Dear Ash Mount Community,
This has been a rather unusual week for many of us, with the current events unfolding across the region. Like many organisations, we have moved to remote working for the moment. For many staff, families, and students it has brought back memories of the Covid period, a time when we were reminded how important connection, community, and calm leadership can be.
We also moved our parent events online this week so that we could continue meeting families who are interested in joining the school. It was lovely to still be able to connect with parents, answer questions, and share more about Ash Mount, even if it had to be through a screen. The enthusiasm and encouragement from families continues to be incredibly reassuring.
One of the positives this week was that we had already prepared and shared our February newsletter at the beginning of the week. It was wonderful to introduce Mrs Dana, who will be joining us in a key role supporting student culture and wellbeing, and to share more about mathematics at Ash Mount and how we are designing a curriculum that helps children think deeply and confidently about numbers, patterns, and problem-solving.
I am also incredibly grateful to the builders and construction teams who continue to work steadily on the school site. Their commitment means that progress on the campus continues, even during uncertain moments like these. Each update we receive reminds us that the vision of Ash Mount is steadily becoming a reality.
In many ways, it feels particularly meaningful that our blog theme this month is Educating for Global Peace and Making a Better World.
Back in September, when we planned the themes for the year ahead, we chose this focus partly because this is the month I will be attending the International Baccalaureate conference in Mumbai. The IB mission speaks about developing young people who help to create “a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.”
These ideas sit very naturally within the vision we are building at Ash Mount.
Schools play an important role in helping children understand the world around them, not by overwhelming them with global challenges, but by helping them develop empathy, critical thinking, and the confidence to discuss complex ideas with respect and curiosity.
At Ash Mount, we will approach these conversations thoughtfully through our curriculum and wider learning pathways. Children will explore global issues in age-appropriate ways, learning about different perspectives, cultures, and ways of thinking. They will be encouraged to ask questions, consider the impact of their choices, and think about how they can contribute positively to their communities, both locally and globally.
In a city like Dubai, where students grow up alongside peers from many different countries and backgrounds, this opportunity to build understanding and respect is especially powerful.
Education alone cannot solve the challenges of the world, but it can help young people develop the knowledge, compassion, and courage needed to make thoughtful decisions and work towards a better future.
And perhaps weeks like this remind us why that work matters so much.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support of Ash Mount. I hope the coming days bring calm and reassurance for our community, and I look forward to sharing more updates with you soon.
Beat wishes,
Abigail Fishbourne
Founding Principal, Ash Mount School
