Meet Harry Allen, Vice Principal Middle East

MVA's dedicated GST timezone, launching this September, is the first of its kind for the school and we want to ensure it's done right.

It's not just about providing lessons, social events and clubs at times that fit more easily into the days of Middle East students. It's about providing a school experience that is supportive, understanding, compassionate, and sensitive to local cultural differences.

MVA is, after all, on a mission to provide an educational environment that caters to the individual rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. As more and more students find themselves physically and culturally further from the UK, we cannot in good faith ask students to conform to our 'mainstream'.

With that in mind, the process to select a new Vice Principal to lead this GST division has been rigorous, looking for someone who can not only replicate MVA values, but translate and adapt them to a new environment.

In Harry, we've found just that.

Having worked extensively in teaching across the Middle East and beyond for decades, having left the UK in his teens, Harry is keen to bring all the MVA's world-class teaching to the region in a way that remains true to our mission, putting the individual child first.

When asked why he wanted to join Minerva, Harry said:

"I think the traditional bricks-and-mortar approach is rightly being challenged. MVA is more than just a screen. It's an online school that creates a very personal connection between the educators, the students, and the families. I think it's a school that's about people, it's a school that's about its students, and it's a school that's about the well-being of its students [...] I am very excited at the prospect of this next stage in its growth and being an integral part of how it helps to shape the future of education."

Harry will be working closely with Principal Suzanne to ensure that GST students are integrated into the global MVA family, with full access to clubs and social spaces, while also fostering a more local community with trips and events designed with the growing Middle East student body in mind.

MVA was built on individual, personal connection, with weekly 1:1 mentoring sessions, and personalised approaches to managing learning.

As we've grown and become more global, we're keen not to lose any of that personal touch.

In the words of CEO Hugh:

"[Harry] shares our ethos that all children have the right to the education that suits them and this appointment is very much part of our determination to eliminate any possible compromises they may have to make to succeed."

In other words - MVA quality, no matter where you are in the world.

A warm welcome to Harry from everyone on the team. No doubt, we will be hearing much more from him in the coming months.

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