Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Brighton College Abu Dhabi, is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Barney Durrant as the new Head Master, effective from April 2025.

Mr Durrant joins Brighton College Abu Dhabi having held the position as Head of St Lawrence College UK for the last four years. Prior to his time at St Lawrence, he spent eight years at Harrow International School Hong Kong, most recently as the Principal Deputy Head, and a further fourteen years at the highly regarded Stowe School. In moving to Brighton College Abu Dhabi, Mr Durrant brings a wealth of experience, having held senior leadership roles both in the UK and internationally. Mr Durrant has a strong belief in academic accountability and teaching excellence; in addition, his commitment to a holistic education that prepares the pupils for the 21st Century aligns closely with the Brighton College ethos that puts kindness at the heart of the school community. With extensive experience of leading pastoral care in an international setting, Mr Durrant has been a regular speaker at conferences on the link between pupil wellbeing and academic success and his current school was shortlisted previously in the prestigious Independent School of the Year Awards for Student Wellbeing.

Mr Durrant holds a BA (Hons) Degree from University College London, a PGCE from Cambridge University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Nottingham.

Commenting on his new appointment, Mr. Durrant said, “I am absolutely delighted to be given this opportunity to lead Brighton College Abu Dhabi, working alongside our outstanding sister schools in Al Ain and Dubai. Brighton College Abu Dhabi holds a special place in the Capital, consistently performing as the top school for A-level and GCSE results. Having recently visited the school, the culture of kindness, curiosity and confidence was evident in all that the pupils do, both in and outside of the classroom; the opportunities for pupils within Brighton College Abu Dhabi are truly amazing. My family and I are looking forward to our move to the UAE and cannot wait to meet the College community and support the staff and pupils in the pursuit of excellence, building on the outstanding work that has gone before. In the meantime, I look forward to working closely with Mr Craig Lamshed to ensure the school continues to go from strength to strength.”

Mr. Craig Lamshed, General Manager, Brighton Colleges UAE commented, “Through a rigorous selection process by Brighton College UK and Bloom Education, Mr Barney Durrant emerged as an exceptional candidate, unanimously chosen for his alignment with the ethos and values of Brighton College Abu Dhabi. I am confident that he will undoubtedly bring vision, energy, dynamism and a wealth of experience to the role of Head Master.”

With his wealth of experience and dedication to educational excellence, Mr. Durrant brings expertise aligned with the values of excellence, passion and dedication, and is well-positioned to lead Brighton College Abu Dhabi into a new era of growth and success. Mr. Durrant will assume the role of Head Master in April 2025, relocating to Abu Dhabi with his family.

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About Brighton College Abu Dhabi

Brighton College Abu Dhabi is rated 'Very Good’ by ADEK and stands as one of the top British-curriculum schools in the Middle East, catering to pupils aged 3 to 18 years old. Operated by Bloom Education, the school consistently delivers exceptional academic results, offers a wide array of co-curricular activities, provides outstanding pastoral care and fosters a strong sense of community at its core.

Recognised as one of the ‘Top 10’ private schools in the Middle East in the 2024 Spear’s Schools Index in partnership with Thuso, Brighton College Abu Dhabi is part of the renowned Brighton College family of Schools and serves as the sister school to England’s 'School of the Decade' (The Sunday Times).

Pupils at Brighton College Abu Dhabi experience a vibrant and demanding learning environment, underpinned by a distinct British independent school ethos that mirrors the values and dynamic culture of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.

Situated in a purpose-built campus adjacent to Khalifa Park, the school features state-of-the-art facilities and is staffed by highly experienced and talented academic and support staff, maintaining the exceptional standard of education upheld by other Brighton Colleges worldwide.

Brighton College Abu Dhabi equips its pupils with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve excellent GCSE and A-Level results, ensuring that its alumni secure placements at leading universities across the globe. The Class of 2023-24 held over 100 offers from Russell Group Universities and went on to study at universities including Exeter, Manchester, UCL, Leeds, Durham and King’s College London. Beyond the UK pupils attend prestigious institutions including Berkley, Dartmouth, UCLA, Purdue, University of Toronto, University of Geneva and Rome University of the Arts.

The school's consecutive recognition as the ‘British School of the Year’ by LUXLife Private Education Awards in both 2022 and 2023 underscores its ongoing success.

Bloom Education, a Bloom Holding subsidiary, delivers the highest standards of a British curriculum education in the UAE and is committed to inspiring its pupils to appreciate and value local heritage and cultural diversity.

https://www.brightoncollege.ae/

About Bloom Education

Bloom Education supports the development of future generations through partnerships with world-class international education brands, owns brand schools and nurseries, and the operation of UAE Charter Schools and New Generation Schools.

A pioneer in the Middle East education sector for more than 10 years, Bloom Education has introduced and operated leading American, English and International Baccalaureate curriculum education brands in the UAE market and has provided exceptional educational experiences and opportunities to more than 16,000 students. The partner of choice for international school brand Brighton College, Bloom Education has been entrusted to deliver and sustain the highest international standards locally and has been selected by Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) to operate the Abu Dhabi Charter Schools programme. Bloom Education has also been chosen by Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) to operate schools in the Northern Emirates, as part of the ‘Ajyal’ (new ‘generation’) school initiative.

With a keen focus on providing the best educational opportunities to help craft better futures for the youth of the UAE, Bloom Education launched its first ‘own-brand’ premium IB school, Bloom World Academy, in Dubai in August 2022. The school has introduced many firsts in the UAE, such as Learning Achievement Passports (LAP), individual learning pathways and the later start time of 9am, allowing for students’ learning to be in balance with family life. Bloom Education’s opportunity-rich environments allow it to nurture its community of students so they can reach their highest potential – intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally and their success is reflected in the high quality of their graduates who continue their studies at leading universities around the world, including Ivy league and Russell Group.

As the population grows and the world becomes more competitive, Bloom Education’s focus continues to be on discovering the world’s best education brands and to provide stellar alternatives to moving abroad for a world-class education.

For more information, please visit https://www.bloomeducation.com/