Muscat, Oman, 9 June 2025: Downe House Muscat, a leading British International School for girls in the region, is delighted to announce the appointment of Miss. Helen Booth-Smith as its new Head of School, effective from the start of the 2025–26 academic year.
A respected educator and senior leader, Miss. Booth-Smith has been an integral part of Downe House Muscat since its establishment in 2022 having served as Deputy Head. During this time, she has led academic and pastoral provision across Grades 1 to 12, playing a central role in developing the school’s academic standards and fostering a learning environment where every pupil is known and valued.
Throughout her tenure, Miss. Booth-Smith has contributed significantly to the school’s growing academic reputation, helping to deliver excellent academic results and championing a culture of high expectations and achievement. As she steps into her new role as Head of School, she will continue to shape and refine the school’s tailored pathways, ensuring pupils are well prepared for success in IGCSEs, A-Levels, or the Omani General Education Diploma. As part of the prestigious Downe House family of schools, Downe House Muscat offers a dynamic curriculum that combines the academic rigour of the Cambridge Programme with the educational excellence of Downe House UK, inspiring curiosity, creativity, and independence, while maintaining a deep commitment to Arabic Language and Islamic Studies.
A passionate educator, she has remained actively involved in teaching, earning respect for the value-added progress achieved by the students. She brings with her a rich background in British and international education, with previous leadership roles in Cairo and London, as well as experience with Teach First, where she supported school-wide improvements across the UK.
Commenting on her appointment, Miss. Helen Booth-Smith said: “I am honoured to lead Downe House Muscat into its next chapter. This is a community shaped by care, ambition, and shared values — a place where every girl is encouraged to challenge herself and is supported to succeed. As we move forward, I am committed to ensuring that our culture continues to expect excellence and live kindness every day.”
Miss. Booth-Smith will work closely with the current Founding Head Miss. Michelle Scott to ensure continuity and a smooth transition of leadership. Miss. Scott will be stepping down at the end of this academic year after having successfully launched and established the school.
Mrs. Emma McKendrick, Headmistress of Downe House UK, commented “It has been a great privilege to work with Miss Scott in her role as Founding Principal of Downe House Muscat. Setting up a school during the pandemic brought with it unique challenges and yet she never lost sight of the need to keep the girls’ best interests at the centre of all that she did. Her commitment and dedication to ensuring the delivery of a first-class holistic education to every pupil is the most powerful legacy to leave and one which will live on for many years to come. I am most grateful to her.
It will be a great privilege now to work with Miss. Booth-Smith, Miss Scott’s successor. Having known Helen as Vice Principal, I am in no doubt that she will continue to build and develop our school community with both grace and humility but also ambition. Enabling all our girls in Muscat to benefit from an education where every girl can shine will, I know, be at the core of all she does. I look forward to visiting and seeing the continuation of the Downe House spirit shining through!”
Downe House Muscat has recently celebrated several notable achievements. In the past academic year, 100% of Grade 12 graduates secured places at their first-choice universities, both in Oman and internationally. Pupils were recognised with eight prestigious Pearson Education Learner Awards, including the “Highest Mark in the World” for A-Level Arabic. Beyond the classroom, the Under-12 football team was crowned champions of the Muscat School Secondary Sports League, reflecting the school’s commitment to all-round excellence.
Looking ahead to the 2025-26 academic year, the school will further expand its offering with the launch of its new Kindergarten for KG1 and KG2, with a curriculum that is supported by small class sizes, bespoke facilities, and dedicated Early Years specialists, creating a warm and purposeful environment that nurtures curiosity, creativity and confidence.
Downe House Muscat remains committed to delivering a world-class British education, where academic excellence is matched by strong values and a caring school environment.
About Downe House Muscat
Downe House Muscat opened in August 2022 as the first British International Girls school in the Sultanate of Oman and the first UK girls’ school to open a campus anywhere in the world.
Downe House brings over a century of teaching experience to Muscat, helping to deliver a first-class education for girls aged between 3 and 18. With a strong focus on academic excellence and pupil well-being, Downe House develops pupils into confident young ladies with the abilities to contribute successfully to society and on a global stage.
Examination results in 2024 demonstrated exceptional teaching and learning outcomes as 41% of GCSE pupils earned grades 9-7 (A*-A) and 78% achieved grades 9-4 (A*-C), far higher than the average results compared to those achieved in UK schools.
2024 Pearson achievements:
Our pupils achieved the following 2024 Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards – excelling across 8 prestigious categories:
- Highest Mark in Oman: Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Art and Design: Fine Art
- Highest Mark in the World: Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level Arabic
Read more about Downe House Muscat at: www.downehousemuscat.com
