Yasmin Sherbaz

I have worked in a wide variety of schools since qualifying and have 17 years of educational leadership experience in schools within the UAE, UK and Qatar. Teaching to the top has always been a long-standing principle of mine - it’s all about effective school improvement, intent, implementation and impact.


As an Assistant Head Teacher I am proud that, working closely with a variety of teams to ensure ownership, I was instrumental in leading Early Years from ‘needs to improve’ to ‘outstanding’.  As Steve Jobs quoted, “Great things in an organisation are never done by one person; they are done by a team of people.” This is at the heart of my philosophy and is my drive and passion.  I believe that everyone is a learner. It is our role as leaders to support children that we teach and colleagues that we work alongside to overcome any barriers that they face, develop their belief in themselves and become successful, motivated learners for life.


The focus on active and engaging learning, a culture of tolerance, respect and open mindedness and the promotion of individual excellence which permeate all aspects of the school life are very much aligned to my own ethos, and the values and attitudes that I strive to achieve. I have a passion for developing teaching and learning, alongside a genuine desire to promote leadership in order to ensure the best outcomes for our children and colleagues. Every child deserves the very best education, one that meets their individual needs and gives them an understanding of how to learn effectively, as this will give them the skills that facilitates future success.  I think that teaching and learning needs to be exciting and flexible, with the children at the heart of everything that we do coupled with strong pastoral guidance so that they are nurtured and cared for every day, as the special individuals that they are. This holistic approach to learning ‘lifts the lid’ on learning without limits, emphasising depth before speed.


For GEMS Wellington School nothing less than outstanding will do. With this in mind, we need to continue to push forward, planning change, enthusing and inspiring people to rise to the very real challenge.  We have the opportunity to truly redevelop learning, from how we use our spaces to the use of new technologies. We need to ensure that everything underpins the learning of our children in a flexible, collective and reflective way.  My vision for our school is a vibrant learning community where parents feel engaged and involved, continued progress in student achievements, and where everyone expects the best. It’s all about quality relationships rooted in trust and a powerful sense of community.


As an effective leader, it is essential that we do not just look at small changes and quick fix solutions. I know that taking a long term and strategic look at where we want our school to be allows us the freedom to plan changes that will truly have a positive effect on the children. It is only by stepping back in this way that we clearly see what is needed in order to provide our children with the teaching, learning and environment that will move them towards the futures they are entitled to.  Continuing to implement changes such as these, which are challenging but hold real excitement and possibilities within them, is something that I know we can do.