Ash Mount School Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne Interview with Education UAE
Ash Mount School, the newest addition to Interstar Education’s portfolio, is set to open in Dubai’s Mudon community in August 2026. In this exclusive interview, Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne shares how the school will live its values and shape a future-ready learning community.
Interstar Education has announced the launch of Ash Mount School, a landmark all-through campus in Dubai’s Mudon community, scheduled to open in August 2026. The school will serve students aged 3 to 18 years, opening initially from Pre-KG to Grade 8 (subject to KHDA approval), and expanding year on year until it reaches Grade 12.
With purpose-built facilities including science labs, drama and music studios, swimming pools, tennis courts and sports pitches, the school aims to deliver world-class opportunities inside and outside the classroom.
Ash Mount School joins a respected family of schools under the Interstar Advisory Services Education Group, led by Mr. Dinesh Kothari and Mr. Amit Kothari. Interstar currently educates more than 16,000 students across the UAE in schools such as Victory Heights Primary School (rated Outstanding by KHDA), South View School, and the Delhi Private Schools in Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. Interstar will also open Victory Heights Primary School, City of Arabia in 2025 followed by Victory Heights Nursery in January 2026.
In this exclusive conversation with Education UAE, Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne shares her vision for Ash Mount, exploring what will set it apart, how it will serve families, and what success will look like in the school’s first five years.
A Conversation with Founding Principal, Abigail Fishbourne
Education UAE: As Ash Mount becomes part of the Interstar family, how do you see the group’s overall vision and values shaping the new school’s ethos and identity?
Abigail Fishbourne: Interstar is very clear about serving the community with authenticity and excellence. Under Mr. Dinesh and Mr. Amit Kothari’s leadership, the group builds schools that feel genuinely “of” their communities. Ash Mount is the next chapter of that story, a diverse, high-quality option that extends the family’s portfolio while staying true to the same principles: community first, high standards always, and a lived, not laminated, set of values.
Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne says:
“This isn’t my school or even Interstar’s school, it belongs to the children, the parents, and the community around it.”
Education UAE: What inspired the creation of Ash Mount School, and how will that vision shape students’ day-to-day experience?
Abigail: We talk a lot about learning with purpose, living with compassion, and leading with courage. Those aren’t poster words; they’re daily decision-makers. From the way we design lessons, to how we greet families, to the choices we make about resources and spaces, everything is checked against those three pillars. Children should feel that their learning matters, that they belong, and that they’re becoming brave, thoughtful humans.
Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne emphasises:
“We want every child to learn with purpose, live with compassion, and lead with courage.”
Education UAE: How will the school be built to reflect your guiding principles, not just architecturally but in spirit and culture?
Abigail: Every choice comes back to the pillars. For example, if we say we care about the environment, that shows up in real, practical decisions, how we use water, what materials we choose, and how we reduce plastic. If we say we value compassion, it’s visible in how we speak to students and parents and how we look after staff wellbeing. And “leading with courage” means we’ll have the brave conversations, about learning needs, about what’s right for a child, early and honestly.
Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne states:
“From uniforms to libraries, every decision has been intentional, designed to make learning the most exciting part of any space.”
Education UAE: There are many established international schools in the UAE. What makes Ash Mount different?
Abigail: Lots of schools have impressive “pieces of the jigsaw.” What’s distinctive here is how the pieces fit together from day one, values, curriculum design, spaces, wellbeing, enrichment, and family partnership, so you don’t end up retrofitting your culture a year later. Our alignment is the differentiator.
Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne suggests:
“Lots of schools have the same pieces of the jigsaw, what makes Ash Mount different is how we put them all together from day one.”
Education UAE: How do you plan to build a sense of community among students, parents, and teachers from the beginning?
Abigail: We work as partners around each child. That starts even before admission, assessments are about understanding needs and planning provision, not gatekeeping. It continues with honest, transparent conversations. Then come the visible rituals that knit a community together: house events, parent learning sessions, and authentic, open-door relationships.
Education UAE: In what ways will the school prepare students not only for academic success but also for life beyond the classroom?
Abigail: Academic learning and life learning are intertwined. Our international, inquiry-led approach emphasises interdisciplinary links, how subjects connect to real decisions, real problems, and real audiences. Enrichment is wide-ranging: from music in the amphitheatre to chess, from swimming to service. We teach practical independence, too, everything from study skills and digital citizenship to everyday life skills that many students don’t practise until they leave home.
Education UAE: From uniforms to the school logo, every element has been designed with intention. How do these reflect your vision?
Abigail: I co-designed the uniforms with my sister, UK childrenswear designer Rachel Riley. We focused on comfort, durability, and inclusion, stretch fabrics, non-scratch embroidery backs, elasticated waists. The crest unifies us, while trims in green, purple and gold differentiate age groups.
Education UAE: How important was it to communicate both tradition and innovation in the school’s identity?
Abigail: Hugely. We use the phrase local heart, global mind. Children should feel at home here, rooted in place and culture, while thinking ambitiously and compassionately about the wider world.
Education UAE: How does the physical environment reflect your educational philosophy?
Abigail: We bring the outside in, colour palettes echo the local environment and design for learning as the most exciting thing in any space. For younger years, we favour loose-parts play outdoors so students build the den rather than inherit one. For older learners, we’re reimagining the library as both an indoor and shaded outdoor reading oasis. Senior students will have a three-room lounge suite: university and careers guidance, independent study, and practical life-skills.
Education UAE: As founding principal, how do you see your role in shaping culture and reputation?
Abigail: To make sure we live what we say. No marketing spin, practice. If we claim to be environmentally responsible, you’ll see it in operations; if we say we partner with families, you’ll feel it in every interaction. It’s also my job to listen carefully, this is the community’s school.
Education UAE: What milestones would you like to see in the first five years?
Abigail: Happy, thriving students and families; staff who know exactly what they’ve joined and are proud of it. External validations where they matter; and crucially, our first graduating cohort securing the right first-choice pathways for who they are and what they love. Prestige is meaningless if the fit isn’t right.
Education UAE: With Ash Mount opening as the latest addition to Interstar’s portfolio, how do you see the group’s expansion strategy influencing positioning in Dubai and the wider landscape?
Abigail: Interstar is building diversity with coherence, schools that meet different family preferences while sharing a common heartbeat. With South View School, Victory Heights Primary School (plus COA and the nursery), and the Delhi Private Schools, adding Ash Mount extends options for families who want a high-quality, internationally oriented secondary pathway, still rooted in community and authenticity.
Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne notes:
“Interstar currently educates more than 16,000 students across the UAE”.
Education UAE: Finally, what message would you share with parents considering Ash Mount for their children?
Abigail: Visit lots of schools, and put us on your list. Meet the principal, talk to teachers, walk the corridors, and check that what you hear matches what you see. Choose the school that fits your child, not just the shiniest brochure. We would love that choice to be Ash Mount, and we’ll do everything, from first hello to graduation, to earn that trust.
Ash Mount School’s planned opening in August 2026 represents an exciting new chapter in Dubai’s educational landscape. For families in Mudon, Arabian Ranches, Damac Hills, Motor City and beyond, it promises a values-led school that combines world-class facilities with genuine community spirit.
As Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne makes clear, Ash Mount is being built with intention at every level, its design, curriculum, culture, and even uniforms have been created to ensure children learn with purpose, live with compassion, and lead with courage.
For parents considering options in the coming years, this is more than just a new school, it is an opportunity to join a community rooted in authenticity and backed by the proven strength of the Interstar Advisory Services Education Group.
For admissions, contact: ad********@******nt.ae or +971 52 3054989