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Shining StarInternational School · Abu Dhabi
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Shining StarInternational School · Abu Dhabi
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    A primary class gathered on colourful cushions in the reading corner

    Learning

    One curriculum, five stages, every child known

    SSIS follows the CBSE curriculum with NCERT textbooks, guided by India's National Education Policy 2020 and ADEK's Student Competency Framework, with Arabic, Islamic Studies, Moral Education and UAE Social Studies as the UAE requires.

    01KG 1 – KG 2 · Ages 4 – 6

    Kindergarten

    Kindergarten pupils working at blue tables in a bright, busy classroom
    A KG classroom: small tables, a smart board, work on every wall

    A progressive early-years programme that goes beyond the three R's to the three C's of 21st-century learning: the Child, the Content and the Context.

    • Global Phonics and speaking platforms build language and confidence
    • STEM activities develop early analytical skills
    • Arabic, Islamic Studies and languages begin in term 3 of KG 2, for a smooth start to Grade 1
    • RAZ A–Z reading programme in KG 2

    Subjects · Kindergarten

    • English and phonics
    • Numeracy
    • Arabic (from KG 2, term 3)
    • Islamic Studies (from KG 2, term 3)
    • STEM play
    • Art, music and movement

    02Grades 1 – 5 · Ages 6 – 11

    Primary

    A primary pupil reads her work aloud to classmates seated on cushions beneath a world map
    Reading aloud in the primary reading corner

    Student-centred, experiential learning that connects lessons to real life, following CBSE and the National Curriculum Framework, guided by NEP 2020 and the ADEK Student Competency Framework.

    • Sustainable Development Goal projects woven into everyday lessons
    • ISTE standards in lesson planning; robotics is a favourite subject
    • “Farm in School”: learning by growing, across subjects
    • A student TED-Ed Club from Grade 3

    Subjects · Primary

    • English
    • Second language: Hindi, French, Urdu, Tamil or Malayalam
    • Arabic
    • Environmental Studies
    • Mathematics
    • Moral Education
    • Islamic Studies or Moral Science
    • UAE Social Studies
    • Global Citizenship
    • Computer Science and Robotics
    • Art and Craft
    • Library (RAZ A–Z and RAZ Plus)

    03Grades 6 – 8 · Ages 11 – 14

    Middle

    Students typing at computers in the computer lab
    Computer science from the early grades

    A dynamic CBSE curriculum with a strong global approach: technology in every subject, international projects and student-led clubs that build agency.

    • International projects on the Sustainable Development Goals
    • Robotics and inquiry projects; student winners at the Abu Dhabi Science Fair
    • Global school partnerships and project platforms
    • Student-led TED-Ed and Model United Nations clubs

    Subjects · Middle

    • English
    • Second language
    • Arabic
    • Science
    • Mathematics
    • Social Science
    • Islamic Studies or Moral Education
    • UAE Social Studies
    • Computer Science and Robotics
    • Global Citizenship
    • Art and Craft

    04Grades 9 – 10 · Ages 14 – 16

    Secondary

    Workbenches and glassware in the chemistry lab
    The chemistry lab

    Two years that end in the CBSE Class X board examination (AISSE), with mock examinations, close tracking and support for every candidate.

    • CBSE registration in Grade 9; the board examination in Grade 10
    • Mock examinations before the boards
    • Physics, Chemistry and Biology labs, a Maths lab and two computer labs
    • Career counselling begins before stream choice

    Subjects · Secondary

    • English
    • Second language
    • Mathematics
    • Science
    • Social Science
    • Arabic
    • Islamic Studies or Moral Education
    • UAE Social Studies
    • Computer Science

    05Grades 11 – 12 · Ages 16 – 18

    Senior Secondary

    The science lab with colour-coded workbenches and trays of equipment
    A science lab, set for a practical

    Science and Commerce streams leading to the CBSE Class XII examination (AISSCE), with academic rigour, research skills and guidance on university and career choices.

    • Focused on high attainment in the board examinations
    • Mock examinations and constant career counselling
    • Model United Nations, TED-Ed, astronomy, the school farm and digital labs
    • Book fairs, author visits and educational tours

    Subjects · Senior Secondary

    • English
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Chemistry
    • Biology
    • Accountancy
    • Business Studies
    • Economics
    • Informatics Practices
    • Arabic

    06Grades 11 and 12

    Choosing a stream

    Students choose a stream after the Grade 10 board results, with the counsellor's guidance. English is studied in both, with Arabic as a second language. Exact subject combinations are confirmed at admission.

    Science

    Subjects

    1. 01Physics
    2. 02Chemistry
    3. 03Mathematics
    4. 04Biology
    5. 05Informatics Practices

    Admission to Grade 11Entrance test in Mathematics and Science, and the Grade 10 results.

    07Assessment

    How progress is measured

    Steady, transparent and shared with parents as it happens.

    Assessment PolicyPDF, 2026
    1. 01

      Continuous assessment

      Class work, projects, practicals and periodic tests through the year, under the school's Assessment Policy and the CBSE scheme.

    2. 02

      Three terms, three reports

      The year runs April to March. Parents see marks and progress cards in the parent portal as soon as they are released.

    3. 03

      Holistic Progress Card

      For Grades 1 to 8, the CBSE Holistic Progress Card records skills, attitudes and the child's own reflections, not just marks.

    4. 04

      International benchmarks

      Students sit the International Benchmark Test (IBT) and ADEK's international assessments, so families can see progress against the world.

    5. 05

      Board examinations

      CBSE Class X and Class XII board examinations, prepared for with mock examinations and individual support.

    08More about learning

    Results, support and recognition

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