Gary Cairns was appointed Head of School in April 2022, having previously occupied a number of senior leadership positions at SJIIM including Deputy Head of School, Deputy Principal of High School and the High School’s Assistant Principal for Character and Wellbeing. Gary is a founding member of staff, joining SJIIM in 2016 as Head of English from the British School of Beijing.
Gary has an honours degree in English Literature from Northumbria University, Newcastle and a PGCE from the University of Sunderland. He completed his Masters in Education in 2019 with his final thesis focusing on Character Education and the role played by schools in helping young people to flourish.
In an international school career spanning more than 15 years, Gary has worked at a number of international schools across Asia since first leaving the UK in 2007. Having been with the school since it first opened, Gary is incredibly proud to now lead the school having helped nurture it into a community that puts great emphasis on, not only academic success and excellent teaching and learning, but meaningful relationships, respectful communication and student wellbeing.
In his spare time, Gary enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, listening to music and reading.
