Erika Kennedy

Deputy Head Teacher for Teaching, Learning and Assessment at GEMS FirstPoint School

Speaker

Erika Kennedy is Deputy Head of Secondary at GEMS FirstPoint School, Dubai, where she leads Teaching, Learning and Assessment across the Secondary school. Previously, she served as Assistant Principal for School Improvement, working across the through-school to strengthen classroom practice, curriculum, assessment and student outcomes.

Erika holds an MA in Educational Leadership from the University of Manchester, the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), and is a BSO Level 1 Inspector. Her particular interests lie in instructional coaching and professional development, with a strong focus on supporting Early Career Teachers and developing confident, effective middle leaders.

Throughout her career, Erika has held department, faculty and whole-school leadership roles across the UK and UAE, with a consistent focus on improving the quality of education and creating the conditions in which both teachers and students can thrive. She is passionate about evidence-informed practice, responsive assessment and purposeful professional learning, and enjoys contributing to the wider education community through conferences including TeacherCon, researchED and GESS.