Laura Cunliffe

Originally from Manchester in the United Kingdom, Laura began her teaching career in the heart of the city, working for five years in a vibrant, multicultural school community. During this time, she taught across Key Stage 2 and took on significant leadership responsibilities, including leading PSHE and heading the Year 5 team. 

Laura moved to Dubai in 2018 to join GEMS Jumeirah Primary School as part of the Year 5 team, where her commitment to high-quality teaching and strong pastoral support saw her quickly appointed as Head of Year 5. Since then, she has held a range of leadership roles across Key Stage 2, including Head of Year 4 and Phase Leader for Years 4, 5, and 6. She is now proud to serve as Assistant Principal for Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6) and Deputy Safeguarding Leader, contributing to the strong and experienced Senior Leadership Team that drives JPS’s ethos of outstanding learning and exceptional pastoral care. 

Laura works closely with the KS2 Heads of Year to ensure that teaching, learning, wellbeing, and safeguarding support are consistently excellent for all JPS pupils. She is passionate about fostering meaningful connections with children and their families, guiding them throughout their Key Stage 2 journey and preparing them for success as they transition into Key Stage 3, supported through strong links with the JC Pastoral Team. 

Committed to her own professional growth, Laura holds the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL). She leads on Professional Development within the school, focusing on developing robust monitoring and evaluation practices and embedding an instructional coaching model that nurtures the JPS “always learning” philosophy—for both teachers and students. 

Outside of school, Laura enjoys running and fitness, exploring new country music, and getting lost in the pages of a great book.