After graduating from my PGCE in 2014, specialising in Early Years education I got my first teaching job back at my old primary school!
After two amazing years back where education all began for me I decided it was time for something new and moved to Dubai in 2016. After having worked in another outstanding International School in Dubai for three years, I was thrilled to join the team at DBS in 2019 at the Year Leader for FS2.
During my career to date I have worked in Year Two, Year One and Foundation Stage Two and have held middle leader positions in each phase.
I am very fortunate to be part of a school that has such a loving and nurturing environment where children can learn and experience new challenges whilst they play. I look forward to continuing to have a positive impact on the growth and development of our youngest learners at DBS. There is never a dull day in Early Years and I love my job!
I am originally from a small town in Lincolnshire on the East Coast of England and I have also worked in California in America. Before becoming a School Teacher I have worked as a swimming coach, a dance teacher and a gymnastics and cheerleading coach. All of which have given me some great experience in my current job.
Outside of school I still train in gymnastics and I love running. I have completed Dubai marathon and the Ras Al Khaimah half marathon to name a few whilst living in the UAE. I have a huge interest in educational psychology and I look forward to continuing my studies in this area. Even as teachers, we never stop learning!
Best Moment In Teaching
Every day brings lots of joy but I love seeing the children perform in their class productions. It is lovely to see children develop such confidence during these times. I will never forget the day when I had a little boy in my class who was hearing impaired and non- verbal from birth come up to the microphone on stage and say his line during the class assembly! It was a little miracle, such a special moment and a reminder to never give up!
Namita Gupta
I joined Dubai British School Emirates Hills in 2020 after completing my Cache Level 2 Diploma for Early Years Practitioner EYFS. I am a MBA professional with over 12 years of corporate experience across Middle East and India. Being a mom of two wonderful boys, I have always wanted to start my tryst with teaching younger kids . It has been indeed a novel experience for me to be a part of DBS community. I aspire to be a change maker and catalyst for the budding minds to start their journey of learning and experimenting. In my spare time I love gardening, reading books and enhancing my culinary skills. Best moment : Each day in Foundation is special as there’s no better feeling than seeing happy smiling faces getting more confident and vibrant with each passing day.
FS1/Lions - Class Teacher Melanie Bennett
My journey as a Learning Assistant began in New Zealand in 2010 with PORSE, an in-home child education company. During the five years I was a PORSE in-home educator I was able to build a strong bond with the children I educated and built my passion for helping kids on their life journey. In 2015 I moved from Auckland to Dubai with my husband and two daughters. My daughters started at DBS and we quickly become part of the schools community. Since 2017 I have been a Foundation Learning Assistant at DBS where I have been able to re ignite my passion for children’s education. One of the best moments as a Learning Assistant is seeing a child graduating at the end of the year and knowing I played a role in their development.
FS2 Hippos Teaching Assistant Lisa Burt
I chose a career in teaching after having my own children and helping voluntarily with different weekly activities in their classes and going to support their teachers on school trips when they both started school. I decided to do a B.Ed(Hons) teaching degree at the University of Chichester in 1992. I qualified in 1996 and now have 24 years of teaching experience, 15 years teaching in two Primary schools on the South Coast in the UK, from Reception through to Year 3. I then moved to Dubai in 2011 and have been teaching here in Early Years education since. I joined DBS in 2013 in the Foundation Team. When I'm not teaching I enjoy travelling, walking, yoga, art, photography, socialising with friends and going to art galleries and concerts. I am married to George and have two grown-up children, Daniel who lives and works in the UK and Lauren who lives and works here in Dubai. Best Moment In Teaching When I began teaching in my first Reception Class at Edward Bryant School in the UK and the children finally learnt how to read and write independently...the excited look on their faces and their animated comments "I can read Mrs Burt!" and "Look, I can write…I am writing!" Priceless... I also love listening to the expressive ways in which young children retell traditional stories. I feel so privileged to have taught so many children in their first year at school.
FS1/Lions - Class Teacher