Zahara Sattar

Background

About Zahara Sattar

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”I am a Deputy Head of Secondary, and former Assistant Headteacher, with senior leadership experience across both UK and international school contexts. I trained as a teacher through the University of Oxford and later completed a Master’s in Educational Leadership at the University of Buckingham. I currently serve on the Senior Leadership Team at Harrow International School Beijing, where I lead Teaching and Learning, whole-school CPD, quality assurance and evaluation systems, safeguarding (as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead), and KS4 pastoral strategy.Alongside my school-based leadership role, I am a facilitator for the UCL National Professional Qualifications, currently teaching on the NPQ in Behaviour and Culture. I am also an ISI-trained inspector for both BSO and UK inspections and recently supported Harrow Beijing through its first ISI BSO inspection—one of only three schools in China to be inspected at the time. These roles have strengthened my ability to balance strategic oversight with practical, school-level impact.My leadership approach is rooted in a blend of empathy and analytical rigour. I have a strong pastoral background, developed through extensive safeguarding and wellbeing responsibilities in high-performing UK schools, and more recently through pioneering work in using data to integrate academic monitoring with pastoral support. I am particularly interested in how intelligent systems and evidence-informed practice can be used to identify need early and support students holistically.I began my career as a Chemistry teacher, a role that shaped my belief in high expectations, clarity of explanation, and equity in the classroom. Over time, this evolved into a wider passion for inclusive leadership and the development of pastoral structures that ensure every student feels safe, valued, and a genuine part of their school community. I work collaboratively with colleagues, parents, and wider stakeholders to deliver a stimulating, values-driven education for students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.