Goodwin to retire as principal of St Christopher’s School in Bahrain

Mrs Wendy Bataineh, head of the junior school, also announced her retirement after 18 years of service. She is one of the teachers to have enriched the students with her exceptional performance. 

“We both love St Christopher’s and Bahrain, and leaving them will be emotional for us. We have been fortunate to associate with many wonderful pupils and families over the years, and we have had the opportunity to work with a group of highly dedicated staff. We are honoured, but we think next year will be the right time to move on to new horizons,” said Goodwin. 

Tim Murray, chair of the Board of Governors, and CEO of Aluminum Bahrain (ALBA) marked his appreciation on both the teachers and their services. He said he was grateful to both Goodwin and Bataineh for their dedication to the school community. “Their passion for teaching has transformed the school in all levels, and their commitment has taken the school to the front rank in the island,” he said, adding that he looked forward to work with Goodwin and the board in all its future endeavours the school is planning.

Goodwin has also served for 12 years as chairman of British Schools in the Middle East (BSME). During the time he implemented a wide range of sports and cultural activities for the students and developed a training arm to help teachers in BSME schools.

In 2015, Goodwin was awarded with OBE (Officer of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year Honours for his services in the field of education across the Middle East. He received the award from HRH Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.