From Vision to Reality: Shaping the Future of All-Girls Education in Oman

Edarabia had the opportunity to interview Helen Booth-Smith, Principal at Downe House Muscat, to explore the school’s distinctive approach to all-girls education, its commitment to academic excellence, and how it nurtures confidence, character, and leadership in young women. Ms. Booth-Smith shared key insights into how Downe House Muscat blends the heritage of its UK counterpart with the cultural richness of Oman, offering students a truly empowering and future-focused educational experience.

1. You’ve led schools through various stages of improvement. What are your first priorities as Principal now that you’ve stepped into this role?

My immediate focus is on embedding our ambitious vision while strengthening what already makes Downe House Muscat special. We believe education is a transformative journey, and this philosophy drives everything we do.

I’m prioritising consistent academic excellence delivery. We have fantastic teachers across the school, and I’m committed to ensuring they’re well-supported and trained to deliver a top-class British education. This aligns with one of our Downe House DNA strands: aspiration – we set high expectations for both students and staff, and my job is to make sure everyone has what they need to meet them.

2. How are you planning to integrate mental well-being and emotional literacy into the daily experience of students?

Mental well-being sits at the heart of everything because you simply cannot achieve academic success without strong mental health. It’s that fundamental. Our pastoral care is already well-known in the community, but we’re enhancing our approach by embedding wellbeing into the curriculum across subjects. Our unique environment supports the teaching of emotional literacy perfectly – the co-educational setup in Kindergarten to Grade 4 builds strong social skills alongside academic foundations, while our girls-only approach from Grade 5 lets us tailor our pastoral care to how girls learn best, nurturing confidence, resilience, and leadership.

3. Given your experience in the UK, what would you say are the most valuable practices you’ve brought from the UK that you’ve adapted to fit Muscat’s unique educational landscape?

British Independent schools provide so much more than qualifications on paper – they provide holistic education and instil confidence that allows students to go out into the world as leaders. Our ‘Beyond the Curriculum’ (BTC) programme takes its lead from this philosophy.

We encourage all students to take at least two BTCs weekly and challenge themselves in areas they don’t encounter in the standard curriculum. Students are entering international robotics competitions, travelling to the UAE with our netball team, learning to ride, or researching articles for the school newspaper. It’s within these extra-curriculars that students really learn about themselves and develop as people.

Most schools teach basic skills. Downe House Muscat goes beyond curriculum basics to ensure our students leave as outward-looking people prepared for life’s challenges. A strong British education provides an excellent foundation for whatever comes next.

4. Holistic development is a recurring theme in your philosophy. Can you share specific extracurricular or well-being initiatives you’re looking to enhance or introduce under your leadership?

Holistic development is fundamental to our vision of being a British school in Muscat. Balancing academic success with varied extra-curricular programmes can be challenging, and supporting student well-being is vital at each age.

I’ve appointed a dedicated pastoral leader who is joining my Senior Leadership Team with responsibility for all student wellbeing needs. Having one person focused on wellbeing means we can really concentrate on each grade and each student’s needs. She leads a team of tutors providing daily pastoral care for every child.

I’m also expanding our dedicated school counsellor’s role, who will support parents in managing their children and supporting them at home. It’s about creating a complete support network.

5. How do you balance academic rigour with creativity and student voice in shaping the curriculum and classroom experience?

Creativity is embedded across all subjects. Our teachers use varied activities catering to different learning needs while maintaining high engagement levels. Creativity means thinking outside the box and meeting student needs. If that means lessons in our beautiful Sikka courtyard, so be it! We’re not confined to classrooms or textbooks.

Student voice operates through our Student Council. Each grade elects class captains who provide feedback to Senior Leadership. Student initiatives include weekly assemblies, charity bake sales, House competitions, and changes to food provision and trips. Listening to students doesn’t undermine academic ambitions – we ensure they feel safe and valued while learning at the highest level

6. How proactive is the school in matters of student stress and bullying?

We’re proactive in creating a safe, inclusive environment because it’s fundamental to our vision. Our compassionate approach drives us to address issues before they escalate. From Grade 5 up, we implement comprehensive staff training on ‘Girls on Board’ principles and restorative approaches. This system, adopted from Downe House UK’s successful model, supports girls to advocate for themselves with staff as guides. We focus on resolution, accepting responsibility and consequences, and supporting students moving forward. We also help parents navigate these issues at home, recognising that much bullying now occurs online.

7. How do you help students build the skills they need for life after graduation?

Our vision explicitly states our goal: academic success for future-ready individuals who shape the world with purpose, confidence, and integrity. This future-readiness drives our entire approach. We offer flexible academic pathways where students can choose A Levels or GED after IGCSE completion, ensuring alignment with their strengths and aspirations for international universities or opportunities within Oman. We ensure leadership development happens through all our school programmes, such as the House competitions and BTCs, helping to build confidence in our students and connect classroom learning to real-world applications.

8. How involved are parents and the community in making the school better?

We take parent feedback seriously and are committed to engaging with the community we serve. Our annual survey helps us understand family needs, and I’m excited to launch our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in September. The PTA will ensure we fully capture what our community requires and can respond effectively to concerns.

9. How do you develop a school culture that attracts and keeps great teachers?

Attracting and retaining excellent teachers starts with a clear vision and strong values. We ensure everyone – teachers and admin alike – align with our values and contribute to our Staff Values Framework. This means everyone understands from day one what we expect and what they can expect from us.

Approaching staff as partners in the school’s journey rather than workers implementing a top-down vision helps us build a supportive community focused on everyone’s career goals. Our collaborative culture means teachers work together solving problems rather than struggling alone. We celebrate effort, progress and excellence across all areas – this applies to staff as well as students.

10. Do teachers at your school have growth opportunities for leadership roles?

Absolutely. As a school entering our fourth year, we’re continuously growing with need for various new roles. Where appropriate, I like promoting from within, so our teachers know they have career opportunities within Downe House Muscat. We want our teachers to reach their full potential just as we do our students.

Next year, I’m launching our Downe House Muscat Educational Leadership Programme, supporting teachers who apply to become what would be called Lead Practitioners in the UK. This programme is open to all and supports excellence in classroom practice, delves into latest pedagogical research, and explores our community’s unique needs.

11. Which after-school activity would you say has the biggest positive impact on a student’s future?

Rather than identifying a single activity, the biggest impact comes from students engaging authentically with activities aligning with their interests and developing multiple aspects of our DNA. With so many activities on offer, there’s always something to spark interest and imagination, and that’s the key to success. Find your passions and develop your character.

If I had to pick a personal favourite, though, it would be Book Club. I trained as an English teacher and could talk about books for hours! I turned my own passion into a career spanning 18 years and counting. I always have a book on the go – usually detective or historical fiction – which helps me unwind. Finding ways to relax is vital in our modern, busy world. Whether our BTCs support future careers or just relaxation, both will help our students in their futures.

12. As a Principal, what is your definition of success?

Success is seeing my vision realised: academic success for future-ready individuals who shape the world with purpose, confidence, and integrity. I want to see all our students achieving their potential while developing confidence and the resilience to tackle challenges independently. It’s about creating graduates who can thrive internationally while maintaining meaningful connections to their cultural roots.

13. If you had the opportunity to inspire the world in one sentence, what would that sentence be?

“Every child deserves to discover not just what they can learn, but who they can become – and it’s our job as educators to light that path with possibility, purpose and unwavering belief in their potential”.