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Five questions with The Aquila School’s new Head of Secondary
A seasoned educator shares her vision for nurturing compassion, resilience and academic excellence at Aquila
- PUBLISHED: Wed 27 Aug 2025, 9:01 AM
The Aquila School has welcomed Yasmine Dannawy as its new Head of Secondary, bringing with her three decades of experience in education across the UAE and beyond.
In this interview, she shares her vision for student success, the life skills needed in today’s world, and how she plans to enrich the Aquila experience for every learner.
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Why did you decide to join The Aquila School?
After 30 years in education, I choose schools for lived values. At The Aquila School, “Safe, Happy Learning” is not a slogan, it is everywhere, from FS to Sixth Form. On my school tour, students introduced themselves confidently; in drama, food technology and even the canteen, I saw perseverance, resilience and kindness in action. As a leader and a mother with children now at Aquila, I want compassion and exceptional learning side by side. Our visions align, so the choice was simple.
How will you ensure that each child is supported to reach their individual future pathway?
We deliver the English National Curriculum and with our UK-trained teachers that offer personalised guidance from Years 7–9, students are able to make smart I/GCSE choices. This could be in triple or combined science, maths and further maths, design technology, computing, business, the arts and languages. For multilingual learners, we offer IGCSE English as a second language and flexible qualifications; not every child needs 13–14 GCSEs to thrive. In Sixth Form, students choose the IB Diploma, the IB Certificate or BTEC pathways, or a blended approach to these pathways. Through one-to-one advising, we match students to their preferred future pathway of choice whether that is a degree, a foundation course, apprenticeship, internship or employment.
What life skills are you instilling in students at The Aquila School, especially in the Secondary School?
Many of today’s young people face social-media pressure and AI-driven misinformation. Our secondary programme builds digital and media literacy, critical thinking and self-regulation. We explicitly teach study habits and sleep hygiene, financial literacy, sustainability and service. With 90+ nationalities learning together, students practise empathy, integrity and global citizenship, navigate friendship dynamics and identity, and develop the resilience to bounce back. When they leave Year 13 they are clear about what matters, with strong academic results to match.
How do you focus on academic, social and emotional development in an ever-changing world?
Learning is a durable skill set: research, judging reliable sources and communicating clearly is key. Equally, students need a safe place and a voice. Daily 20-minute tutor time, themed assemblies and open dialogue make that real. Counsellors and careers advisors provide expert support, while student leadership flourishes through activities like Model-UN style forums and TEDx. At Aquila it is done with ambitious learning that has wellbeing at the core.
How will your experience enhance the student experience at The Aquila School?
I’m a third-culture English teacher of Arab heritage with 16 years of UAE experience across IB, British, American and Canadian curricula. I coach outstanding teaching, lead rigorous I/GCSE and IB moderation, and champion BTEC parity, helping families see its global value. Having served as teacher, head of year, head of department and careers advisor, I bring whole-school perspective. Aligned with ISP’s ethos of lifelong, multilingual learning, I hope to further broaden pathways and opportunities so that every Aquila student thrives.
For more information, visit: The Aquila School.