Edarabia had the opportunity to interview the Principal of Reach British School, Abu Dhabi, to explore how the school is shaping a balanced and future-ready learning experience. In this discussion, he shares how students are guided to think critically, communicate effectively, and adapt confidently in a rapidly changing world. He also explains how digital responsibility, inclusion, wellbeing, and personalised learning are embedded across the school to ensure every student is supported to grow, achieve, and thrive.

1. With the UAE making AI a formal subject from Kindergarten to Grade 12 this year, how has your school transitioned from “using AI tools” to “teaching AI” as a core competency?

At Reach British School, an international school in Abu Dhabi and part of ISP, we have taken a deliberately balanced approach: embracing AI, while protecting the thinking skills that matter most.

Students engage in structured discussions about what AI is, how it works, its limitations, and its ethical implications. Through form time projects, they explore how data trains AI systems and why human judgement still matters.

In Key Stage 4 and post-16 (Years 10–13), AI is embedded within the ICT curriculum. Students analyse real-world applications, interrogate bias, and explore ethical use. They may use AI tools to support tasks such as structuring ideas, but the thinking, reasoning, and evaluation always remain their own.

As part of ISP, our students also benefit from shared global expertise and collaboration across schools, ensuring our approach to AI is informed, current, and internationally benchmarked.

2. In light of the 2025 nationwide smartphone ban, how has your school culture shifted? Have you seen a tangible impact on student social interaction and focus?

Reach British School became a phone-free school in 2024 through a partnership with Yondr. It was a decision rooted in a clear belief: students need space to think, interact, and learn without constant digital interruption.

The impact has been immediate and visible. Staff and students report:

• Improved focus in lessons
• More meaningful social interaction
• Reduced low-level distraction and digital anxiety

We have taken a firm position: students learn better when they are not constantly connected.

We have seen quieter students become more confident once those digital distractions are removed.

More importantly, parents tell us they are seeing the difference at home. Children are more present, more communicative, and more engaged.

This is a conscious point of difference for us. While many schools are navigating technology cautiously, we have taken a firm, values-led position: technology should support learning, not compete with it.

3. How does the school balance the new AI guidelines (such as the ban on GenAI for students under 13 with the need to keep older students competitive and ethically aware?

Our approach is developmentally appropriate and firmly grounded in ethics, at Reach British School.

For students under 13, we align fully with national guidance: no direct use of generative AI. Instead, students build understanding through discussion, teacher-led modelling, and critical evaluation of AI-generated content.

For older students, particularly in Years 10–13, the focus shifts to guided use. Students learn when AI is appropriate, how to verify its accuracy, and how to maintain academic integrity.

This is reinforced through the ISP Life Competencies, which is a framework shared across ISP schools globally, ensuring that responsibility, respect, and critical thinking underpin every interaction with technology.

4. How is the school integrating the mandatory national subjects (Arabic, Islamic Studies, and National Identity) to ensure they resonate with a diverse, international student body?

At Reach British School, we view national subjects as an opportunity to build connection and understanding within our diverse community of over 70 nationalities.

Arabic is delivered through clearly structured pathways, First Language and Additional Language, with further grouping by proficiency. This ensures students make meaningful progress at the right level.

In line with ADEK expectations, Arabic is taught primarily in Arabic, supported by modelling and visual strategies to build confidence.

Islamic Studies and National Identity are adapted to ensure accessibility, with lessons primarily in English while preserving key Arabic terminology and texts.

Students are encouraged to connect these values to their own experiences, and through events and activities, develop a genuine sense of belonging within the UAE.

5. Beyond academic transcripts, what are the three “non-negotiable” skills you believe a student must graduate with to thrive in the 2030s?

In a world shaped by AI, students must be able to question information, articulate ideas clearly, and adapt to change with confidence. These are not “soft skills”; they are essential capabilities.

Our focus is not just on what students achieve, but on how they think and who they become.

6. With the job market evolving so rapidly, how do you steer students toward adaptability rather than just specific career paths?

We shift the conversation from “what do you want to be?” to “what kind of thinker and person do you want to be?”

At Reach British School our students are exposed to a wide range of experiences including but not limited to competitions, leadership roles, community projects, and guest speakers. Over time, they begin to understand what motivates them.

We also have open conversations about how industries are changing due to AI. Parents often tell us they value this honesty, as it helps families make informed, flexible decisions rather than chasing fixed career paths.

7. How does your school move beyond the “one-size-fits-all” model to ensure that a student’s unique strengths are recognized and nurtured?

At Reach British School, personalisation is intentional, not incidental.

“The Reach British School Way” approach allows students to demonstrate understanding in different ways — written, verbal, creative, or practical.

Beyond the classroom, students can explore a wide range of opportunities, from debating and coding to mentoring and student-led platforms such as Reach British School Radio.

We have seen students who may not initially excel in exams thrive when given alternative ways to express their strengths and that confidence often carries back into academic performance.

8. How do you practically teach resilience so that students view rapid global changes as opportunities rather than threats?

Resilience is built through experience.

At Reach British School, setbacks are treated as part of the learning process. Students are guided to reflect, adapt, and try again, building confidence over time.

They are also encouraged to step outside their comfort zones through leadership, public speaking, and competitions, within a supportive environment.

We consistently frame change as something students can shape. That mindset, of agency rather than anxiety, is what prepares them for the future.

9. With rising academic pressures, what “boots-on-the-ground” support systems are in place to catch signs of burnout before they become crises?

Every student at Reach British School is known.

Daily contact with form tutors allows early identification of changes in wellbeing. Our counsellors work proactively within the school, and staff are trained to recognise and respond to early signs of stress.

We also coordinate assessments carefully to avoid unnecessary pressure peaks.

Parents often tell us this visibility and responsiveness is one of the reasons they feel confident in the school. Concerns are noticed early, not after they escalate.

10. How is the school evolving its support for “Students of Determination” to ensure they are not just included, but are actively excelling?

Inclusion at Reach British School is paired with high expectations.

Each Student of Determination has a tailored plan, and adaptive teaching is embedded across the school, not limited to a single team.

Students are fully involved in all aspects of school life, and we actively look for ways to help them succeed and lead.

Our belief is simple: every student should have the opportunity not just to participate, but to excel in their own way.

Beyond preventing cyberbullying, how are you teaching students to curate a “digital footprint” they can be proud of as they enter adulthood?

We encourage students to think about the story their digital presence tells.

Through PSHE and ICT at Reach British School, they explore how universities and employers engage with online profiles and learn how to use platforms positively, to showcase skills, interests, and values.

By the time they leave us, students are not just safe online, they are intentional and confident in how they present themselves.

11. In an era of hybrid initiatives like “Ramadan with the Family,” how has the role of the parent changed in your school’s ecosystem?

At Reach British School, parents are partners.

We have moved beyond simply informing families to actively involving them in the learning journey. Events such as International Day and House activities are part of building a genuine community.

Education does not stop at the school gate, and when school and home work together, the impact is far greater.

12. How do you ensure your veteran teachers feel empowered — rather than overwhelmed — by the constant influx of new educational technologies and mandates?

We start with respect for experience.

Teachers are involved in how new initiatives are implemented, ensuring they have ownership and confidence. Professional development is practical and paced, supported by peer collaboration such as Buddy Up observation weeks. At Reach British School, as an ISP School, our teachers have regular access to CPD courses that allow them to learn at their own pace. This ensures that innovation strengthens teaching, rather than overwhelming it.

13. If you could leave one inspiring message or lesson for your school community and the wider world, what would it be?

Be curious about people.

In a world increasingly shaped by technology, curiosity — listening, understanding, and connecting — remains the foundation of empathy and leadership.

At Reach British School, this is what we strive to develop: young people who are thoughtful, grounded, and ready to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.