As parents, when we consider schools for our children (and aren’t we lucky to be able to live somewhere where we have the choice) there are numerous factors that come into play. Curriculum, facilities, sports and arts programme, reputation, extra-curricular activities, location and fees. And whilst these are all important, none more so than the educators that will be responsible for ensuring our child’s educational success.

That’s why the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai has been on an extensive international search to find the school’s new senior leadership team of the Prep School ahead of their opening in Tilal Al Ghaf (Hessa Street) later this year. This team will be at the helm of delivering the school’s 500-year heritage and forward-thinking approach to teaching and learning when it opens its Dubai campus for FS1 to Year 6 students this September.

RGS

The senior leadership team in Dubai will be responsible for emulating the tremendous success and proven track record of the parent school, Royal Grammar School Guildford, one of the most prestigious independent British Curriculum schools in the UK. The Royal Grammar School Guildford is consistently ranked as one of the leading schools in the UK at both A Level and GCSE according to the national league tables and over the past 10 years, more than 325 graduates have gone on to attend top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Former pupils known as ‘Old Guildfordians’ also include a number of Olympic and sporting personalities, a former Prime Minister, and many notable names in politics and the arts.

Responsible for recruiting the founding senior leadership team is Head of Prep, Clare Turnbull, who served as the Head of Prep at Royal Grammar School Guildford for 13 years. She commented: “I am delighted to have found candidates to form the senior leadership team here in Dubai that possess a wealth of teaching experience, talent and a deep understanding of the values, ethos and learning habits that are so vital to the Royal Grammar School Guildford. We have the best possible team to build the foundation of the school and we can’t wait to welcome pupils in September.”

RGS

The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai’s senior leadership team includes three teachers who have a wealth of experience from teaching at the parent school in the UK. Assistant Head, Upper KS2, Mr Joe Creal is very much looking forward to bringing the spirit of the Royal Grammar School Guildford in the UK, a school that he loves and knows so well, over to Dubai. Head of Inclusion, Mrs Laura Evans is a proud custodian of the Royal Grammar School Guildford’s values and learning habits after heading up the Learning Support and EAL Departments at the prep school in Guildford for the past 11 years. And Director of Sport, Mr James Bennett brings with him more than 15 years of experience in sports teaching at prestigious preparatory schools in the UK and has extensive coaching experience in cricket, football, swimming, athletics, gymnastics and climbing, and is looking forward to helping the pupils at Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai achieve their sporting goals, as well as helping them develop a love of physical activity.

Joining the team is Head of Early Years, Mrs Angela Sutherland, who has sixteen years of school leadership experience across the primary age range from roles in both the UK and the Middle East and Assistant Head of KS1, Mrs Beckie Bennett, has more than 10 years of primary, early years and sports teaching experience. Mr Imran Akhtar, who joins as Assistant Head, Lower KS2, has 13 years of teaching experience from both UK based schools and outstanding rated schools in the UAE and Mrs Sajida Al Bashir as Head of Arabic and Islamic Studies, who brings 24 years of Arabic, Islamic and Social Studies teaching experience from schools across the Middle East with her to her role.

The new school that will accommodate and support up to 2,100 pupils is located within Majid Al Futtaim’s flagship Dubai community, Tilal Al Ghaf, adjacent to Hessa Street, between Dubai Motor City and Sports City. It sits on an impressive 40,000 square metre campus and will officially open its doors in September 2021 (subject to KHDA approval and completion of construction of the campus). The light and dynamic building includes a 25-metre competition standard swimming pool and state-of-the-art classrooms and labs that will support science, art, languages, music and more.

Admissions for the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai are now open from FS1 to Year 6. For more information about the school and the admissions process, please visit rgsgd.com or email enquiries@rgsgd.com.

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