Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam (NAISR) is pleased to welcome Niki Meehan as the new Director of Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam. We recently sat down with Nikki and spoke to her about her role here at NAISR and how she plans to move the school forward in a positive direction.
Welcome to NAISR! We are thrilled to have you here as our new Director. Can you please share with us where you are from originally and which countries you have previously worked in?
Niki: Thank you so much, it’s great to be here. I was born and grew up in Scotland, then after graduating, I pursued my passions for travel and education. For more than 25 years I have been privileged to work as a teacher and school leader in many different countries including Eritrea, Vietnam, Slovakia, Spain, China, Indonesia and now the Netherlands.
What motivates you the most to work as a School Director?
Niki: For me, it is just about making sure that every day for every child matters. I am blessed to have a job that I love and a job where we can make a difference for children from all walks of life from different backgrounds. Just seeing the children grow, thrive, flourish and be happy at school, that’s what motivates me.
What is it about NAISR that makes you excited to work at this school?
Niki: I have worked in a number of international schools and I believe there is something special about NAISR; it is a relatively small school but with a big heart. Learning is genuinely personalised as teachers take the time to know and nurture each child through their learning journey, and I think that’s what enables every child to flourish. NAISR has such a strong community ethos with great parent partnerships and the school really is the heart of our international community – for students and their parents too. I am very excited to be a part of this warm and welcoming community.
What are you looking forward to the most about living in the Netherlands?
Niki: Having lived in Asia for many years, we are excited about the simple things, such as being able to walk on pavements (because in Jakarta there are no pavements), the greenery, the outdoor life, being able to ride my bicycle to work; that’s the kind of lifestyle and quality of life that us as a family are looking forward to having. Also, people might think that Rotterdam is busy, but after living in Shanghai, Bangkok and Jakarta, Rotterdam is a lovely size and scale.
Before becoming a school director, how long did you teach?
Niki: I have worked in education for over 25 years. I have been in leadership roles at international schools for the past 14 years, and taught in the classroom for over ten years prior to that.
How does your teaching experience influence your leadership style?
Niki: I am passionate about education and I try to remain closely connected to the students and teachers. As a school leader, you have to know what good learning and teaching looks like in order to challenge and support staff and ensure high quality education for all the students. My diverse teaching experience has also ensured that, as a School Director, I can build a strong staff team and effectively support all staff to grow and develop. Because, if the teachers can be the best that they can be, we can then provide the best quality education for the children. So that is my leadership style; Engaged, Participative, Collaborative ….and tough!
What is it that you enjoy most about working for Nord Anglia Education?
Niki: I do genuinely enjoy being part of a larger organisation, because it gives us access to a global network at every level. As a Director, I have a global network of peers to share ideas with and to act as a sounding board. For the staff likewise, they have a global network of teachers from our sister schools around the globe who they can connect with and learn from. Then also for the children, there are so many opportunities for them to have genuine meaningful partnerships and engagement with children from all of the world, who are living very diverse lives. So we have both a truly international community within the school and then we are also part of a wonderful international community of over 65 Nord Anglia Schools globally.
From your point of view, what should be the relationship of a school director and the students?
Niki: I think that it’s important to be as visible and approachable as much as possible, to be known to them and by them as someone who is there to acknowledge their successes and to be there to support them. To listen to them, in order to help to shape the school. The children are the core purpose of why we are here. So my job is to make sure that, either directly from the children, or via the staff from the children, that they are understood and supported.
What are the most important factors of being a successful School Director?
Niki: For me school leadership is about working collectively as a school community to ensure the best experiences and outcomes for the students. This means ensuring we are aligned in our vision, shared goals and expectations and then building a positive school culture. Collaboration is key for me – I have to work with and through the staff and also facilitate strong parent-school partnerships. I am passionate about what I do and hope that I inspire and motivate the staff to motivate and inspire the students. Every day matters for every child and it is my responsibility to ensure success for all our students.
Niki is going to be such a valuable asset to Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam and we can’t wait to see all that she accomplishes at NAISR over the coming years, ensuring that our school can be the best that it can be.
