1. What inspired you to become an educator?

I was always passionate about learning and acquiring knowledge from a young age. I was often curious about certain things and enjoyed learning more about them in my own time.

I chose to become an educator as I felt passionately about improving the lives of others through education. During my time at school, intelligence was often measured by typical academic standards and I knew there were far more ways in which to measure intelligence and be successful. This motivated me to start teaching and working with a range of students across a number of subjects.

2. Tell us about your journey to becoming the principal of Newlands?

I come from a sporting background and feel that my characteristics and attributes were shaped during this time. Resilience, grit, organization, communication and leadership were all skills and attributes I developed growing up and playing sports. When I moved into teaching, these attributes became transferable and I was quickly identified as someone who would be an ‘accelerated leader’.

I started teaching Sports Science in a high-performing sports college in the UK before transitioning to Secondary education where I would teach PE, Business Studies and Biology.

During my second year of teaching, I progressed to Head of Key Stage Four and in my third teaching year, secured a role as Assistant Principal.

I had always wanted to teach abroad and experience new cultures so I made the decision to come to Dubai. I previously spent five years as the Vice Principal and Head of Secondary at a 3-19 school before joining Newlands as principal this year.

3. As an educational leader, how do you encourage innovation and adaptability among your teaching staff to prepare students for an ever-changing world?

I believe teachers will always know their subjects and students better than the leaders. I think creating a safe, collaborative environment where teachers can take risks with resources, strategies and activities is important. Only then will we create an innovative and adaptive culture in which to prepare students for the ever-changing world. If we restrict our teacher’s creativity, we will deliver the status quo.

4. Dubai is known for its rapid development and technological advancements. How does Newlands/Beaconhouse stay ahead in integrating technology into education, and how do you ensure a healthy balance between screen time and traditional learning?

We believe technology should enhance and support learning – not replace it. We are mindful of the range of technologies we implement into the curriculum and ensure all students have the skills and knowledge to access these in a way which supports their learning. We now have a range of subjects that are completely digital due to their future demands but also understand many subjects and disciplines require students to produce outcomes that cannot be expressed solely through technology.

5. Could you describe the academic programs offered at Newlands/Beaconhouse? How do these programs align with the British curriculum while catering to the needs of students in Dubai?

Newlands is proud to serve a diverse community in Dubai. We offer a broad, British curriculum that allows students to express themselves across a range of areas. We are aware of the needs of our students and parents and provide personalized adaptations where possible. We know our students will move on to higher education at locations around the world so we are diligent in ensuring they meet the requirements of these institutes through their studies at Newlands.

6. Dubai is a city known for its multicultural environment. How does Newlands/Beaconhouse leverage this cultural diversity to enrich the educational experience and promote global citizenship among its students?

Newlands celebrates diversity not only among its students but also its teachers, leaders and governors. We are proud to have students and teachers from all over the world who offer a range of insights into different cultures and experiences. We actively promote our students to be curious about other cultures and practice tolerance throughout their development at Newlands. Our curricula are successful in creating strong links to real-life examples within and outside of the UAE.

7. What steps does Newlands/Beaconhouse take to nurture the professional development of its teaching staff and ensure they remain up-to-date with the latest educational trends and best practices?

Newlands is proud to adopt an approach to learning that is underpinned by the most current research in education. The teachers and leaders of the school constantly reflect on the existing practices to ensure they remain effective in improving student outcomes. We know the needs of students in education change frequently and therefore we use evidence from leading researchers such as; the Education Endowment Foundation, John Hattie’s Visible Learning and The Sutton Trust. We create opportunities for our teachers to lead their own and their peers’ development throughout their journey at Newlands.

8. As a leader, what challenges have you encountered while overseeing a school in Dubai, and how have you addressed them?

One of the main challenges of leading a school in Dubai is understanding the transitional nature of the region. Some students, parents and teachers have settled in Dubai and call it their home whilst others are in Dubai as part of a wider picture. It is important to have stability in an organisation and therefore we recruit teachers diligently to ensure we have the right demographic within our community.

We have created a successful programme that caters for students joining us late into their education, many of whom may never have spoken Arabic before but appreciate this is an exciting challenge!

9. What advice would you offer educators who aspire to take on leadership roles within educational institutions?

Firstly, I would say it is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling roles within education. It is a role which has its challenges but is heavily outweighed by the rewards gained from leading students through their education.

It is important for a leader to establish their ‘why’ as Simon Sinek explains. The ‘why’ is what will keep leaders motivated, resilient and focused during challenging times. It also helps leaders establish strong cultures within their school which is the pre-requisite of any success.

10. The field of education is evolving rapidly. In your view, how do you see the future of education shaping up?

I believe education will always fluctuate in terms of context demands. We have seen periods of education that focused heavily on knowledge acquisition and then periods which valued skill development more. The future of education will likely revolve around our need to better understand the use of AI and technology in the ever-changing environment we live in. Those who possess high levels of knowledge in these fields and have the skills, characteristics and attributes to make an impact on civilization, will be the innovators of the future.