Alison Wilkinson has been a successful international Primary Headteacher for over ten years.  She joined Kings' Dubai in September 2011 with a wealth of leadership expertise in both the UK and Dubai.

She studied her Bachelor of Education with Honours degree in Manchester, England.  Following this, she was given leadership roles as Key Stage 1 Co-ordinator and Deputy Headteacher before achieving her first Headship in a school in West Yorkshire with 200 children in 1999.  Her second UK Headship was in a school of 400 children in Greater Manchester. She led both schools successfully through two inspections, developing them particularly in community links, curriculum and leadership for change.

Her outstanding work in these two posts led to her being asked to take on the role of founding Primary Headteacher of Wellington International School in Dubai in 2005. During her 6 years in this post she grew the primary sector from an initial 2-form entry with 180 children, to its present 7-form entry with almost 1400 children and a position of one of Dubai's most successful and well-known schools. She also had the role of Assistant Prinicpal for the whole, 1800-strong school.

Much of Alison's work in Dubai has centred around ensuring children and teachers achieve the very best results in all aspects of their learning in a way that is exciting and challenging. Developing a learning agenda through a skills-based, creative and relevant curriculum, incorporating best practice from around the world, has been instrumental to her success.

Developing and growing leaders has been a key aspect of Alison's work.  Throughout her career she is proud to have supported teachers on their professional journey to become senior leaders, Deputy Headteachers and Headteachers in both the UK and Dubai through her natural coaching style.

Alison is passionate about empowering children to become independent and lifelong learners, developing in them the skills to begin to manage their own learning. She knows that self-esteem is essential: happy children learn readily and that children need to be given opportunities to lead and to take some ownership of their own learning.  Nurturing 'soft skills' skills such as resilience, open-mindedness and collaboration are all key to helping children become learners who are prepared for secondary school and beyond, in our internationally diverse society.

Alison believes that engaging parents in their children's learning journey significantly deepens and embeds learning. Through a combination of workshops, open days and theme days parents are able to fully understand and share in this exciting adventure. Some of Alison's best memories have been watching children in role as teachers feeling empowered to teach their parents!

Alison feels privileged and excited to join such a successful school and comes with total committment to building on all the school's strengths to take Kings' Dubai into the next phase of its development and looks forward to engaging with existing and new parents to ensure the very best by every child.