Arcadia Development Board

Rob Kesterton, is the acting Principal of Jumeirah College: an ‘Outstanding’ English Curriculum secondary school. He is the son of two teachers, the husband of a teacher and the father of three boys, enabling him to enjoy a unique insight into education for as long as he can remember. Rob is a History and Politics teacher by training, although he began his career as a Teaching Assistant in a pupil referral unit in the UK. He taught in a variety of contexts in the South-East of England, before moving to Dubai 13 years ago. He has been at Jumeirah College since then, and been fortunate to be entrusted with several roles including: leading on Teaching and Learning; Data and Assessment; Examinations; Curriculum Design; Timetabling; and the line management of the Heads of the Department team.

Rob's educational philosophy is simple: happy students are more likely to be successful students, where a safe and nurturing environment, filled with engaging experiences and the right level of challenge, is how to create lifelong learners. Rob believes that if students are able to self-manage their learning, they are more likely to be successful in both the short and long term and the role of educators is to spark their curiosity, and to encourage them to embrace problem solving, critical thinking and enquiry, as a challenge accepted. Rob is confident that Arcadia mirrors his educational philosophy; which is why he is so keen to work alongside the school leaders as an educational support and advisor.

Sarah Lambert is an experienced English teacher and examiner who currently teaches English, Latin and HPQ/EPQ at Dubai College, having previously taught at RGS Guildford (UK) and Guildford High School. Sarah read English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford and completed her PGCE there too, teaching at John Mason School, Abingdon and Banbury School. At Dubai College, Sarah is responsible for Oxbridge applications and is a Specialist Leader in Education, developing oracy and Harkness lessons across the school; she is a Voice 21 International Oracy Leader too. Founder of the Dubai Oracy Hub, a platform through which practitioners and academics can share ideas and promote oracy, Sarah champions the use of talk in classrooms to enhance learning and develop students’ confidence in using their voices and listening to the views of others. Sarah’s MSc Learning and Teaching research looked at the positive impact of Harkness lessons on students’ confidence and her NPQSL project focused on embedding and tracking oracy progress in KS3 lessons across departments. Sarah has delivered oracy CPD sessions to several schools in Dubai and has presented at national and international conferences, including the Global Schools Festival (with Professor Neil Mercer) and the Speaking Citizens Conference: The Uses of Oracy. When not teaching, Sarah can be found leading a Cub Scout Pack, reading, or sailing with her family.

John is a passionate and committed inclusion teacher and qualified SENCo, who believes all children deserve an outstanding teaching and learning experience.

As an experienced school leader and teacher who has worked both in mainstream and in inclusion both in the UK and Dubai, John has a breadth of experience in working with children in a variety of contexts. His journey working with young people started while still at school, as volunteer, coach and event organiser for the UK Special Olympics. This fuelled his desire to positively impact the lives of young people of determination and their families, which he continued to do in a variety of voluntary and professional roles while at studying and the University of Hertfordshire, qualifying with a BEd in Primary education.

John has also worked in the USA, as part of an administrative leadership team running a residential social and life skills program for young people with autism and social development delays, something he continued for almost a decade, supporting many families in finding pathways to independence for the young people he worked with. This fostered his understanding of the importance of teaching children transferable learning skills and attracted him to Arcadia School, which places great value on the holistic development of its students.

John firmly believes that giving children a well-rounded and personalised education will open doors for a happy and successful future. As a committed advocate for people of determination and a driven professional, he aims to continue to develop and grow the school's inclusion department and continue to find bespoke pathways to allow all Arcadians to navigate their own independent journey through education and beyond.

Alison Peterson is the Headteacher at The English School, an outstanding British Prep school in Kuwait. Having lived in the Middle East since childhood and working at a variety of schools within Kuwait, Alison has invaluable knowledge and experience of the region. In addition, she has worked at a range of schools in London. During her career, Alison has worked with all age ranges from Early Years to Year 13, and strongly believes that pastoral care plays an integral aspect in a successful education. She is passionate about safeguarding and has played a leading role in initiating change and support within Kuwait schools and for DSLs in the region. She is a member of IAPS and an ISI inspector, in addition to having close working relationships with BSME, COBIS and AoBSO. Alison enjoys building positive and inclusive experiences for children in international schools and is excited to be a part of Arcadia’s enriching journey.

Andrew is an experienced international educator who has helped transform Westminster School, Sharjah into a high performing school. Andrew believes passionately in building positive relationships with the school community and providing an enriched curriculum which stimulate child learning experiences.

Andrew previously served as Assistant Head at the outstanding Jumeirah College, before being appointed as the Vice Principal and Deputy CEO at Westminster. Prior to this, Andrew was the Director of Learning at one of the best comprehensive schools in the UK and National UK Award-winning Geography teacher and departmental leader.

Andrew holds Post Graduate qualifications in Educational Leadership and Secondary Education, a BA(Hons) in Geography and is currently pursuing his National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH). Andrew is a dynamic, enthusiastic and highly skilled student-focused educational leader. Outside of education, he is a loving father and family man, keen sportsman with a passion for playing golf, supporting his beloved England cricket team and Derby County football team.

Arcadia Global School Al Furjan (AGS) will be the third school of the Arcadia Group, following in the footsteps of the National Award Winning sister schools, Arcadia Primary and Arcadia High School in JVT. AGS will focus on the National Curriculum for England in the primary years in the first year of operations and eventually moving on to the GCSE and A Level programme as the secondary phase opens from September 2024. Andrew will join the other centre principals under the stewardship of the Executive Principal Giles Pruett.

Arcadia Education are tremendously excited at the proposition of working with Andrew who has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of education in the UAE during his last twelve years.

Holly, a proud Welsh woman passionate about education, has spent 11 years in the UAE working in leadership positions at Ras Al Khaimah Academy and GEMS Education. She has experience in start-up schools, growing capacity, and creating a warm and welcoming culture. Holly has now been appointed as Vice Principal at Arcadia Global, where she aims to drive academic development through the school's core values of health, happiness, and well-being. With a BA (Hons) in Primary Studies and QTS and completing her National Professional Qualification for Headship, Holly is dedicated to preparing children for life by promoting emotional mastery and helping them reach their full potential.

Fiona Ryan is a Primary Deputy Headteacher at Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai, where she oversees Pastoral Care, Early Years, and Safeguarding. She champions highly personalised approaches to teaching and learning that unlock each child's unique potential. Her dedication to continuous school improvement reflects her own commitment to enhancing young learners' school experiences.

As a Nord Anglia Global Teaching Fellow, specialising in Early Years Education, Fiona leverages her extensive teaching background, TEFL diploma, and expertise as an iPGCE & iQTS Lead Mentor. She is also a qualified British Schools Overseas inspector, further enriching her contributions to education.

Rob Kesterton, is the acting Principal of Jumeirah College: an ‘Outstanding’ English Curriculum secondary school. He is the son of two teachers, the husband of a teacher and the father of three boys, enabling him to enjoy a unique insight into education for as long as he can remember. Rob is a History and Politics teacher by training, although he began his career as a Teaching Assistant in a pupil referral unit in the UK. He taught in a variety of contexts in the South-East of England, before moving to Dubai 13 years ago. He has been at Jumeirah College since then, and been fortunate to be entrusted with several roles including: leading on Teaching and Learning; Data and Assessment; Examinations; Curriculum Design; Timetabling; and the line management of the Heads of the Department team.

Rob's educational philosophy is simple: happy students are more likely to be successful students, where a safe and nurturing environment, filled with engaging experiences and the right level of challenge, is how to create lifelong learners. Rob believes that if students are able to self-manage their learning, they are more likely to be successful in both the short and long term and the role of educators is to spark their curiosity, and to encourage them to embrace problem solving, critical thinking and enquiry, as a challenge accepted. Rob is confident that Arcadia mirrors his educational philosophy; which is why he is so keen to work alongside the school leaders as an educational support and advisor.

Sarah Lambert is an experienced English teacher and examiner who currently teaches English, Latin and HPQ/EPQ at Dubai College, having previously taught at RGS Guildford (UK) and Guildford High School. Sarah read English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford and completed her PGCE there too, teaching at John Mason School, Abingdon and Banbury School. At Dubai College, Sarah is responsible for Oxbridge applications and is a Specialist Leader in Education, developing oracy and Harkness lessons across the school; she is a Voice 21 International Oracy Leader too. Founder of the Dubai Oracy Hub, a platform through which practitioners and academics can share ideas and promote oracy, Sarah champions the use of talk in classrooms to enhance learning and develop students’ confidence in using their voices and listening to the views of others. Sarah’s MSc Learning and Teaching research looked at the positive impact of Harkness lessons on students’ confidence and her NPQSL project focused on embedding and tracking oracy progress in KS3 lessons across departments. Sarah has delivered oracy CPD sessions to several schools in Dubai and has presented at national and international conferences, including the Global Schools Festival (with Professor Neil Mercer) and the Speaking Citizens Conference: The Uses of Oracy. When not teaching, Sarah can be found leading a Cub Scout Pack, reading, or sailing with her family.

John is a passionate and committed inclusion teacher and qualified SENCo, who believes all children deserve an outstanding teaching and learning experience.

As an experienced school leader and teacher who has worked both in mainstream and in inclusion both in the UK and Dubai, John has a breadth of experience in working with children in a variety of contexts. His journey working with young people started while still at school, as volunteer, coach and event organiser for the UK Special Olympics. This fuelled his desire to positively impact the lives of young people of determination and their families, which he continued to do in a variety of voluntary and professional roles while at studying and the University of Hertfordshire, qualifying with a BEd in Primary education.

John has also worked in the USA, as part of an administrative leadership team running a residential social and life skills program for young people with autism and social development delays, something he continued for almost a decade, supporting many families in finding pathways to independence for the young people he worked with. This fostered his understanding of the importance of teaching children transferable learning skills and attracted him to Arcadia School, which places great value on the holistic development of its students.

John firmly believes that giving children a well-rounded and personalised education will open doors for a happy and successful future. As a committed advocate for people of determination and a driven professional, he aims to continue to develop and grow the school's inclusion department and continue to find bespoke pathways to allow all Arcadians to navigate their own independent journey through education and beyond.

Alison Peterson is the Headteacher at The English School, an outstanding British Prep school in Kuwait. Having lived in the Middle East since childhood and working at a variety of schools within Kuwait, Alison has invaluable knowledge and experience of the region. In addition, she has worked at a range of schools in London. During her career, Alison has worked with all age ranges from Early Years to Year 13, and strongly believes that pastoral care plays an integral aspect in a successful education. She is passionate about safeguarding and has played a leading role in initiating change and support within Kuwait schools and for DSLs in the region. She is a member of IAPS and an ISI inspector, in addition to having close working relationships with BSME, COBIS and AoBSO. Alison enjoys building positive and inclusive experiences for children in international schools and is excited to be a part of Arcadia’s enriching journey.

Andrew is an experienced international educator who has helped transform Westminster School, Sharjah into a high performing school. Andrew believes passionately in building positive relationships with the school community and providing an enriched curriculum which stimulate child learning experiences.

Andrew previously served as Assistant Head at the outstanding Jumeirah College, before being appointed as the Vice Principal and Deputy CEO at Westminster. Prior to this, Andrew was the Director of Learning at one of the best comprehensive schools in the UK and National UK Award-winning Geography teacher and departmental leader.

Andrew holds Post Graduate qualifications in Educational Leadership and Secondary Education, a BA(Hons) in Geography and is currently pursuing his National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH). Andrew is a dynamic, enthusiastic and highly skilled student-focused educational leader. Outside of education, he is a loving father and family man, keen sportsman with a passion for playing golf, supporting his beloved England cricket team and Derby County football team.

Arcadia Global School Al Furjan (AGS) will be the third school of the Arcadia Group, following in the footsteps of the National Award Winning sister schools, Arcadia Primary and Arcadia High School in JVT. AGS will focus on the National Curriculum for England in the primary years in the first year of operations and eventually moving on to the GCSE and A Level programme as the secondary phase opens from September 2024. Andrew will join the other centre principals under the stewardship of the Executive Principal Giles Pruett.

Arcadia Education are tremendously excited at the proposition of working with Andrew who has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of education in the UAE during his last twelve years.

Holly, a proud Welsh woman passionate about education, has spent 11 years in the UAE working in leadership positions at Ras Al Khaimah Academy and GEMS Education. She has experience in start-up schools, growing capacity, and creating a warm and welcoming culture. Holly has now been appointed as Vice Principal at Arcadia Global, where she aims to drive academic development through the school's core values of health, happiness, and well-being. With a BA (Hons) in Primary Studies and QTS and completing her National Professional Qualification for Headship, Holly is dedicated to preparing children for life by promoting emotional mastery and helping them reach their full potential.

Fiona Ryan is a Primary Deputy Headteacher at Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai, where she oversees Pastoral Care, Early Years, and Safeguarding. She champions highly personalised approaches to teaching and learning that unlock each child's unique potential. Her dedication to continuous school improvement reflects her own commitment to enhancing young learners' school experiences.

As a Nord Anglia Global Teaching Fellow, specialising in Early Years Education, Fiona leverages her extensive teaching background, TEFL diploma, and expertise as an iPGCE & iQTS Lead Mentor. She is also a qualified British Schools Overseas inspector, further enriching her contributions to education.

Rob Kesterton, is the acting Principal of Jumeirah College: an ‘Outstanding’ English Curriculum secondary school. He is the son of two teachers, the husband of a teacher and the father of three boys, enabling him to enjoy a unique insight into education for as long as he can remember. Rob is a History and Politics teacher by training, although he began his career as a Teaching Assistant in a pupil referral unit in the UK. He taught in a variety of contexts in the South-East of England, before moving to Dubai 13 years ago. He has been at Jumeirah College since then, and been fortunate to be entrusted with several roles including: leading on Teaching and Learning; Data and Assessment; Examinations; Curriculum Design; Timetabling; and the line management of the Heads of the Department team.

Rob's educational philosophy is simple: happy students are more likely to be successful students, where a safe and nurturing environment, filled with engaging experiences and the right level of challenge, is how to create lifelong learners. Rob believes that if students are able to self-manage their learning, they are more likely to be successful in both the short and long term and the role of educators is to spark their curiosity, and to encourage them to embrace problem solving, critical thinking and enquiry, as a challenge accepted. Rob is confident that Arcadia mirrors his educational philosophy; which is why he is so keen to work alongside the school leaders as an educational support and advisor.

Sarah Lambert is an experienced English teacher and examiner who currently teaches English, Latin and HPQ/EPQ at Dubai College, having previously taught at RGS Guildford (UK) and Guildford High School. Sarah read English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford and completed her PGCE there too, teaching at John Mason School, Abingdon and Banbury School. At Dubai College, Sarah is responsible for Oxbridge applications and is a Specialist Leader in Education, developing oracy and Harkness lessons across the school; she is a Voice 21 International Oracy Leader too. Founder of the Dubai Oracy Hub, a platform through which practitioners and academics can share ideas and promote oracy, Sarah champions the use of talk in classrooms to enhance learning and develop students’ confidence in using their voices and listening to the views of others. Sarah’s MSc Learning and Teaching research looked at the positive impact of Harkness lessons on students’ confidence and her NPQSL project focused on embedding and tracking oracy progress in KS3 lessons across departments. Sarah has delivered oracy CPD sessions to several schools in Dubai and has presented at national and international conferences, including the Global Schools Festival (with Professor Neil Mercer) and the Speaking Citizens Conference: The Uses of Oracy. When not teaching, Sarah can be found leading a Cub Scout Pack, reading, or sailing with her family.

John is a passionate and committed inclusion teacher and qualified SENCo, who believes all children deserve an outstanding teaching and learning experience.

As an experienced school leader and teacher who has worked both in mainstream and in inclusion both in the UK and Dubai, John has a breadth of experience in working with children in a variety of contexts. His journey working with young people started while still at school, as volunteer, coach and event organiser for the UK Special Olympics. This fuelled his desire to positively impact the lives of young people of determination and their families, which he continued to do in a variety of voluntary and professional roles while at studying and the University of Hertfordshire, qualifying with a BEd in Primary education.

John has also worked in the USA, as part of an administrative leadership team running a residential social and life skills program for young people with autism and social development delays, something he continued for almost a decade, supporting many families in finding pathways to independence for the young people he worked with. This fostered his understanding of the importance of teaching children transferable learning skills and attracted him to Arcadia School, which places great value on the holistic development of its students.

John firmly believes that giving children a well-rounded and personalised education will open doors for a happy and successful future. As a committed advocate for people of determination and a driven professional, he aims to continue to develop and grow the school's inclusion department and continue to find bespoke pathways to allow all Arcadians to navigate their own independent journey through education and beyond.

Alison Peterson is the Headteacher at The English School, an outstanding British Prep school in Kuwait. Having lived in the Middle East since childhood and working at a variety of schools within Kuwait, Alison has invaluable knowledge and experience of the region. In addition, she has worked at a range of schools in London. During her career, Alison has worked with all age ranges from Early Years to Year 13, and strongly believes that pastoral care plays an integral aspect in a successful education. She is passionate about safeguarding and has played a leading role in initiating change and support within Kuwait schools and for DSLs in the region. She is a member of IAPS and an ISI inspector, in addition to having close working relationships with BSME, COBIS and AoBSO. Alison enjoys building positive and inclusive experiences for children in international schools and is excited to be a part of Arcadia’s enriching journey.

Andrew is an experienced international educator who has helped transform Westminster School, Sharjah into a high performing school. Andrew believes passionately in building positive relationships with the school community and providing an enriched curriculum which stimulate child learning experiences.

Andrew previously served as Assistant Head at the outstanding Jumeirah College, before being appointed as the Vice Principal and Deputy CEO at Westminster. Prior to this, Andrew was the Director of Learning at one of the best comprehensive schools in the UK and National UK Award-winning Geography teacher and departmental leader.

Andrew holds Post Graduate qualifications in Educational Leadership and Secondary Education, a BA(Hons) in Geography and is currently pursuing his National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH). Andrew is a dynamic, enthusiastic and highly skilled student-focused educational leader. Outside of education, he is a loving father and family man, keen sportsman with a passion for playing golf, supporting his beloved England cricket team and Derby County football team.

Arcadia Global School Al Furjan (AGS) will be the third school of the Arcadia Group, following in the footsteps of the National Award Winning sister schools, Arcadia Primary and Arcadia High School in JVT. AGS will focus on the National Curriculum for England in the primary years in the first year of operations and eventually moving on to the GCSE and A Level programme as the secondary phase opens from September 2024. Andrew will join the other centre principals under the stewardship of the Executive Principal Giles Pruett.

Arcadia Education are tremendously excited at the proposition of working with Andrew who has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of education in the UAE during his last twelve years.

Holly, a proud Welsh woman passionate about education, has spent 11 years in the UAE working in leadership positions at Ras Al Khaimah Academy and GEMS Education. She has experience in start-up schools, growing capacity, and creating a warm and welcoming culture. Holly has now been appointed as Vice Principal at Arcadia Global, where she aims to drive academic development through the school's core values of health, happiness, and well-being. With a BA (Hons) in Primary Studies and QTS and completing her National Professional Qualification for Headship, Holly is dedicated to preparing children for life by promoting emotional mastery and helping them reach their full potential.

Fiona Ryan is a Primary Deputy Headteacher at Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai, where she oversees Pastoral Care, Early Years, and Safeguarding. She champions highly personalised approaches to teaching and learning that unlock each child's unique potential. Her dedication to continuous school improvement reflects her own commitment to enhancing young learners' school experiences.

As a Nord Anglia Global Teaching Fellow, specialising in Early Years Education, Fiona leverages her extensive teaching background, TEFL diploma, and expertise as an iPGCE & iQTS Lead Mentor. She is also a qualified British Schools Overseas inspector, further enriching her contributions to education.