A visionary leader with a wealth of global experience, meet our Executive Principal Liam Cullinan

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT ABU DHABI?

Abu Dhabi is really a place for family and human connection, that exemplifies the values of Emirati culture. Above all of that, it's a place where children feel safe and can grow up amidst a cultural fabric of diversity. It’s just spectacular!

WHAT EXCITES YOU THE MOST ABOUT JOINING NAS ABU DHABI?

One aspect of NAS Abu Dhabi that I’m excited for is our flexible curriculum. Our learning environment will reflect the changing state of our world, so we stay relevant to the needs of our students.

For example, we’ll be holding early entry GCSEs for students who are ready to do these exams sooner. Another example is that we've looked at the importance of sleep, and we're using research to create a flexible day. Yes, the school building will open at 7.30am for the early risers, but we're going to do a mindfulness wellbeing morning including breakfast for those who may have missed it at home. Then as our students get older, we can support them and their families as well with flexible end-of-day timings.

Our aim is to really accommodate the needs of all our families.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO ONCE THE SCHOOL OFFICIALLY OPENS IN AUGUST?

The children! We're all very excited about the fact that we’ll have the kids here in person. This year, we’ve been working a lot with adults, with teachers, with builders, but we're most excited for the school opening because the children will come into the building for the first time.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL MOST PASSIONATELY ABOUT IN EDUCATION?

My passion is really to build schools where young people have a chance to flourish, regardless of their background, culture or academic position. It's always been important to me to ensure that all students can achieve outstanding outcomes.

When I was Founding Head of Secondary at NAS Dubai, we became a top 100 school globally in the first eight years, which was unheard of. That was because of the genuine personalised learning, and a curriculum that really fit the children based on their knowledge and understanding.

WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?

My family means the world to me, and my wife and I have two beautiful boys. In many ways, it’s a dream to create a school that your own children are going to go to. This allows me to combine my two passions.

ANY TRENDS IN EDUCATION THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING?

I'm becoming more and more intrigued by early years and primary school education, especially around how to support the interests of children through play to develop their numeracy and literacy. It’s fascinating how we can use play for linguistic development as it happens in the natural flow of a day.

It’s said that it takes 400 repetitions to learn something new, but only around 10 repetitions when children are playing freely. So, it’s this play-based learning around complex skill development, critical thinking, and enquiry-based learning that I’m currently researching. It's fascinating!

Want to learn more about the incredible team at our school? Let's introduce you to our Head of Primary, Michael Connor.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT LIAM.

As a visionary leader with a wealth of global experience, Liam leads Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi (NAS Abu Dhabi) as Executive Principal.

With unparalleled passion and energy for education, Liam is no stranger to the Nord Anglia schools group. Before joining NAS Abu Dhabi, Liam was Founding Head of Secondary at Nord Anglia International School Dubai, and most recently Principal of The British International School of Abu Dhabi (BISAD). Well known in the United Arab Emirates for their impressive results and transformative educational experiences, both schools also have ‘outstanding’ ADEK ratings – with BISAD being one of only 11 in Abu Dhabi.

During his eight years at NAS Dubai, Liam’s strong leadership saw the secondary school grow into one of the most sought-after schools in Dubai. Through his commitment to building connected communities, fostering academic excellence, and providing inspiring curriculum pathways, NAS Dubai became one of the top 100 schools globally, achieving the highest International Baccalaureate (IB) academic results in the UAE in 2021 (39.4-point average).

Before joining Nord Anglia, Liam was Deputy Headteacher at Perry Beeches – The Academy (UK) from 2008 to 2015. During these 5 years, the school's A+ to C grade average increased from 20% to 85% putting it in the top 1% of schools in the United Kingdom. It was also nominated for the prestigious Times Education School of the Year Award.

Liam's thirst for growth has led him to explore and pursue a diverse range of educational experiences, like a teacher exchange programme in Australia, consultancy work with the National College for Teaching and Learning, and a Master of Arts in Education Leadership and Management from Lancaster University (UK). As a true believer in professional development, Liam has also taken part in many training programmes, including the Aspiring Principal Training for Nord Anglia Education and the Future Leaders Education Study Tour of Philadelphia. And he has shared his knowledge and learnings at various conferences, most recently the 2022 BSME (British Schools of the Middle East) Conference on future schooling. In 2019, he spoke on developing design thinking in IB at the International Baccalaureate Conference, and in 2017, he inspired school leaders on how to move from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ at the MENA Conference.

As a proud father, Liam knows just how important creating an inclusive and inspiring learning environment for students, staff, and families is. As a school leader, he empowers teams, builds a strong sense of community, and nurtures a culture of outstanding excellence. With Liam's bold and compassionate approach to leadership, Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi will be an exciting world to grow in when it opens in August 2023.