Meet the Team

Susan Adshead began her teaching career at Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom back in 2009. After teaching in a Primary School in the North West of England for three years, she began a new chapter in her career by moving to Abu Dhabi. After working at Muna British Academy for three years as the Head of Key Stage 2, she moved onto the role of Assistant Principal at Mamoura British Academy.

As an educator, the pastoral wellbeing and social and emotional development of students have always been a priority of Susan's as she firmly believes that children make the most academic progress when they feel happy, healthy and safe. Susan is thrilled to be part of the Mamoura community and describes it as a place where everyone belongs.

Emma MacDonald started her career in London in 2005 as a Secondary English teacher, becoming a Head of Year in 2009 and spending 5 years developing a group of excitable Year 7 students into mature and well-educated Year 11s.  In 2011, she was promoted to Senior Leadership, alongside her Head of Year role.  When her year group graduated Year 11, she made the decision to leave the UK and work internationally, a decision that led her to Dubai in 2014.  She has since held various senior leadership roles.

Emma has worked as a leader internationally for over seven years; five in Dubai and two in Malaysia before returning to the UAE to take this role in Mamoura British Academy.  Her leadership responsibilities have included whole school learning and teaching, curriculum and professional development, whole school innovation, pastoral leadership and faculty lead for Language and Communications.

Emma has a First-Class master’s in Education and Leadership as well as a range of senior leadership qualifications, including her NPQSL.  She is also currently studying for her NPQH qualification.

As a leader, she is conscious that the well-being of the students will always come first.

Saoirse Hall started her teaching career upon Graduating from The University of Warwick in 2008. She began teaching in Key Stage One in a school in Coventry later that year. Saoirse stayed with this school for the next six years, gaining experience across different year groups in Key Stage One. While at the school, Saoirse began to develop an interest in leadership and sharing her expertise with others, this led to her appointment into Middle Leadership roles, including Head of English and Key Stage Leader.

In 2015 Saoirse applied to Al Mushrif intending to gain some experience of teaching abroad and widening her skillset. Saoirse was delighted to work with Al Mushrif and then followed them to their new site under the name of Mamoura British Academy. Over the next few years, Saoirse continued to work hard and progress back into leadership, undertaking the role of Key Stage leader and then in 2019, was appointed as Assistant Principal. Saoirse is passionate about ensuring the delivery of an exciting and innovative curriculum, that is accessible to all. She believes children should be provided with opportunities and challenged to be the very best they can be.

Andrew Lett started his teaching career in Northamptonshire, England where he taught for six years at two different schools after receiving his degree in teaching from Lancaster University in Primary Education. Mr. Lett moved to Abu Dhabi eight years ago and has held a variety of teaching and leadership roles with a range of focuses including pastoral, curriculum, student achievement and assessment.

Andrew joined Mamoura British Academy last year where his passion and dedication for teaching and ensuring children’s wellbeing, happiness and safety has created a nurturing environment for students to grow and exceed their own expectations.

Andrew is very happy to be a member of Mamoura British Academy and looks forward to many years of achievements as a part of our family.

Ian is delighted to introduce himself as Mamoura’s Middle & Senior School Assistant Principal, Pastoral. Ian joins Aldar Education after extensive experience having worked in Senior Leadership in three schools in very different settings. A large part of his career was spent at Brentwood Independent School before more recently working at Harris Academy Riverside and then The Beaulieu Park School.

Ian is excited to continue his career in this unique school as we endeavour to ensure the safety and wellbeing of each child. He is determined to encourage our students to become outstanding role models by exhibiting behaviours of which we can be proud. Ian will encourage students to self-regulate, always reflect, and be role models. Ian expects the students to envisage the highest standards to be demanded from them and to enjoy the sense of identity commensurate with being a member of such a great school. He hopes every student will demonstrate our key values and to ‘do the right thing even when no one is watching’.

Ian looks forward to meeting many of you in the very near future, either at the school entrance, a school production or a sports fixture, and looks forward to working together to ensure the safety, progress and happiness of all Mamoura British Academy students.

Throughout his career Simon has gained a broad range of experience teaching across different curricula, educational settings and countries.

Simon completed a BA History (Hons) at Lancaster University in 2005 before teaching English as a Foreign Language in Slovenia, South Korea and Italy. He then enrolled at the University of Edinburgh and qualified as a Teacher of History in Scotland, working at Marr College in Troon at a key time in the introduction of the Curriculum for Excellence and new National Assessments. Simon then moved to the northeast of Italy where he oversaw a wide range of subjects and helped enhance provision and achievement at both IGCSE and the IB Diploma. In 2017 Simon and his family moved to the UAE where they have lived ever since- first joining the Aldar Community at Bateen World Academy before moving to Mamoura British Academy in 2020 as Head of Humanities. In 2022 he was appointed Director of Achievement before becoming Assistant Principal in 2025.

Simon is passionate about working collaboratively with colleagues to develop the very best possible academic provision for Mamoura students, ensuring all subjects inspire the young people in our care towards a life-long appreciation of learning and achieve the very highest levels of attainment. He is equally motivated to serve all our families to the best of his ability and is excited be part of a school that continues to evolve and improve through a culture of aspiration and never-ending commitment to the holistic growth of each and every child.