Al Wahda Private SchoolPrincipal & Leadership Team

Al Wahda Private School is led by Principal Mr. Duraid Al Oubaidy, supported by Vice Principals Leila Chammas and Shada Al Dbaisi, alongside a Head of Teaching and Curriculum. Governance sits with Chair of Board of Governors Ms. Mariam Al Mazmi, and the school operates under the Athena Education group, which provides cross-school professional development, an academic board, and oversight from a Group Director of Schools. One important caveat for parents: Mr. Al Oubaidy was in his first year in post at the time of the 2023 inspection, as were most of the senior leadership team — meaning the current team is relatively new and still establishing its track record.

Despite that short tenure, the inspection findings on leadership were notably positive. The 2023 SPEA review rated leadership and management as Good overall, a meaningful recovery from the school's previous Weak rating in 2018. Inspectors specifically cited the principal's and senior leaders' positive impact in raising standards and aspirations as a key strength. Governance was reviewed as part of the same standard and contributed to the Good judgement. The school's official SPEA profile also lists its evaluation as Good. However, inspectors identified the impact and effectiveness of middle and subject leaders as an area requiring improvement — a structural gap that parents should weigh when considering longer-term academic outcomes.

The school employs 55 teachers serving 798 students, producing a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:15. Among American curriculum schools in Sharjah, this sits slightly above the citywide average of 1:13.6 across all private schools, suggesting moderately larger class sizes than the city norm. [MISSING: staff qualification percentages — proportion holding Masters or above not disclosed in inspection or school sources.] The inspection recorded a staff turnover rate of 20%, which is a figure parents should note; one in five teachers left in the year reviewed, and with a largely new senior team in place, continuity at the classroom level warrants monitoring. The main nationality of teachers is listed as Egyptian.

Professional development is structured through Athena Education's corporate and school-based programmes, including coaching, mentoring, accreditation pathways, and cross-campus training sessions. The school's own professional development page emphasises a Master Teacher and Middle Leader Accreditation programme — directly relevant given inspectors' concerns about middle leadership effectiveness. Parent engagement was rated a key strength in the 2023 inspection, with parents' involvement and support for the school explicitly highlighted. ClassDojo is used for real-time communication in KG, and parent surveys were conducted as part of the review process. The school has achieved Cognia accreditation, an internationally recognised quality standard for American curriculum institutions.