Meet the principal: Alan Williamson
August 24, 2016, 5:30 pm GMT
Alan Williamson joined Kings' School Al Barsha in February 2016, ahead of the new school year to receive a thorough handover from outgoing principal Bill Turner.
When asked what attracted him to the role at Kings', Williamson says: "The vision, values and scale of the organisation all appealed to me. I loved Kings' motto of 'the best by every child' and truly believed that 'what was written on the tin, was in the tin' when I visited the campus in Dubai. I also wanted to be in a fresh and dynamic school where there was room to shape curriculum, teaching & learning, professional development, and extra-curricular activities."
With the school now in its third year of operation, and "waiting lists in many areas of the school", Williamson is working with Kings' leadership team to work towards the vision the management has set.
"This is my third headship and there is always the temptation to bring quick and radical change to make a new school 'like your old one'. That doesn't work. Schools have their own cultures and identities and you need to make time to understand your new organisation, then set out on a path of evolution not revolution. If I had to identify key objectives it would be to build a strong basis for self-evaluation and to make an impact in the classroom," he notes.
"The leadership of Kings' Dubai has taken the school to eight years 'outstanding' in terms of DSIB ratings and therefore there is an exciting buzz across the Kings' leadership teams. "I am blessed with an energetic staff who are determined that Kings' Al Barsha set out on a journey to excellence and it is refreshing and fulfilling to be leading this team," he adds.
Biography
Alan Williamson graduated from Glasgow University with an Honours Degree in History and Russian Language and started his teaching career at the Anderson School in the Shetland Islands. He is a graduate of the Harvard School of Education and also of the Columba 1400 Headteacher Leadership Academy. As well as being passionate about teaching and learning, he has been actively involved in school leadership related to special education needs. He was recruited by Kings' Education as principal of Kings' School Al Barsha in January 2016.
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