Our Own High School - Al WarqaPrincipal & Leadership Team

Our Own High School - Al Warqa'a (Dubai Branch) is operated by GEMS Education, one of the world's largest private education operators, and is led by Principal/CEO Dr. Anjuli Murthy, who holds a Doctorate in Economics and brings three decades in education, of which 27 years have been with GEMS. Appointed on 4 April 2021, Dr. Murthy arrived with deep institutional knowledge, having previously served as Vice Principal at Our Own High School and Principal of GEMS Heritage Indian School. Her vision centres on inclusive education, strong moral values, and active community involvement — a philosophy that is visibly reflected in the school's inspection outcomes.

The 2023–2024 KHDA inspection rated leadership effectiveness Very Good and school self-evaluation and improvement planning Very Good, while governance was rated Good. Inspectors noted that senior leadership has been strengthened by recent appointments and that the school implements comprehensive self-evaluation procedures, though improvement plans were found to sometimes lack measurable targets. Leadership capacity in KG and inclusion was identified as less strong — an area parents should note, particularly those with younger children or children with additional learning needs. The overall school rating is Good, a position GEMS OOW Al Warqa'a has held for ten consecutive inspection cycles, dating back to 2013–2014, signalling genuine institutional stability rather than a one-off result.

The leadership team beneath Dr. Murthy is experienced and long-serving. Herman Gomes, Head of Senior School, brings almost 40 years in education and holds a Master's in History and an MBA in Education Management. Aarti Kanal, Supervisor Grade 6, has been with the GEMS family since September 2000. Farah Shaikh, Supervisor Grade 9, has served as a GEMS Chemistry teacher since 1999 and has chaired the Parent Advisory Committee as Secretary for over ten years. Zenu Jacob Mathew has been with the school since 1999 and is a two-time recipient of the GEMS Teacher Achievement Award. This depth of institutional tenure is a meaningful retention signal and stands in contrast to schools experiencing frequent leadership churn.

On teaching quality, the KHDA inspection found that most teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge, with teaching rated Very Good across Primary, Middle and Secondary phases. Teaching in KG was rated Acceptable, which is the one phase where inspectors flagged inconsistency in strategy and assessment use. The school employs 216 teachers for 4,659 students, producing a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:21 — notably higher than the Dubai private school average of 1:13.6. For a school of this scale and fee range, parents should factor this in when considering classroom attention levels, particularly in the lower school. Staff qualifications data beyond individual leadership profiles are [MISSING: whole-staff qualification percentage not published in inspection or school sources].

Parent engagement is a standout strength. The KHDA inspection rated parents and the community Very Good, with inspectors noting that parents are very engaged and actively influence the school's direction, particularly in relation to student welfare. The school operates a formal Parent Advisory Committee, and the wellbeing inspection confirmed that parents help shape school priorities. The school has also received the Optimus Wellbeing Award, and wellbeing was rated Very Good in the 2023–2024 inspection — a meaningful recognition for a school community of nearly 5,000 boys.