Zoe Woolley started her teaching career as a Primary School Teacher in East London after graduating from university with a B.Ed. (Hons) in Mathematics and Education. She then spent a few years at The British School in Riyadh where she taught mathematics from years 5 to 9. On her return to the UK, Zoe moved into management roles in both state and independent schools, including five years as a Head of a Junior School. During this time Mrs. Woolley gained an MSc in Educational Management and Curriculum. The opportunity to lead a larger team brought her to Repton Dubai where she led mathematics in the Prep School and later became Head of the Infant Department. Zoe was promoted within the Repton group to become the Principal of Repton Al Barsha (formerly Foremarke Dubai). Mrs Woolley is currently the Headteacher of Jeddah Prep and Grammar School, Saudi Arabia.

Zen is an inspirational educator, International speaker and safeguarding expert who has worked in education for over 10 years.

Her diverse background, enthusiasm and passion is the driving force that empowers those she works with, helping them to achieve lasting outcomes.

Zen has worked with Ministries, The British Embassy and organisations both in the UK (Government) and Internationally to raise awareness on the importance of Child Protection and Safeguarding children. With a unique background of over 20 years’ experience in Education, Business leadership and strategic planning, Zen provides her clients with unique advantages, her understanding of local needs and the importance of cultural awareness, ensures that educators have access to safeguarding training that is aligned to the challenges of The Middle East and the local requirements, alongside International best practice.

When I was 7 years old I had an incident at school that started my questioning about the traditional educational system.

When I graduated from school I decided to begin a search journey about best practices in education.

I earned a masters degree in educational administration, and a doctoral degree in instructional leadership with a focus on brain based education. Both from USA.

Since my completion I have worked on multiple curriculum development and teacher training programs in Saudi Arabia.

I’m recent years, I have become an avid researcher in early childhood theories that support brain development. Such as Pikler, Waldorf, Nature Education, and Reggio Emilia.

I have been conducting and coordinating trainings to bring such sophisticated theories to the educational arena in Saudi Arabia in hope of transforming educator’s mindsets.

Radwan Chahrouk is Senior Educational Officer at Waad Education Company. His thirteen years of international education experience span the multiple roles of teacher, head of department, head of academics and head of school. He holds BSc and MSc in Bio-Health, PGCE and NPQH, and is currently midway through his EdD at the University of Bath. Radwan believes that the teaching practice - although cannot be truly mastered - can be continuously improved through consistent, collaborative CPD approaches. The ultimate goal of schooling is to provide children with genuine life opportunities, and all aspects of education should converge to serve this noble purpose.

Ashraf Malkawi is a certified Literacy Coach, Educational Supervisor and Trainer. He Holds a BA degree and an MA degree in Education.Joined the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University , New York and is currently training teAachers on using a Balanced Literacy Approach through Reading and Writing workshop model. Ashraf has been intrigued with how children experience their world for more than 23 years as a teacher, literacy coach, trainer and a supervisor. He is currently working as an Academic Coach at Dhahran Ahliyya Schools, supervising and training teachers from different backgrounds teaching language , science and math. Ashraf is also a member of Century Tech committee for designing Language virtual lessons.

Ms. Fatima has earned her BA in English education from King Faisal University. She recently earned her master degrees from Walden university: M.S. Master of Science in Special Education. She has worked in Dhahran Ahliyyah Schools for 11 years. She started as a student support teacher and then became the responsible of the department. In her position, she supports teachers in how to best address the literacy needs of the students by designing individualized plans that include effective evidence-based strategies. She also provide professional development trainings to teachers in order to improve and develop their practices.

Barhum Asad is an Academic Supervisor at Al Rowad International School. Throughout his career in the field of education, Barhum has been a strong advocate of student-centered and project-based learning pedagogies.

He has over 12 years of international education experience in multiple roles: Classroom teacher, Instructional coach, Mentor, MAP coordinator, Leading and managing CPD, Cognia steering committee for teaching and learning domain, and Academic Supervisor.

Barhum holds an MA in Education from University College of London and a BA (Hons) in Business Management with Law, and TEFL.

As per his Master's degree, Barhum's project research focused on ‘securing the consistent and effective implementation of student-centered learning in Saudi international schools’.

Schools that adopt and promote instructional methods, such as project-based learning, provide students with opportunities to build and foster creative skills.

I have always enjoyed a profound and intrinsic love for learning. That translated into very fulfilling educational experiences throughout school and university, whether studying Classical Linguistics or, later, Economics. My time working for the Treasury in the UK provided me with insights into how economic theories play out in a practical sense that I could not have gained from classroom experiences alone. When I entered the teaching profession, I was able to leverage these experiences as I developed my own blend of teaching strategies and tactics to make learning focus on a deep understanding of subject content. My aim has always been to make learning rigorous and systematic whilst paying attention to individual student needs and empathise with their intellectual and emotional struggles.

Entering educational leadership in international schools was a logical progression since it gave me the facility to impart these teaching values and practices to wider audiences across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines. I particularly enjoyed helping teachers to identify intellectual barriers preventing students from progressing to the next stage and to induce in students the ability to ask the right questions. I was amazed at how training a small group of teachers in active learning for a Cambridge Assessment professional teaching qualification (PDQ) in an ‘out of city’ international school had a transformational impact on teaching practices in the school as a whole and consequently on student learning. Teachers are just as avid learners as their students!

As we journey through the stages of education and leadership, we inevitably need to upskill. This naturally occurs as we leverage our own experiences, read, and apply lessons gleaned from the corpus of academic research and, just as crucially, seek credentials for what we learn. My career in education has provided many such opportunities and sharing these with others adds yet more meaning, since our field is intrinsically about sharing what we know.

Although born in the UK, from a very early age David travelled and lived abroad, spending most of his school years in Hong Kong, latterly at Island School (ESF), a school that he loved, his teachers inspiring him to move into the profession.

David returned to UK for university (studying a 4 year B.Ed Hons Degree in Design & Technology for Secondary Education) whilst also securing his Council of National Academic Awards qualification.

He began his teaching career in the UK, leading Design and Technology programmes at Taunton School, Whitgift School and Wellington College in Berkshire. From Wellington, David joined his first new-build project in Toulouse, France. It was a brand-new Airbus sponsored school, where he led the Design faculty. At the time (1999), it was the first fully lap-topped school in the northern hemisphere where every student aged 4 to 18 had a laptop.

After a decade, David moved back to UK, first to Stowe school in Buckinghamshire and then to Cranleigh School in Surrey, initially as Director of the Creative Arts Faculty, then as marketing and admissions lead. Another overseas opportunity beckoned, this time as part of a pioneering team for his second brand new school project on the shores of Lac Leman near Geneva for Nord Anglia Education. David was the Design and Enterprise Director, leading the creative arts faculty and guiding the secondary digital strategy for their 1:1 iPad and Macbook scheme. He was then invited to be Assistant Head at the Lyceum Alpinum, Zuoz near Saint Moritz – an international boarding school in the Swiss Alps.

After a decade in Switzerland, David swapped -40C temperatures for +40C temperatures moving to the glorious kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accepting the opportunity to join the Chatsworth/Blenheim Schools group as founding Principal of Beech Hall School Riyadh – the Kingdoms first mainstream, premium, non-selective, all-inclusive school; a school that has a vision to be the first truly reimagined international school in Saudi Arabia.

David’s passions include education, classic cars, collecting product design, rugby, listening to rock music and reading. He is married to his French wife, Laurence, and their ‘home’ is in the Gers, near Toulouse, in France. They have two grown up daughters, Alexia and Charlotte, and a crazy dog called Dexter.

I am Faiza Mubeen and I am currently working as Director Inclusion at Beech Hall School Riyadh. I have served several schools as senior academic advisor carrying more than 10 years of expertise in pastoral care and inclusion.

I specialize in provision of inclusive education, career counseling, social-emotional upbuilding, along with professional development trainings for educators. ​

I carry master's degree in international education management from Pädagogische Hochschule, Ludwigsburg, Germany along with an additional Post Graduate degree in Mass Communication & Social Sciences with a massive research focus on UN SDGs and incorporating UN goals into the education framework. I have an extensive track record of working with schools in Dubai, Al Ain and Kuwait.

I believe I am driven, organized, and dedicated professional, and I strive to develop inspiring relationships with students, teachers, and parents. My passions also include writing, reading literature, research work and poetry.

My role as Founding head of inclusion is exciting as it provides me an opportunity to contribute and assist inclusive practices incorporated in the education system allowing participation barriers and to support the inclusion of children that are differently able and are full of determination.

Dr. Alaa Nasief is an expert in the areas of social and cultural development with a focus on the educational realm. She has been engaged with organisations in the public and private sector for over 20 years.

For the last decade, Dr. Nasief has been working with universities, private organisations and governments on creating a more resilient and anti-fragile future generation by investing in the parenting and education of today. In 2007, Dr. Nasief founded Hadara Consulting, a purpose-driven organisation focused on transforming outdated educational systems and curricula.

In 2014, Dr. Nasief ideated and later on managed the Knowledge Family Initiative in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 2021, she designed and implemented the human development model “Bina’a” for teachers, parents, children and school leaders throughout the Kingdom. In 2022, Dr. Nasief spearheaded the creation and implementation of several family development programs for the “Family Generational Program”. Dr. Nasief has also acted as lead consultant for the development of the “Tally Academy” strategic framework.

Previous to returning to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Nasief worked in different countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and Austria, where she led the establishment of the King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), followed by covering a leading post as Chief of Staff in an Intergovernmental Organisation.

Between 2007-2010, Dr. Nasief consulted the British Council and the International Institute for Education (IIE) in San Francisco on capacity building programs for women. Dr. Nasief was awarded her PhD from the University of New Castle Upon Tyne in Education & Curriculum studies.