Collectively, the graduating cohort has also secured close to USD 60 million in scholarships and university awards - an extraordinary achievement that reflects years of dedication, ambition and perseverance. While these accomplishments are remarkable, what makes us most proud is the kind of young people our graduates have become: thoughtful, globally minded, courageous and deeply committed to making meaningful contributions to the world around them.

On behalf of the entire GIS community, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to every member of the Class of 2026. I would also like to thank our parents, teachers and wider staff body for the unwavering support, encouragement and care you have given our students throughout their journeys. Their success is very much a collective achievement.

Leadership Updates

As we celebrate this important milestone, I would also like to share several important leadership updates as we prepare for the next phase of growth and development at GIS.

After a successful period of leadership at GIS, our Head of Secondary, Aaron Kane, will be leaving the school at the end of this academic year to take on an exciting new leadership opportunity in Belgium, allowing him to be closer to his family.

Aaron has made a significant contribution to the continued development of the Secondary School and wider GIS community during his time with us. Through his calm leadership, commitment to students and dedication to improvement, he has played an important role in strengthening both the academic and pastoral experience for our students. We are deeply grateful for his hard work, professionalism and commitment to the school, and while he will be greatly missed, we wish him every success and happiness in this exciting new chapter.

I would also like to share that our Deputy Head of Secondary, Nicholas Walters, will also be leaving GIS at the end of this academic year to take on a new role as Head of Secondary.

Over nearly ten years of service to GIS, Nic has demonstrated exceptional commitment, loyalty and care for the school community. During this time, he has supported countless students, families and colleagues, and has played an important role in the growth and evolution of the school over the past decade. His contribution to student life, school culture and leadership at GIS has been deeply valued, and we thank him sincerely for everything he has given to the school community over so many years. We wish him every success for the future.

Leadership Structure 2026-27

As GIS continues to evolve and strengthen as a leading IB Continuum school, we are also pleased to share an important development in our leadership structure for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Over recent years, GIS has continued to grow significantly in both scale and ambition. As a large and increasingly complex through-school environment, it is essential that our leadership structure evolves in a way that strengthens consistency, accountability and excellence across every phase of the student journey.

From August 2026, GIS will move to a new whole-school Senior Vice Principal model, designed around three key pillars which most directly influence student success and school improvement:

• Teaching & Learning
• Curriculum, Standards & Assessment
• Student Life & Culture

This new structure moves beyond a traditional phase-based leadership model and instead creates clear whole-school strategic leadership across the areas that matter most: the quality of teaching, the strength and coherence of curriculum and assessment, and the culture, wellbeing and wider experience of every student.

The rationale for this development is grounded strongly in educational research and best practice internationally. Research consistently demonstrates that the most successful schools create aligned leadership structures that strengthen instructional quality, curriculum coherence, implementation capacity and organisational culture. This new model will allow GIS to deliver greater consistency across all phases, strengthen academic rigour, enhance accountability, support leadership development and ensure that every strategic priority has clear ownership and measurable impact.

Most importantly, this structure has been designed to further strengthen the experience and outcomes of our students - ensuring that every child continues to feel known, challenged, supported and inspired throughout their journey at GIS.

I am therefore delighted to announce the following appointments:

Mirna Hafez-Farah has been appointed as Senior Vice Principal – Student Life & Culture

Mirna’s appointment reflects both continuity and the strength of leadership already within our community. Having served GIS with distinction as Primary Principal, Mirna will now lead a whole-school vision for student wellbeing, safeguarding, culture, inclusion, leadership and wider student experience. Her leadership will continue to ensure that every student feels known, supported and empowered to thrive.

Matthew James has been appointed as Senior Vice Principal – Curriculum, Standards & Assessment

Matthew joins GIS with extensive experience in post-16 education, curriculum innovation, academic pathways and whole-school improvement, having held senior leadership positions within GEMS Wellington Academy - Silicon Oasis. His leadership will play a vital role in strengthening curriculum coherence, academic rigour, assessment strategy and student outcomes across the IB continuum and wider curriculum pathways.

Jessica Richards has been appointed as Senior Vice Principal – Teaching & Learning.

Jessica joins GIS from Al Qeyam Charter School, Taaleem – Abu Dhabi, where she served as Deputy Headteacher. She brings considerable expertise in instructional leadership, whole-school improvement, professional learning and inspection readiness across both the UAE and the UK. Jessica will lead the continued development of high-quality teaching and learning practices across all phases of the school.

I would also like to share personal messages from each of our newly appointed Senior Vice Principals.

As we look ahead to the next academic year, I am incredibly confident in the strength of the leadership team we are building at GIS. Together, we are creating a structure that will allow the school to continue strengthening academically, culturally and strategically, while remaining deeply committed to the holistic values and student-centred philosophy that define our community.

There is a tremendous sense of momentum and ambition as we move into this next chapter, and I would like to sincerely thank all parents for your continued trust, partnership and support throughout this journey.

Finally, as we approach the Eid break, I would like to wish all members of our community Eid Mubarak. May this special time bring peace, happiness and good health to you and your families, and provide an opportunity for rest, reflection and valuable time with loved ones.

Kind regards,

Nevita Pandya

Principal/CEO

WhatsApp Channels

Primary and Secondary WhatsApp Channels for our GIS community. These Channels will run on WhatsApp, meaning you will be able to manage your own notification settings and access the updates easily.

It is important to note that only our Parent Relations Executive, Helen Gornall, will be able to post messages to

these Channels and this will only be to share announcements/updates applicable. We encourage you to check

the relevant Channels regularly to remain informed about the latest developments.

For any queries on Slices, please call or WhatsApp Andrea from Slices on 050 504 5908

Kind reminder to ensure students accounts have enough credit loaded so they do not face issues purchasing food. 

GIS Community Calendar 25/6

If you would like to subscribe to the the GIS Community Calendar, please click HERE for the link.  

This calendar will be continually updated to reflect key dates and events.