Craig Halsall on Developing Resilient Learners Through Everyday Classroom Experience

We are delighted to share that Craig Halsall, Principal of Reach British School, was recently featured in an exclusive interview with Edarabia

Featured in Edarabia: Our Principal Speaks

We are delighted to share that Craig Halsall, Principal of Reach British School, was recently featured in an exclusive interview with Edarabia - one of the Middle East's most trusted and widely read education platforms. The interview explores how Reach British School shapes a balanced, future-ready learning environment rooted in resilience, critical thinking, and a genuine belief that every student can thrive.

In this insightful conversation, Mr Halsall discusses how the school approaches responsible AI literacy, builds resilience through everyday classroom practice, supports Students of Determination, and maintains the strong pastoral care that defines life at Reach British School.

Reach British School is part of the International Schools Partnership (ISP) - a global network of over 100 schools across more than 25 countries — and offers an affordable, high-quality British curriculum education in Abu Dhabi, backed by outstanding GCSE and A-level results, BTEC vocational pathways, and internationally benchmarked teaching standards.

"Be curious about people. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, curiosity - listening, understanding, and connecting — remains the foundation of empathy and leadership." — Craig Halsall, Principal, Reach British School

You can read the full interview on Edarabia here: Developing Resilient Learners Through Everyday Classroom Experience.

A Thoughtful Approach to Artificial Intelligence

As the UAE introduces artificial intelligence as a formal subject from Kindergarten to Year 13, Reach British School has taken a deliberately balanced approach: embracing AI whilst protecting the critical thinking skills that matter most.

In the primary years, students build understanding through structured discussion, teacher-led modelling, and critical evaluation of AI-generated content - without direct use of generative tools. In Key Stage 4 and post-16 (Years 10–13), the focus shifts to guided, ethical use: students learn when AI is appropriate, how to verify its accuracy, and how to maintain academic integrity. The thinking, reasoning, and evaluation always remain the student's own.

This approach is reinforced through the ISP Life Competencies - a framework shared across ISP schools globally - ensuring that responsibility, respect, and critical thinking underpin every interaction with technology. As part of ISP's global network, Reach British School also benefits from shared expertise across schools worldwide, ensuring its approach to AI education remains informed, current, and internationally benchmarked.

A Phone-Free School: Presence, Focus and Connection

Reach British School became a phone-free school in 2024, through a partnership with Yondr - a decision rooted in a clear belief: students learn best when they are fully present, free from constant digital interruption.

The impact has been immediate and visible. Staff and students report improved focus in lessons, more meaningful social interaction, and a reduction in low-level distraction and digital anxiety. Quieter students have grown in confidence as those distractions have been removed.

Parents, too, have noticed the difference at home — children are more communicative, more present, and more engaged. At Reach British School, this is a conscious point of difference: technology should support learning, not compete with it.

Three Non-Negotiable Skills for the 2030s

Beyond academic achievement, Mr Halsall identifies three essential skills every Reach British School graduate must carry with them:

• Critical thinking - the ability to question information, interrogate bias, and form independent, well-reasoned judgements

• Communication - the capacity to articulate ideas clearly, listen actively, and connect meaningfully with others

• Adaptability - the confidence to embrace change, learn continuously, and respond to an evolving world with agency rather than anxiety

"These are not 'soft skills'," Mr Halsall notes. "They are essential capabilities." At Reach British School, the focus is not only on what students achieve, but on how they think and who they become.

Personalised Learning: Every Student's Strengths Recognised

At Reach British School, personalisation is intentional, not incidental. The school's own 'Reach British School Way' approach enables students to demonstrate understanding in a variety of ways - written, verbal, creative, or practical - ensuring that no single method defines a student's potential.

Beyond the classroom, students explore a wide range of enrichment opportunities — from debating and coding to mentoring and student-led initiatives such as Reach British School Radio. Students who may not initially excel in formal examinations often discover their strengths through these alternative pathways, and that confidence carries back into academic performance.

Mr Halsall also highlights the importance of honest, open conversations with families about how industries are changing due to AI: "Parents tell us they value this honesty — it helps families make informed, flexible decisions rather than chasing fixed career paths."

Building Resilience Through Experience, Not Theory

Resilience at Reach British School is not a lesson on a timetable - it is built through experience. Setbacks are treated as a natural and valuable part of the learning process. Students are guided to reflect, adapt, and try again, building genuine confidence over time.

Students are regularly encouraged to step outside their comfort zones - through leadership roles, public speaking, and competitions - within a supportive environment where it is safe to fail, grow, and try again.

"We consistently frame change as something students can shape. That mindset — of agency rather than anxiety — is what prepares them for the future." — Craig Halsall, Principal

This approach shifts the conversation from 'what do you want to be?' to 'what kind of thinker and person do you want to be?' - preparing students not for a fixed career path, but for a lifetime of adaptability and purpose.

Pastoral Care: Every Student Is Known

At Reach British School, every student is known - and that is not a phrase used lightly. Daily contact with form tutors allows the early identification of changes in wellbeing, long before concerns escalate. Counsellors work proactively within the school, and staff are trained to recognise and respond to the early signs of stress and burnout.

Assessment schedules are coordinated carefully to avoid unnecessary pressure peaks, and parents are kept closely informed throughout. As Mr Halsall notes, it is this visibility and responsiveness that gives families genuine confidence in the school.

"Safe, respectful, and ambitious" - the school's core ethos - is lived out every day in these small but meaningful interactions.

Inclusion Paired with High Expectations

Inclusion at Reach British School is always paired with ambition. Each Student of Determination has a tailored plan, and adaptive teaching is embedded across the school - not limited to a single specialist team. Students are fully involved in all aspects of school life, and the school actively creates pathways for them to succeed, lead, and excel.

The belief is simple: every student should have the opportunity not merely to participate, but to excel in their own way. With strong EAL and SEN support programmes serving a community of over 70 nationalities, this commitment to genuine inclusion is embedded in everything the school does.

Celebrating National Identity Within an International Community

At Reach British School, national subjects - Arabic, Islamic Studies, and National Identity - are viewed as an opportunity to build connection and understanding within the school's diverse community of over 70 nationalities.

Arabic is delivered through clearly structured pathways - First Language and Additional Language - with further grouping by proficiency, ensuring every student makes meaningful progress at the right level. In line with ADEK expectations, Arabic is taught primarily in Arabic, supported by modelling and visual strategies to build confidence.

Islamic Studies and National Identity are taught accessibly, preserving key Arabic terminology and texts whilst ensuring all students can engage confidently with the content. Students are actively encouraged to connect these values to their own experiences and, through events and activities throughout the year, develop a genuine sense of belonging within the UAE.

Digital Citizenship: Building a Footprint to Be Proud Of

Reach British School goes beyond simply preventing cyberbullying. Through PSHE and ICT, students are taught to think carefully about the story their digital presence tells - how universities and employers engage with online profiles, and how to use platforms positively to showcase their skills, interests, and values.

By the time students leave Reach British School, they are not merely safe online — they are intentional, confident, and responsible in how they present themselves to the world.

Parents as Partners in Learning

At Reach British School, parents are partners - not just an audience. The school has moved beyond simply informing families to actively involving them in the learning journey. Events such as International Day, House activities, and the 'Ramadan with the Family' initiative are part of building a community where education is a shared endeavour between school and home.

With families from over 70 nationalities, the Reach British School community is as diverse as it is close-knit - a genuine strength that enriches every student's experience and reflects the truly international character of the school.

Teaching Excellence: Empowering Every Educator

At Reach British School, teacher development is grounded in respect for experience. Staff are involved in how new initiatives are implemented, ensuring they feel genuine ownership and confidence rather than overwhelmed by change. Professional development is practical and paced, supported by peer collaboration - including dedicated 'Buddy Up' observation weeks.

As part of ISP, teachers at Reach British School have regular access to CPD courses that allow them to learn at their own pace, ensuring that innovation strengthens teaching rather than competing with it.

Through ISP's AI-powered Learning Hub, staff have access to over 100 globally accredited CPD courses - part of ISP's wider commitment to developing teaching excellence across its global network.

About Reach British School

Reach British School offers a full suite of academic and vocational pathways — GCSE, A-levels, and BTEC - ensuring that every student can pursue the route best suited to their strengths and ambitions. Through ISP's global network and over 100 university partnerships worldwide, Reach British School students are well-placed to reach the destinations they aspire to.

A Message for Our Community

"Be curious about people. Curiosity — listening, understanding, and connecting — remains the foundation of empathy and leadership. At Reach British School, this is what we strive to develop: young people who are thoughtful, grounded, and ready to contribute meaningfully to the world around them." — Craig Halsall, Principal

At Reach British School, safe, respectful, and ambitious learning is not a slogan - it is the standard by which every decision is made and every student is supported. Where confidence grows is not a promise for the future; it is something we see every day.

Read the full interview on Edarabia:

Developing Resilient Learners Through Everyday Classroom Experience — Edarabia