88 Excellence in Schools
“This isn’t my school or even Interstar’s school, it belongs to the children, the parents, and the community around it.”
A new chapter in Dubai’s education landscape is about to begin. Interstar Education has announced the launch of Ash Mount School, an all-through campus opening in the heart of Mudon in August 2026. The school will welcome students aged 3 to 18 years, starting from Pre-KG to Grade 8 (subject to KHDA approval) and expanding each year until it reaches Grade 12. Purpose-built from the ground up, Ash Mount School will feature world-class facilities that include science laboratories, drama and music studios, swimming pools, tennis courts and sports pitches. Every space has been designed to nurture learning, creativity and wellbeing both inside and outside the classroom. Ash Mount joins the respected Interstar Advisory Services Education Group, led by Mr. Dinesh Kothari and Mr. Amit Kothari, which currently educates more than 16,000 students across the UAE. The group’s portfolio includes Victory Heights Primary School, rated Outstanding by KHDA, South View School, and the Delhi Private Schools in Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. Interstar will also open Victory Heights Primary School, City of Arabia in 2025 and Victory Heights Nursery in January 2026, continuing its expansion across the Emirates. In this exclusive interview with Education UAE, Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne shares her vision for Ash Mount School, exploring what will set it apart, how it will serve families, and what success will look like in its first five years. Education UAE: As Ash Mount becomes part of the Interstar family, how do you see the group’s overall vision and values shaping the new school’s ethos and identity? Abigail Fishbourne: Interstar is very clear about serving the community with authenticity and excellence. Under Mr. Dinesh and Mr. Amit Kothari’s leadership, the group builds schools that feel genuinely “of” their communities. Ash Mount is the next chapter of that story, a diverse, high-quality option that extends the family’s portfolio while staying true to the same principles: community first, high standards always, and a lived, not laminated, set of values.
Ash Mount School Founding Principal Abigail Fishbourne Interview with Education UAE
Education UAE: What inspired the creation of Ash Mount School, and how will that vision shape students’ day-to-day experience? Abigail: We talk a lot about learning with purpose, living with compassion, and leading with courage. Those aren’t poster words; they’re daily decision-makers. From the way we design lessons, to how we greet families, to the choices we make about resources and spaces, everything is checked against those three pillars.
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