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Building a calmer, more emotionally intelligent school with Komodo

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For this case study, the Komodo team spoke with the Pastoral Leadership Team and Jordan Hobbis, Head of Secondary at Mesaieed International School (MIS). 

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Mesaieed International School is a not-for-profit community school owned and operated by QatarEnergy in Mesaieed, Qatar. The school provides education to more than 1,200 students aged 3–19 across EYFS, Primary and Secondary campuses. MIS is a richly diverse community representing over 30 nationalities. The school delivers the National Curriculum for England alongside IGCSE, A Level and BTEC qualifications, and is supported by the QatarEnergy values of Excellence, Integrity, Safety, Collaboration, Responsibility and Respect.

Student wellbeing sits at the heart of the school's vision. MIS has invested significantly in its pastoral infrastructure, with a dedicated coaching programme, pastoral care-focused Heads of Year, access to a dedicated student wellbeing coordinator and an emerging wellbeing curriculum; the school continually seeks to better understand and respond to the needs of its students.

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In November 2025, Komodo had the privilege of hosting The Validation Toolkit workshop at Mesaieed International School, Qatar. During the session, Phase Leaders shared Mesaieed’s wellbeing journey from gathering comprehensive data, implementing effective strategies, and gaining a holistic view of student wellbeing. We also ran a workshop at the school in 2024 as part of our School Wellbeing Success Roadshow.

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The challenge

Despite having a strong pastoral care structure, MIS faced a challenge familiar to many schools: wellbeing data was largely gathered through periodic surveys and questionnaires, which offered a limited snapshot of student experience. By the time the data had been collected, analysed and shared with staff, the picture had often changed. Leaders found themselves relying on historical information which, while useful for identifying broad trends, didn’t always enable them to respond quickly enough to emerging concerns.

The pastoral team at MIS explained, "Much of our wellbeing intelligence came from one or two collection points during the year. The data helped us understand trends, but it wasn't always responsive enough to the changing needs of our students and community.” The school wanted a more dynamic approach; one that would strengthen student voice, provide regular insight into wellbeing, and enable staff to identify concerns and provide support earlier.

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The solution

Komodo was introduced to complement the school's existing pastoral provision, rather than replace it. The platform gave students an accessible, user-friendly way to reflect on their wellbeing, request support, and communicate concerns directly with trusted adults.

"The process of onboarding, setup and the support we received from the team was great," says Jordan Hobbis, Head of Secondary. "Students were very open to using Komodo as it is a very user-friendly platform."

A key factor in that ease of adoption has been Komodo's integration with Wonde and its single sign-on functionality. "We have an integration with Wonde, which is excellent! That means staff can see their class automatically come up, and the homepage of Komodo is a huge benefit. As soon as we log in, you straight away get a visual colour indicator of your students' wellbeing," Jordan explains. 

For students, easier access has made a noticeable difference to daily engagement. Previously, forgotten usernames or passwords could prevent students from accessing the platform. With single sign-on, students can now use their existing school account to log in directly, removing this barrier and allowing them to begin their work quickly.

As the pastoral team at MIS explains: “Single sign-on has made a huge difference. Students can access the platform through their existing school account, without needing to remember another password.” Engagement has grown significantly since the platform was first introduced.

Initially, MIS encouraged Komodo as optional homework. In their second year, the school embedded Komodo into their fortnightly tutor programme, giving students dedicated time in a computer room to complete their check-ins. Engagement has now reached 95%

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The impact

One of the most significant shifts has been the school's ability to move from gathering wellbeing data to actively responding to it. "Komodo has helped us move from simply collecting wellbeing data to actually acting upon it. We now have a much clearer understanding of how students are feeling across different year groups and at different points in the academic year," said the pastoral care team.

Data has highlighted predictable patterns around assessment periods, helping leaders anticipate increased pressure and put support in place before challenges escalate. These insights have informed assemblies, tutor activities, wellbeing campaigns, and targeted interventions.

Komodo has meaningfully strengthened student voices. Some students who wouldn't naturally seek face-to-face support have used the platform to request a check-in, raise a concern, or simply share how they're feeling. Enabling staff to engage with students who might previously have remained below the radar.

"On an individual student level, we've identified students who have consistently been below our expected levels of wellbeing," Jordan notes. This data has been especially valuable for the school counsellor, enabling targeted interventions and support and ensuring students feel genuinely heard.

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The most meaningful outcome MIS describes is a broader shift in the school’s culture and climate. "I think we have started to see a calmer school. Our students are in tune with their emotions, and they're able to describe any issues they have. I think a lot of this comes through the sort of reflection process they go through when completing a Komodo survey."

Students are also developing a greater sense of trust in the pastoral process. "Students are starting to recognise that if they request a check-in with a teacher, it is going to be actioned; it's not just for measuring, it's for improvement. There has been an improvement in trust as well, more psychological safety in that you can say these things and they will be dealt with," says the pastoral team at MIS. "Overall, I would say the school has been calmer and more emotionally intelligent."

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Komodo data now sits alongside attendance, behaviour, safeguarding and academic information, enabling staff to build a more complete picture of each student's experience. The platform supports the school's wider philosophy of ensuring every student is truly seen.

For Mesaieed International School, Komodo has become far more than a data collection tool. It is a meaningful part of a broader wellbeing ecosystem, one that has helped the school move beyond snapshots towards a genuinely responsive, student-centred approach. As MIS continues to develop its pastoral provision, Komodo remains a valued partner in helping the school build a culture where every student feels heard, supported and able to thrive.

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