Noya British School achieves IQM International Inclusive School Award

September 22, 2026

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Noya British School in Abu Dhabi has achieved the IQM International Inclusive School Award, recognising its strong commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and academic excellence. Leaders have worked incredibly hard to set up a school that can grow with inclusive values and systems at its core, with the school’s commitment to inclusion evident across its culture, curriculum and provision.

Inclusion as the golden thread

Noya British School demonstrates a deep commitment to inclusion, ensuring every child feels valued, supported and recognised as an individual with unique strengths. The school is very clear that inclusion is a whole-school culture guided by values, visible in day-to-day interactions, learning environments and curriculum access, and not an isolated department or initiative. The Head of Inclusion shares a vision and culture of inclusion being the “golden thread” of the school, and this is clearly observable in the day-to-day experience of being in the school.

The school’s ethos promotes belonging, dignity and participation. As such, classrooms incorporate visual timetables, dual-coded displays, calm regulation corners and scaffolds to ensure successful access, particularly for students of determination and those developing English.

Learner voice is seen as “fundamental”, and the school has many leadership opportunities for students to share their own vision for the school. The recently developed Inclusion Ambassador programme seeks to ensure that the inclusive approach of the school has pupil voice at its core. The aim the students set for themselves is to embed a culture of kindness, which is a very realistic goal for Noya British School.

A curriculum designed for everyone

The curriculum is grounded in the English National Curriculum and enriched through High-Performance Learning. It aims for academic depth alongside character development, resilience and global awareness, with provision recognising that students learn differently. To ensure it meets the needs of all students, planning incorporates flexibility, adaptation and personalisation to ensure barriers do not limit access.

Teachers use baseline assessment, learning passports, and IEP targets to influence planning for all groups of students, including SEND, EAL and G&T. Adaptations may include chunked text, scaffolded sentence starters, vocabulary pre-teaching, dual coding, sensory tools, guided group instruction, and flexible recording methods, so that the school can achieve its aim of equity of access without capping challenge.

The curriculum is designed to include everyone, and this was beautifully demonstrated in PE, where Year 9 boys were learning water polo in the training pool to allow a disabled pupil to join in effectively. Furthermore, the school is investing in equipment so that the student can join his peers in the main pool safely too.

Learning beyond the classroom is a strength at Noya and they have a deep commitment to quality experiences for the students, through trips, competitions, leadership opportunities, and community events. The ECA programme offers students chances to “explore new interests, develop talents and strengthen friendships”.

High expectations and adaptive teaching

Teaching at Noya British School reflects high expectations, evidence-informed practice, and strategic planning, that values access and challenge for all students.

Adaptive teaching is expected, not optional, with CPD delivered through the year to ensure it is given the highest priority. For students of determination there is a clear commitment to the fading of scaffolding as pupils gain independence, and support staff are strategically deployed to pre-teach, check understanding or facilitate access, without creating dependency.

Assessment is seen as pivotal in ensuring that every learner is known, understood and supported, to make progress over time. Rather than viewing assessment as a periodic measurement tool, the school treats it as an ongoing process that shapes teaching and intervention. Intervention is seen as a hugely important part of inclusive education, so that the school can genuinely “leave no child behind”.

A community built on connection

Parental partnership is viewed as pivotal in creating the “Noya culture”. Parents are included in target-setting, IEP reviews and transition planning, ensuring that support is coherent between school and home.

Parents from across the school, Year 1 – 9, expressed a huge amount of trust for the school, and in particular the inclusion team and Head of Inclusion. They feel very involved in the school, value the coffee mornings and parent picnics, and shared that there is often a large parent presence, such as 80 parents attending a recent coffee morning.

Home–school partnership at is viewed as an important mechanism for progress. Communication is open, accessible and relational with parents being seen as partners in ongoing dialogue, rather than as recipients of information.

Community connection strengthens belonging. Partnerships with external organisations enhance provision with SEN therapy centres, mental health providers, local charities and global cultural programmes used to expand learning beyond school boundaries. Parental collaboration amplifies this, ensuring shared values across home and campus.

Student leadership is growing rapidly. Roles such as House Captains, Eco Warriors, Peer Mentors and Inclusion Ambassadors provide voice and influence. Participation develops confidence, advocacy and self-concept, which are key predictors of long-term success.

Find Out More About IQM

If your school is interested in achieving the IQM Inclusive School Award, contact the IQM team on 028 7127 7857 or email admin@iqmaward.com

To find out more about IQM and request a free information pack, visit www.iqmaward.com.