Sanjay Premchandani

Education professional with over 15 years across the UAE and UK, spanning operations and programme management, learning and development, instructional coaching and classroom teaching. Manages end-to-end operations for Irtiqaa, ADEK’s inspection programme for private schools, charter schools and nurseries, with inside knowledge of inspection frameworks, evidence gathering and report quality assurance.

Designs and delivers professional development: oversaw the rollout of High Performance Learning (around 70 teachers trained), coached teachers in public kindergartens across three regions, and trained and mentored adult trainers.

Strong operations and project management: wrote a programme operations manual, owns reporting workflows, evaluates service-provider bids and coordinates multiple stakeholder groups.

Brings AI and digital capability: member of ADEK’s AI steering committee, experienced with learning management systems and online and distance learning. Recognised for clear, prompt communication and strong working relationships with schools, inspectors, colleagues and providers. British citizen – full right to work in the UK and Ireland | UAE resident | Open to relocation: UK, Ireland, Netherlands, France, GCC

Inspection Operations Senior Specialist at Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) (2024-08 – Present)

Operations lead for Irtiqaa, ADEK’s inspection programme for private schools, charter schools and nurseries across Abu Dhabi.

• Manage end-to-end operations and logistics for Round 8 inspections, coordinating internal teams, school leadership, inspectors and service providers (visas, flights, accommodation).
• Expert in the Irtiqaa inspection framework and process, from inspection planning and evidence gathering through quality assurance and report writing to publication.
• Wrote a comprehensive operations manual that standardised procedures and improved team consistency and efficiency.
• Coordinate training sessions for school leaders and inspectors, supporting professional development and policy implementation.
• Prepared and presented team sessions on the programme’s operations manual and on the office move from Microsoft Teams to SharePoint.
• Main point of contact for school leaders on inspection expectations, recognised in performance reviews for clear, prompt communication that raised stakeholder satisfaction.
• Took part in several shadow inspections, including lesson observations, leadership and governance meetings, and data analysis and triangulation.
• Supported schools with collecting and collating their data and evidence ahead of inspection.
• Facilitated quality assurance of inspection reports, including appeals and factual-accuracy checks, so that outcomes were fair and resolved amicably.
• Conducted technical evaluations of service-provider bids against project and regulatory requirements.
• Supported the transfer of operational systems to two new programmes (Early Education Evaluations and National Identity Mark).
• Member of the steering committee for integrating AI into inspection processes, research and data analysis.
• Worked with IT to resolve SIMS issues and support optimisation, and to migrate the office from Microsoft Teams to SharePoint.
• Built strong working relationships across ADEK departments and with inspectors, schools and providers.

Curriculum Planning and Instructional Coach at Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) (2023-08 – 2024-08)

ADEK role supporting the Federal Agency for Early Education’s programme to develop public kindergartens.

• Coached teachers in public kindergartens across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, aligning strategies with school goals and curriculum standards.
• Designed and facilitated professional development workshops tailored to the needs and challenges of each kindergarten’s educators.
• Used data to assess teacher needs, track progress and evaluate the impact of coaching and professional development.
• Partnered with school leadership teams to identify priorities and implement strategies to strengthen teaching practice.
• Built a collaborative learning community through peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing.
• Mentored teachers on instructional strategies, planning and classroom management.

Primary Class Teacher (Years 4–5) at UTEACH (teaching agency) (2021-10 – 2023-01)

Placements at Montem Academy and All Saints.

• Taught the National Curriculum for England to diverse, multicultural Year 4 and 5 classes and implemented new curricula, including Talk for Writing.
• Analysed attainment data to design targeted teaching strategies.
• Designed personalised online learning paths and used digital tools to raise engagement.
• Created and delivered presentations for school boards, parents and other stakeholders.

Teaching and Learning Coach (promoted internally) at GEMS Cambridge High School (2018-09 – 2021-07)

• Oversaw the implementation of High Performance Learning (HPL), training around 70 teachers and embedding its concepts and approaches in daily practice, starting in the foundation year.
• Designed and delivered research-informed professional development sessions, independently and with colleagues.
• Delivered one-to-one coaching on planning, delivery, classroom management and school policy.
• Conducted teacher appraisals and monitored and tracked progress.
• Organised learning walks and lesson observations aligned with the school development plan.
• Applied instructional design techniques to develop and deliver training courses.

Primary School Teacher at GEMS Cambridge High School (2011-04 – 2021-07)

• Consistently achieved results above national and international standards (2013–2020).
• Supported pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): facilitated their integration into mainstream learning where appropriate, wrote individual support plans (SEPs) and adapted the curriculum to their needs.
• Wrote long-, medium- and short-term plans meeting both MOE and NCE guidelines.
• Assessed progress and used data to set next steps and individual targets.
• Moved teaching successfully to distance-learning platforms.
• Supported parents to apply High Performance Learning strategies at home.
• Upheld safeguarding and child-protection protocols.

ESL Teacher and Trainer at Inlingua (Score Plus) (2009-09 – 2011-04)

• Delivered English language training to adult professionals of many nationalities, including IELTS and TOEFL preparation.
• Developed and delivered training material for corporate clients in business and hospitality.
• Trained and mentored new and existing trainers.

Qualifi Level 6 Diploma in Global Teaching Practice (Ofqual-regulated) in Global Teaching Practice – TELLAL Institute, Dubai (2021)

Level 5 Diploma in TEFL, 300 hours (Ofqual-regulated, Gatehouse Awards) in TEFL – i-to-i (2021)

International Professional Graduate Certificate (Professional Practice) in Professional Practice – Liverpool Hope University (2019)

Bachelor’s Degree in Audio Post Production – SAE Institute, Dubai (2017)