Robert Tomalin, Principal of OIS Lisbon, on Portugal's booming international school scene
What strikes you first about Robert Tomalin is how his personal story so closely aligns to the school he now heads up. Himself a product of the UK state system and nudged towards the UWC system by a primary school head who saw something in him, Robert went from a Suffolk council estate to UWC Adriatic in Italy – a truly formative experience that reshaped his perspective on the world and international education. Today he is in charge of Oeiras International School, an IB school just outside Lisbon, set in a beautiful 17th century palace and home to students hailing from over 50 countries.
In a wide-ranging conversation with Henry Faber, Robert reflects on the transformation that happens when young people are taught to form their own understanding of the things around them rather than memorise someone else's, as well as what it takes to lead a deliberately diverse school community in one of Europe's fastest-growing international markets. He is adamant that a school's community – not its facilities or exam results – is the real measure of its value and health.
🎙️ Episode highlights
How an old school teacher quietly steered Robert towards UWC and why it changed his life.
What makes OIS distinctive: international diversity, long-serving staff and a parent community who helped rebuild the school after a flood.
Why the IB remains so relevant and how service learning helps to shape students far beyond the diploma.
He shares his leadership ethos: emotional intelligence, shared responsibility and removing any ego.
His controversial opinion: schools should stop publishing their exam results...