Sarah Halforty

My name is Sarah Halforty and am excited to continue my journey at GEMS Metropole as Head of Department and I am looking forward to sharing my love of English with you all.  

 

English has always been a passion of mine and I began my studies by gaining a Bachelor of Arts with honours in comparative literary studies and philosophy from the University of Kent. Following on from a few years in the business-to-business world of public relations I realised my studies were incomplete and embarked on a Master of Letters in English literary studies at the University of Aberdeen. 

 

I joint Metropole as an experienced teacher with over ten years’ experience working in education. In the classroom I have experience across the key stages, and I am very confident in adapting my practice to suit a wide range of ages, abilities and needs.  

 

In addition to my role as a teacher, I have worked as an examiner for AQA on their GCSE English Literature specification.

 

This has definitely broadened my knowledge of the 9-1 grading system and has enabled me to develop and produce relevant, creative and clear teaching resources as well as moderate work across my department. 

Further to this, I have also marked the National Reference Tests, which are produced by the National Foundation for Educational Research to assist with consistency across English GCSE papers produced by the different exam boards.   

 

Keen to broaden my own educational practice and provide my family with the best opportunities, I moved with my husband and two children to experience the beauty of the UAE and join the GEMS Metropole family. 

 

Aside from English I enjoy being physically active and can often be found before school at a CrossFit class.  In 2021, I was privileged to run the London Marathon and in 2020 I took part in the first virtual event. I hope to set myself a new challenge in Dubai.