School Inspection Checklist UAE: What KHDA and ADEK Inspectors Actually Ask For

UAE school inspectors in Dubai (KHDA) and Abu Dhabi (ADEK) judge private schools on six performance standards. For compliance, they look for five things: a trained, active Designated Safeguarding Lead, dated training records for every adult, a current child protection policy, a complete Single Central Record, and a governing board that shows real oversight.

From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, KHDA inspects Dubai private schools with no more than 24 hours’ notice. Readiness is now the everyday state of the school, not a project that starts when the phone rings. This checklist is built for principals to run every term, and each item is mapped to the inspection standard it supports.

For the wider picture of this year’s changes, see our KHDA inspection readiness guide.

How do school inspections work in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?

Private schools in Dubai are inspected by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). Private schools in Abu Dhabi are inspected by the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) through its Irtiqa’a programme. Both rate schools on the same six point scale: Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak and Very Weak.

For 2026 to 2027, KHDA announced three changes that matter to principals:

• Notice. Schools selected for a visit now receive no more than 24 hours’ notice. KHDA calls these quality assurance visits, run by its Education Quality Assurance and Compliance Agency.

• Visit type. KHDA now uses two visit types: a full inspection that can change the school’s published rating, and a shorter monitoring visit that does not. KHDA’s analysis of each school’s data decides which one a school receives, and schools completing their third year of operation receive a full inspection.

• Focus. Visits look at the impact of the improvement work schools have done while full inspections were paused, and at outcomes for all learners, particularly Emirati students.

Full inspections still use the UAE School Inspection Framework, introduced in 2015 to 2016, now applied through a differentiated, data driven model, with provision for students of determination assessed alongside it.

In Abu Dhabi, two ADEK policies set the safeguarding baseline. The Student Protection Policy requires every school to appoint a Child Protection Coordinator who completes ADEK mandated training, and staff must report concerns to ADEK’s Child Protection Unit within 24 hours of suspicion. The Safeguarding Policy, with full compliance required by 1 February 2026, requires schools to review the effectiveness of their safeguarding arrangements every year. ADEK sets its own inspection cycle and notice arrangements, so confirm the current rules with ADEK directly.

What do inspectors judge? The six performance standards

The UAE School Inspection Framework has six performance standards:

1.    Students’ achievement

2.    Students’ personal and social development, and their innovation skills

3.    Teaching and assessment

4.    Curriculum

5.    The protection, care, guidance and support of students

6.    Leadership and management

Compliance evidence is concentrated in two of them. Standard 5 covers health and safety, including the school’s arrangements for child protection and safeguarding, together with care and support. Standard 6 covers the effectiveness of leadership, self evaluation and improvement planning, partnerships with parents, governance, and the management of staffing, facilities and resources.

What should be on a school inspection checklist in the UAE?

Run this checklist every term. A gap found in October can be closed before a visit. A gap found by an inspector becomes a finding.

1. Safeguarding and child protection (Standard 5)

Item	What good evidence looks like
Designated Safeguarding Lead	A named DSL is in post, trained at Level 3, available throughout the school day and known to every adult in the school. In Abu Dhabi this role is the Child Protection Coordinator, who must complete ADEK mandated CPC training. Z PD’s DSL Level 3 training certificate is valid for two years, so track the renewal date.
Deputy DSL	A trained deputy covers when the DSL is absent. Inspectors ask what happens when the lead is off site.
Whole staff training	Every adult who works in the school, including teaching assistants, administrators, security, cleaners, drivers and bus supervisors, has completed safeguarding training, with dated records. Abu Dhabi: all staff complete ADEK mandated student protection training and sign that they understand it.
Child protection policy	Reviewed at least once a year (ADEK requires an annual review of safeguarding effectiveness), approved by leadership, aligned to UAE law including Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 (Wadeema’s Law), and accessible to staff and parents.
Concern records	Every concern is logged, dated and stored confidentially, showing what action was taken, by whom and when.
Reporting pathway	Any member of staff can explain, without prompting, what they would do and who they would tell. In Abu Dhabi, concerns must reach ADEK’s Child Protection Unit within 24 hours of suspicion. Inspectors ask support staff as well as teachers.
Online safety	An online safety policy is in place and staff training covers current digital risks, including social media and AI tools. The apps and platforms students use are reviewed against Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 on Child Digital Safety, in force since 1 January 2026.

2. Safer recruitment and the Single Central Record (Standards 5 and 6)

Item	What good evidence looks like
Single Central Record	One record covers every adult working in the school, including part time, supply and contracted staff, with every check dated and verified.
Background checks	Dubai: police clearance from the UAE, every country lived in during the past five years, and the home country if lived there within the past ten years, plus confirmation the candidate is not on KHDA’s Deregistration List. Abu Dhabi: the checks set out in ADEK’s staff eligibility requirements.
Visas and registration	A valid UAE residence visa and school employment contract are recorded for every member of staff, and Dubai teachers are registered with KHDA through an Appointment Notice.
Code of Conduct	In Dubai, every member of staff, including principals and support staff, has read and signed the KHDA approved Code of Conduct.
References	Two written professional references, including one from the most recent employer, are verified before appointment. This is a KHDA requirement for Dubai teachers.
Interview panels	At least one member of every interview panel has completed safer recruitment training.
Induction	Dubai: every new teacher, including mid year joiners, completes KHDA’s induction before teaching: the Code of Conduct, UAE culture and laws, basic security, health, safety and wellbeing, child protection and safeguarding, and working with students of determination.

3. Leadership and governance (Standard 6)

Item	What good evidence looks like
Governing board	Minutes show governors challenging leaders and asking for evidence, not simply receiving reports.
Safeguarding governor	A named governor oversees safeguarding and can show when they last reviewed the school’s arrangements. Our school governors training guide sets out what that role involves.
Self evaluation	The school’s self evaluation is honest, evidence based and matches what inspectors will see in lessons.
Improvement plan	Priorities are current, linked to the self evaluation, and leaders can report progress against each one.
CPD records	Records show professional development linked to improvement priorities, not only mandatory hours.
Inclusion	Provision for students of determination is led, documented and reviewed, since KHDA assesses inclusion alongside the framework.

4. Health, safety and wellbeing (Standard 5)

Item	What good evidence looks like
Risk assessments	Current, dated and reviewed for the site, trips, sport and activities away from school.
Fire and emergency	Evacuation procedures are written down, drills are logged, and every adult knows their role.
Health and safety training	Staff know their responsibilities and records show who was trained and when.
Student wellbeing	A named lead monitors wellbeing and the school can show how it responds to concerns.
Mental health	Staff can recognise signs of mental health difficulty in students and know the referral route.

What documents should be ready on the day of the inspection?

With 24 hours’ notice, the evidence has to exist already. Keep these current, in one place, and ready to hand to an inspector:

• Child protection and safeguarding policy, with its review date

• Single Central Record, including police clearance and reference evidence

• Signed Code of Conduct and induction records for every member of staff

• Staff safeguarding training records and certificates, with dates

• DSL and deputy DSL Level 3 certificates

• Safeguarding concern log, shown on request and handled confidentially

• Governing board minutes showing safeguarding oversight

• School self evaluation and improvement plan

• Behaviour policy and attendance data

• Health and safety risk assessments and the fire drill log

• CPD records for all staff

Why is UK safeguarding training not enough for a UAE inspection?

Several providers selling safeguarding training to UAE schools build their courses on English statutory guidance: Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), Department for Education guidance and Ofsted expectations. Those are the frameworks for schools in England.

A UAE school is not inspected against KCSIE. Dubai and Abu Dhabi schools are judged against the UAE School Inspection Framework, and child protection sits within UAE law, including Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on Child Rights, known as Wadeema’s Law. The reporting routes, the authorities a DSL works with and the legal duties that apply are not the same as in England. In Abu Dhabi, for example, concerns go to ADEK’s Child Protection Unit within 24 hours.

Much UK practice transfers, but your DSL must be able to explain the UAE procedure to a UAE inspector.

Z PD’s safeguarding training is built around UAE law and the KHDA and ADEK frameworks.

How often should principals run this checklist?

Once a term as a minimum, and again whenever a key member of staff changes. A practical rhythm:

• Start of term: the DSL and senior leadership team walk through all four tables and record every gap.

• Within two weeks: each gap has a named owner and a completion date.

• Mid term: the safeguarding governor checks progress and records it in board minutes.

• Every new starter: Single Central Record checks and safeguarding induction are complete before they work with students.

For an external view, download our free Safeguarding and Compliance Self Audit Checklist, or book a Safeguarding and Compliance Audit for an independent review against the same standards.

Frequently asked questions

Question	Answer
What do KHDA inspectors check in a Dubai private school?	KHDA judges Dubai private schools against the six performance standards of the UAE School Inspection Framework. For compliance, inspectors expect a trained Designated Safeguarding Lead, dated staff training records, a current child protection policy, a complete Single Central Record and board minutes showing real oversight.
How much notice does KHDA give before a school inspection?	From the 2026 to 2027 academic year, KHDA gives Dubai private schools no more than 24 hours’ notice, for either type of visit. KHDA now uses two visit types: a full inspection that can change a school’s published rating, and a shorter monitoring visit that does not.
What documents do inspectors ask for in a UAE school inspection?	The child protection policy, the Single Central Record, dated training and induction records, DSL certificates, the confidential concern log, board minutes, the self evaluation and improvement plan, attendance data, risk assessments and fire drill records.
What is the difference between KHDA and ADEK inspections?	KHDA inspects private schools in Dubai. ADEK, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, inspects private schools in Abu Dhabi through its Irtiqa’a programme. Both rate schools on the same six point scale, from Outstanding to Very Weak. ADEK’s Student Protection Policy also requires a Child Protection Coordinator who completes ADEK mandated training, and concerns must reach ADEK’s Child Protection Unit within 24 hours.
What safeguarding training do UAE school staff need?	In Dubai, new teachers must complete KHDA’s induction, including child protection and safeguarding, before they teach. In Abu Dhabi, all staff must complete ADEK mandated student protection training. Beyond that, a common approach is awareness training for all staff, Level 2 for staff with regular student contact, and Level 3 for the Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputies. Z PD’s DSL Level 3 certificate is valid for two years and its Advanced Safeguarding Level 2 certificate for one year.
Is UK safeguarding training valid for a UAE school inspection?	UK courses built on Keeping Children Safe in Education and Ofsted describe the system in England. UAE schools are inspected against the UAE School Inspection Framework and work within UAE law, including Wadeema’s Law (Federal Law No. 3 of 2016). Staff need training on the UAE procedure.

How Z PD supports inspection readiness

Z PD helps principals of premium schools in the UAE meet compliance through customised training solutions. Everything below is delivered in school, on your dates.

• DSL Level 3 training: for DSLs and deputies. CPD UK accredited, certificate valid for two years. In Abu Dhabi it complements, and does not replace, ADEK mandated CPC training.

•  Advanced Safeguarding (Level 2): for staff with regular student contact. Four hours, CPD UK accredited, certificate valid for one year.

• Safer Recruitment and Single Central Record training: for everyone who sits on an interview panel or manages staff records.

• School governors training: for board members responsible for strategic safeguarding oversight.

• Safeguarding and Compliance Audit and inspection consultancy: learning walks, mock inspections, lesson observations and document reviews.

• Whole school compliance e-learning: 10 CPD UK accredited courses with a completion dashboard.

Z PD is a KHDA approved training provider (Permit No. 628290) and all our safeguarding courses are CPD UK accredited.

Is your school ready for a visit tomorrow?Book a call and we will walk through this checklist with you. Book a call with Z PDEmail: info@zenpd.ae  |  Phone: +971 4 576 8498  |  WhatsApp: +971 58 587 3184www.zenpd.ae  |  Office 110, The Light Commercial Tower, Arjan, Al Barsha South, Dubai, UAE