Victory Heights Primary SchoolPrincipal & Leadership Team

Principal Sasha Crabb, Founding Principal appointed 4 January 2012, is one of the longest-serving principals at a single school in Dubai. She designed the building, curriculum, uniform and ethos of Victory Heights Primary School from inception — a depth of institutional ownership that is rare in a city where leadership turnover is a common concern for parents. Operated by Interstar Education, the school is supported by a Board of Governors whose oversight was rated Outstanding by KHDA in 2023–2024, with inspectors specifically citing the governing body's targeted support as a driver of the school's continued improvement.

The senior leadership team is well-structured and experienced. Headteacher Matthew Hawley returned to VHPS having previously served as Deputy Headteacher from 2016 to 2019, and holds a Master's degree in Education Management from King's College London. Assistant Headteachers Alex Quinn and Jade Harper are both completing the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL), while Assistant Head EYFS Sasha Quinn holds the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL). The leadership pipeline is visibly being invested in from within. KHDA inspectors noted that roles and responsibilities are distributed well, and that leaders collectively know their school thoroughly.

Teaching quality at VHPS is a clear strength. The 2023–2024 KHDA inspection rated Teaching and Assessment Outstanding across both Foundation Stage and Primary — the top rating available. Inspectors observed that most teachers use expert educational knowledge to plan purposeful learning, know their students well, and employ skilful questioning to promote critical thinking. The school deploys 66 teachers and 39 teaching assistants across a roll of 1,006 students, producing a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:15 — slightly above the Dubai-wide average of 1:13.6 across all schools with ratio data, though broadly in line with the norm for larger British curriculum primaries. The largest nationality group among teachers is British, consistent with the UK curriculum delivered.

Staff retention is a notable positive signal. KHDA inspection data records a teacher turnover rate of just 5% — a figure that stands in marked contrast to the churn seen at many Dubai schools and reflects the culture of belonging that inspectors described, with staff reporting a very strong sense of connection to the school community. Leadership and governance were both rated Outstanding, and parent and community engagement was rated Outstanding — underpinned by a parent portal, involvement in school improvement planning, and the VHPS Ambassadors programme. Principal Crabb was awarded Principal of the Year by Educational Journal Magazine in 2017 and by Schools Compared UAE in 2019. The school holds accreditation from BSO, BSME and COBIS, with BSO awarding Outstanding across all standards in May 2022.