With nearly twenty-five years of teaching experience, Nicola Hamer will assume the role of Head of Secondary at The English College Dubai in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Nicola, who moved to the UAE from England at the age of 12, boasts an impressive educational background, including a business degree and a post-graduate certification in education (PGCE). Education UAE spoke to Nicola to gain insights into her plans for her new role, as well as learn about her ideal addition to the curriculum if she had the power to make it happen.
Education UAE: How do you envision fostering a positive school culture and ensuring a supportive environment for both students and staff in your new post?
Nicola Hamer: Fostering a positive school culture and ensuring support for everyone is fundamental for happy and successful staff and students. Clear and open communication is key. It is important for everyone to feel heard and valued. Hearing and responding to feedback is, and will always be, my priority. In addition, it is essential that, as a school, we promote respect within our community. Respect is one of the school’s core values and by ensuring that we treat others with respect, we can ensure we have a culture where everyone feels accepted.
Education UAE: What strategies will you implement to enhance academic performance and student achievement across various subjects and grade levels?
Nicola Hamer: First and foremost, I believe that ensuring we have high-quality teaching is paramount. By investing in professional development for teachers, keeping them up-to-date with the latest pedagogical techniques and subject knowledge is crucial. As we are now part of the International Schools Partnership (ISP) there are opportunities for CPD year-round. Additionally, by fostering a culture of collaboration within our school and across the ISP network in the Middle East, teachers will be able to share best practices and learn from each other, which will also be key.
By upskilling teachers, we can ensure that students receive personalised learning. Every student has unique needs and strengths, so through staff development, I will ensure we consistently implement strategies that cater to individual learning styles.
Assessment is also a big part of the equation. I’m committed to further developing the work we have already started to ensure we have a balanced assessment system that includes formative assessments, project-based assessments, and skill assessments. This way, we can get a more comprehensive understanding of student progress and ensure that students really understand what they are learning.
Education UAE: How will you prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the school community?
Nicola Hamer: It is essential that as a school we have an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and included, regardless of their background or abilities. This is the only way to create a thriving school community.
The school already has embedded policies and practices that promote equity and fairness across the board, from admissions to curriculum reviews, ensuring we are addressing any disparities. This includes staff training incorporated into development time, led by the school’s diversity working party, as well as ensuring we incorporate multicultural perspectives into our lessons, celebrating cultural events and holidays, and providing opportunities for students to explore issues of social justice and equity.
Lastly, I recognise the importance of engaging with parents and the wider community in our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Building partnerships with community organisations, hosting diversity events, and soliciting feedback from stakeholders will be key in ensuring that our initiatives are meaningful and reflective of the needs of our diverse school community.
Education UAE: What measures will you take to support teachers’ professional development and promote a collaborative approach to instruction and curriculum development?
Nicola Hamer: I believe it is essential to provide teachers with a variety of professional development opportunities tailored to their needs and interests. Whether it’s workshops, conferences, or online courses, I want to ensure that teachers have access to resources that help them grow in their practice and that it is bespoke enough to ensure maximum engagement.
I think peer observations and feedback can be incredibly valuable. We take part in the ISP peer review and it is always beneficial to have feedback from our peers who are engaged in the same roles and are facing similar situations. It is also important to have teachers sitting down together after observing each other’s classes, discussing what went well, and sharing ideas for improvement. It’s all about creating a culture where learning from each other is not only encouraged but celebrated.
Coaching sessions can also have a major impact on developing teachers and leaders in a school. The time and space to reflect on their teaching and set goals for growth can be incredibly powerful.
Education UAE: How do you plan to engage parents and guardians in their children’s education and strengthen partnerships between the school and the community?
Nicola Hamer: This is another example of where communication is key. It’s important to me to establish regular channels of communication with parents to ensure they know what’s going on in the school, but more importantly, to hear their feedback. For our own development, it is so important to hear what the parents think and what matters to them.
I want to create opportunities for parents to actively participate in their children’s education. We already host parent workshops on topics such as supporting literacy at home, understanding the curriculum, or navigating university application processes. I want to develop our curriculum maps and resources so that parents know what their children are learning and can support them on their journey.
In terms of strengthening partnerships between the school and the community, I believe in building relationships with local businesses and organisations. By collaborating with the wider community, we can provide students with real-world learning experiences to prepare them for the future.
Education UAE: What steps will you take to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff, both physically and emotionally?
Nicola Hamer: All students should feel emotionally secure in school. It’s the only way they truly thrive and achieve their potential. As a school, it’s important that we educate our students on what that looks like. At the moment, we run a PERMA programme throughout the school focusing on Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. This framework is based on Martin Seligman’s positive psychology theory and combines traditional education principles with research-backed ways of increasing happiness and well-being. The school also has a dedicated councillor who does a phenomenal job supporting our students, whether it be exam stress or friendship issues.
Staff well-being is threaded throughout our annual CPD programme, which we adapt and change each year, responding to staff feedback. We also have a well-being committee that brings innovative ideas to the table to support staff and meet their needs. This committee has even formed a netball team, and their most recent match was a leavers match against the 6th form – of course, the staff won!
Education UAE: What initiatives do you have in mind to promote extracurricular activities, clubs, and sports programmes that contribute to students’ holistic development?
Nicola Hamer: Firstly, I want to expand our range of extracurricular activities to cater to a diverse array of interests and talents. This might include offering clubs and programmes focused on areas such as arts and crafts, coding and robotics, environmental conservation, community service, as well as the more traditional sports. By providing a variety of options, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to explore their passions and develop new skills outside of the classroom. All students should be able to find something that appeals to them beyond the curriculum. I want to work with teachers to encourage student involvement and ensure that clubs are accessible and welcoming to all.
In terms of sports programmes, I want to ensure students can access both competitive and recreational sports. While competitive sports can help students develop skills such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience, recreational sports can provide a fun and inclusive outlet for physical activity and socialisation.
It’s important to build a culture where we recognise and celebrate student achievements in their extracurricular activities, clubs, and sports programmes. Celebrating student accomplishments can build school spirit and pride, and motivate students to continue pursuing their interests and passions outside of the classroom.
Education UAE: How will you measure the success of your leadership and the overall effectiveness of the school under your guidance, and what benchmarks or indicators will you use to assess progress?
Nicola Hamer: Ultimately, the success of my leadership and the school’s effectiveness will be measured by the sense of community within the school. I want to build on The English College family and community feel of the school, where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. While academic success and achievement matter, it’s the human connections, happy and well-rounded students, and passionate and caring staff, that will truly define my success.
Education UAE: What’s the most unusual talent or hobby you’ve discovered among your students, and do you showcase it to the school community?
Nicola Hamer: I used to run the Duke of Edinburgh award, so I have seen students demonstrating every skill and talent you could think of, from extreme yoyo to dog training! It’s important programmes like the Duke of Edinburgh Award that support students to follow their passions. Learning and mastering new skills boosts students’ self-confidence and self-esteem and, as they overcome challenges, they develop a sense of pride in their abilities. This is something that then supports them in all areas of their educational journey.
Education UAE: If you could magically add one subject to the curriculum that isn’t typically taught in secondary schools, what would it be and why?
Nicola Hamer: Accountancy and Financial Literacy. I have taught Business to students in years 10-13 for over 15 years and it always amazes me we don’t teach them enough about personal finances to make informed decisions and plan for their future. Understanding concepts such as credit ratings, compound interest, borrowing, and debt management can empower students to achieve financial independence and avoid common pitfalls through university and beyond.