The newly appointed head of two Harrow schools expected to open in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 2026 said he wants to “redefine the education landscape” and help mould the leaders of tomorrow.
Simon O’Connor, who will oversee both campuses, said a Harrovian should be equipped to “lead in any capacity anywhere in the world” and life at the schools – from the intellectual rigour to sports and music delivered by world-class teachers – will build that type of character.
Speaking a day after he was named executive principal of the two schools, Mr O’Connor offered a glimpse of what pupils and parents can expect when Harrow International School Dubai and Harrow International School Abu Dhabi welcome pupils.
Mr O'Connor also reflected on the role artificial intelligence will play, why less screen time for pupils is crucial and what parents will get in return for “super-premium” school fees.
“[The schools] will blend intellectual rigour, well-being, leadership and more, and will redefine the education landscape,” Mr O’Connor told The National on Wednesday. “It will be the pinnacle so many schools will aspire to.”
Renowned school goes global
UK’s Harrow is arguably one of the most famous educational institutions in the world. Its history stretches back about 450 years. Former UK prime minister Winston Churchill, the poet Lord Byron and Maro Itoje, captain of both the England and British and Irish Lions rugby teams, are among those who have walked its hallowed halls.
The development of Harrow schools in the UAE comes through a partnership with Taaleem, which has secured exclusive rights to operate Harrow International Schools in the six countries of the GCC.
It was previously announced that the schools in the UAE will have a fee structure of Dh80,000 to Dh100,000 ($21,780 to $27,230) for pupils in early years to year 6. Details on admissions for both schools will be announced shortly, Taaleem said. It is also expected both will open in 2026 and further thought the schools will gradually expand to serve older pupils.
Each Harrow school – covering 50,000 square metres in Dubai and 70,000 square metres on Saadiyat Island – will eventually accommodate up to 2,000 pupils.
Delivering value for money
Mr O’Connor said the organisation understands that choosing a school is a significant investment as fees are increasing and “we take that incredibly seriously”.
“This creates a responsibility to invest in quality and Harrow International Schools will invest in the development of facilities, curriculum innovation, student and staff well-being. In Harrow, we are determined to create an experience that matches or exceeds the fee points,” said Mr O’Connor, who will also serve as the founding principal of the Dubai school.
He said attending the schools would be a “life-defining experience” and the cost was an opportunity to “invest” in students' “character, potential and global readiness” so they can be “leaders of tomorrow”.
He said both will have advanced campuses and world-class facilities and Harrow will bring in the “very best teachers from across the globe”. It will seek to implement Harrow's house system – which divides pupils into smaller groups (or houses) for social interaction and pastoral care – in both schools.
“[The two schools] represent the pinnacle of education offering in the UAE,” he said. “A Harrovian should be equipped to lead in any capacity anywhere in the world. It is not just about preparation for today but about shaping future leaders.”
Mr O’Connor, 53, has about 25 years’ experience in the UK and UAE. He previously served as director of Deira International School and is a former principal of Jumeirah College. He is also the founder of the Centre for Education Action Research, an alliance of educators assessing themes such as artificial intelligence.
He said that over the past two years, teaching had changed more than at any time in his career and educators had to embrace AI. He said it could lead to greater efficiencies such as helping teachers to save time on tasks such as grading.
“AI won’t replace teachers but our students will need to be AI natives and use it to their advantage,” he said. “A balance has to be struck. The question becomes 'what do we do with time'.”
Video: Taaleem boss on need for more schools in 'booming' Dubai
Mr O’Connor said that when schools went online during Covid-19 it reinforced how teaching is about human interaction, and that would inform how both schools would operate.
“We are determined not to be screen-free but to have limited screen time. Everything has shown us that interaction between people is what is most important. AI should be a servant to the people; people should not be a servant to AI.”
Harrow's arrival in the UAE comes as the populations of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are surging, leading to a huge demand for schools.
Abu Dhabi’s population passed four million last week, while Dubai’s stands at about 3.97 million and is rising rapidly. Dubai's private school sector alone recorded a 6 per cent rise in enrolments this academic year, reaching 387,441 pupils across 227 schools, the emirate’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority said.
Work to prepare both schools is advancing rapidly and Mr O'Connor is confident the arrival of Harrow is a game-changer.
“I’m very honoured and excited to get this role,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
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MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 0
Stoke City 0
Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
