Staff | About Us | Raffles International School | Dubai, U.A.E

Poonam Bhojani  is an Economics Honours Graduate with an MBA from India's premier business school, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. Prior to envisioning and cofounding Dubai International Academy, Poonam has had significant industry experience working on leading edge technology solutions with a range of organizations across India, Hong Kong, USA, Belgium, Sweden, The Netherlands, Oman and UAE. She is the CEO of Innoventures Education, has served as the President of the Middle East IB Association of Schools and is the Secretary of the Dubai Private Schools Group.

Matthew Barrett is an accomplished educational leader with a wealth of experience in ‘Outstanding’ schools both in the UK and here in Dubai. As Principal of Raffles International School, he brings a vision rooted in excellence, strong character education and positive wellbeing, guiding students and staff alike towards a culture of high achievement and resilience.

In addition to his Bachelor’s Degree, Post Graduate Certification in Education (PGCE) and Qualified Teacher Status, Matthew holds an MA in Educational Leadership from the prestigious University of Bath, UK, alongside the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). With almost 20 years’ experience in education, Matthew has held previous roles including Head of School and Director of Wellbeing – a topic Matthew is particularly passionate about. Matthew is a qualified school inspector and utlises this knowledge to further support developments at RIS.

Matthew’s approach to education is both strategic and empathetic, ensuring that Raffles International School stands out as a place where students feel supported, empowered, and fully prepared for their exciting futures.

Matthew is joined in Dubai by his wife and two sons, they enjoy travel, reading and sporting pastimes together as a family.

Michael Stephen is a Chartered Accountant and has a Diploma in Portfolio Management with over 20 years’ experience in consulting and industry. He was part of the core team of Innoventures Education that set up Dubai International Academy.

Michael started his career in an accounting firm focused on audit, tax, corporate law, and business and investment advisory services. He enjoys business and financial modelling to develop new business ideas, building key relationships, and the challenge of establishing new projects. In 2005, he cofounded Eternus Foundation in Chennai which provides education and health cover to needy children. Michael is a Fellow of the Association of International Accountants, UK and has been on the faculty of a business school in Dubai.

James has over 20 years of senior leadership experience across a diverse range of schools and educational organisations. He was previously CEO of one of the largest education services companies in the UK, leading the initial launch and establishment of this company as a profitable, growing business.

He is a vastly experienced executive education leader  who works with the CEO and school teams to drive forward the group’s performance agenda and secure the highest quality outcomes for every student. As well as a degree in Biochemistry, James has a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Management, along with the National Professional Qualification for Headship.

He firmly believes in unlocking the potential of every child academically, personally and socially through a continuous and relentless drive for sustained improvement in the quality of education.

Alex Kilpatrick graduated from Edge Hill University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2008 before gaining a PGCE in 2009 from the University of Cumbria. Alex holds a National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination (NASENCo) along with a National Professional Qualification for Middle Leadership (NPQML).

As a primary school teacher in the UK for ten years, Alex worked across all year groups developing a sound understanding of how children learn during different stages of their life. In the UK Alex has worked for the Department for Education, was a Year 6 moderator for the local authority and was a SENCo.

Since 2017 Alex has been working as a Senior Leader. First as an Assistant Head of a Primary School in the UK before moving to the UAE in 2019. From 2019 to 2023 Alex was Deputy Head of an IB PYP school for two years and then a British curriculum school for two years within the same group of schools in Ras al Khaimah.

Rebecca earned a BA (Hons) in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) from the University of Northampton, UK. She taught across various year groups at a primary school in Bedford for six years before relocating to Dubai in 2015. She has been in several leadership positions over the past 10 years before joining RIS as a Primary Deputy Head. Rebecca completed the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) where she focussed on structuring the curriculum to show the progression of writing throughout the Primary years. She is also an NPQ facilitator and mentor.

Rebecca is extremely passionate about teaching and learning and believes all children can reach their full learning potential when given the right tools. Children need to become self-aware and reflective learners and be encouraged to build on their skills to be compassionate, resilient and innovative. She believes that cross-curricular learning is essential for engaging children, helping them make connections and develop independence in their learning journey. Teaching and delivering a consistent curriculum enriched with curiosity, challenge, exploration and engaging opportunities is key to having the greatest impact on learning.

Welcome to Raffles International School.

At RIS, we follow the National Curriculum for England, offering students the opportunity to progress through GCSE/IGCSE and A Level pathways, as well as BTEC Level 2 and 3 qualifications. In 2025, we proudly celebrated our best A Level results in four years, a reflection of our students’ dedication and our teachers’ commitment.

While academic achievement is a key priority, we are equally committed to developing well-rounded individuals who thrive both inside and outside the classroom. Our students are encouraged to take part in sports, engage with a wide range of co-curricular activities, and grow as confident decision-makers and leaders.

With a vast array of clubs and societies to choose from, students have the chance to discover new passions and broaden their experiences. Our Student Leadership Team plays a vital role in shaping school life and driving forward innovation and improvement.

At RIS, every student matters. We closely monitor progress and ensure that parents are fully informed through regular updates and formal reporting.

We hope the following pages will provide you with a helpful introduction to life at Raffles International School. However, nothing captures the spirit of our community better than visiting in person. I warmly encourage you to come and meet our senior leaders, staff, and, most importantly, our students to truly experience what makes RIS such a special place.

We look forward to welcoming you to our RIS family.

Rachel Carter
Head of Secondary

Martyn was born and raised in Bedford, England, a town about 45 minutes outside of North London.

After graduating from The University of Northampton, Martyn began his teaching career at a school in Bedford. He worked there for 6 years before moving to Dubai, where he has called home since 2015.

As well as teaching Science across Key Stage 3, and Chemistry at GCSE and A-level, Martyn has held various middle leader positions. These include Key Stage 4 Science Coordinator, Head of Year, and Head of Sixth Form, before being promoted to Deputy Headteacher.

Martyn is a dedicated, hardworking and passionate educator. He believes passionately that all young people have the ability to achieve. He feels that we as educators must ensure that all students are given the chance in school to be the best that they can be, both as students and as people. His aim is to continue to build on the development that RIS has undergone since he joined in 2017, maintain the high expectations we ask from our RIS family, and enable students to reach their life goals.

As whole school Wellbeing Lead and secondary Designated Safeguarding Lead, Martyn understands the importance of pastoral care and support in providing our students with the best opportunities to success.