Shining Star International School

Shining Star International School is located in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at Shabiya 12. The campus serves Abu Dhabi's expatriate and local communities and is accessible by multiple bus routes across the city; transport is GPS-tracked. Coordinates: 24.321046, 54.53379.

The school runs KG1 to Grade 12, with a Sixth Form for Grades 11–12.

Private day school that follows the CBSE Indian curriculum.

SSIS hosts a diverse international student body. The exact number of represented nationalities is not published, but the school emphasises diversity and serves the expatriate community of Abu Dhabi.

SSIS is inclusive and provides support for students of determination, including Individualized Educational Plans, learning support assistants, and extra academic support as needed; modifications to papers/exams are available.

CBSE (India) affiliation; the school is fully accredited with CBSE and follows the Indian NCERT curriculum (CBSE affiliation No. 6630075).

There is an on-campus mosque and an in-house Imam to lead prayers for the Muslim community; no formal religious affiliation is stated.

KG sessions run 7:30 AM–12:00 PM; Grades I–XII run 7:30 AM–2:00 PM; school days are Sunday to Thursday.

School transport operates with GPS tracking; there are 30+ routes, and buses have GPS trackers and female attendants.

Shining Star International School in Abu Dhabi follows the CBSE curriculum using NCERT textbooks, with the academic year running from April to March. Early Years (Kindergarten) emphasizes social-emotional development and language skills through Global Phonics and the RAZ A-Z program, with Arabic, Islamic studies and additional language options introduced in Term 3. The Primary program is CBSE-based, aligned with the National Curriculum Framework and NEP 2020, guided by the ADEK Student Competency Framework, and includes Global SDG projects, ISTE standards, a Farm in School curriculum, and second-language options (Hindi, French, Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil) along with Robotics and a TED-Ed Club from Grade 3. In Middle and Secondary, the curriculum continues under CBSE guidelines with ISTE standards and a focus on 21st-century skills, offering English, a second language, Arabic, Environment Studies, Mathematics, Moral Education, Islamic Studies or Moral Science, UAE Social Studies, Computer Science, Robotics, Global Citizenship, Art and Library. Senior Secondary follows CBSE at the senior level, based on the National Curriculum Framework-2005, with subjects including Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Business Studies, Accountancy, Economics, Informative Practices, English and Arabic as a second language, along with mock examinations and career/higher education guidance.

Shining Star International School follows ADEK's Well-Being Policy to support students' emotional, social, physical, and academic well-being. Counseling services are available to provide one‑to‑one and group support, and the school implements mindfulness and stress‑reduction programs to aid emotional regulation. Anti‑bullying initiatives, social skills workshops, and peer mentoring are in place to foster healthy peer relationships. A Well‑Being Committee oversees well‑being initiatives, with staff professional development on student well‑being and regular parental engagement to support well‑being at home and in school. The school emphasises a holistic approach to student wellbeing across these domains.

Shining Star International School is described as an inclusive school and provides SEN support within the mainstream setting. It offers Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) for students of determination, extra academic support, and Learning Support Assistants to ensure safety and academic help. Modifications to classwork and exams, plus modified papers, are provided based on individual needs, with a Learning Support Team monitoring activities to ensure access to learning and extracurriculars. The Inclusion Policy defines accommodations and modifications to teaching and assessments, adaptive teaching, assistive technology, and a range of supports for Additional Learning Needs, including multilingual learners and twice‑exceptional students. In short, SSIS supports a spectrum of needs within a mainstream framework rather than being a specialist SEN institution.

Multilingual Learners are specifically recognised as students who are acquiring the language of instruction and require additional language support to access and attain with their peers. The Inclusion Policy outlines that accommodations and modifications to teaching and assessments, adaptive teaching, and assistive technologies are used to support these learners. The school's inclusion structure includes a Head of Inclusion, Inclusion Teachers, and an Inclusion Team to coordinate language and learning support, including documentation such as Learning Plans (IEP/ISP/ILP) where appropriate. The policy also emphasises Universal Design for Learning and equitable access to education for language learners within mainstream classrooms.

SSIS promotes mental wellbeing through its Well‑Being Policy, aligned with ADEK's framework, covering emotional, social, physical, and intellectual well‑being. It provides access to counselors for individual and group support and runs regular workshops on mental health, resilience, and emotional regulation. Physical and social wellbeing programs, including anti‑bullying campaigns and peer mentoring, are part of the school's well‑being initiatives. The Pastoral Care Policy emphasises PERMA‑influenced, relationship‑based approaches and mentoring to support students' welfare, with form tutors and counselors playing key roles in monitoring and supporting well‑being. Collaboration with external agencies is planned for specialist mental health support when needed.

Shining Star International School has a Child Protection Policy and a Safeguarding Policy that underscore the welfare of children as paramount. A Child Protection Committee (CPC) is established to manage safeguarding with defined leadership levels and clear preventive, reporting, and responsive processes; staff are oriented on recognizing signs of abuse and must report concerns via designated channels. The policies set out awareness, prevention, reporting, and responding steps, including training, incident reporting procedures, and safeguarding in curriculum delivery. Recruitment and ongoing safeguarding practices include safe recruitment, supervision, and collaboration with external agencies (e.g., Child Protection Services, police, or ADEK) as required. The safeguarding framework is complemented by a separate Safeguarding Policy detailing procedures and compliance requirements.

The school is currently accepting applications for the 2026–2027 academic year. Pre-admission procedure: Parents can complete the online registration form for 2026–2027, ensuring that all requested details are completely filled out; an auto generated email is sent once the application is received by the school. Checklist for Admission: A list of documents required during admission is provided. Post-Admission procedure: After the admission has been processed, an admission slip containing the Admission reference No with the Class & Division will be handed over to the parent. Apply for Admission: The school provides an 'Apply for Admission' option and a 'Register Now' button for online enrollment. Open Days: Open Days are held for prospective parents and students from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM every Thursday and Saturday (excluding public and school holidays); to schedule a visit, click 'Book a Visit'. Online Enrolment: Online enrolment is available at ssis.ethdigitalcampus.com.