Holistic Education and Real-World Student Success
Edarabia had the opportunity to interview Zubair Ahmad, Managing Director of Springdales School Dubai, about his vision for the school’s future, the challenges facing education today, and how the school is preparing students for life after graduation.
- What are your plans for 2025?
As we look ahead to 2025, our vision at Springdales School, Dubai is to deepen our commitment to holistic education while embracing innovative methods that help students gain the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing, and increasingly unpredictable world.
We plan to further integrate technology – and especially AI and VR – into the curriculum, not just for the sake of efficiency or novelty, but to really enhance interactive learning. These tools, well used, can offer all students a tailored, well-informed learning assistant in terms of AI and the opportunity for a more motivating, immersive experience for learning, in terms of VR.
We are also keen on expanding our community outreach programmes, especially those that connect students with local and international projects aligned with the E33 education agenda, which emphasises lifelong-learning, global citizenship and sustainability.
We believe that true growth in school education goes beyond exams and reports; it involves nurturing skilled, active, compassionate, and curious young adults who are very well prepared to navigate the complexities of the future.
- How do you decide what to focus on academically each year, and which new ideas are you pursuing?
Deciding what to focus on academically each year involves a thoughtful balance of adhering to the CBSE curriculum requirements while also staying current with new trends in education.
We look carefully at student feedback, teacher recommendations, and global best practices; we think it is important to be data-rich and evidence-based in all the work we do, and decisions we make.
Each term, we assess how effectively our current approaches are engaging learners so that they achieve to their potential and address any gaps that may surface—whether in critical thinking, creative problem-solving, or digital literacy.
At the same time, we aim to explore further the benefits of ideas such as structured peer-to-peer mentorship, where senior students help younger ones navigate academic challenges, and collaborative projects that encourage research skills and teamwork across different grade levels.
- What challenges do you anticipate in the field of education over the next five years?
Over the next five years, one of the major challenges we foresee in education is adapting quickly to rapid technological advances, especially in artificial intelligence – which will entirely change the learning landscape like nothing ever before.
But we must adapt appropriately, by maintaining an empathetic, human-centric approach. Schools worldwide are becoming more digitally interconnected, and society is drowning in media noise – but this also raises questions of mental health, the ability to distinguish between what is real and what is fake, responsible technology usage, and as always, equal access to resources.
Another important challenge is ensuring our teachers remain up-to-date, well-trained and motivated in an environment where new teaching methods will emerge regularly.
Finally, as more families are more globally mobile – many, increasingly becoming political, economic and climate nomads, schools must help students adapt to unfamiliar, diverse social and academic settings. We are already skilled in this region – it requires strong cross-cultural communication and an inclusive spirit – and of course, in every sector, this defines Dubai and has done for many decades.
- How do you keep students interested in learning, especially those who struggle or seem unmotivated?
Keeping students interested in learning, especially those who struggle or seem unmotivated, is a continuous effort that starts with understanding each individual’s needs. At Springdales, we are fortunate – most of our children come from the Indian diaspora, and Indian families invariably place the importance of education as the highest priority. All of our children come to school to learn. However, this also means that these families expect the best, so we give them that.
We aim to offer a variety of learning experiences—group projects, hands-on investigations, and opportunities to showcase talents in STEM subjects, the arts and business enterprise —so that every child finds something that works for them. We encourage teachers to identify early signs of disengagement, whether through slipping grades or changes in behaviour, and then adapt their teaching style or involve specialised support. By giving students this kind of agency in their own learning—like choosing topics for class presentations or suggesting after-school clubs—we see them develop a personal connection to their education.
- How does the school ensure all students feel welcome and have the same chances to succeed?
Ensuring that all students feel welcome and have the same chances to succeed lies at the core of our ethos. We are a highly inclusive school, and this has been recognised by our regulators at every visit. This all translates to careful attention to diverse learning abilities and backgrounds, including those with high needs and those who are gifted and talented.
Our Learning Support Department works closely with teachers and parents to provide individualised strategies for students with specific needs, whether academic, emotional, or developmental. Whilst celebrating the country we live in, and the Islamic culture that underpins it, we also encourage cross-cultural celebrations and student-led events that honour the rich backgrounds of their own heritage which gives rise to real unity and respect for differences
- How proactive is the school in matters of student stress and bullying?
We take matters of student stress and bullying very seriously and identify problems early. We carry out initiatives such as regular counselling sessions, mindfulness activities, and clearly communicated policies against bullying.
Our pastoral care team are always accessible to students who feel overwhelmed or who have carried out or witnessed instances of poor behaviour. We strive and succeed in maintaining a safe community where everyone—teachers, students, and parents—feels comfortable discussing concerns before they escalate.
The quality of our promotion of well-being, across the school, has also been recognised as a very strong feature whenever we have been inspected.
- How do you help students build the skills they need for life after graduation?
Promoting and helping students to build life skills goes hand in hand with academics, and we try to weave this philosophy into everyday school life.
Through project-based assignments, students learn to manage time and the effective use of technology (including AI) for personalised learning, deep research and generating ideas. They develop leadership skills through responsibilities in running clubs, planning and delivering school assemblies, community work and participation in student councils.
We also encourage enterprise learning (entrepreneurship) and financial literacy, where students gain a sense of real-world problem-solving. The goal is for our graduates to leave not just with strong academic credentials, but with the flexibility, confidence and resilience to flourish in higher education and beyond
- How involved are parents and the community in making the school better?
Parents and the wider community have always been vital partners in improving our school environment. We regularly invite parents to workshops, open days, and cultural events, making sure their voices are heard in curriculum feedback and school policy updates.
Local organisations and industry professionals – such as EEG (Emirates Environmental Group), LANDMARK Group, Old Age Homes etc also play a role by offering internships, mentorships, and educational sponsorships. This collaboration extends our students’ learning beyond the classroom, linking theory with tangible experiences and societal contributions.
- How do you develop a school culture that attracts and keeps great teachers?
Developing a school culture that attracts and retains great teachers starts with respect, very clear expectations for delivering quality learning experiences through international best practice. It also depends upon ongoing professional growth, and a sense of belonging in to a family.
At Springdales, all our staff, and students, are “SPRINGDALIANS” – it is like a family. We offer excellent induction training and support sessions, mentorship programmes, and opportunities for professional networking, so our educators feel both supported and challenged.
We have a really positive, collaborative atmosphere—where teachers are encouraged to share ideas and celebrate each other’s successes—goes a long way in building a stable, enthusiastic faculty.
- Do teachers at your school have growth opportunities for leadership roles?
Teachers at our school do indeed have a range of opportunities to grow into leadership roles. They may begin as mentors for younger faculty members or lead special academic or extracurricular initiatives. Over time, they can head departments, coordinate large-scale inter-school collaborations, or even represent Springdales at international forums. In fact, our entire leadership team has progressed into their roles from within the school.
We want our teachers and our leaders to see their career path as dynamic and purposeful, with room to evolve in line with their passions and strengths. We have quite a low rate of turnover compared to what is typical in the Dubai private sector.
- Which after-school activity would you say has the biggest positive impact on a student’s future?
As for which after-school activity has the biggest positive impact on a student’s future, it truly depends on the individual student’s interests and talents.
However, many of our alumni mention community service clubs and Model United Nations (MUN) as transformative. These programmes foster public speaking, research skills, empathy, and leadership qualities—attributes that remain crucial well beyond school.
- What is your definition of success?
My definition of success is the success of every learner that steps foot in our school. This can only truly be measured sometime after they have left the school.
It is though, a blend of personal growth, social responsibility, future-readiness and academic achievement.
It’s about nurturing well-rounded individuals who are prepared to face the world with compassion, curiosity, and confidence.
Seeing our graduates step into the world not just with top marks, but with the ability to think independently and empathise with others, is what I consider true success.
- If you had the opportunity to inspire the world in one sentence, what would that sentence be?
“Aim for excellence with a kind and loving heart, because success is measured not just by what you achieve, but by the positive change you create around you.”
Or, as The Beatles sang “The love you take is equal to the love you make
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