Victoria International School - Almanthiqa Alwastha branch Sharjah - Maliha

Victoria International School - Almanthiqa Alwastha branch Sharjah - Maliha is led by Campus Principal Shaun Melind, who brings over 19 years in education and 13 years in senior leadership across New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and the UAE. He holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Charles Sturt University, where he received the Executive Dean's Award. Having joined the VISS network as Assistant Principal in Khorfakkan in 2022, he was appointed Principal of the Central Region campus in 2024 — making him a founding-era leader who has shaped the school's culture from its early years. He also serves as a Council of International Schools (CIS) evaluator, an unusual distinction that signals genuine engagement with international best practice.

The wider leadership team is notably experienced. Assistant Head Tandi McRae has over 21 years in education and 12 years in senior leadership, holds a Master of Education from Victoria University, and has been with the VISS group since 2017. Assistant Head Saara Ahmed brings over a decade of UAE international school experience, with prior leadership roles spanning Dean of Students, Head of Early Years, and Head of Wellbeing. Assistant Head Hilary Hunt has worked within the VISS group for 10 years and has sat on SPEA's Wellbeing Improvement Committee for three years as an advisor — a meaningful external recognition of her expertise. The school was founded under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, and governance sits with a Board of Governors chaired by Emma Borg as of the 2024 inspection.

The school's 2024 SPEA inspection — its first — rated overall effectiveness Good, a creditable result for a school that opened only in August 2021. Inspectors specifically cited "the leadership and management of the principal in achieving the school's good overall effectiveness within a relatively short period of time since first opening." The school's student-to-teacher ratio stands at 1:13, which is broadly in line with the Sharjah-wide average of approximately 1:14 across private schools, suggesting adequate staffing levels. With 52 teachers and 13 teaching assistants serving 652 students at the time of inspection, the school is well-resourced in human terms — inspectors rated staffing, facilities, and resources as Very Good.

However, parents should weigh two leadership-related concerns raised by inspectors. First, the school recorded a staff turnover rate of 24% at the time of the 2024 review — a figure that warrants monitoring, as high turnover can disrupt continuity of learning. Second, inspectors identified governance and accountability as an area for improvement, alongside weaknesses in the school's self-evaluation and improvement planning processes. These are structural concerns that go beyond classroom quality and suggest the school's leadership infrastructure is still maturing relative to its ambitions.

On the community side, the picture is more positive. Parent engagement was rated a key strength by inspectors, with parents described as engaged, welcomed, and positive supporters of the school. Parent surveys were conducted during the inspection, and families are actively involved in Student Centered Case Meetings. Student personal and social development was rated Very Good — the highest sub-rating awarded — reflecting a school culture where wellbeing is genuinely prioritised. The school also earned the Cognia 2024 School of Distinction Award, an external accreditation milestone that adds credibility to its academic programme.