The people your child will meet

A small, steady team. The same faces every week, so children know who they’re with.

Nadia Okafor, founder of Sprout Club

Nadia Okafor, founder

After nine years teaching primary science in Lagos and Dubai, I rented one room of a Mirdif villa in 2019, bought forty pairs of goggles and ran the first Sprout Club for eleven children. The rule hasn’t changed since: every child does the experiment, and every guess is welcome.

core leaders, plus two relief staff
5
police-cleared and paediatric first aid trained
100%
average time a leader has been with us
4 yrs

The leaders

Every one of them police-cleared, first aid trained and very good at clearing up foam.

  • Hannah Burke, bookings and welfare lead

    Hannah Burke

    Bookings and welfare lead, Child Protection Lead

    The voice on the phone and the person who reads every registration form. Former nursery manager in Dubai with advanced safeguarding training. Ask her anything about allergies, collection or paying.

  • Tom Reilly, holiday camp lead

    Tom Reilly

    Holiday camp lead

    Spent six years as a science centre explainer, which is where he learned to make 30 children go quiet with one balloon. Plans every camp theme and the Friday Show.

  • Priya Shah, after-school leader

    Priya Shah

    After-school leader, Sprouts (6–8)

    Physics graduate and trained outdoor learning leader. In charge of the guess wall, the crystal shelf and anything that involves the garden, in the cooler months.

  • Kwame Mensah, parties and workshops lead

    Kwame Mensah

    Parties and school workshops lead

    Former teaching assistant who has run more than 400 science parties. Brilliant with shy guests and famous for the elephant’s toothpaste finale.

How we choose and train leaders

Every leader is recruited the way a school would: a formal application, a face-to-face interview with a safeguarding question set, two references taken up before they start, a Dubai Police good conduct certificate and a police check from every country they have lived in as an adult. We renew clearances every year.

New leaders shadow for four sessions before they lead a group, and nobody is left alone with a child behind a closed door. Everyone holds a 12-hour paediatric first aid certificate and completes child protection training each year, plus our own course on running experiments safely with young children.

What families say about the team

  • Kind, organised leaders, and he comes out buzzing every time. The minibus pick-up from school is so well run.

    Rohan K.Parent of Aarav, 7 · Google review, June 2026

  • They handled my son’s nut allergy properly: a care plan, his pen in the grab bag and a call to check the snack list.

    Shamma K.Parent of Rashid, 6 · Google review, March 2026

  • Twenty-two seven-year-olds, one slime bar and zero stress for us. Kwame was brilliant with the shy ones.

    Sarah P.Birthday party parent · Google review, July 2026

Come and meet us

Your child’s first after-school session is free, and you’re welcome to stay for the first ten minutes.

Chat on WhatsApp

Cookie preferences

Cookie policy