The Secondary Leadership Team

It was probably a childhood spent hiking, camping, and reading rain-soaked maps in the mountains of Northern England that gave me the urge to study geography when the time came to head to university. Then, after three years of river wading, glacier mapping, pond dipping and dune sampling in pursuit of my BSc at Loughborough University nothing felt more natural than to share my passion for this amazing subject with others. So, in 1999 I completed a PGCE at Goldsmiths College and began my teaching career in Greenwich, London. Feeling the need to see a little more of the world, I taught in New Zealand before returning to the UK and settling in Shropshire in 2002 where I gained experience as a Head of Geography, Head of Year and then a Director of Learning leading the pastoral care and academic progress of students from Years 7 to 13. I moved into senior leadership in 2009 as an Assistant Headteacher overseeing pastoral care, personal development and well-being in an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ school in Worcestershire. In 2012 I completed my MA by evaluating strategies to promote inclusion and achievement, and I subsequently became Deputy Principal with responsibility for pedagogy, professional development and quality assurance. In 2013 I began my Postgraduate Diploma in Education at the University of Birmingham in which I focussed on educational leadership and conducted action research into effective methods for sharing professional excellence in schools. Working in a National Teaching School I also had the opportunity to deliver training to teachers through the National Professional Qualifications programme and to lead a team of eleven Specialist Leaders in Education on regional school improvement deployments. In 2015 I completed the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and used the experience to strengthen my understanding of the links between the primary and secondary education phases. In 2016 my family and I sought a new adventure and headed to Malaysia where I became a Vice-Principal leading curriculum, assessment and progression at the Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur. Whilst at Alice Smith I worked with my colleagues to build upon the school’s impressive academic pedigree and saw standards rise even further at GCSE and A Level from already excellent starting points. Our persistent focus on high-quality research-based learning through the Extended Project Qualification eventually led to formal recognition as our students' results placed the school within the top 5% globally. It is with real excitement that my family and I prepare to join the Dubai British School Emirates Hills community. Indeed, it’s the word ‘community’ that repeatedly comes through in any conversation I have about the school or in any information I am able to glean from those who know it well. I am particularly looking forward to learning from the superb staff working across the DBSEH journey from foundation to graduation and meeting the students who make the school such a special place to be. Moreover, as ‘dad’, I can’t wait to see my 13 year old and 3 year old daughters continue to thrive in this next chapter of their lives in such a supportive and inspirational environment. BEST MOMENT IN TEACHING: Success takes so many different forms and so it’s hard to pin down such a specific thing as a best moment. Seeing a young person discover something new about themselves, take pride in something they have done or simply bring out the best in someone else is what makes me love being a teacher and having the privilege of working in schools. When any person witnesses and reflects upon their own capacity to make a difference, whether through their skills, values or mindset it serves as a reminder of their innate power and their responsibility to develop and use it. So, the moments that mean the most to me are those when young people, through their challenges and achievements, gain a little more insight into who they are, what they are capable of and who they want to be.

My first career passion was military aviation and I joined the Royal Air Force part time straight after my A-levels. After subsequently gaining a First in Physics from Oxford, I joined the RAF full time to train as a fast jet pilot, until that career was cut short on medical grounds. After leaving the RAF, I joined J.P. Morgan as a trader, and spent over 15 years working in finance in London, New York and Hong Kong, becoming a senior leader managing a global line of business for a division of AIG. In all these years I took on many training roles, and the most satisfying part of my job was helping and coaching hundreds of people to understand complex financial mathematics better, so when I decided to leave finance, I followed my passion for education full time. Whilst studying at the University of Sunderland for my PGCE (remotely), I also founded, built and managed a tutoring school in Hong Kong and competed in a sailing class world championship. I began teaching at a bilingual Mandarin and English speaking school and rapidly gained educational leadership experience as Deputy Head in Maths, Acting Head of Maths, and Head of Years 7 and then 8. As a committed life-long learner, I also began to study Psychology at the University of Derby and in gaining my MSc I found a passion for Positive Psychology, learning extensively about how well-being, performance and attainment are intertwined. This eventually led me to become the Head of Positive Education for senior years at another prestigious school in Dubai, where I helped design and implement a global award-winning Positive Education programme. Best teaching moment? When a whole class reminds me to add “yet” to the end of a sentence! My teaching practice is grounded in growth mindset coaching and all my students know that “I can’t do this YET”, is a far superior statement to “I can’t do this”. So if I ever give them a chance to demonstrate that mindset by making a statement such as “I can’t play the piano”, it is so rewarding when a whole class chants “yet” to me.

Originally from Yorkshire, England I completed a BSc (hons) degree in Biomedical Science at Sheffield Hallam University. I gained experience working in the pharmaceutical industry before attaining a PGCE at the University of Reading. I began my career as a Chemistry teacher in England in 2013 and moved to Dubai in 2015. After fulfilling the role of KS3 Coordinator in my first years of teaching, I realised that my passion was in pastoral leadership. I strongly believe student wellbeing, is at the heart of education and I have always had a focus on the pastoral care of students. I was delighted to be appointed Head of Year in 2021 and my aim is to create a learning environment where all students can flourish and grow. Outside of the classroom my passions include powerlifting, CrossFit and travelling to new countries. I have had some incredible moments on international trips, watching students grow and become more confident in situations that push them out of their comfort zones. Trekking through the jungle in Cambodia is certainly a moment I will never forget!

Originally hailing from rainy Cardiff in Wales, I have been in the Middle East since 1999 with my family and other animals. I teach English Language and Literature in the secondary school, and have been at DBS since 2016. I have a real passion for the English language and am a self-confessed geek when it comes to all things linguistic. My specific area of expertise is children’s literature. Outside of schooI, I enjoy baking, netball coaching and desert rally driving. I thoroughly enjoy teaching the talented students of DBS and developing the same enthusiasm for my subject in them as I have. Best Moment In Teaching The best experience in teaching for me is not a specific instant but that lightbulb moment at which students change from being intimidated by a text to gaining a real passion for it. For instance, this year my wonderful A Level class were so involved with the characters of Ian McEwan’s Atonement, feeling such strong empathy with the characters that discussions were electric! Those sorts of reactions make it all SO worthwhile!

I was born and raised in the West Coast of Scotland and I have taught in both Scotland and Dubai and I must say I prefer working in the sunshine! I studied at the University of Glasgow where I graduated with a MA Politics before pursuing a teaching career. In my spare time I am currently studying for a Diploma in Counselling, the skills that I am developing through this are coming in very handy in my role as Head of Year. I thoroughly enjoy my role as Head of Year alongside teaching History, it is rewarding to see students developing as a whole, and not just within one subject area. I am looking forward to continuing to work with my current year group as they progress through the school and share in their successes. During the school holidays I love travelling and exploring new destinations, I have been to over 30 different countries with my favourites including Nicaragua and Thailand. My goal is to visit 50 different countries and see all of the 'New 7 Wonders of the World', I have visited 3 so far! Best Moment In Teaching My best moment in teaching so far would have to been after my first year of teaching when the exam results came in, I was just as nervous as the students. It felt so rewarding to see them so happy with their results and share in their successes, it was at that point I knew I had made the right choice going into teaching!

Graduating from Loughborough in 2004 I spent a few years teaching in Aspley, Nottingham at a school with an Autistic Centre on site. I have such fond memories of my time working there where I would go from leading 1 to 1 physical therapy sessions across campus to deliver Year 13 A Level Physiology. From early on I was interested in pastoral care and gained the roles of Head of House and Assistant Head of Year. During my leisure time I played volleyball for Loughborough Ladies and Coached the U17 Girls East Midlands Volleyball Squad. The decision to move to Dubai was, in all honesty, not entirely planned. I visited a teaching friend in Abu Dhabi and fell in love with the country, lifestyle and prospect of teaching in the heat! With Maths and PE jobs available at DBS, Mr Pennock and I headed to the Sandpit and are thrilled we made this choice. DBS really is a close community and I feel fortunate to be raising my daughters in a school where young people of all nationalities and backgrounds are valued and differences celebrated. I am Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Pastoral Care in the Secondary school and teach PE across the Year Groups and Psychology at GCSE Level. In my free time I love to be outdoors, travelling and exploring new places. I enjoy a range of sports and just spending time with my family. Best Moment In Teaching Alumni – Keeping in contact with ex-students and hearing about all their amazing accomplishments and the close friendships that started at DBS and still remain some 10 years later! Sporting - Rounders City Finals gaining wins over all Dubai's top schools and watching the girls go on an impromptu lap of honour.