From Values to Vision: How Invictus International School Shapes Future-Ready Learners

Edarabia had the opportunity to interview Ciaran Cunningham-Watson, Principal of Invictus International School Dempsey Campus. With a passion for education and a focus on student development, Ciaran shared his insights on the school’s vision, strategic planning, and commitment to providing a nurturing and inclusive learning environment for all students.

1. What are your plans for 2025?

Our key priorities are on developing our students, staff, and school community engagement. This includes systematic periods of review and subsequent strategic planning to put tangible areas of improvement in place. Central to everything are our Vision, Mission, and Core Values; everything we say we are, do, and how we do it needs to stem from and relate specifically to those foundations and guiding principles.

2. How do you decide what to focus on academically each year, and which new ideas are you pursuing?

Although we have external stimulus from external sources, including ideas and initiatives, we take most of our areas of focus from our school stakeholders, especially our students. We prioritise the input we receive from our students, staff, and parents when we review our existing provision and look at suggestions for further development and improvement. We use all valuable feedback and constructive criticism as part of our strategic planning, for school and staff Professional Learning and Development (PLD). Our strategic improvement plans are all student-centred, taking on board their perspectives, experiences, and those of our families. Together, these help us to ensure there is transparency for our planning. We communicate appropriately with our families, and they appreciate how we listen to them and share our plans with them. This is reflected in their vocal support and tangible engagement with new initiatives.

3. What challenges do you anticipate in the field of education over the next 5 years?

The shortage of quality teachers, coupled with the increasing array of skills and attributes that teachers need to help modern-day children, particularly in terms of wellbeing and personal development, remains a major challenge for educators and parents alike.

4. How do you keep students interested in learning, especially those who struggle or seem unmotivated?

We have amazingly passionate and enthusiastic teachers and supportive parents, who communicate and collaborate on how best we can support our individual and groups of students. The ways in which our teachers encourage our students to engage in lessons and with their learning is something that truly astounds me on a regular basis. Teachers sharing their ideas and examples of best practice with others, as well as communicating with parents, have helped us to create and cultivate a collaborative culture of encouragement and engagement within our close school community.

5. How does the school ensure all students feel welcome and have the same chances to succeed?

As a relatively small school, particularly by modern standards, we pride ourselves on how welcoming we are, how we know our students, and how we help them get to know who they are; our students develop personally and in character, forming their own and group identities.

We are proud of the vibrant sense of care that resonates throughout our entire school community. Guided by our Core Values of Resilience, Responsibility, Excellence, and Empathy, we take pride in nurturing the holistic development of each student. This approach is reflected in our passionate team of school staff, who work selflessly to ensure that our school remains a sanctuary of learning and personal growth.

The words of Arthur Chan summarise belonging for me and act as a reminder of what our fundamental role as parents and educators of children is:

“Diversity is a fact. Equity is a choice. Inclusion is an action. Belonging is an outcome.”

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

Proactive pastoral care and communication are the key to raising awareness of any issues. By having staff and parents communicate promptly and effectively, we identify issues early and address them in an agreed way that is appropriate and effective.

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

We focus on identifying and developing skills now, for them to put into practice as part of their overall personal development. We build in time for structured character development, closely related to our school values, as well as identifying students’ own personal values and characteristics.

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

Our proactive parents play a pivotal role in maintaining a sense of engagement within our school community. Our dedicated PTA supports school initiatives and fosters strong home-school partnerships, strengthening our child-centred approach. Our parent class representatives also play an important role in ensuring that our students benefit from a cohesive support system that extends beyond the confines of the campus.

Although we are proud of the regular positive feedback that we receive from our parents, we always want to improve. Our parents appreciate the personalised attention their children receive, the open lines of communication, and how we receive and listen to perspectives and suggestions for improvement.

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

A cornerstone of our school’s philosophy is our commitment to staff professional learning and development. We understand that the quality of education and care we provide for our students is intrinsically linked to the quality of our staff. We empower all members of staff to improve the provision of education and pastoral care that we offer our students and the overall experience for our parents.

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

We invest in the professional learning and development of all of our staff, including teachers. We have a strong culture of identifying our potential leaders through succession planning and giving people opportunities to lead on departmental and whole school initiatives. We value people before processes and place a strong emphasis on empowering our team members so that they can take up positions of leadership and responsibility.

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

The tangible measure of our school’s success is visible in the daily smiles on our children, staff, and parents. Students can take advantage of a range of activities that run during the school day, such as swimming and externally provided singing and music lessons. Our Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) programme is plentiful, popular, and contributes to a genuinely holistic educational experience for our students. Rather than pick out one activity in particular, the availability of options and encouragement to try new activities are significant in character building, as well as learning new skills.

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

Students, staff, and parents are being intellectually curious, developing a love of learning, and developing in character. People being trusted, supported, and given the confidence to try to be the best version of themselves, particularly in the service of others, is what I personally believe shows the greatest success in integrity. That is what I value most and try to live by and lead by example.

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

“You have two lives, and the second one begins when you realise you only have one.” Confucius