Brighton College Abu Dhabi welcomes Mr. Barney Durrant as Head Master for 2025

Zawya

15-04-2025

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Leading British curriculum school, Brighton College Abu Dhabi, is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Barney Durrant as its new Head Master. Mr Durrant officially began his role in April 2025 and will lead the school into its next exciting chapter, building on its exceptional academic standing and strong sense of community.
Brighton College Abu Dhabi recently celebrated its best-ever A-Level and GCSE results and was rated 'Outstanding' in all categories by British Schools Overseas (BSO) in 2024. With a 'Very Good' ADEK rating and a strong foundation of academic success, Mr Durrant's appointment signals the next phase of growth and innovation for the College.
With over two decades of experience in British and international education, Mr Durrant joins Brighton College Abu Dhabi from his most recent position as Head of St Lawrence College in the UK, where he led the school for five years. Under his leadership, the school was shortlisted for Student Wellbeing in the prestigious Independent School of the Year Awards. Prior to this, he spent eight years at Harrow International School Hong Kong, serving as Principal Deputy Head. Earlier in his career, he spent fourteen years at the highly regarded Stowe School in the UK, further establishing his reputation as a dedicated and forward-thinking educational leader.
Mr Durrant is a passionate educationalist with a strong commitment to academic excellence, pastoral care, and holistic education. He believes in preparing pupils for the demands of the 21st century while nurturing their full potential – academically, socially and emotionally. His values are closely aligned with Brighton College's ethos of kindness, curiosity and confidence. A regular speaker at international conferences, Mr Durrant has championed the link between wellbeing and academic success throughout his career.
Mr. Durrant holds a BA (Hons) Degree from the University College London, a PGCE from Cambridge University, and a Master's in Educational Leadership from the University of Nottingham.
Commenting on his new appointment, Mr. Durrant said, 'It is an honour to join Brighton College Abu Dhabi as Head Master, working alongside our outstanding sister schools in Al Ain and Dubai. Brighton College Abu Dhabi holds a special place in the Capital, consistently performing as the top school for A-level and GCSE results. From the moment I arrived, I was struck by the warmth of the community and the energy across the campus. The culture of kindness, curiosity and confidence is evident in everything our pupils do – and reflects the values I care most deeply about in education. I'm looking forward to working with our talented staff and supportive parents to ensure every pupil is challenged, inspired, and supported to achieve their very best – not just academically, but as confident, compassionate young people ready for the world beyond school.'
Mr. Craig Lamshed, General Manager, Brighton Colleges UAE commented, 'We are delighted to welcome Mr Barney Durrant to Brighton College Abu Dhabi. His extensive leadership experience and commitment to holistic education make him exceptionally well-suited to lead the College through its next phase of growth. At Bloom Education, we are proud to support a school community that consistently achieves academic excellence while placing kindness and wellbeing at its core. Mr Durrant's appointment reflects our shared vision for delivering an outstanding British education that prepares pupils to thrive in a rapidly changing world.'
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About Brighton College Abu Dhabi
Brighton College Abu Dhabi is rated 'Very Good' by ADEK and stands as one of the top British-curriculum schools in the Middle East, catering to pupils aged 3 to 18 years old. Operated by Bloom Education, the school consistently delivers exceptional academic results, offers a wide array of co-curricular activities, provides outstanding pastoral care and fosters a strong sense of community at its core.
Recognised as one of the 'Top 10' private schools in the Middle East in the 2024 Spear's Schools Index in partnership with Thuso, Brighton College Abu Dhabi is part of the renowned Brighton College family of Schools and serves as the sister school to England's 'School of the Decade' (The Sunday Times).
Pupils at Brighton College Abu Dhabi experience a vibrant and demanding learning environment, underpinned by a distinct British independent school ethos that mirrors the values and dynamic culture of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.
Situated in a purpose-built campus adjacent to Khalifa Park, the school features state-of-the-art facilities and is staffed by highly experienced and talented academic and support staff, maintaining the exceptional standard of education upheld by other Brighton Colleges worldwide.
Brighton College Abu Dhabi equips its pupils with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve excellent GCSE and A-Level results, ensuring that its alumni secure placements at leading universities across the globe. The Class of 2023-24 held over 100 offers from Russell Group Universities and went on to study at universities including Exeter, Manchester, UCL, Leeds, Durham and King's College London. Beyond the UK pupils attend prestigious institutions including Berkley, Dartmouth, UCLA, Purdue, University of Toronto, University of Geneva and Rome University of the Arts.
The school's consecutive recognition as the 'British School of the Year' by LUXLife Private Education Awards in both 2022 and 2023 underscores its ongoing success.
Bloom Education, a Bloom Holding subsidiary, delivers the highest standards of a British curriculum education in the UAE and is committed to inspiring its pupils to appreciate and value local heritage and cultural diversity.
https://www.brightoncollege.ae/
About Bloom Education
Bloom Education supports the development of future generations through partnerships with world-class international education brands, owns brand schools and nurseries, and the operation of UAE Charter Schools and New Generation Schools.
A pioneer in the Middle East education sector for more than 14 years, Bloom Education has introduced and operated leading American, English and International Baccalaureate curriculum education brands in the UAE market and has provided exceptional educational experiences and opportunities to more than 20,000 students. The partner of choice for international school brand Brighton College, Bloom Education has been entrusted to deliver and sustain the highest international standards locally and has been selected by Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) to operate the Abu Dhabi Charter Schools programme. Bloom Education has also been chosen by Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) to operate schools in the Northern Emirates, as part of the 'Ajyal' (new 'generation') school initiative.
With a keen focus on providing the best educational opportunities to help craft better futures for the youth of the UAE, Bloom Education launched its first 'own-brand' premium IB school, Bloom World Academy, in Dubai in August 2022. The school has introduced many firsts in the UAE, such as Learning Achievement Passports (LAP), individual learning pathways and the later start time of 9am, allowing for students' learning to be in balance with family life. Bloom Education's opportunity-rich environments allow it to nurture its community of students so they can reach their highest potential – intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally and their success is reflected in the high quality of their graduates who continue their studies at leading universities around the world, including Ivy league and Russell Group.
As the population grows and the world becomes more competitive, Bloom Education's focus continues to be on discovering the world's best education brands whilst expanding its portfolio of premium own-brand schools and nurseries. Additionally, it continues to maintain high standards of operation in ADEK and ESE government schools. This strategic focus enables Bloom Education to provide world-class educational opportunities to an ever-increasing number of students.
For more information, please visit https://www.bloomeducation.com/