I am pleased to confirm that Mr Anthony Cashin, currently based in Thailand, will be arriving in August 2008 to succeed me as Principal of The Sultan’s School.  As there is another article in the newsletter from Mr Cashin, introducing himself and his family, I shall not steal his thunder in my own item.  I will, however, state that Mr Cashin will make the first of two handover visits to the school during the week beginning Saturday 8 March 2008.  I have taken the opportunity to alter my next scheduled Parents’ Open Meeting from 25 February to Monday 10 March to enable me to introduce Mr Cashin to you in person and give you an opportunity to speak to him about his future aims for the school.  Mr Cashin will also return during the week beginning Saturday 31 May 2008 which will give him a chance to experience the Grade 12 graduation ceremony which, as much as any other single event, encapsulates much of what is the unique spirit of The Sultan’s School.

In the meantime, there is much still for me to do before I slip off into the sunset.  Recruitment time is upon us again for next year and I am pleased to confirm that we need replace only 13 out of 91 staff next year.  As usual, I shall be doing everything possible to find the calibre of staff to match those who are leaving and to continue to provide the high standard of provision to which we are accustomed.  In addition, two groups of staff leave shortly for the UK and other schools in the Gulf region on a fact-finding expedition to examine ways in which we can enrich our Grade 5-8 curriculum over the next few years by placing our emphasis firmly on skills-development as opposed to a more content-based approach.  This, I am sure, will yield great benefits for the school in the longer term.

In the meantime, thank you for your continued support.  I look forward to sharing more of our initiatives with you in the months ahead.

John Birchall
Principal