3:20 - 3:50 PM | The Ambition Driving Every Great School
Panel Discussion
The Conversation
Every genuinely great school has a story behind it. A moment when its leaders faced an easier path and a harder one and chose the harder one because they believed it was right. Those decisions rarely look obviously correct at the time. They only look like conviction in hindsight.
This session celebrates the bold, sometimes difficult decisions behind truly great schools, exploring moments when leaders chose the harder path because they believed it was right. It considers what it means to invest before the case is fully proven, examines the courage required to hold firm on values when compromise would be so much easier, and closes as a conversation about the conviction that builds schools people will remember.
Key discussion points include:
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Celebrating the bold, sometimes difficult decisions behind truly great schools
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Moments when leaders chose the harder path because they believed it was right
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What it means to invest before the case is fully proven
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The courage required to hold firm on values when compromise would be easier
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A conversation about the conviction that builds schools people will remember
Speakers
Dr. Tamar Demetradze Founding Head, Buckswood School Riyadh An internationally experienced school leader with expertise across the UK and Middle East. As Founding Head of Buckswood School Riyadh, she champions the distinctive Buckswood 12 Pillars Philosophy, combining innovative AI-informed leadership, teacher mentorship, and human-centred education to develop confident, globally minded, future-ready learners.
Fiona Cottam Principal, Hartland International School Fiona has worked in Dubai since 2009 joining Hartland International School in 2016 as the Principal after a successful tenure at GEMS Education. A graduate of UCD, majoring in Classical Music and English. Fiona is an elected Director and Treasurer of COBIS and sits on several working parties of the ITFCP. She is vice-chair of BISSC representing the BSME. and sits on the schools’ advisory group at The University of Birmingham Dubai and on the Enterprise Ireland UAE Advisory Board. Delivering on the NPQH programme she is a founding member of the Women in Educational Leadership Network Dubai. Fiona is currently undertaking her Doctorate with a research focus on leadership and organisation culture.
Dr Steffen Sommer Director General, Misk Schools Dr Steffen Sommer, Director General of Misk Schools, is a passionate linguist and High Performance Learning (HPL) expert with over 30 years of senior leadership experience in Europe and the Middle East. He is an Honorary Vice President of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), a co-founder of the international division of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, and an HPL Fellow. He was named one of The PIE's 50 Voices 2025 – International Schools edition.
Shaun Melind Principal, VISS Mr Shaun Melind is a Principal with over 19 years’ experience in education and 13 years in senior leadership across New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Hong Kong and the UAE. As a founding school leader, he has established new campuses, built communities grounded in care and high expectations, and led sustained school growth and improvement. As Head of School, Shaun led a whole school improvement strategy that contributed to the school’s SPEA review rating rising from Good to Very Good in only two years. His leadership is grounded in relational trust, evidence-based practice and distributive leadership, with community at the heart of his approach. He believes great schools are built through collective responsibility, teacher agency and a shared commitment to student wellbeing, achievement and continuous improvement.