Four months into her new role as principal of the shiny new British International School Abu Dhabi, the personable Lesley-Ann Wallace sits down with Abu Dhabi Week to spill the beans on education in the capital
Since arriving in Abu Dhabi in December last year, it’s been all go for BISAD’s new head teacher Lesley-Ann Wallace. After working in schools in Kuwait and Malaysia, the five years spent as assistant principal at Nord Anglia’s International School in Shanghai have been the perfect preparation as she assumes control at one of the capital’s newest schools.
“The school is still new and growing very fast. We’re now into our second academic year since it’s been open – we opened with about 200 enrolled students and we’re up to about 600 this year and growing all of the time,” says Lesley-Ann. “It’s a very exciting time for the school – opening up new classes and year levels. Next year we’re starting year 10 (GCSE’s), so it’s great to be in the middle of all of that.”
Staying within the Nord Anglia family was very important to her and, as well as being the next logical career step, she felt Abu Dhabi was the perfect fit for her young family.
“It’s fantastic here. There’s a lovely feel to the city – very family-oriented and I like that. Everyone’s really friendly and the climate is another bonus,” she says as we take a tour of the impressive campus she’s now in charge of.
The quality of education and the support from the government was also key in her decision-making process.
“We get a lot of support from ADEC and there’s a good two-way relationship. I think one of the benefits of this region is that there’s such a high standard to keep and there is that accountability factor for all of the schools.”
5am “The alarm goes off at five and I’m always trying to convince myself that I’m going to the gym before work but it just doesn’t seem to have happened yet. At the moment it’s an absolute madhouse here in the mornings – my husband works in the PE department and my children (aged seven and eight) also go the school in years two and four – so it’s frantic getting packed lunches together, making sure uniforms
are ready.
7am “The first half hour at school is a really busy period as all the staff are arriving and we have an ‘open door’ policy so the doors are open from 7.30am when parents start bringing their children into school.
“We have a fantastic diverse mix of students – 35 percent British students, about 18 percent GCC and a whole range of Australian, New Zealanders and Americans. We recently got two new children from Korea and that’s nice for me on a personal level because obviously there was high proportion of Korean students in Shanghai where I was before.
7.45am “The school day officially starts now. I’ve dropped off my children at their classes and I do my first rounds of the school, just generally walking the corridors and doing
the ‘hellos’.
12.30pm “I normally have a number of meetings throughout the morning but
during break-times and lunchtime I like to be out in the corridors spending as much time as possible with the pupils. No day is ever the same and that’s what I like most about my job.
4.30pm “The end of the day is when the real work starts. The school tends to be quiet by now and I finally get a chance to sit down in my office and go through emails and clear all the correspondence that’s built up during the day.
7pm “I’ll normally continue to work from home in the evening, although my one guilty pleasure is American Idol – I will stop everything to watch it whenever it’s on.
Final Thoughts: “I certainly intend to be here for at least another five years and see the school become a large private institution.
“Taking something from the beginning and watching it grow, putting all the things that go with the school into place, not just the academics but building a community – that’s what excites me.”
Jon Muller
