Ahmed AWad
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Summary
I am a professional educator with over 26 years of experience in education leadership and management, training, and teaching. I have project management and leadership experience in the Gulf region, KSA, Oman, and the UK. My roles have included collaborating closely with school principals and leadership teams. I am innovative and success-driven, able to coach school leaders and bring about sustainable and substantial change within the professional learning communitiesI establish and sustain. Fluent in Arabic with a great understanding of the UAE educational, social, and cultural contexts. Capable school leader with demonstrated success in motivating staff and optimizing program operations across a 26-year history of accomplishment in education. Experienced in organising facilities, supplies and educators to handle wide-ranging needs. Highly-organised, resourceful and forward-thinking leader.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Executive Principal
International Academic School
Abu Dhabi
08.2019 - Current
- Moved the school from Acceptable to Good in the last inspection in February 2022
- Shared my vision of growth with all stakeholders including students and the junior leadership team
- Parents, board of directors, and MOE officials during my interview for the principal license
- Created and sustained a strong SLT which included heads of KG
- Primary and Middle School to enable distributed leadership across the sections
- Established strong links with parents (PTA) and external agencies (MOE/ADEK) to provide the community with strong links with the school activities
- Created a robust SDP that responds to the recommendations of the latest ADEK monitoring visit (Inspection)
- Raised the attainment levels of 60% of the students in MAP Growth Tests which SLT uses to evaluate teachers’ effectiveness as an essential part of their KPIs and SMART Targets
- Created six working parties led by aspiring leaders who unpacked each standard to all staff, responded to the recommendations stated for each standard, and gained staff input into the SDP
- Created an annual CPD plan that follows the TNA process completion through the triangulation process
- Created a solid middle leaders’ team that can monitor the quality of teaching and learning and then create an accurate and honest SEF by the start of December of every academic year.
Director of Professional Development
Al Nahda National Schools Group
Abu Dhabi
08.2018 - 08.2019
- Led the school in achieving rank A in all Irtiqa’a six standards in their last inspection (ADEK); through the facilitation of engaging workshops on various extensive ideas such as student-centered learning, differentiation, AOL, AFL, and lesson study
- This enabled the board of directors to successfully secure a 4% increase in the school fees which ADEK Approved
- Created and sustained a strong SLT which included heads of Primary, and secondary at both the British and American sections to enable distributed leadership across the sections
- Raised the attainment and progress levels in most departments from acceptable to Good
- Established strong links with parents (PTA) and external agencies (ADEK) to provide the community with strong links with the school activities
- Enabled ten teachers to become peer coaches (TOTs) which enhanced the school CPD workforce.
School Principal
United School of Baniyas– Ben Ham Groups
Abu Dhabi
09.2017 - 07.2018
- Led the school in achieving rank B in all Irtiqa’a six standards in their last inspection (ADEK); through the facilitation of engaging workshops on various extensive ideas such as student-centered learning, differentiation, AOL, AFL, and lesson study
- This enabled the school to reopen the admission to new students and renew the school license with ADEK
- Raised the attainment and progress levels in most departments from very weak to acceptable and Good.
Director of Professional Development
Razi Education Trust
Dubai
08.2015 - 08.2017
- Espoused three GEMS schools in achieving outstanding in all DIS (KHDA) six standards in their last inspection
- Raised the attainment and progress levels in both Arabic and Islamic studies from unacceptable to acceptable and good through my engaging workshops and the strategy cycle on various teaching pedagogy (student-centered learning, AFL, Differentiation)
- Enabled thirteen teachers to become peer coaches which enhanced the school CPD workforce, which was the catalyst in establishing GEMS Tellal CPD Institute.
ADEK project Lead Professional Development Specialist
University of Florida College of Education – Lastinger Centre for Learning
07.2012 - 07.2015
- Raised the attainment and progress levels in most departments from acceptable to Good
- Enabled ten of the Head of Faculties to become peer coaches which enhanced the school's CPD workforce
- Improved the quality of teaching across three schools by introducing the lesson study module (Research Lesson) which enabled the school to enhance the quality of teaching and student’s attainment levels
- (Irtiqa’a Standards 1 and 3)
- Enabled the school leaders to create accurate and honest SEF reflecting on the inspection recommendations in their SDPs.
Cluster Manager Leadership Coach
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT)
Al Ain
01.2009 - 07.2012
- Raised the attainment and progress levels in most departments from acceptable to Good through the facilitation of engaging workshops on various extensive ideas such as student-centered learning, differentiation, AOL, AFL, and lesson study
- Enabled ten of the Head of Faculties to become peer coaches then they achieved the Lead Practitioner status which enhanced the school's CPD workforce
- Enabled the school leaders to create accurate and honest SEF reflecting on the inspection recommendations in their SDPs
- Twined a school in a remote area of Al Ain with a school in south Bristol in the UK through the Connected classroom program in conjunction with the British Council in the UAE
- Achieved an outstanding ranking in four out of the five schools in my cluster during their picari inspection visits
- Selected to be a keynote speaker in the first SSAT educational conference in the Middle East (Shifting Education) where I unpacked my research on coaching from theory to practice
- Member of the inspection team with Penta inspection _ADEK and private schools in Al Ain
Vice Principal Teaching and Learning Subject Mentor (PGCE) NQTs
Capital City Academy
London
09.2004 - 12.2008
- Raised the attainment and progress levels in most departments from acceptable to Good
- Improved the quality of teaching across three schools by introducing the lesson study module (Research Lesson) which enabled the school to enhance the quality of teaching and student’s attainment levels
- (Ofsted)
- The school moved from acceptable to Good
- Supported twenty PGCE students in achieving their QTS status and securing teaching positions within the academy and other good schools
- Graduated ten Teach First Teachers during my time at the academy, they gained their QTS status
- Improved the quality of teaching in the SEN, EAL, and English departments by introducing PLCs across the academy which increased the number of SEN and EAL students achieving their SATs and GCSE.
HOD EAL - Advanced Skills Coach
Haberdashers' Aske's Academy
Bromley
08.1994 - 08.2004
- Achieved a fresh start to the school as it was under serious weaknesses
- Raised the attainment and progress levels in most departments from very weak to acceptable and good
- Achieved two outstanding lessons during the Ofsted inspection which supported the school to move into fresh start after being under serious weaknesses for four years
- Improved the quality of teaching in the SEN, EAL, and English departments by introducing PLCs across the academy which increased the number of SEN and EAL students achieving level 5 and grade Cs on their SATs and GCSE.
Senior English Language Instructor
FMC / Vinnell Corporation
Saudi Arabia
07.1992 - 07.1994
Teacher of English, ESP, and ESOL
Ministry of Education
Muscat
08.1988 - 06.1992
- Conducted intensive safety audits and investigated reported issues, accidents and near-misses.
Education
Master of Education - Educational Leadership
Murdoch University
PGCE - Education Leadership, Management, and Change
University of Middlesex
B.Ed. - Education and English Literature
School of Education
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Skills
- Instructional Leadership
- School Improvement planning SDP
- Bilingual Education
- Professional Development
- ELT – Advanced Skills Coaching
- Modules Writing
- Creating PLCs and Teacher Training
- Schools accreditation
- Inspection framework
- Developing robust long-term CPD planning
- TOT
- Irtiqa’a School Inspection Framework
Certification
- NPQH - UK - Best Practice Network - August 2023
- ADEK Principal’s license - July 2022
- ADEK Approval - July 2020
- MOE Principal approval - License 2019
- ADEK Principal Approval - License 2017
- TOT Delaware City University - USA - 2017
- United Kingdom (Qualified Teacher Status) QTS - England and Wales - 2007 National College of Teaching and Leadership
- International Baccalaureate Teaching & Learning IB-DP Murdoch University - 2016
- Lead Practitioner - SSAT UK - Coaching/English Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. SSAT Middle East 2009
- Advanced Skills Coach - UK - 2008
- ESL in Mainstream - Government of South Australia - Department of Education - 2009
- TEEP Trainer - Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Program - SSAT - UK - 2011
- Leading for the Future - SSAT UK - 2010
- University of Florida College of Education - Principal Leadership Certificate - 2014
- Coach - International Coaching Federation 2015
Personal Information
Nationality: Irish
Timeline
Executive Principal
International Academic School
08.2019 - Current
Director of Professional Development
Al Nahda National Schools Group
08.2018 - 08.2019
School Principal
United School of Baniyas– Ben Ham Groups
09.2017 - 07.2018
Director of Professional Development
Razi Education Trust
08.2015 - 08.2017
ADEK project Lead Professional Development Specialist
University of Florida College of Education – Lastinger Centre for Learning
07.2012 - 07.2015
Cluster Manager Leadership Coach
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT)
01.2009 - 07.2012
Vice Principal Teaching and Learning Subject Mentor (PGCE) NQTs
Capital City Academy
09.2004 - 12.2008
HOD EAL - Advanced Skills Coach
Haberdashers' Aske's Academy
08.1994 - 08.2004
Senior English Language Instructor
FMC / Vinnell Corporation
07.1992 - 07.1994
Teacher of English, ESP, and ESOL
Ministry of Education
08.1988 - 06.1992
Master of Education - Educational Leadership
Murdoch University
PGCE - Education Leadership, Management, and Change
University of Middlesex
B.Ed. - Education and English Literature
School of Education
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