Al Ain English Speaking School
- Ages
- 3-18 yrs
- Curricula
- English National Curriculum
- Main Language
- English
About
We follow the English National Curriculum from Early Years through to Post 16, offering GCSE's IGCSEs, AS and A Levels, through inclusive and supportive care and guidance. Under our school motto of ' Achieving Excellence', we are proud to celebrate the success of all of our children, from that seen in academia, the arts, or in the field of sports.
Alongside our thriving Duke of Edinburgh programme, we encourage students in and out of school to become responsible and caring individuals, and with our Grow Zone and Duck Farm we strive to sustain citizens of sustainability.
AAESS has a fantastic and skilled staff that endeavour to provide not just the very best educational experiences for our students, but to provide an holistic approach that not just opens minds but creates a hunger for learning into the future.
Andrew Thomas
Executive Principal
Andrew started his career in 1999 and worked for almost 17 years at one of the UK’s largest secondary schools in Devon, England. He held many portfolios including Director of 6th Form, Head of Year 7 and Head of Centre. Andrew trained as a PE teacher and gained his NPQH in 2005, seeing promotion quickly to senior leadership.
In 2008, Andrew undertook a research M.Phil Master’s degree with a leading professor in the UK, in ICT & Physical Education, before later becoming an ICT and Business Studies teacher. Andrew has given many conference speeches for BETT Middle East, The British Educational Research Association, and also at many Premier Football Clubs, including Chelsea Arsenal, and Aston Villa! His research has been published in many renowned journals, and he has even advised a previous Education Minister for Nigeria on the use of technology in schools. Andrew also wrote and developed a free-to-use online teaching platform in 2009 for Key Stage 2 students, to help with their learning of Maths & English, and it is still in use today.
In May 2015, Andrew joined AAESS as the Principal of the school and led the school in 2022 to become the first school in Al Ain to hold the British Schools Overseas award (BSO), and in 2024, AAEES became the only school in Al Ain to hold the Carnegie Mental Health Award.
Andrew's philosophy of education is rooted firmly from his own school experience, when at 15 years old, Andrew's Biology teacher gave him the confidence and belief to pursue a career in teaching. That day changed his life, and it is his passion now, to change the lives of others for the better through his role of Principal.
