Deira International School

Ian Thurston is the School Director at Deira International School. His leadership philosophy focuses on educating the whole child through a balance of academic excellence, personal development, and meaningful opportunities beyond the classroom. He is committed to creating a culture of high expectations, continuous improvement, and strong relationships.

Gaynor Dale is the Primary Head Teacher at Deira International School. Her leadership approach is grounded in empathetic practice and a commitment to quality-first teaching and learning across the Primary phase. She focuses on consistency, strong teaching practice, and ensuring every child benefits from the school's community-focused environment.

Emma Hannon has 20 years of experience in teaching and 10 years in senior leadership, having worked in London, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. She holds a degree in Politics from the University of Cardiff and a PGCE in History from the University of York. Her work is centred on strong pastoral systems, safeguarding practice, and creating a supportive environment for students.

Katie Edwards focuses on quality-first teaching, inclusive practice, and strong pastoral systems to support children academically, socially, and emotionally. Her leadership approach emphasizes developing others through coaching, collaboration, and clear accountability. She aims to create conditions where both staff and students can grow and reflect.

Helen Wallis is a firm advocate of holistic education and has worked extensively on developing Learner Attributes aligned with the IB Learner Profile. She works to ensure that IB provision is challenging, supportive, and well-structured, enabling students to thrive academically while developing skills for beyond school. She also oversees the IB Learning Hub.

Scarlett Keyworth is passionate about creating a school experience that enables every student to feel connected, engaged, and inspired. Her role focuses on enhancing the student experience across the whole school, with a strong emphasis on student voice, personal growth, wellbeing, and leadership development.

Sheikh Iqbal has extensive experience in secondary education and leadership, with a strong focus on curriculum development, assessment, and raising academic standards. He leads on academic standards and assessment across the Secondary school and is a strong advocate for the holistic development of young people.

Barry Lomas is a Physical Education specialist who has competed at the county level in multiple sports and led teams to success as a coach. His role focuses on pastoral care, student wellbeing, and ensuring every student feels supported and known. He believes in holistic education where student success is measured by more than just academic results.

Michael Taylor has international experience, including five years in Beijing, China, as a founding member of an international school. He is an accredited performance coach and is completing a Master’s degree at Northumbria University with a focus on leadership and learning. His work is centred on supporting high-quality teaching and strong relationships in the Primary school.

Peter McLoughlin has worked in three outstanding schools, including two in Dubai, and has spent three years at Deira International School as a classroom practitioner and Year Group Leader. His approach is centred on understanding each child as an individual, with an emphasis on curiosity, critical thinking, and curriculum development.

Charlotte Tibbetts oversees the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Year 1. Her work focuses on ensuring these formative years provide strong foundations academically, socially, and emotionally, while nurturing curiosity. She is committed to recognizing each child as an individual and fostering partnerships with families.

Nicholas Bloom has more than 15 years of teaching experience and holds a degree in Management Science (Advanced Accounting) from Swansea University. As Assessment Lead, he oversees whole-school assessment systems, and as Head of AI Development, he works to integrate emerging technologies to enhance learning, creativity, and efficiency.