Cheltenham Muscat names English trust chief Dr Daniel Doyle as principal from January 2027

Cheltenham Muscat, the British international school in Oman founded by Cheltenham College in England, has appointed Dr Daniel Doyle as its principal from January 2027.

The school announced the appointment on 6 October 2026. Dr Doyle will take over from Richard Snape, who stays in charge until the end of the first term and will work alongside his successor during the handover, the school said.

Dr Doyle is the founding chief executive of a multi-academy trust in England. The school said every school in the trust is now rated Good or Outstanding by its inspectors. Neither the school nor its announcement named the trust.

He also has Gulf experience. According to the school, he previously led a British international school in the region to its best GCSE and A level results and to an "Outstanding" judgement under the British Schools Overseas inspection framework. That school was not named either. He holds a PhD from the University of Birmingham, where he researched curriculum, education policy and pupil development.

"I am delighted to be joining Cheltenham Muscat. There is already much here to be proud of," Dr Doyle said.

Alan Etherton, international schools director at Cheltenham College, said the school was "delighted to welcome" him and looked forward to working with him on "the school's next chapter".

Darren Gale, Cognita's managing director for the GCC, thanked Mr Snape for his work. "This is an exciting moment for Cheltenham Muscat," he said. The school credits Mr Snape with building up its sixth form and strengthening its academic programme.

Cheltenham Muscat opened in September 2021 in the Al Bandar development in Muscat. When it was formally opened in March 2022, the Oman Observer reported a campus built for 1,400 pupils, with teaching from the Early Years Foundation Stage through to IGCSE and A level. The school was developed with the Ministry of Defence Pension Fund, which leads the local company that owns it.

In August 2025 Cognita, one of the largest private school groups, announced that Cheltenham Muscat and its sister school Downe House Muscat were joining its network through what it called a strategic partnership. Both schools had previously been run by EduReach. The deal took Cognita into Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and the group said it now runs 14 schools across the Middle East.