Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne on shaping Ash Mount School’s bold new vision in Mudon
Ash Mount School, a new international private school in Dubai, is set to open in August 2026 in the Mudon community.
Catering to students from Pre-KG through to Grade 12, the school will offer an international learning pathway shaped by inquiry-based learning, global perspectives, and a strong commitment to student wellbeing.
Yalla spoke with Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne to hear how her 30-year journey in education, leadership, and curriculum design has shaped Ash Mount’s ethos — and why she believes education must become “more human, not more mechanical.”
“We are not opening a building; we are building a community that grows with its children.”
Can you tell us about your educational background and journey so far?
I began my career in the UK over 30 years ago, working in schools where relationships, belonging, and the learning environment mattered just as much as the curriculum. I later moved into senior leadership, supporting school improvement, teacher development and the design of new schools.
Alongside this, I’ve worked extensively in teacher training, partnering with universities, mentoring student teachers, and delivering the UK’s National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for leaders, both in the UK and now here in the UAE through schools like KBZA in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE has allowed me to bring together all these strands — curriculum innovation, wellbeing, inclusion, and leadership — within a dynamic international context.
Founding Ash Mount is an opportunity to design a school with intention from day one: forward-looking, deeply human, and rooted in community.
Did you love school, or loathe it?
A little of both. I loved learning, but only in subjects where there was a genuine connection with the teacher.
Where relationships were strong, I thrived; where they weren’t, the learning felt distant. Even as a child, I understood, long before I had the language for it, that relationship is the gateway to learning.
That realisation has shaped everything I believe about schooling. Children learn when they feel secure, respected and known.
This has guided the way I lead schools and the message I consistently share with teaching and non-teaching colleagues: great education is fundamentally relational.
Who or what influenced you most growing up or early in your career?
My earliest and most powerful influences were my parents, a wonderful meeting of two very different worlds.
My father was the son of a carpenter who, through scholarship, earned his place at the City of London School and then Marlborough College. My mother was the great-granddaughter of a Prime Minister.
Together they showed me that education is both a pathway and a responsibility, that privilege should be used in service of others, and that character, kindness, and contribution matter far more than background.
Alongside my parents, two school leaders profoundly shaped my understanding of what education can be:
- My primary headmaster, who once chose compassion over punishment when I was expecting the cane, quietly said, “I think you’ve punished yourself enough.” It was my first encounter with dignifying discipline — leadership rooted in humanity.
- My secondary headmistress, who began every assembly with: “Girls, you can be anything you set your minds to.” At the time, I heard it simply as a general message. Only later did I realise how formative it was, a woman in leadership intentionally speaking to young women about ambition at a time when female role models were far less visible.
Together, they taught me that belief, dignity and authentic care are not “soft” aspects of education; they are its foundation.
Was there a pivotal moment in your career?
Leading a major school turnaround early in my leadership journey. The children had enormous potential, but the culture had stalled. Working with staff to rebuild belief, belonging and purpose led to the school becoming the most improved in the country, and we received a formal letter of recognition from the government.
That experience taught me that leadership is not about performance or polish; it is about being present, principled, human and consistent. Culture doesn’t change through slogans; it changes through trust, expectation and care. That lesson has shaped everything that followed.
What’s your educational philosophy?
A great education should develop the whole child: knowledge, skills, character and agency.
The world children are growing into is not fixed; it is evolving and full of opportunity. They need agility, imagination and ethical courage, not compliance or memorisation.
We can learn from the past, but we must educate for the future.
What makes a great school environment?
Culture and space work together. Children thrive when they feel safe, heard and valued, and the physical environment plays a significant role in this. Learning spaces should invite curiosity, independence and collaboration.
A great school is a place where children grow, not simply a place they go.
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What drew you to Ash Mount School, and what will set it apart?
Ash Mount is intentionally designed as a true community school, one where relationships come before structures. What sets it apart is coherence and authenticity —the alignment of values, curriculum, design, and daily practice.
Our defining features include:
- A wellbeing-first culture
- Adaptations designed from the foundation
- Inquiry-led, future-focused learning
- Learning landscapes, not corridors
- Deep partnership with families
- Leadership that is authentic and human, not hierarchical
We want school to feel like belonging, not attendance.
What is the curriculum approach at Ash Mount, and what type of learning can families expect?
Our curriculum is built on the belief that children deserve more than content coverage — they deserve understanding, agency and relevance. It is designed around a strong educational framework that prioritises deep thinking, curiosity, global awareness and character development, alongside high academic standards.
Rather than teaching subjects in isolation, we help students see ideas in context and understand how learning connects to the wider world. We focus on developing young people who can inquire, reflect, take initiative and apply their knowledge meaningfully.
Our approach blends:
- Rigour in knowledge and skill development
- Inquiry and real-world application
- A global frame of reference
- Character, wellbeing and agency
This gives children both excellent academic preparation and the adaptability, perspective and confidence needed for the future. The goal is not only for students to achieve highly, but to become thoughtful, compassionate and capable young people who know how to shape their own learning journey.
Why is demand for schools growing in Dubai, and how will Ash Mount respond?
Dubai now offers true educational choice; families choose schools that align with their values. Increasingly, parents are looking for strong academics paired with wellbeing, belonging, and whole-child development.
Ash Mount responds by building a culture anchored in partnership. We want children to come to school because they want to, not because they must. When students feel known and proud of where they belong, confidence and achievement flourish.
We are not opening a building; we are building a community that grows with its children.
What is the biggest challenge for UAE education over the next five years?
Preparing children for a world that will not stand still. The challenge is helping them develop adaptability, empathy, ethical courage and creative problem-solving, to thrive in uncertainty, not fear it. Education must become more human, not more mechanical.
How will you help families feel part of the community from day one?
By building connection with intention. From the moment families join Ash Mount, they will experience openness, inclusion and genuine partnership. We will create meaningful touchpoints, from Coffee & Connect sessions and learning conversations to onboarding programmes and community events, so parents feel with us, not just alongside us.
Belonging will be deliberately designed through transparency, communication, and care. Our goal is for every family to feel known, welcomed and integral to the life of the school from day one.
Founding students will not simply join Ash Mount; they will help shape it. That sense of authorship builds pride, identity and voice.
Quick-Fire Round
Let’s get to know Abigail a little better…
- Favourite food?
Peanut butter or Marmite on toast. - Movie you rewatch?
I don’t rewatch films, not knowing what comes next keeps me fully present! (The same with books.) - Ideal superpower?
To fly. - If not a Principal, you’d be…
As a child, I wanted to be a farmer’s wife because, in my young mind, it meant I could cook at an Aga all day using beautiful fresh ingredients gathered from outside. In retirement, I would love to travel and create art — maybe a second career still waiting to happen. - Dream school trip?
Taking inner-city students sailing in the south of England; courage disguised as adventure. - Three dinner guests?
My father, Sir Ken Robinson, and Jane Goodall.
But honestly, my family would always be the first people at my table, with my husband cooking because his food is exceptional, and I would enjoy the love and laughter around it.
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