Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City Appoints Dan Clark as Founding Principal

DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City, has today appointed Dan Clark as its Founding Principal.

Announced last week, Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, in partnership with GEDU Global Education, has secured initial approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to open its first international branch campus in Dubai in August 2026.

The new branch campus will provide young people in the UAE with access to the National Curriculum for England, delivered to the exacting academic standards that have seen Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet consistently recognised as Outstanding by Ofsted and ranked at the very top of the UK league tables.

CEO of Queen Elizabeth's Global Schools, Caroline Pendleton-Nash, said this is an exciting appointment.

"Dan joins Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City with an exceptional record of leadership at one of the United Kingdom's most distinguished schools, Marlborough College," said Mrs Pendleton-Nash.

"His deep expertise in academic excellence, character formation, and high-performance school culture positions him to uphold and advance the Queen Elizabeth's tradition here in Dubai."

"Our mission is to bring a truly world-class British education to the UAE, rooted in 450 years of scholarly heritage and a commitment to shaping confident, able and responsible young people. Dan's appointment reflects our uncompromising standards and will support us in setting a new global benchmark for educational distinction."

Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City Founding Principal, Dan Clark, said he welcomes the opportunity to use his pedigree in UK K12 education to expand its offering to new global markets.

"Throughout my career in outstanding schools, I've seen how powerful education can be," said Mr Clark. 

"It challenges pupils to think deeply, act responsibly and believe in their own capacity to achieve."

"These values are fundamental to the QE approach.

"As Founding Principal of QE Dubai Sports City, I'm excited to establish a community that will produce confident, able and responsible young people who are ready to shape the future."

Educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh, and the University of St Andrews, Dan Clark has held leadership positions since 2008 at two of the UK's leading independent schools, Repton and Marlborough College.

Dan has developed a reputation for academic rigour, innovation, and a deep commitment to nurturing both excellence and character. Colleagues and pupils alike value his clarity of purpose, intellectual ambition and ability to build teams that deliver consistently high standards.

Dan's educational philosophy is grounded in the belief that genuine achievement arises when high expectations are balanced with warmth, curiosity and integrity. He is dedicated to helping young people think deeply, act responsibly and contribute meaningfully to an ever-changing world.

Founded in 1573 by a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth's is a grammar school with over 450 years of rich heritage and a pioneering tradition. The school is a UK leader, providing a rounded education to students from diverse and modest backgrounds, based on merit. A Queen Elizabeth's School education routinely surpasses the provision of most of the UK's most expensive and selective independent schools and QE's results consistently place the School at the very top of UK league tables for both the independent and state sector. Queen Elizabeth's School was named 2025 Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year for A-levels. In 2024, 55% of leavers held offers from an institution in the top five of the QS World University Rankings. For more information, visit: www.qedubaisportscity.com.

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