Founding Principal

Peergrowth; Dubai; On-site; AED 800,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Peergrowth seeks a Founding Principal to establish a premium UK curriculum school in Dubailand, Dubai, opening September 2027. You will shape culture, recruit staff, implement systems and lead the first cohort toward a planned capacity of 3,000 students from Foundation to Year 13.

You will work with a strong ownership group, ensure KHDA and MOE compliance, embed Emirati and Arabic excellence and inclusive provision from day one, and drive admissions strategy to position the school as a leading

Qualifications

• Experience leading UK curriculum schools (Founding Principal, Principal, Head Teacher or Vice Principal) in the UK or UAE.
• Strong track record in inclusive education and provision for Students of Determination.
• Experience with National Curriculum for England and Wales through GCSE/IGCSE and A Level is desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to build teams, systems and culture for a new school launch or major expansion.
• Awareness of KHDA regulatory requirements and Emirati cultural integration.

Responsibilities

• Setting the academic vision, culture and values from the first cohort.
• Building and leading the Senior Leadership Team and wider staff from the ground up.
• Establishing KHDA and MOE compliance and academic systems that scale with growth.
• Embedding Emirati and Arabic excellence commitments and inclusion provision from day one.
• Leading admissions strategy and community engagement to attract families in Dubailand and Dubai.
• Overseeing the school's growth trajectory toward full capacity.

Job description

Opening September 2027 | FS1 through Year 13 | Growing to 3,000 students at full capacity

The Opportunity

A rare opportunity has arisen to found and shape a brand new, premium UK curriculum school opening in Dubailand, Dubai in September 2027. This is not an inherited role. You will be the founding Principal, building the culture, staff, systems and reputation of a school from its very first cohort through to a planned capacity of 3,000 students across Foundation Stage to Year 13.

The school is being developed by a financially strong, diversified group with over three decades of presence in the region and a proven track record of successfully operating schools in the UAE, including an existing sister school rated "Very Good" by KHDA with more than a decade of continuous operation and around 2,500 students. This is a backed, credible venture, not a speculative startup.

About the School

The school will deliver the National Curriculum for England and Wales, enhanced, leading to GCSE/IGCSE and A Level, and will pursue accreditation as a British Schools Overseas (BSO) institution. It is positioned to fill a genuine gap in the market: a fully inclusive UK curriculum school spanning Foundation through Year 13, delivering premium facilities and standards at accessible fees.

The school opens to Year 6 in September 2027 and grows by one year group annually. Facilities at full capacity will include 125 classrooms, dedicated STEM, computer, art, music and dance rooms, multiple indoor PE spaces, prayer rooms, a full outdoor sports programme spanning football, swimming, gymnastics, climbing, tennis and squash, and KHDA compliant outdoor learning areas across every phase.

Two commitments sit at the centre of the school's identity and will define the Principal's early priorities:

• Emirati and Arabic excellence, in line with the UAE's Education 33 strategy, including high quality Arabic instruction, deep integration of Emirati heritage and culture across the curriculum, and a bespoke enrichment programme for Emirati families.
• Genuine, structured inclusion, with a senior led Inclusion department and dedicated provision for Students of Determination and EAL and ESL learners from day one, not retrofitted later.

The Role

As Founding Principal, you will hold full strategic and operational mandate for the school, working closely with a fully representative Governing Board chaired by the Group Managing Director. Your early responsibilities will include:

• Setting the academic vision, culture and values of the school from its first cohort
• Building and leading the Senior Leadership Team and wider staff body from the ground up
• Establishing KHDA and MOE compliance and academic systems that will scale as the school grows toward 3,000 students
• Embedding the school's Emirati and Arabic excellence commitments and inclusion provision as core to the school's identity, not as add ons
• Leading admissions strategy and community engagement to establish the school as a leading choice for families in Dubailand and wider Dubai
• Overseeing the school's growth trajectory year on year as it scales from roughly 200 students in year one toward full capacity

Who We Are Looking For

We are seeking an experienced UK curriculum school leader, currently serving as a Principal, Head Teacher, or Vice Principal ready to step into their first Principal role, ideally from one of the following backgrounds:

• Principals or Head Teachers currently leading UK curriculum schools in the UK or UAE
• Vice Principals or Deputy Heads from KHDA rated Outstanding schools in the UAE who are ready to take on a founding Principal mandate
• Demonstrated experience with National Curriculum for England and Wales through to GCSE, IGCSE and A Level
• A genuine track record in, or strong personal commitment to, inclusive education and provision for Students of Determination
• Experience or authentic interest in Arabic language provision and Emirati cultural integration within a UK curriculum setting
• Proven ability to build teams, systems and culture, whether through a new school launch, a significant expansion, or a substantial turnaround
• KHDA or equivalant international regulatory experience is highly desirable

Why This Role

This is a genuinely rare opportunity in the UAE education market: a founding Principal mandate at a well capitalised school backed by an operator with a credible existing track record, rather than joining an established school as a successor, or taking a speculative role with an unproven investor. You will have full autonomy to shape the school's academic direction, culture and identity from year one, with the resources and governance support of an experienced ownership group behind you.