Dear Riffa Views International School community,

It is a privilege for me to write to you as the new Executive Principal of the prestigious Riffa Views International School.  It is a wonderful feeling to be joining this amazing community at such an important and exciting time as we become a part of the global Beaconhouse community. 

As I meet students, parents and staff in the coming weeks and months, I would like to start off by sharing a little about myself. 

I have a dual Doctorate, Doctor of Education and Doctor of Educational Leadership and Management, and also a Masters in Education. I believe in lifelong learning and embrace a growth mindset. I am passionate about personalized learning, offering an innovative curriculum and helping to foster well-rounded learners. I used to teach Computer Science in UK, US and IB curriculum schools and remain fascinated by the effective use of technology in schools to enhance and transform learning from Early Childhood to High School.

I am a ‘Fellow' of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacturing and Commerce and also interested in working with others globally on projects that we all care deeply about.  I am also a ‘Fellow' of the Chartered College of Teaching, which enriches my appetite for pedagogical research, sharing best practice and publishing educational papers.  I am a qualified headteacher with the NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headteachers), a qualified leadership coach and an international school inspector.  I have been a Principal of three schools, all rated ‘Outstanding' by national and international inspections.  I have lived in the UK, US, South East Asia and the Middle East. 

I will spend a lot of time getting to know our students and understanding them individually, how they learn, and what makes them happy at school.  This is very important to me and spending the time with children across the school is essential to help me gather as much feedback as possible to unlock their full potential.  In education, always, the students are at the center of everything we do together.  This is a powerful and deeply worthwhile positive approach to help equip, nurture and support our students with the wider skills to be global citizens. 

Joining a school is a wonderful opportunity to listen to the community to gather fresh insights.  This is always my starting point to ensure that aspects that are ‘excellent' are embedded throughout the entire school.  Continuing and supporting these successes in a school is essential throughout any transition.  So far, staff have enthusiastically shared ideas and feedback via a survey.  A huge thank you to the staff for providing such comprehensive feedback about the school.  I have carefully read every comment and very much appreciate the time you have spent on this.  A survey to Parents and another one for Students will be sent out very soon.  

In previous schools, I have always prioritized community events. Over the past few months in the Kingdom of Bahrain, I have been involved in weekend sports festivals, musical performances, community picnics, celebrations, tournaments, fun runs, e-sports, and much more.  Offering a plethora of opportunities enriches the school provision and creates a vibrant, inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all.  This also opens the school to families and parents.  Our parents are key at school and I look forward to meeting everyone soon.

I have already heard outstanding feedback about the staff at Riffa Views and seen firsthand their interactions, warmth and care for the students when I visited the campus previously during a school event.  I am delighted to be working with such a professional team of dedicated, experienced and compassionate educators.

I am particularly excited about our new partnership with Beaconhouse and the many great experiences and opportunities ahead.  With many “Google Reference Schools” in the group, Beaconhouse has an impressive background of using technology and innovation to improve learning outcomes. Riffa Views too shall go from strength to strength as we work together.  I aim to visit the school facilities soon to view the entire campus, looking at all classrooms, sports resources, the Innovation Hub and our STEAM opportunities. 

I will shortly be updating members of the community and elaborate on progress on a few key areas including 2024-25 priorities, FAQs, building developments, technology, recruitment, communication and meetings. I am working closely with the Beaconhouse management team to review the current structure of School's leadership and management. We want to embark on this transformational journey with a very dynamic structure and the best-in-class professionals as part of the team. So stay tuned for more exciting news.

Over the coming weeks and months, I hope to meet, greet and talk to every single one of you – our incredible school community! 

Yours truly,
Dr. Paul Walton
Executive Principal 
Riffa Views International School