How to judge whether a Dubai school is genuinely inclusive for autism

The framework expects schools to identify students of determination, to provide support and accommodations through an inclusion team, and not to refuse admission on the basis of need. Inspection reports comment on how well each school does this. Reading the inclusion section of a school's most recent inspection report is a good first filter, but it describes the school in general, not its provision for autism in particular.

Who leads inclusion, and what is their background? How many staff are in the team, and how many children do they support? Is there anyone with specific autism training or experience? How often does the team observe children in class? How is the individual education plan written and reviewed, and are parents in the room? A school that answers with names, numbers and a process is showing you a working team; a school that answers with policy language may not be.

What happens in a typical lesson for a child on the autism spectrum in this year group? Are there visual timetables, structured routines and quiet spaces? Do class teachers receive autism training, and how recently? How does the school handle transitions, unstructured time and assemblies? Ask to see a classroom while a lesson is running rather than an empty one.

Walk the corridors at changeover time, visit the canteen at lunch, stand in the playground at break. Note the noise, the lighting, the crowding and whether there is somewhere a child could go to regulate. Ask whether the school has a sensory room or a quiet space, and whether children can use it without a fuss. For many autistic children the sensory environment decides whether the day is manageable before any teaching happens.

Does the school accept parent-hired shadow teachers, and how many does it currently have? What documents and training does it require, and how long does approval take? Who does the shadow teacher report to, and how is their work coordinated with the inclusion team? A school that has done this many times will describe a routine; a school that has not may be learning on your child. Our guide on how schools add a shadow teacher to their approved-staff list tells you what a good process looks like, so you can compare.

Notice whether admissions asks about your child's needs early and in a matter-of-fact way, whether the inclusion lead is part of the admissions conversation, and whether the school proposes a plan before offering a place. A school that says it will see how it goes without a plan is not ready. A school that sets conditions, such as a shadow teacher from day one, is at least being honest about what it can provide, and you can then decide whether that suits you and [what it will cost]({COST}).

Inclusion lead met in person. Inclusion staff numbers and autism experience stated. A lesson observed with the relevant year group. Visual supports and quiet spaces seen. Noise and crowding at changeover noted. External shadow teacher process described with a timeline. Plan for your child proposed before the offer. Review dates named. If most of the boxes are ticked, the school's inclusion is real, and the remaining question is fit. Our guide on what to expect from a shadow teacher for autism covers the next step.