Learning for a Lifetime of Discovery

Colin joined UIS as Principal in August 2023 after enjoying 2 years as Vice Principal and Head of Secondary at Taaleem’s Greenfield International School. He was integral to the elevation in the school’s KHDA overall evaluation and in registering amongst the best IB DP results in Taaleem’s history.

Originally from Scotland, Colin has led schools (as Principal or Head of Secondary) for the last 13 years and has been instrumental in delivering school improvement, particularly with respect to exam results and student outcomes. The upshot has been record attainment in each of the schools that he has worked within. A real trademark of his career.

Colin began his teaching career as a teacher of History and Humanities at the Trinity Academy in Scotland. He then moved to Lasswade School in Scotland where he received his first promotion to become Head of the Humanities Department for the next 6 years. His department had the top performing student in the entire country for two years in a row. Thereafter, he became a Deputy Head at the same school with the responsibility for curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment.

During this time, he also worked with the BBC to produce educational programmes and was a scout for a professional football team. From 2007 to 2011 Colin moved to be the Deputy Head of Ross School and overseen Inclusion, Safeguarding, Child Protection and Wellbeing.

Most significantly in 2011, Colin received his first Headship when he took over the leadership of Dalkeith School (Principal) which is a 900 student coeducational school on the outskirts of Edinburgh. After 4 very successful years at Dalkeith, Colin was promoted to lead one of Scotland’s oldest schools with the 1,300 student Musselburgh Grammar School, where he served 6 years as Principal. During these 10 years of Secondary school Headship Colin received many awards and was most notably recognised with his appointment as an Ofsted inspector (HMIe). This is the equivalent of our Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB) in the KHDA Dubai system.

In terms of his educational background, Colin graduated from the University of Glasgow with a M.A (Honours degree) in History. He achieved his PGCE (Secondary teaching qualification in History & Humanities) from the University of Strathclyde. Finally, he was awarded his Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH/NPQH) and Postgraduate Educational Leadership and Management from the University of Edinburgh.