Ian Porter
Deputy Head of Secondary
My name is Ian Porter. I was born in Salisbury, England, before spending time living in Germany and later settling in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I have lived for the past 30 years.
My experiences of living in different places have shaped my appreciation for diverse communities and strengthened my passion for working with young people from a variety of backgrounds.
I graduated from the University of Edinburgh as a qualified Physical Education teacher and have dedicated the past 26 years to education. During my career, I have worked in five different schools across Edinburgh, gaining extensive experience in teaching, coaching, and school leadership. For the past 11 years, I have held Senior Leadership positions, supporting school improvement while working closely with students, staff, and families to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Alongside my career in education, I played semi-professional football and had the opportunity to coach on the east coast of the United States. These experiences reinforced my belief in the value of teamwork, resilience, discipline, and the positive impact that sport can have on young people's confidence, wellbeing, and personal development. Family, friendships, and education are at the heart of everything I do. I am delighted to be joining GEMS Metropole School – Al Waha and look forward to working alongside the entire school community to help every student achieve their full
potential. I am committed to creating an ambitious, supportive, and caring environment where every child feels valued, challenged, and
has a genuine sense of belonging.
My experiences of living in different places have shaped my appreciation for diverse communities and strengthened my passion for working with young people from a variety of backgrounds.
I graduated from the University of Edinburgh as a qualified Physical Education teacher and have dedicated the past 26 years to education. During my career, I have worked in five different schools across Edinburgh, gaining extensive experience in teaching, coaching, and school leadership. For the past 11 years, I have held Senior Leadership positions, supporting school improvement while working closely with students, staff, and families to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Alongside my career in education, I played semi-professional football and had the opportunity to coach on the east coast of the United States. These experiences reinforced my belief in the value of teamwork, resilience, discipline, and the positive impact that sport can have on young people's confidence, wellbeing, and personal development. Family, friendships, and education are at the heart of everything I do. I am delighted to be joining GEMS Metropole School – Al Waha and look forward to working alongside the entire school community to help every student achieve their full
potential. I am committed to creating an ambitious, supportive, and caring environment where every child feels valued, challenged, and
has a genuine sense of belonging.
More To Explore
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Primary Curriculum
GEMS Metropole School teachers plan challenging, well-organised, interesting lessons with good pace, and incorporate a range of teaching and Assessment for Learning pedagogies. There are regular opportunities for leadership, decision-making and problem solving and pupils are encouraged to take an active role in the learning opportunities they encounter.
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Foundation Stage
At GEMS Metropole we provide children with tailored learning experiences that are appropriate to individual children needs and interest, while underpinning their future learning. Through planned, purposeful play, our children are able to discover, practise and refine their skills in literacy and mathematics, as well as find out about themselves and their environment.
