Executive Leadership team

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.

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 families of DBSJ! 

My name is Miss Parker and I am so excited to be joining Dubai British School Jumeira, being a part of the primary team here. Having recently moved from Manchester in the UK, I am excited to begin this new chapter in Dubai and can’t wait to get to know the children, families and school community.  

I studied Primary Education and completed a PGCE with the University of Cumbria but also have a BA Honours degree in Media Makep for TV, film and theatre- I love to be creative. I have worked across a range of roles in primary schools but mainly in Key Stage One. 

I love to learn and portray this in my teaching by creating a safe space where every child feels like they belong. I believe that children learn best when they feel happy, valued and confident. I strive to create a classroom where every child feels encouraged to be curious, take risks and enjoy their learning. My teaching is fun and engaging- I love to make everyday a positive day for everybody!  

Outside of school I enjoy going to the gym and running. I have completed two half marathons and competed in Hyrox races in both Manchester and Belgium. My perfect day involves a long walk with a nice coffee. 

I am excited to bring my positive energy and passion for teaching to our school community and make a difference to the lives of my students. I am looking forward to making lots of wonderful memories along the way.

My name is Mita Pandya and I am so excited to be part of such a cutting-edge and caring school.

Knowing that I wanted to make a difference to the lives of children, I initially studied law, specialising in Child Protection. Being involved in many projects and in academia led me to change my path to create a positive impact for children: education. This led me to gaining my PGCE at Brunel University London. I have been in teaching for around ten years now and have loved every minute! I have worked for six of those years in the UAE.

My teaching philosophy is focussed on children’s creativity and inspiring them to reach standards of excellence. My classroom is a place where children are happy inquirers, excited about learning, independent and challenged to a level that they set for themselves.

In my spare time I love to cook, play badminton and do yoga. A book I have really loved to read and use in teaching is Dubai’s Talking Towers by Ralph Browning. We loved bringing the characters to life through drama and through creating their own version of the story.

Hello, families of Dubai British School Jumeira!

My name is Mrs. Sarah Wiseman, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as your new teacher and to join the wonderful DBSJ community.

I’d love to share a little about myself before the new term begins. I hold a BA Hons in Primary Education with a specialism in Art and Design from Edge Hill University. I started teaching 16 years ago in the UK and have since taught internationally in Abu Dhabi and Bangkok, Thailand. More recently, I’ve worked in both independent and state schools in Yorkshire.

I bring a wealth of experience across Early Years and Key Stage 1. I am passionate about child-centred learning, encouraging curiosity, creativity, independence, and collaboration. I strive to make learning fun, interactive, and meaningful, creating environments where children feel safe, valued, and eager to explore. I believe in playful, hands-on experiences that celebrate each child’s unique talents.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my husband, daughter, and our dog – Mango. We love walking, exploring the outdoors, swimming, and discovering new places. As a family we love to read, one of our favourite’s is Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae for its message of confidence and celebrating uniqueness.

My name is Ms. Sinead Kinsey and I’m so excited to be your teacher this year! I’m originally from Nottingham, a lovely city in the middle of England and I’ve been living and teaching in Dubai for the past four years. During my teaching journey so far, I’ve had the chance to work with children in FS1 all the way up to Year 2 and I’ve loved every minute of it. Helping children learn, grow and have fun at school is one of my favourite things to do!

In our classroom, I always try to make sure it’s a happy, exciting and welcoming place where everyone feels safe and included. I love to plan fun and engaging activities that help us learn in lots of different ways—through play, talking, exploring and discovering new things together. I want every child to feel proud of who they are and confident to be themselves.

When I’m not at school, I really enjoy reading, watching and playing sports and travelling to new places to learn about the world. One of my favourite books to read is Zog by Julia
Donaldson. I love Zog because he never gives up, even when things get tricky—he keeps
trying and always does his best. That’s something I’ll be encouraging all of us to do this year, too!

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.

My name is Mr Joshua Gibson, and I am thrilled to be one of the founding teachers of what promises to be an excellent school community.

After completing my bachelor’s degree in Geography from Aberystwyth University, I worked internationally as a qualified swimming teacher and coach in the UAE and USA. Following this, I returned to the UK to complete my teaching qualifications. I have been teaching for six years across a range of year groups in primary school, with four years here in the UAE. My teaching philosophy revolves around making learning as practical, engaging and relevant to the children’s interests as possible. I believe that learning should be fun and hands on, underpinned by the curriculum to ensure that all children are learning as much as possible! My classroom is a very friendly place as I view the whole class as one team, all working together. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family and exercising. Swimming has always been a large part of my life, and I try to swim at least six kilometres every week!