Executive Leadership team

I’m Ms. Nejra Alispahic, a dedicated child advocate with a passion for early childhood development and nature-inspired learning through play. Coming from the heart-shaped country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I completed my BA of preschool education and MA in Pedagogy, I’ve been blessed to do what I love for over a decade now – guiding little ones aged 2 to 6 on their journey of growth. I firmly believe that building strong connections with children and their families is key to achieving their developmental milestones. That’s why I strive to create a safe, positive and nurturing environment where children can blossom in their own unique ways. I love bringing nature into the class, inspiring children to be excited to learn about and with the nature. Nature will always find away to our rising class!

When I’m not in the classroom, you’ll often find me outdoors, soaking in the beauty of parks, forests, or catching sunsets. I enjoy crafting home decor and educational resources from nature’s treasures, collected during my walks and travels. One of my favorite children’s books is “”The Lion Inside”” by Rachel Bright and Jim Field, a heartwarming story about courage, friendship, and self-belief.

My name is Mrs Stephanie Webster and I am extremely excited to be joining this fantastic, vibrant school community. I can’t wait to get started and welcome everyone into class to start our learning journey together but before we do, here is a little bit about me so you can get to know me a little bit beforehand.

I am originally from Liverpool in the United Kingdom. I always believed I wanted to work with children but also had a passion for learning languages, exploring other cultures and travelling which is why I studied a BA honours degree in Hispanic studies and European languages. As part of my degree, I lived and taught in Valencia, Spain and it was this year that confirmed I wanted to continue my passion and dedication to becoming a teacher, therefore I returned to the UK and gained my Teaching qualification. Since graduating, I have had the pleasure of teaching many wonderful children over the past 10 years of all primary ages, with the last 4 being here in Dubai where I have focussed on Early Years. My aim within my teaching practice is to enhance a child’s curiosity and love of learning through play, creativity and exploration. I create a safe and stimulating environment where every child will feel valued and eager to learn. Outside of work, I love creating memories with my family. I have two beautiful children myself, Sophia and Freddie and as a family we love going to the beach, swimming, family bike rides and exploring new places together. I also have a huge passion for dance and drama and I am a big football fan. My all-time favourite children’s book is ‘Room on the Broom’ by Julia Donaldson. I love the rhyming words and how you can really bring the story to life in many ways.

My name is Hannah McDonald, and I am delighted to introduce myself as your new teacher and to be joining the wonderful school community at Dubai British School Jumeira. I’d like to share a few things about myself so you can get to know me before we meet!

I completed my Bachelor of Education Degree in DCU in my hometown of Dublin in Ireland in 2022. Since then, I have had the privilege of teaching many young children, mainly under the age of 7. Working with children at this age has shown me the crucial impact play and social interactions have on children’s learning journey and development, and I’m dedicated to creating a classroom environment where every child feels valued, inspired, and excited to learn. I believe in making learning experiences interactive, hands-on, and fun! Get ready for plenty of engaging activities, storytimes, and opportunities for us to explore new ideas together. My goal is to nurture a genuine love for learning in children and create lasting memories in our classroom. Outside of the classroom, I love spending time outdoors, running, and spending time with family and friends. I enjoy walks with my Australian Shepherd, Blue, who has one blue eye and one brown eye. I also love reading, especially with my classes! One of my all-time favourite children’s books is Elmer by David McKee. It’s such a fantastic story that celebrates how everyone is unique and special. Another book I love is The Invisible String by Patrice Karst.

My name is Mrs. Natalie Hutchison, and I am proud to be joining this welcoming community as both a parent and teacher.

After graduating from University of Gloucestershire in 2004, I began my teaching career in London, working in a vibrant and diverse community. Fifteen years ago, I moved to Dubai, which has been my home ever since. Over the last twenty years, I have primarily taught in Key Stage One and the Foundation Stage. Additionally, I have taken on leadership roles focussed on my passion for early literacy. My teaching philosophy focusses on nurturing meaningful learning experiences and celebrating each child’s unique interests. As a mother of two young girls, I witness every day the power of play and how children are natural learners. By igniting their curiosity about the world around them, we can foster a love of learning. My classroom is a place to feel safe, explore and grow at your own pace. In my spare time, I love swimming, yoga, and spending time with my two daughters and husband. We are avid readers, and Julia Donaldson is a favourite author in our house. Whether we’re hiding from a bear or escaping from a scary mouse, we cherish the moments when we can escape the busy world through books.

I’m Ms. Ciara Quinn, and I am so excited to be joining DBSJ this year. From a young age, I knew I wanted to teach children.

I pursued this passion by studying Early Childhood Education at the Technological University of Dublin, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree. I have been teaching Foundation Stage 2 for the past two years, here in the UAE. I have also had the privilege of teaching young minds in Ireland. My teaching philosophy involves fostering a love of learning through play and exploration. I believe every child has unique strengths, and I work hard to establish a nurturing environment where each student feels valued. Outside of teaching, I love traveling to different countries and spending time with my family and friends. One of my favorite children’s books is “Ruby’s Worry” by Tom Percival, which beautifully illustrates how children experience worries and fears, helping them with emotional regulation.

Hello, my name is Ms. Nikki Fowler and I am so excited to be joining you as a founder member of this amazing new school community!

I would love to share a bit about myself so you can get to know me before the new term begins.

I am from Sheffield in the UK. I began my teaching career 17 years ago when I moved to Hong Kong to be an EFL teacher. A few years later I completed my PGCE and found my love of teaching Early Years and KS1. I have been teaching FS2 in a British school in Dubai for the past 7 years.

My teaching philosophy is centered around providing a nurturing and stimulating environment where young children can thrive, and learn through play. I believe in the value of child-led learning, where children are encouraged to explore their interests and be curious. I cannot wait to find out your children’s interests and help them launch into their love for learning.

Outside school I love travelling and exploring new places. I’m wondering if I will travel to my 60th country this school year! I also like hiking and reading my book by the pool or the beach. My favourite children’s book is ‘The lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’. I like this book because I remember building a scene from it with my dad when I was little. It also demonstrates how we can persevere and solve problems.

I am looking forward to getting to know each of your children and helping them grow into curious, independent learners.

My name is Miss Carter and I am thrilled to be catching a one-way flight from the UK to join the founding team at Dubai British School Jumeira.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Studies at Christ Church Canterbury University and have been teaching in the UK across Year 1 and Early Years for the last five years. In my classroom individuality is valued and children feel heard, respected and loved. By building positive and nurturing relationships, I equip children with the skills to take risks and overcome challenge. I seek to develop children’s curiosity in learning and make every day a fun and memorable experience. When I am not teaching, I enjoy playing netball and going for coffee with friends. It will be my first time in the UAE so I am very much looking forward to exploring all that Dubai has to offer. Story time is my favourite time of the day and a children’s book that is always on my shelf is The Book with No Pictures written by B.J. Novak because it is so silly and demonstrates the power of words alone.

My name is Ms. Rachael Burns, and I am thrilled to join this wonderful school community.

I’d like to share a bit about my background, interests, and educational philosophy so that you can get to know me better. In the UK I am from a pretty little village in The Cotswolds called Bourton on the Water. I began my teaching career at a private school in the UK where I taught for two years; however, I have now been teaching internationally for nearly 10 years in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and most recently Thailand. I hold an Undergraduate Teaching Degree and a Postgraduate Degree in Education from two UK universities. In addition to my teaching role, I have served as Deputy Head of Mathematics, Head of Pre-School, and acting Special Educational Needs Coordinator. Before qualifying as a teacher, I participated in various voluntary projects and international summer camps, this includes volunteering at a township and orphanage in South Africa, being a Special Needs Counsellor for Camp America and attending a University teaching placement in Budapest, Hungary.

In my spare time, I lead an active lifestyle. My favourite sport is football, and I enjoy engaging in various sports and fitness activities. One of my greatest achievements is trekking to Everest Base Camp without experiencing altitude sickness! I am also an avid runner, and a lifelong dream of mine is to run the London Marathon. Additionally, I love travelling, with my favourite destinations to date being Hawaii, The Bahamas, Australia, and The Maldives. One of my favourite childrens books is We’re Going on a Bear Hunt because it is so versatile, interactive and fun. At the heart of my educational philosophy is play based learning, curiosity and creativity. In my classroom I endeavour to create a fun, nurturing atmosphere where all pupils feel valued and equipped to grow.

I am delighted to introduce myself, I am Holly Westpfel. Growing up, I spent lots of time with my Nan who was a teacher. We used to play schools and she would show me all the fun things that she would teach her class.

This piqued my interest in teaching as my Nan always spoke so positively about school. I went onto study Primary Education at University and have now been teaching for 10 years, teaching between FS2 and Year 4.
I love to learn myself and try to foster a love of learning to all who I teach. I also believe that to be academically successful, we must foster secure and meaningful relationships and ensure that children feel safe and happy. One of my favourite parts about teaching is spending time creating learning environments that are engaging and evoke curiosity. In my spare time, I enjoy going to the beach and reading books. My favourite book as a child was ‘Esio Trot’ by Roald Dhal. I still hope that one day I will have a tortoise of my own.