The Repton Family of Schools in the UAE bids farewell to Zoe Woolley as Headmistress of Repton Al Barsha, taking on a new challenge as one of the first female Heads in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the first female Headmistress of Jeddah Prep and Grammar school in Jeddah, KSA, at the start of the 2022 – 2023 academic year.
Zoe Woolley has been part of the Repton senior leadership team since 2015 and has played a vital role in the expansion of the Al Barsha South campus into Senior School years, following a strategically designed organic year-on-year growth to provide the IGCSE curriculum in Year 10 and Year 11 and A-levels for Year 12 and Year 13. Currently, Repton Al Barsha has successfully established, and offers, academic excellence for Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9; and in September 2021, Repton Al Barsha appointed Chandini Misra as the new Head of Senior School to spearhead the school’s expansion into Senior School.
Gillian Hammond will take the helm as Interim Principal of Repton Al Barsha
Zoe Woolley, Headmistress of Repton Al Barsha conveys: “It has been an honour leading Repton Al Barsha, working with an expert group of teachers and staff, and delivering academic excellence over the past six years at Repton Al Barsha. I would like to thank our parents for entrusting me and the school with their children’s academic development. It gives me great pleasure to have worked with talented Reptonians, and the current student-faculty who continue to showcase the enriched Repton values in school and their personal lives. As I take on this new adventure, I would also like to share my heartfelt gratitude to the Repton Family of Schools for welcoming me into their family and supporting in my growth as Headmistress.”
Chandini Misra will be joined by Repton Abu Dhabi’s Principal, Gillian Hammond, as the Interim Principal for the 2022 – 2023 academic year, with a smooth transition for the rest of the current academic year. Miss Hammond brings a wealth of experience to the Al Barsha South campus, having joined the Repton Family of Schools since the 2017-2018 academic year.
Vice Principal, Steven Lupton appointed as Interim Principal in the interim for Repton Abu Dhabi
Miss Hammond, Principal of Repton Abu Dhabi says: “I would like to thank the Repton Family of Schools for granting me with this opportunity and I wish my colleague, Mrs Woolley, the very best of luck as she takes on a new challenge as the first female Head at Jeddah Prep and Grammar School and one of the first female Heads in KSA. She has been an inspiration to staff and students during her tenure with the Repton Family of School. Admired by parents for her passion and dedication, Mrs Woolley has supported in bringing the parent community closer together by keeping open lines of regular communication on student development.”
Miss Hammond continues:“I am humbled by the Board of Governors’ decision on my appointment as Interim Principal of Repton Al Barsha. I will miss my Repton Abu Dhabi family immensely over the next year, but leave them under the guidance of my devoted team, who have the expertise required to continue Repton Abu Dhabi’s outstanding performance in the UAE education framework.”
Bidding farewell to Repton Al Barsha, Zoe Woolley joins Jeddah Prep and Grammar School as first female Headmistress
Since joining the Repton community, Miss Hammond has successfully established a strong cohesive unit within the senior leadership team and built a vibrant Repton community in Abu Dhabi. Under her leadership, Repton Abu Dhabi achieved outstanding GCSE results by the 2021 graduating cohort, consistently attained a higher-than-average UK attainment in Maths, English and Science across all age groups and the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS)results were higher at Repton Abu Dhabi than other Private or Local schools in the capital. Repton Abu Dhabi also achieved its Apple Distinguished School reaccreditation for a second time since the school was awarded this coveted accolade back in 2016, making it the only school in the Middle East to achieve this.
Miss Hammond has also played an integral role in developing an empowered, supportive and proactive parent committee – ‘Friends of Repton’. Vice Principal Steven Lupton will take over as Interim Principal of Repton Abu Dhabi with a highly talented existing senior leadership team including Aran Smith, Acting Vice-Principal and Headteacher of Junior School, Stephen Davis, Headteacher of Senior School and Marie Al Nasrawi, as Headteacher of Rose campus at Repton Abu Dhabi.
With a strong leadership team, boasting a wealth of experience, The Repton Family of Schools looks forward to a prosperous academic school year for 2022 – 2023.
“Mrs Woolley has displayed exceptional academic standards, delivering the highest quality of education at Repton Al Barsha. I would like to thank her for the hard work in establishing a strong Senior School foundation and attaining accolades for innovative teaching methodologies including Repton Al Barsha’s accreditation as an Apple Distinguished School. I commend Mrs Woolley for taking on this endeavour, setting an example for students to strive to new heights and we wish her the very best for the future. I am confident the leadership teams under Miss Hammond and Mr Lupton’s guidance will continue to achieve educational excellence at Repton Al Barsha and Repton Abu Dhabi,” concludes David Cook, Headmaster of Repton Dubai and Chief Education officer for the Repton Family of Schools in the UAE.