Matthew Tompkins

Matthew has been teaching for 25 years and a senior leader in schools for over 21 of those years.  He is currently Principal and CEO of GEMS FirstPoint School, Dubai, alongside his role across GEMS Schools in the Middle East as the Director of Student Employability – GEMS For Life.

Matthew holds a Batchelor of Arts degree in PE and Geography from Brighton University and a Masters Degree in School Leadership from Canterbury Christchurch University.  In the academic year 2021/22, Matthew led his school to an Outstanding BSO Inspection and 3 national awards; Most Community Focused School in the UAE (MEA), Best Mainstream School for Students of Determination in the UAE (TSA) and Best School for Technical and Vocational Stream Ed. in the UAE (TSA)

Matthew is committed to ensuring all of our students are exposed to the latest innovations and accelerating their learning pathways through interactions with industry. He is a strong advocate of the relevance this adds to students education, ensuring they will be fully prepared to be highly successful in their future.

Matthew lives in Dubai with his 2 daughters, Sian and Jessica, and his wife Bethan.  Matthew is a keen sportsman and enjoys nothing more than a game of golf with his friends.