Victoria International School PROPRITORSHIP branch Sharjah - Kalba - Al Ghayl

Campus Principal Siobhan Murphy leads Victoria International School Proprietorship LLC: Kalba with a depth of experience that is rare for a school of its age. Originally from Ireland, Murphy brings nearly 20 years of international teaching and leadership experience, including more than a decade in the UAE, spanning American, Irish, and British curricula across London, Ireland, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. As the founding Campus Head of VISS Kalba and now in her fourth year leading the campus, she provides a continuity of vision that is particularly significant given the school only opened in August 2022. The inspection report affirms that senior leaders and governors have demonstrated the vision, direction, and capacity to innovate and drive forward school development — one of the school's five formally cited key strengths.

The leadership structure beneath Murphy is well-defined and experienced. Assistant Principal Tara McInerney, who holds a Master's in Educational Leadership, oversees Pre-KG to Grade 2 and specialist subjects, having previously served on the founding team at VISS Khorfakkan. Assistant Principal Liam Allen, responsible for Grades 3–5, Wellbeing, and Inclusion, holds the NPQSL (National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership) and is currently completing a Master's in Education. Assistant Principal Lee Reich, a founding staff member at VISS Kalba, leads Middle School and Ministry of Education subjects, bringing over eight years of UAE experience and prior service as Deputy Head at the VISS Al Taawun campus. The school is operated by the VISS Education Network, with governance overseen by a Board of Governors chaired by Gregor Cameron.

The school's 2024–2025 SPEA inspection — its first since opening — returned an overall rating of Good, a creditable result for a school in only its third year of operation. With 47 teachers and 14 teaching assistants serving 652 students, VISS Kalba reports a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:14, broadly in line with the Sharjah-wide average of 1:13.6 across all private schools. The sole Australian curriculum school in Sharjah, direct peer comparison is limited, but the ratio reflects a manageable classroom environment. The inspection recorded a staff turnover rate of 9.97%, a relatively contained figure for a young school still building its community, and one that suggests reasonable retention given the school's rapid growth from 300 to over 750 students since opening.

The inspection identified the capacity of middle leaders as an area requiring development — specifically their ability to support departments on best practices in teaching. The quality of science teaching in Secondary, particularly in utilising the school's purpose-built laboratories for investigative work, was also flagged for improvement, as was the broader development of students' skills across phases. These are candid findings that parents should weigh alongside the school's genuine strengths. Parent engagement is embedded through Intervention Team Meetings and Student Centered Case Meetings, and parent surveys were conducted as part of the inspection process, reflecting a leadership culture that actively seeks community input.