UAE inspectors judge attainment against curriculum and international standards, and progress against students’ starting points, in key subjects and for each student group. They draw on external exams such as IGCSE and A Level, external benchmark tests and internal assessment. For 2026-27, KHDA requires cognitive, curriculum-linked and reading benchmark tests; ADEK names GL Progress Tests for British schools.
How does the UAE framework define attainment and progress?
Performance Standard 1, Students’ achievement, has three indicators: 1.1 Attainment, 1.2 Progress and 1.3 Learning skills (UAE School Inspection Framework). KHDA’s 2026-27 visits use this framework.
| Indicator | What inspectors judge |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Attainment | ”Attainment as measured against authorised and licensed curriculum standards”; “against national and appropriate international standards”; knowledge and skills in key subjects; “trends in attainment over time” |
| 1.2 Progress | Progress “against their starting points and over time”, including students with special educational needs; progress in lessons; “progress of different groups of students” |
The descriptors show what the top grades require. For Outstanding attainment: “Most students attain levels that are above curriculum standards”, and “in external examinations, most students attain levels that are above national and international standards”. For trends: “Over the past three years, the attainment of most students has been consistently above national and international standards.” For Outstanding progress: “Internal and external assessment information indicates that most students make better than expected progress in relation to their individual starting points.”
Which subjects and student groups do inspectors look at?
Achievement is judged in key subjects: Islamic Education (for Muslim students), Arabic as a first or additional language, English, the language of instruction where different, mathematics, science and UAE social studies. Inspectors also “take account of any significant variations in the performance of different groups of students”:
- boys and girls
- Emirati students
- lower and higher attaining students
- students with special educational needs
- students with particular gifts or talents
- students for whom the language of instruction is an additional language
- students whose first language is Arabic
A school’s data must therefore break down by group as well as by subject. A strong whole-cohort result can hide a weak group, and the framework expects that to be visible.
What external benchmark tests does KHDA require in 2026-27?
Three components, in KHDA’s External Benchmark Assessments Requirements for 2026-2027:
| Component | Coverage | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| A. Cognitive abilities | Verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial; UK Years 4, 6, 8 and 10 | Should “ideally provide forecasts … in external examinations … E.g., iGCSE, A level, IBDP” |
| B. Attainment and progress | English, Arabic, science and mathematics; UK Years 4 to 10 | ”Externally designed and externally assessed”; must show progress “against curriculum standards and changes in attainment over time” |
| C. Reading literacy | All students aged 6–15, three times a year | Computer-adaptive, aligned to PIRLS and PISA, reporting a Standard Age Score |
KHDA also requires digital, not paper, testing. Schools must sign a data-release document giving KHDA access to results, and must “clearly identify all Emirati students”. One stated purpose is to “help validate the school’s internal attainment and progress data”. The document does not name approved providers.
What does ADEK require in Abu Dhabi?
ADEK’s School Assessment Policy (version 1.2, September 2025) requires standardised benchmark assessments “used to determine student attainment and progress”. For British schools, these are the “GL – PT Series (PTE, PTM, PTS)” in English, mathematics and science for Years 4 to 10. At least “97% of eligible students in grades 3-9/years 4-10” must complete the required tests. Schools must also take part in PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS when required. They must “triangulate both internal and external assessment data”, particularly “discrepancies between internal and external assessments”.
That last point has teeth. In July 2025, ADEK reported a review “initiated after ADEK’s quality assurance systems flagged discrepancies between internal grades and external benchmark exams” (ADEK). Internal grades that run ahead of benchmark results are now a risk in themselves. Irtiqa’a’s six evaluation areas start with student achievement.
How should a school assemble attainment and progress evidence?
Build one evidence set that triangulates three sources, by subject and group:
- External examinations. IGCSE, AS and A Level results over three years, compared with international standards. Our guide to benchmarking against Cambridge worldwide statistics shows how.
- External benchmark tests. Cognitive and curriculum-linked results showing progress from starting points, for every required year group.
- Internal assessment. Mocks and assessments marked to the exam board’s standards, whose results agree with the external data. Where they differ, record why.
Then write the self-evaluation from the evidence, not the other way round. KHDA uses “the school’s self-evaluation as the starting point for inspection”, and its selection of visit types draws on school data and SEFs. With 24 hours’ notice, the evidence set has to be current all year. See KHDA Inspection Framework 2026-27.
How were IGCSE results used as benchmarks in the past?
Historically, KHDA’s 2016-17 inspection supplement treated grade C at IGCSE and A Level as “in line” with curriculum standards and grade B as “above”. It also set thresholds such as “at least 75% of the students should be attaining ‘in line with curriculum standards’” for Acceptable attainment (KHDA supplement 2016-17). These are historical guidance, not current published rules. They still show how inspectors have translated exam grades into judgements.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
AI Buddy supplies the internal assessment strand in a form inspectors can check. Mocks and practice papers are marked instantly and stored by student, subject, topic and class, with filters by student group. Leaders can compare internal results with external benchmark and exam data and investigate discrepancies before an inspector does. It does not replace KHDA’s or ADEK’s required external benchmark tests.
Frequently asked questions
What attainment evidence do KHDA inspectors look for?
Attainment against curriculum and international standards, three-year trends, and results in key subjects, drawn from external exams, external benchmark tests and internal assessment, broken down by student group.
What is progress in the UAE inspection framework?
Progress of students “against their starting points and over time”, in lessons, and for different groups of students, evidenced by internal and external assessment.
Which benchmark tests does ADEK require for British schools?
ADEK’s assessment policy lists GL Progress Tests (PTE, PTM, PTS) in English, mathematics and science for Years 4 to 10.
Does KHDA require external benchmark tests in 2026-27?
Yes: a cognitive abilities test, curriculum-linked attainment and progress tests in English, Arabic, science and mathematics, and reading literacy assessments, all digital.
For other frameworks, see Inspection & Accreditation Beyond Ofsted.
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Sources
- KHDA, UAE School Inspection Framework 2015-16
- KHDA, External Benchmark Assessments Requirements 2026-2027
- KHDA, KHDA announces pause on school inspections for 2025-26 (16 May 2025) and KHDA to resume quality assurance visits (3 June 2026)
- KHDA, School Inspection Supplement 2016-17 (historical)
- ADEK, School Assessment Policy v1.2 (September 2025)
- ADEK, Firm action to address grade inflation (15 July 2025)