partnerships within the wider
community in which the students will eventually contribute to in terms of the world of work and
social development. The school promotes effective communication with the local community
and positively encourages a variety of institutions to support the school in achieving their
missions, vision, and objectives.
Al Arqam has a strategy to encourage active communication with local schools and during the
academic year, there is an exchange of visits for both staff and students. Staff have visited local
schools in order to develop new ideas, encourage best practice and network. Likewise teachers
from local schools have visited Al Arqam, particularly in KG, whereby they have been given the
opportunity to observe, ask questions and learn from the methodology practiced. The SEC
recently selected Al Arqam as an exemplary school for a visit by a group of Kuwaiti students,
who were highly impressed with the facilities and activities on offer. Additionally external
students frequently visit Al Arqam to participate in a variety of competitions and activities
alongside our students.
From the findings of the QNSA self-study it is clear that Al Arqam needs to work on developing
more effective policies and procedures to encourage community participation. There needs to be
a clear written plan in place to determine the communication mechanism
with various organisations and this is now part of the schools strategic plan as well a point in the
school action plan 2013-2014.
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The Academic Guidance Counsellor is responsible for co-ordinating with Universities in Qatar
and ensuring Al Arqam students are aware of the entry requirements and standards expected to
enter specific Universities, for particular courses. The Academic Guidance Counsellor has a clear
programme of activities for the academic year and all documentation is recorded and filed in an
orderly manner. Students not only visit prospective Universities but are given the confidence to
face the next stage of their lives and are prepared for interview technique and CV writing.
Additionally Universities such as Carnegie Mellon, Texas, VCU, North Atlantic and Qatar
University have visited Al Arqam to provide information and deliver presentations to students.
Al Arqam Academy actively supports and participates in local community activities and has
created a host of links with various organisations and institutions, over the years. The Social
Welfare Officer in conjunction with the Activities Co-ordinator have a detailed yearly plan for
proposed events and activities. First and foremost students are encouraged to contribute to
building an altruistic community and they regularly raise money through charity fayres and bake
sales for organisations such as Qatar Charity and Eid Charity. Students are affiliated to a local
Orphanage Dreama, where they visit children and conduct activities with them. For Eid, a cave is
created in school and gifts are collected over time and then presented and distributed to the
orphanage as well as poor local children. The school also has a link with Hamad Hospital and the
girls have a programme which includes visiting the sick and elderly as well as making cards for
them.
Al Arqam has also established communication and relations with external organisations and
activities are conduced to promote the educational goals of the school. This includes: The
Ministry of Defence - lectures about health an safety, Ministry of Awqaf - Quran competitions,
The Moza Centre- Religious Studies activities, workshops for teachers and students,
competitions etc., Cultural Childhood Centre - programmes and competitions, Qatar University
- Robot competition and scientific research where Al Arqam was the only International School to
successfully score highly in this competition, Al Jazeera Network for children and Doha media
centre - media programmes, UNISCO - competitions, school programmes, Qatar Debates -
active participation for which the school has received certificates, MUN - Model United Nations
competition, Art Museum promoting art and local history, CIE - as an accredited
examinations centre - external students can sit IGCSE and AS exams in Al Arqam, Supreme
Education Council offers various programmes and support services for the school.
The school community also participate in country wide activities such as Qatar National Day and
Qatar Sports Day. Staff and parents alongside students have enthusiastically contributed to the
organisation of these events as well as being active participants themselves!
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From the findings of the QNSA self-study Al Arqam will work on developing a clearer plan and
further policies to maximise participation in local community activities. This has been added to
the schools strategic plan as well a point in the school action plan 2013-2014.
Al Arqam is endeavouring to broaden its role and create and build greater links with external
business organisations. The Public Relations Officer will write to prospective companies and
Institutions with a view to scholarships and sponsorship towards projects and scientific research.
Additionally resources can be shared and links can be developed for future work placements and
work experience programmes.
QNSA Standard 5: Parental and Community Partnerships

Al Arqam communicates its vision, Develop programmes to promote and

mission and objectives to parents and maximise community participation and
provides opportunities for consultation links with external business
and evaluation. organizations and set policy needed for
organizing them.
Al Arqam hosts regular meetings Provide more opportunities for parents
allowing parents to voice their opinions to be involved in decision making and
on proposed changes and on-going ensure they have better access to related
school matters. information.
Devise a more structured plan for
Al Arqam communicates regularly with parent workshops that includes a
parents using a variety of methods, variety of topics.
embracing social networking media. Create a structured strategy for
exchange visits between schools.
Al Arqam makes information Improve the response time to parents in
accessible to parents and provides providing feedback from their queries
regular opportunities for them to and complaints.
receive updates on their childs Setting a plan to improve communication
academic achievement and share in any with the community and to promote
intervention programmes. Companies and organizations to participate
in supporting the school educational
Parents are actively encouraged to programs, activities and events.
participate in school life, volunteer and
celebrate their childs success.
Al Arqam has a strong relationship
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with Universities as well as links with

local schools, organisations and
Institutions; with a view to promoting
the schools educational and social
objectives.
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CHAPTER 4: Short and Long Term Action Plans
Growth area Strategies Personnel Resources Timeline Means to assess Means to report
responsible improvement
1.Procedures to be 1.Questionnaires for Heads of Electronic End of each Observing progress in Report including
put in place to students, parents and staff Admin questionnaire term questionnaires results questionnaire
measure and assess s results
the progress made in
achieving the vision 2.Observing lessons and Heads of Evaluation Once every Observing progress and Lesson observation
and mission of the evaluating them for schools and form for term for each comparing previous evaluation,
school. measuring success of Academy evaluating teacher evaluation to the following teachers
achieving school vision Principal vision and one evaluation
and mission mission
achievement
3.Following up on and Classroom/ Electronic Ongoing Decrease in number of Report about

recording data relevant to system, behavioural problems behavioural
students behaviour on the Homeroom student honor problems follow up
electronic system(Salah teachers chart in each and gradual disappearance of
time, activities, trips) classroom serious behavioural
problems
4.Preparing a plan for Academy Vision and By end of term Following up on and Plan of monitoring
monitoring achieving Principal mission 1 checking the plan achieving school
school vision and mission with Heads vision and mission
of schools General
School plan
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2.Establish further 1. Including school vision, Responsible Publications Throughout the Academy newsletters and Monthly report
methods to promote mission, values and person and year other publications including
the school vision, objectives in all official newsletters vision and mission.
documents, publications Head of
mission and Admin
objectives ensuring and newsletters.
that they are known Public
and inculcated within relations
the student, staff,
parent and wider 2. Including school vision, Teachers Lesson plans Ongoing Checking plans, lesson Teachers
mission, values and and yearly observations evaluation
community. Heads of
objectives in yearly and plans
daily lessons in all departments
subjects.
3.Organising events and Teachers Activity and Ongoing Attending events and Activities and
activities supporting vision events plans activities programs
and mission Heads of evaluation reports
departments School
calendar
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3.The school vision, 1.Prepare committee Head of the Table of the During Term 1 Reports for visiting Follow up forms of
mission and for security and safety. administration responsibilities for the fields (cafeteria-
objectives will focus department the committee maintenance-
on developing further members nurse).
policies to ensure an ( policy of the
enhanced healthy, security and
safe and happy safety)
environment for all.
2.Training for the staff Security and Budget of the First term with Reports for the Fire drill reports
and the students on the safety training programs separate courses weakness and the
evacuation plan committee from the security during the year strengths of the
and safety workshops.
companies
3. Update the policy Security and Old policy Till the end of the Comparing old to Task completion
safety first Term new policies /monthly report
committee
4.Training for the Security and Budget of the Throughout the year Follow-up reports for Monthly report
student safety training programs the fire drill
committee from the security
and safety
companies
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4.Further 1. Be sure that there are active Head of the Calendar of the First term and Attending events and Models of the events
reinforcement and programs and activities in all departments school, Table for regular evaluating them, and evaluation form
focus of behaviour the departments concentrate on following up following up Departments reports
the output of education wanted program plans and during the year and evaluating them
and attainment to and follow up and activities
ensure it is implementation.
reflected in the
vision and mission 2. Make sure that the behaviour Heads of the Learning outcomes, Till the end of Following up and Updating reports
and permeates policy supports the learning administrative behaviour policies the first term questionnaires about progress in
within students outcomes and follow up departments action and operational
implementing them effectively plans
everyday lives.
3.Policy of awarding students Hoy (Sec) Budget for buying By end of first Attending awarding Lists of awarded
to concentrate on achieving the coordinators awards, certificates term parties, reviewing new students names and
learning outcomes in KG and and holding policies and reasons for awarding
primary awarding parties questionnaires them
4. Displaying learning Class/ Budget for making First term Competition of the Report of the heads of
outcomes in classes Homeroom charts most beautiful class administration
Teachers and visiting the classes
5. Making sure that the Heads of Lessons plans and Throughout the Revising the plans , Lesson observation
learning outcomes are included departments calendar of year attending lessons and evaluation, teachers
in lesson plans and activities in and activities activities evaluation , report
all departments coordinators from heads of
departments to heads
of academics and
report from head of
academics to SMT
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6.Training for teachers on how Heads of workshops September Attending the Workshop evaluation,
to relate lessons and situations academics workshops
taking place in class to learning (Induction questionnaire,
outcomes program) and
throughout the Reports of following
year up implementing
workshop content
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5.Develop further 1.Collect all existing Heads of hard copy & all year Number of policies gathered policy approval,
school policies and a policies in a file in the Admin and soft copy of report on policies
mechanism to ensure Principals office Heads of policies collected
Academics
that policies and
regulations are more 2- Distribution of approved Heads of Electronic and all year Staff receive an increased monthly report
clearly policies to all stakeholders Admin soft copies of number of policies
communicated. via email, they sign them the policies
and write a comment.
3- Update and review the Head of Job Completed by number of reviewed job upon completion of
job descriptions for all staff Academics descriptions April of each descriptions task
and Head of year
Admin
4- Explain the job heads of job Induction week staff demonstrate a clear Teachers
descriptions to all staff departments descriptions for those who understanding of their job evaluation, report
and join in descriptions according to their about the process
coordinators September and evaluation from heads of
before starting forms/questionnaire departments and
the job for those coordinators to
who join during Heads of Admin
the school year and Heads of
Academics
5- job descriptions signed by staff affairs job before starting all staff have a signed copy of monthly report to
all staff and submit a copy to descriptions their job their job descriptions head of admin from
staff affairs staff affairs
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6- prepare and provide a coordinator/h template for monthly work is completed and the actual reports
monthly report that reflects ead of the required organized more efficiently,
the progress and completion department; report supervising personal are
of tasks and work according Head of aware and updated on all tasks
to the school hierarchy; staff Academics or
member to coordinator/head Head of
of department; Admin, Head
coordinator/head of of Schools,
department to the Head of Principal
Academics or Head of
Admin, Head of Academics
or Head of Admin to Head
of school, Head of Schools
to Principal, Principal to
CEO & Board of Trustees
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6.Initiate new 1.Questionnaires to all Head of examples of end of each analysis of the responses of report from Head
methods to stakeholders related to the Admin questionnaire term the questionnaire of Admin
improve the evaluation of the admin and s electronic
efficiency of the various departments and paper
assessing school 2.Suggestion Box Heads of Box, format, all year an increase in the number of monthly report
systems. Admin assign suggestions and a decrease from Head of
responsibility in the number of complaints Admin
, pens,
pencils next
to the box
3. Prepare performance Heads of Data on beginning of Each staff member report to CEO that
management system for Schools and evaluation year/ understands the performance demonstrates the
Admin staff and SMT Principal criteria management system and employees
announcing it criteria that relates to their understanding and
in the induction position the process
week
4. Evaluation of the various Committees, the plans and End of Term 1 Number of actions and goals action plan review
action plans used by the Heads of the updates and the End of that are effectively report
school; Yearly action plan Departments from the Term 2 completed and
and the operational plan to departments improved/questionnaire
demonstrate the achievement
of the goals and tasks
5. List of accomplishments Heads of certificates, End of each The accomplishments Departmental

and achievements from all Departments cups & term increase and are more report for each
departments trophies meaningful term
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6. Yearly Report Heads of Samples of June of each comparison between the The actual report
Schools yearly report year consecutive yearly plans
appropriates,
information Yearly progress
from the
departments
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7.Ensure that
outcomes from the
Use the performance Heads of program and according to program is used report on the ease
Performance
management program as departments the forms the program effectively/questionnaire of use of the
Management agreed and program and its
programme are coordinators effectiveness and
reflected in the staff quality of
academic performance
achievement of
students and in
improved
performance of
teachers.
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8.Continue to 1.Plan for each program or Head of Sample of the According to availability of the program report on all the
evaluate event or activity (goals, Departments Plan calendar, plan programs being
programmes, plans budget, timeline, action ongoing offered
and projects, in line plan for program)
with performance
indicators. 2. Meeting with Heads of program plan Within one Evaluation of the positive report on the
participants for evaluating departments week of the feedback of the stakeholders evaluation
the programs and goals program
achievement. completion
3. Use questionnaires to Heads of questionnaires within one positive feedback from the report from the
gather opinions of other departments week of the stakeholders supervisor
stakeholders regarding of and program
the programs coordinators
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9.Increase data
collection, by more
1.use questionnaires to take Hed of questionnaire As required Increase in the number of Analysis of the
questionnaires (in
the opinions of Admin & s (online) opinions gathered during the questionnaire
English where Head of results
stakeholders before making decision making process
required) and ensure important decisions Academics
the opinions of all
stakeholders are
taken into account of 2.Regular meetings Heads of Schedule of Monthly The number of the Meeting minutes
with a view to between the SMT & Schools & meetings, stakeholders who attend the and attendance
informing important stakeholders Principal place for meetings increases sheets
school decisions. meetings
3. Gathering opinions Heads of Students, As required Increase in number of Report with

through email before Admin teachers and members responding to findings
making a decision parents emails
emails
4.Explaining reasons of Principal SMS As required Number of stakeholders Report reflecting

making a decision to stake satisfied with decisions or how the process
holders Emails convinced with went
them/number of stakeholders
Newsletters using email
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10.The organisational 1.Explaining the school Academy Posters of the Beginning of Staff members are familiar Meeting minutes
hierarchy needs organizational structure to Principal organizational the year with the organizational
regularly updated and all staff members. structure structure.
should be
prominently 2.Displaying school Heads of Posters of the Term 1 Posters of the organizational Monthly report
displayed within each organizational structure in Admin organizational structure are displayed
school, ensuring main places in the structure clearly in key areas in the
clarity of roles and Academy. school premises.
positions.
3.Sending school Heads of Newsletter Term 1 Parents know the Monthly report
organizational structure to Admin organizational structure.
parents.
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11.Implement more 1.Display sayings and Guidance Budget for Throughout the Appropriate posters are report to Head of
programmes and posters around the school counselor the posters year visible in common areas Admin
activities to reinforce that encourage positivity around the school
and develop a and cooperation
positive school 2. Inform all stakeholders Heads of Calendar, ongoing Number of people who Report from the
atmosphere. of the activities so that they Departments Schedule of participate and are rewarded heads of
can participate and events, has increased depts./coordinators
coordinators signup to Head of
& Head of sheets, Academics about
Admin description of who participated in
events what activities
3.reward those who Heads of Simple and Along the year Increase the number of Incentives and
actively participate and schools encouraging individuals who are rewards report
cooperate with others gifts cooperating with others
4. Announce the Public Emails, monthly Increase in the number of meeting minutes
accomplishments of the relations, information people who are working and emails
school and individuals in towards accomplishing
the school and congratulate Heads of About the
them Schools accomplishm
ents
5.Set a discipline and HOS Policy By end of term Decrease in number of The policy
dispute policy for teachers &Principal 1 disputes and problems
among teachers
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6. Review and update HOS Staff By end of term Decrease in number of Staff handbook and
behaviour policy for staff &Principal Handbook 1 disputes and problems updated points
in the staff handbook among teachers
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1.Implementing 1.Lessons planned Teachers Data about Ongoing lesson observation, lesson Teachers
teaching techniques according to students students plans evaluation report
that are based on need. needs
differentiated
instruction in order to
meet students needs.
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2. More PD for 1.Setting a PD program Heads of Workshops, Throughout Lesson observations Monthly report
teachers on how to for teachers that focuses Academics special the year
deal and set on how to deal with trainers
programs for the different categories of Heads of
gifted and special students(gifted, talented schools
needs students need and learning difficulties)
to be further
developed and 2. Setting a PD program Heads of Workshops, Throughout Lesson observations Teachers
implemented for teachers that focuses Academics special the year evaluation and
on how to set trainers Students levels events
programmes for students
Various events are held
of different categories.
3.Exchange visits with Public Lists of the Term 2 Lesson Monthly report
other schools relations 3 categories observations/questionnaire
students /meeting with teachers
Academy names
Principal
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3.Ensure the 1. Setting and announcing HODs& Standards, September Clear system for assessment Details of system
assessment policy is HOA standardized to senior
a system for assessments tests, various management
fully developed in all
measuring learning assessment
three schools and objectives accurately samples
accurately applied in
a way that ensures
achieving goals and
reflects actual level 2.Monitoring proper HODs Assessments, Ongoing Students are assessed Report of
of students and implementation of the assessments regularly and effectively monitoring system
assessment system excel sheets implementation
explain it to all
teachers.
3.Training teachers on HODS Workshops September Effectiveness of Departmental

implementing the &ICT labs, 2013 implementation& no. of reports and excel
assessment system and recording& mistakes sheets
how to use recording and analysing (Induction
analysing tools tools such as prog) Observations
report system Program follow up
report
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4.Clarifying and 1.Including educational Heads of The policies Beginning of Checking the handbooks Monthly report
communicating policies such as departments the year
educational policies assessment, homework in
to all stakeholders departments handbooks
2.Including educational Head of The policies Beginning of Checking the Monthly report
policies such as Admin& the year handbook/questionnaire to
assessment, homework in Head of students and about the
student handbooks Academics policies
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5.Support services 1.Identifying non Arabic Heads of Students Term 1 Lists of students and their Task completion
for non-Arabic speaking students and Arabic assessment needs report
their requirements department results
speaking students according to their different
need to be enhanced levels.
2.Setting and implementing Teachers and Students Term1 Students assessment Monthly report
strategies and support Heads of needs and results
programmes for helping Arabic curriculum
those students. department
3.Following up and Teachers and Students End of each Students results and End of term report
evaluating effectiveness Heads of results and term evaluation of the programme
support strategies and Arabic work
programs department Feedback from students and
parents
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6.Focus on students 1.Including activities that Teachers Curriculum, April of Lesson plans, Class Lesson observation
physical, social and consider students physical, Mission and every year/ observation, students evaluation,
psychological needs. thinking and spiritual needs vision, lesson Ongoing feedback
in lesson plans plans, types of
our learners
2. Design activities and PE teacher Activities, Ongoing Attending activities, Program/activity

programs that support programs programs plans, evaluation report
students needs Art teacher students feedback
Social worker
Home
economics(Sec), and
Nurse
1.Including activities that Teachers Curriculum, April of Lesson plans, Class Lesson observation
consider students physical, Mission and every year/ observation, students evaluation,
thinking and spiritual needs vision, lesson Ongoing feedback
in lesson plans plans, types of
our learners
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Growth area Strategies Personnel Resources Timeline Means to Means to report

responsible assess
improvement
7.Develop more 1.Identify Class teacher Criteria for During first 6 Students of List of possible
programmes that gifted/talented/special identification provided weeks of school various students from class
encourage and support needs students through the by Guidance categories are teachers to
gifted and talented ongoing assessment counseling department identified coordinators
students and help process
raising level of
students who have
learning difficulties 2. develop and propose Guidance Categories of needs By End of Proposals from Report to Head of
appropriate programs Counselor, from previous tasks, October responsible Academics
according to the students Coordinators, community resource person to H of Ac
needs that have been Heads of information, examples
identified Departments of programs to meet the
needs of similar
students
1- 3. Approve and establish Head of Reports from Heads of End of Minutes of Report from Head
appropriate programs to Academics Departments/coordinat November 2013 meetings that of ACA to Head of
meet student needs ors, proposed address the School
programs, budgetary options for
requirements for programs and
programs visibility of
proposals
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8.Develop teachers 1.Training teachers on how Heads of IWB, Ongoing Lesson plans, Lesson Teachers
skills which include to incoorpoate IWB departments workshop, observations, Teachers evaluation report
effectively in lessons. trainers evaluation, Feedback
use of smart boards from students Monthly report
and other technology
resources and
techniques 2.Using technology Teachers Faster internet Ongoing Lesson plans, Lesson Teachers
effectively. effectively in every lesson: ,IWB, Access observations, Teachers evaluation report
Internet, educational to ICT labs evaluation, Feedback
websites, educational from students
games
3.Teaching Robot skills in Life skills Robot room & Ongoing Lesson observations, Teachers
Prim & Sec Coord equipments Feedback evaluation report
,curriculum &
program from students Monthly report
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9.To develop policies Activating using internet Head of IWB, Throughout Increased number of Monthly report
for using more online in classrooms and Academics effective the year teachers using smart
techniques for providing teachers with faster board, new ideas for using
new ideas for using it internet internet effectively
homework
effectively connection
assignments etc.
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Support Coordinator /Coordinators/Heads of Departments

1. Monitor and 1.Design reporting Head of Academics Current policies of October 2013 Student results are Head of
evaluate students process and policy preparing reports reported consistently Academics provide
performance in all for student progress and assessing according to agreed results analysis to
upon criteria and the Head of
content areas over students levels
intervals Schools at agreed
successive periods upon intervals
and set support
programmes needed 2.Training for Coordinators During Observations show that Coordinator
PD for teachers on
for improving teachers on how to Monday PD teachers assess and are provide
Mondays
students levels. analyze and report time and aware of student levels observation reports
student progress at followed up to Head of
regular intervals during lesson Academics
observations
3.Review support Primary support Current support by October Suggestions for report on
program and coordinator, KG programme and its 2013 modification of existing suggestions from
develop it to make coordinators, support strategies responsible person
Secondary evaluation report to Head of
it more effective
Academics
4.Identify students Support Coordinator Students October 2013 Student lists for support report from
who require /Coordinators/Heads assessment results with appropriate coordinators to
support of Departments information and Head of
and justification Academics
observingstudents
5.Run support Support Coordinator Policy,timetable Begin program Students are receiving Attendance lists,
program and follow /Coordinators/Heads and programme by Midterm of support regularly timetables,
it up of Departments term 1 according to the agreed progress reports
forms upon program
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Standard 3: Development and Care for Learners

Growth area Strategies Personnel Resources Timeline Means to assess
2.Analysing Analysing students Teachers/ Heads Information about Ongoing Results analysis/Areas of
students results and results and identify of departments students results improvement are identified
using them to academic levels,
strengths and
improve teaching
weaknesses
techniques to meet
students needs. 2-Ongoing assessment Coordinators/He Workshops, According to PD Checking lesson plans/
professional ads of assessment results schedule Lesson observations
development and how to department
use assessment results to
improve their teaching
methods to familiarize
teachers with the schools
policy
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Standard 3:Care and Development for learners
3.Address students Hoy New policy September HOS Records and student File for each
negative behavior 2013 feedback student on shared
firmly and fairly in Class hard drive
order to limit and Teachers
prevent behavior
infractions and train
Ms.Wafa Team Calendar SMT No. of behavioral referrals Referrals records
staff members to
members,
implement it Ms. Iman meetings
effectively with respect
to students rights. Ms Nermeen
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4.Set an evaluation 1. Setting an evaluation Social Evaluation Throughout Level of students Monthly report
system to assess the system for assessing worker system, the year participation in the school
level of involvement, students participation in questionnaires community
school events, activities
student interest,
and school community.
effectiveness, and
positive outlook to the 2. Holding regular Students Meetings Throughout Feedback from students Meeting minutes
resources and extra- meetings with councilor schedule the year
curricular activities students/student council for
made available to discussing relevant matters
students, school wide. and analyzing results.
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5.Provide Organising workshops Social Workshop According to Feedback from students Monthly report
professional training for staff on how to build workers time, PD schedule and parents
for staff on how to positive relationships
with students and follow specialists
deal with students
up implementation
and build good
relationships with
students.
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Standard 3: Care and development for learners
6.Apply behavior 1.Questionnaires that poll Guidance Questionnaires twice a year Improvement of Written report
regulations students and parents for Counselors feedback
consistently and
fairly to all students behavior policy application
at all times.
2.Reports on Behavior Guidance Report System Termly improvement in the Termly report
incidents Counselor number of behavior
problems
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Standard 3: Development and care for learners

Standard 3: Care and development for learners
7.Develop more 1.Healthy Breakfast Nurse/ Brushers, Term 1 Feedback from Programme
comprehensive programme Students awareness teachers and parents evaluation report
guidance lecture,
student involvement advertisements
and enrichment
programmes, using 2.Including activities that Teachers Curriculum, Time of setting Lesson plans, Class Lesson observation
consider students physical, Mission and yearly plans observation, students evaluation,
appropriate
thinking, social and spiritual vision, lesson before end of the and parents feedback
resources. Take into needs in lesson plans plans, types of academic year/
account students our learners Ongoing
interests and the
3. Design activities, PE teacher Activities, Ongoing Attending activities, Program/activity
emotional and social programs and workshops that programs programs plans, evaluation report
development of all support students needs such Art teacher students feedback
students. as workshops in self
management, medical and Social
charity events, sports day, art worker
competition. Home
economics(S
ec), and
Nurse
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8.Develop special 1.Identify Class teacher Criteria for During first 6 Students of various List of possible
plans and programmes gifted/talented/special identification provided weeks of categories are students from class
for each of the students needs students through the by Guidance school identified teachers to
categories(gifted, ongoing assessment counseling department coordinators
talented, learning process
difficulties)
2. develop and propose Guidance Categories of needs By End of Proposals from Report to Head of
appropriate programs Counselor, from previous tasks, October responsible person Academics
according to the students Coordinators, community resource to H of Ac
needs that have been Heads of information, examples
identified Departments of programs to meet
the needs of similar
students
2- 3. Approve and establish Head of Reports from Heads of End of Minutes of Report from Head
appropriate programs to Academics Departments/coordinat November meetings that of ACA to Head of
meet student needs ors, proposed 2013 address the options School
programs, budgetary for programs and
requirements for visibility of
programs proposals
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9.Providing further 1.Workshops for all staff Heads of options for throughout the Staff competency and staff evaluations
teacher training in on the following; Schools PD for staff year knowledge building and reports
differentiation, identifying
differentiating students with learning
students learning; difficulties, behavior
and how to set management, subject-
programs for the orientated workshops
different categories
of students. 2.Team Teaching and Coordinators Time tables During Feedback from teachers reports from
informal observation and Heads of and lists of induction week coordinators and
among teachers Departments staff name Heads of
Departments to
Heads of
Academics
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responsible assess
improvement
10.Clarify and 1. Induction of discipline Heads of New policy End of term1 Feedback from Recorded attendance.
communicate policy to staff. (mandatory schools experienced person stakeholders
behavior policy to all attendance) to deliver.
stakeholders
2. Parent induction Heads of New policy End of term1 Feedback from Copy of policy kept in
schools stakeholders classrooms
3. Students induction Teachers Posters of negative End of term1 Feedback from Posters of negative
behaviors and students behaviors a consequences
consequences, displayed around school
and in classroom
Booklets for
parents and
students.
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1. Set up a 1.Setting a policy for Academy Job Term 1 Policy is set Task completion
recruitment identifying committee Principal requirements report
committee to members and their
supervise the qualifications.
workflow of the
selection and 2.Identifying Academy Job Term 1 Committee members know Monthly report
responsibilities of Principal description of their responsibilities and
recruitment process, committee members. similar assigned tasks./interviews
ensuring it is well committees with members.
communicated.
3. Following up committee Academy Committee Ongoing Questionnaires Monthly report
tasks. Principal working files
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2.Update and modify
the incentives and 1. Set a clear staff SMT Budget, list of By 2016 Staff satisfaction, turn over, Task completion
rewards policy and promotion and motivation professional all staff is well informed report
communicate it to all policy for staff and relate it requirements about the policy, checking
teachers and staff. to staff evaluation and PM such as policy
system in place. qualifications and
years of
experience
2. Develop and update staff SMT Currently used By 2014 Staff satisfaction, staff Task completion
evaluation forms to be evaluation forms feeling of fairness in the report
clear and accurate in order organization, checking old
to ensure fairness. and updated forms
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3.Reconsider the 1.Reviewing staff Staff affairs Staff Term 1 Reviewing report handed in Task completion
qualifications and working department members by the department report
distribution of experience and comparing files
employees in the them to their current positions.
sections and make
sure that they are 2.Making required changes Academy Required Throughout the Positive changes made Monthly report
assigned according to if possible. Principal changes, job academic year
their abilities and vacancies (if existing)
requirement.
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4.Develop and
communicate a
1- Prepare a concrete SMT + head Substitution End of June Evaluate the policy on term report
policy for cover
substitution policy. of academic policy and ,September basis
lessons and make procedures
sure they are
supervised by
relevant teachers in
order to achieve
maximum benefit for
the students time.
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responsible assess
improvement
5.Intensify
professional -Observation lessons Model of attending
1- Concentrate on the new Coordinators - Faster presence First of the year performance the lessons
development for staff Head of the
staff for frequent attending -Program of Test period development for
and ensure new staff during the test period and Academic new teachers
members who join Department performance
stand on the weakness and development for
after the induction develop it. teachers
week are updated.
2- Introduce the rules and Coordinators - Teacher hand book First of the year adapting the new Report of the
the system of the academy - Student hand book Training week staff and to be process
and the policy which is has -Administration familiar on the
to be followed to the new handbook academic system
teachers - Academy policy
- Department
handbook
-Contract
3- Set a plane for Coordinators -feedback First of the year for performance Model of the
performance development Test period development for observation lessons
-workshop the new teachers Feedback
and its reflection Meeting files
-library hours with on the students
head department
-observation lessons
with colleges
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6.Focus on following
up workshops and 1- Questionnaire for Head of the Questions of After each Increasing of positive Following up
training courses that evaluation of the trainings administratio the workshop comments on the trainings questionnaire
are offered to and workshops n department questionnaire according to and the workshops
teachers and and the the plan
academic
employees and
department
measure their impact
in raising student 2- Attending of the Coordinators Models of After each Professional development of report for attending
performance. observation lessons to Heads of the lessons workshop the new teachers and staff the lessons to
evaluate the effect of the departments evaluations according to reflects what learned in the evaluate the effect
trainings and ensure about the plan training of the training
applicable
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7.Increase the
number of books and 1- An effective and Librarian and E-school September Observing smooth record report
resources in the efficient library system IT person system keeping, borrowing and
libraries and use runs by all school finding books
modern technology
2- Check the resources and Librarian Exiting list of September Inventory of needs of books report
to enrich the
books evaluate the Head of books and and resources
students knowledge efficiency that face the academic resources
and create a love for learning results
reading.
3- Book and resources Head of List of book End of June Covering the needs of the book order and
order for next year department and books and resources resources
coordinators resources
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8.Develop and Preparing a list of all items Nurse Requirements Term 1 Observing progress in clinic Monthly report
required to make KG clinic list and questionnaires to
modernise the KG fully prepared as Primary and Social worker mothers
medical room in line Secondary, and submitting it
with the primary and to Senior Management. Filed visits to the clinic
secondary schools.
150
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9.Improve 1.Setting a plan for following Safety and A list of Term 1 A clear plan for maintenance Plan form
up maintenance of security security safety and follow up is available
monitoring and and safety devices. committee security
observation of the requirements
maintenance of Maintenance
security and safety in charge
devices on a regular
2.Regular follow up on plan Safety and Follow up Throughout the Observing and checking Monthly report
basis, ensuring the implementation and writing security plan year condition of security and
fire alarm is not reports about that. committee safety devices
always going off and
thus providing a Head of
Admin
healthy and safe
learning environment
for students.
151
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Growth area Strategies Personnel Resources Timeline Means to assess Means to

responsible improvement report
1.Develop programmes
to promote and 1- Parents participation in Heads of Depends on each Depends on the Increase in the A report that
maximise community school events such as Sports department of departments activities number parents who evaluates the
participation and links Day- Arabic Day- National different requirements departments are participating in activity/ event
with external business Day- International Day- El subjects ( invitation calendar activities and
Hajj event - Blossoms in the catering ) programs
organizations and set
heart of dialogue
policy needed for 2- finding new events and Guidance Activities / Thursday on More parents A report that
organizing them. activities and invite the Counselor events weekly basis participation in evaluates the
parents to participate in the requirements activities and weekly
activity day for KG programs activity/ event
3- parents participation in the Guidance Career day April More parents A report that
Career Day for secondary Counselor requirements participation in the evaluates the
Career Day event
4. Participation of mothers in -Arabic Plan / invitation According to More parents A report that
Camps (primary) department card the calendar participation in evaluates the
Family Day -Social worker and activities activities and activity/ event
Cohabitation visits -Administrative plan for each programs
Story Day (Pri. and Sec.) Section section
World Day (Pri. and Sec.) -Physical -
Educational lectures education
Tajweed the Koran Department of
Swimming IT
ICT Courses HO subjects
Prepare lessons with the
teacher in primary
Training courses in different
fields
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Lectures by Muslim scholars
5.Set clear policies for Head of Old policies Term1 Clear policy is set Task
organizing parents students completion
participation. council and report
SMT
153
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responsible assess
improvement
2.Provide more
opportunities for 1- Provide the parents with Head of List with the Along the year The participation Results of
parents to be chances where they can give Admin names of parents rate of parents analyzing the
involved in decision their personal opinions before and contact surveys
taking any important decisions numbers
making and ensure
( surveys )
they have better
2- Activate the schools person who is School website Beginning of the More parents A report that
access to related website in charge of year participation evaluates the
information. ICT websites progress
department
3- Prepare a list with the issues Head of List with the Beginning of the More parents A report that
that requires a decision to be Admin important issues year participation in analyzes the
taken and send them to the taking the surveys results
parents along with a survey decision
where they can either accept/
refuse the decisions
4- SMS Head of Text messages Along the year More parents A report that
Admin participation in evaluates the
taking the process
decision
5- create a survey that allows Guidance Survey Beginning of the More parents A report that
the mothers to give out their Counselor year participation in analyzes the
opinions regarding the trips taking the surveys results
(camps- sessions- fun places) / decision
educational issues
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6- Monthly meetings with Head of Invitations Monthly More parents A report that
parents should be organized Admin attendance evaluates the event
7- Consulting day ( invite Guidance Invitation card / Monthly More parents A report that
educational / psychological Counselor memo attendance evaluates the event
personalities )
8- Create surveys that ask the Head of Survey Along the year More parents are A report that
parents about their opinions Admin taking the analyzes the
regarding the effects of the surveys surveys results
decisions that were taken
155
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3.Devise a more 1.Preparing and sending Social Suggested Term 1 Listing desired and needed Questionnaire
a questionnaire to parents in workers questions workshops from result analysis
structured plan for order to indentify workshops questionnaires
parent workshops parents would like the school
that includes a to provide.
variety of topics. 2.Setting workshops plan Social Questionnair Term 1 Workshop plan that meets Task completion
according to parents workers e result parents needs is provided report
needs and priorities analysis
156
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4.Create a structured
strategy for exchange 1. Organise visits with Public Schools Throughout the School visit report and
visits between other schools in order to relations phone year feedback from staff, level of Monthly report
schools. exchange expertise numbers and cooperation and
contacts achievement with other
schools
2.Following up effective Head of The plan Throughout the Acquiring new experiences Monthly report
implementation of Admin year and more communication
communication with other with other schools.
schools plan.
3.Arrange coffee meetings Head of Schools By 2016 Attending meetings, Meeting minutes
with other international Admin phone following up schools
schools in order to discuss numbers and attendance for the meetings,
shared interests and contacts, level of cooperation and
exchange experience invitations achievement with other
schools
157
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5.Improve the 1.Evaluating last year Staff affairs, Old Term 1 Evaluation results Task completion
response time to programme and identifying head of admin, programme report
strengths, weaknesses and social workers
parents in providing challenges hindered its Previous
feedback from their effectiveness. questionnai
queries and res
complaints.
2.Setting new procedures Staff affairs, Evaluation Term 1 Questionnaires to parents Task completion
based on the evaluation head of admin, results report
results including practical social workers
solutions for previous
problems.
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Public
6.Setting a plan to 1.Setting a plan that relations Informatio Beginning of Plan is set Monthly report
improve clarifies communication n needed the year
communication with mechanism. for the plan
the community and to
promote Companies 2.Implementing the Public Companies Term 1 Communication with 5 Monthly report
and organizations to communication plan relations and companies or
participate in with at least 5 organizatio organizations has taken
supporting the school companies. ns contacts place
educational programs, and
activities and events. numbers,
school
letters
159
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CHAPTER 5: Supportive Documents for Review
In this section, list all documents, surveys and questionnaires, interviews, and all other
evidence that are available for review and available for visiting team.
The self-study team have collected a variety of evidence that reflects the practical application of
the five standards in the everyday life of teachers and students as well as the impact these
standards have had on the school community. The self-study team has endeavoured to be
consistent in accurately presenting both qualitative and quantitative data and information.
After the various teams and committees were formed, many conducive meetings were held
between the key players; Heads of Departments, Team Leaders and the Committees.
The primary objective was to conduct open and frank discussions on the teams integrity and
openness as well as deciding on effective ways to collect and present all evidences, adequately
reflecting each standard.
It was decided that evidence must be sought for all performance indicators within each standard
and the evidence must be available, easily gathered as well as verifiable. Co-operation not only
with team members but staff and other stakeholders involved in the process, has been at the heart
of successful data collection. It was also agreed that all evidences would be collectively reviewed
to ensure accuracy and suitability of use against the particular standard. The reviews also
presented an opportunity to corroborate information and ensure an accurate picture was being
presented.
If stronger evidence supersedes information that is already gathered in the file, the new
information will be updated and substituted in the evidence file. Such a process ensures
efficiency, effectiveness and transparency enabling Al Arqam to continually apply updated
information towards school improvement.
Evidence and documents that have been collected by the self-assessment team:
Vision, mission and achievements of the Academy.

Learning outcomes for the Academy.
Posters and brochures that reflects the vision, mission and learning
outcomes.
Teachers planning files (daily plans, term plans, yearly plans).
Workshops of the PowerPoint.
Meeting minutes and the attendance logs.
Policies, rules and laws.
Handbook for students, staff and teachers.
Strategic, operation and action plans.
Plans for the departments.
Plans for the professional development.
Fliers and brochures for the annual book.
Website for the school.
Records for curricular and extracurricular activities.
Prizes, awards, certificate and participation for different competitions.
Records of students marks.
Records for student evaluation.
Reports for the analysis of the results.
Records for student behaviour and academic reports.
Records of the Student Council.
Honouring records for students.
Honour Board for students
Programme of Professional Development.
Schedule for internal and external workshops and courses.
Record of observation lessons.
Staff evaluation records.
Records of the evaluation performance for teachers.
Plans for the special needs students.
Plans for working with gifted students.
The schools approval and organisational structure.
Job descriptions.
Forms used to follow up any work.
Questionnaires for student, teacher and parents.
Analysis of the results of questionnaires.
Reports for the following up of the plan and evaluating it.
Memos for staff.
Samples of evaluation performance for teachers, admin and Heads.
Samples of evaluation for programmes and projects.
Diagnostic Tests.
Induction programme for teachers.
Work sheets.
Students portfolios and projects.
Students writing sheets.
Student guidance file.
Parents meeting.
Visitors book.
Page 161
Evaluation plans.
Parents meetings with teachers.
Samples of assessments.
Educational curriculum.
Library and associated activities files.
Lending records from library.
Library inventory records
Civil defence reports
Reports of the validity of drinking water.
Reports of examining the cafeterias food.
Honouring and Award Boards for students.
Maintenance files.
Maintenance contracts with electronic and maintenance companies.
Staff files.
Students numbers.
Staff numbers.
Teachers and staff CVs.
Staffs check in and out records.
Records of distributing cover lessons.
Courses attendance records.
Training programmes evaluation forms.
Procurement budget.
Professional development and courses budget.
Budget of purchasing resources and educational material.
Records of receiving the covenant for teachers.
Files of export and import to the stores.
Parents meeting.
Parents activity records in the school activities.
Daily visitor file.
File for parents complaints.
Records for live classes.
Invitations for parents.
Universities communication records.
Reports for participation in events and community activities.
Page 162

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Qatar National School Accreditation Self Study Report

PREFACE: Organisational Chart for Schools Self-Study ................................................................................ 3

CHAPTER 1: School Community Profile ..................................................................................................... 11

CHAPTER 2: School Mission and Learning Results...................................................................................... 36

CHAPTER 3: Self-Study Analysis of Standards............................................................................................. 41

Standard 1: Educational Leadership ....................................................................................................... 42

Standard 2: Educational Performance and Learning Environment ........................................................ 58

Standard 3: Development and Care for Learners ................................................................................... 72

Standard 4: Resource Management ....................................................................................................... 91

Standard 5: Parental and Community Partnerships ............................................................................. 101

CHAPTER 4: Short and Long Term Action Plans........................................................................................ 109

CHAPTER 5: Supportive Documents for Review ....................................................................................... 160

PREFACE: Organisational Chart for Schools Self-Study

How self-study was compiled

1. The self-study Co-ordinators and Focus group

The self-study Coordinators:

2. Staff involved in the completion of the study

To provide overall leadership and management of the school-wide improvement

Team Leader and Members (who participated in the self-study)

a. Mrs. Aisha Al Emadi CEO, Team Leader

B. School Planning Team

Will address Accreditation for Area 2 Educational Performance and Learning

Team Leader and Members (who participated in the self-study)

(a) KG Sub-committee (Year group teachers)

Yasmine Salah, Mariam Haider,AmanyAbdalla,Rania Gouda, BeenaManzoor,

(b) Primary Sub-committee (Subject teachers)

(c) Secondary Sub-committee (Subject teachers)

ii) IT Committee To provide support in technology and web-based resources

Staff participating in the self-study

Mrs. Azadeh,Mrs.SaimaRaheel, Sara Abu Elyazed, NesmaYamany, FerdousShaik,

iii) Internal Communication Committee To facilitate mechanisms for clear internal

v) Student Discipline & Behaviour Committee To provide monitoring of the

C. Student Support Team

(b) Academic Support Committee To provide student academic support

Staff participating in the self-study:

2. Service Learning Sub-committee To provide student support in linking

D. Staff Support Team

To provide staff with professional and psychosocial support

a.) Professional Development Committee (Administrators, teachers and

E. Parent and Community Team

Will address accreditation for Area 5 - Parents and Community

CHAPTER 1: School Community Profile

School General Characteristics and Overview

Al Arqam Academy is an Islamic international school for girls, which offers

N.B: Secondary refers to Years 7-12.

Students cultures and Nationalities

Al Arqam Academy represents a homogenous multicultural community with a majority of Qatari

Student Community 2011

Student Community 2012

Student Community 2013

Students socio-economic backgrounds

Student enrolment and drop out

Students Enrollment 2011

Graph 4 - Student enrollment 2011

Student Enrollment in 2012

Graph 5 - Student enrollment 2012

Students Enrollment 2013

Graph 6- Student Turnover 2013

Student Turnover in 2011

Graph 7 Student turnover 2011

Student Turnover in 2012

Graph 8- Student Turnover 2012

Student Turnover in 2013