At Education UAE, we are always excited to spotlight educators who are shaping the future. This month, we had the pleasure of meeting Leyla Sabet — a passionate educator with over 18 years of experience, a former Assistant Head, and now the dynamic Head of Education at EStars, an innovative educational esports company. With a career dedicated to empowering young minds and a new role at the forefront of the rapidly evolving world of esports education, Leyla brings fresh insights, bold ideas, and an inspiring enthusiasm for the future of learning. Join us as we dive into her journey, her vision for the future, and how EStars is redefining what education can look like in the 21st century.
Have you always wanted to work in education?
Literally since I could talk!
From as early as five or six years old, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I remember sitting in my classroom, completely mesmerised as my teacher took the register using two pens—red and black—sellotaped together and wished that I could do that!
I convinced my mum to buy me the same pens, and my teacher even gave me a “Mark Book.” From that point on, school wasn’t just something I went to during the day—it was something I brought home. I’d recreate the register from memory, add my little brother’s name to the list, and set up lessons on my black-and-white board. I even had a bell to signal break time and a whistle to end it. When my friends came round to play, they were automatically recruited into my “classroom.”
As I got older, the game became more serious. I begged my mum to buy me workbooks that came with answer booklets—not because I wanted to cheat, but because I wanted to mark my own work like a real teacher.
At 16, I landed a job at a local after-school and holiday club, and I absolutely loved it. In fact, just recently, one of the children I used to look after messaged me to say he’d named his daughter Leyla. That honestly meant the world to me.
When I reached Year 11, I completed my work experience at a nearby primary school. That experience completely cemented what I already knew in my heart: education wasn’t just something I loved—it was what I was meant to do.
Since then, I’ve stayed in education in various roles, and I’ve genuinely loved every moment of the journey.
Can you tell us a little about your journey to this position?
I studied Education with a specialism in English at the University of the West of England in the UK. During my final placement, I was lucky enough to be offered a job straight away—and so began my teaching journey with a Year 3 class.
After that, I moved to a school in a particularly challenging area, where I taught Year 6 for three years. It was a tough but incredibly rewarding experience, and during my time there, the school achieved its highest SATs results in 25 years—something I’m still really proud of!
Looking to broaden my experience, I then completed a CELTA qualification and spent a year teaching English to students aged 16 and up, including adults. Although I enjoyed it, I quickly realised that my heart truly belonged in a school setting.
Craving a new adventure, I applied for a role at a school in Dubai called Star, now known as Horizon International School. I loved my time there, and after just a year, I was promoted to Head of Year. I stayed at Horizon for six years, growing a lot both professionally and personally, but eventually I was ready for a new challenge.
That led me to Deira International School, where I also served as Head of Year, and then to Star Mirdif, where I took on the role of Head of Teaching and Learning and Assistant Head. I really thrived in that position—it was one of my favourites!
In 2021, I was offered a Head of Primary role, and while it was tempting, I had just welcomed my little boy into the world and wanted to spend some precious time at home with him. Being with him full-time was amazing, but I very quickly started missing school life—especially the energy of the classroom and collaborating with teachers.
Wanting to still be home but make a difference to education, I joined BPN, an educational organisation that provides professional development and training for school leaders, as a facilitator and learning mentor, supporting leaders through their NPQ qualifications. I really enjoyed mentoring others and being part of their leadership journeys and it’s something I still love doing, but deep down, I missed curriculum design and school improvement—areas I’ve always been most passionate about.
So, when I saw the role at EStars, overseeing the BTEC in Esports curriculum, it felt like the perfect fit. It gave me the chance to get back to what I love most—developing meaningful, engaging curriculums and lessons. I was absolutely thrilled to step into this role, and I’ve been excited ever since!
What do you love most about working in education?
There are so many things I love about working in education, but if I had to pick one, it would be those magical “KaChing!” moments—when you see a student’s face light up because something has finally clicked. It might sound a little corny, but it’s truly what teachers live for.
I also absolutely love creating lessons. There’s something really special about sitting down to plan a lesson and imagining how your students will respond—what they’ll laugh at, what they’ll find fascinating, and what will challenge them. That kind of creative anticipation is one of the parts of the job I genuinely enjoy.
Then there’s the camaraderie—spending time with other teachers, bouncing ideas around, solving problems together, planning fun events and of course, sharing the funny little moments that happen throughout the day. There’s such a strong sense of community in education, and I really value that.
But above all, it’s the teaching itself that brings me the most joy. Standing in front of a class full of curious eyes, all eager to learn something new—that’s priceless. I love being in the classroom, engaging with students, talking with them about their learning, and sharing in the journey. It’s not just about teaching them; it’s about learning and growing alongside them.
What does your role as Head of Education at EStars involve?
A bit of everything—and that’s exactly what I love about it.
When I first joined EStars, my main responsibility was to design the Level 2 and Level 3 BTEC qualifications in Esports. Since this is such a new and rapidly evolving industry, I spent a lot of time immersing myself in the world of esports—learning how it works, where the opportunities are, and how to translate that into meaningful, skills-based education for students.
Once the BTECs were completed, I began working closely with the team on developing our educational learning platform. The goal was to enhance the skills students were building through gameplay and ensure the games were supporting the development of key cognitive abilities like problem-solving, decision-making, and teamwork.
We then realised that while the BTEC qualifications are fantastic, there wasn’t much available for younger students. So, we created the EStars Certificates in Esports, designed to introduce younger learners to the world of esports in an age-appropriate and engaging way.
More recently, we’ve turned our attention to professional development, creating CPD courses for teachers so they feel confident delivering esports content in the classroom.
My role has included everything from writing lesson scripts, producing presentations and activities, creating engaging video content, writing syllabuses and policies, and even recruiting and supporting an entire team to deliver lessons in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. I’ve written teacher training materials, helped build and manage a learning platform, taught lessons myself and marked student work as well as many other things!
No two days are ever the same—but just like in a traditional school setting, I’ve had the opportunity to work with students, support parents and collaborate with an amazing team. It’s fast-paced, creative, and deeply rewarding—everything I could ask for in a role.
What’s your vision for education at EStars?
I want to provide opportunities for every child to succeed.
Esports is a massive, fast-growing industry—worth over $6.6 billion in 2024, and projected to reach over $48 billion by 2034. Yet, despite this growth, there’s very little opportunity in schools for students to explore and understand the industry. That gap is holding learners back from engaging with a field that is not only relevant now, but will be a huge part of their futures.
And it’s not just a global trend—regionally, esports is booming too. Dubai’s “Program for Gaming 2033” is a bold initiative aiming to contribute $1 billion to the city’s GDP through gaming and to create 30,000 jobs by 2033, with a strong focus on nurturing local talent. That makes it all the more critical that we educate students—not just about what esports is, but about the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this rapidly evolving space.
At EStars, my vision is to bring esports education into as many classrooms as possible. Even for students who may not see themselves working directly in the industry, the courses we offer equip them with highly transferable skills—from teamwork and communication to leadership, critical thinking, and digital literacy.
Equally important to me is inclusivity. Esports, by nature, is one of the most inclusive industries out there, and our education should reflect that. I want every course we create to be accessible and engaging for all students—regardless of their background or learning needs—so that everyone has the opportunity to explore, learn and succeed.
Finally, a huge part of my mission is educating people about esports itself. There’s still a misconception that it’s just about playing video games—but it’s so much more than that. It’s a serious, multi-faceted industry full of diverse career pathways, from content creation and event management to data analytics, coaching, marketing and beyond. It’s my goal to break down those stereotypes and show students, parents and educators just how exciting and valuable esports education can be.
So who are the courses for esports suitable for?
That’s the beauty of these courses—they’re designed to suit a wide range of students from all kinds of backgrounds.
Of course, they’re ideal for students who already know they want to be part of the esports ecosystem. The courses give them the knowledge, practical skills and industry insight they need to take those first steps toward a career in esports.
But they’re just as valuable for students who may not see esports as their final destination. With the industry growing rapidly and sitting high on both global and regional agendas, our courses are a great way for students to stay up to date with emerging trends and develop a strong set of transferable skills.
The BTEC in Esports, for example, is equivalent to a GCSE and adds real weight to a student’s CV or personal statement. It demonstrates forward-thinking, digital fluency and a commitment to learning something innovative—all qualities universities and employers are increasingly looking for.
One of the most exciting things about our esports courses is that they can also be completed online and at the student’s own pace. This flexibility allows learners to explore esports in a way that suits their individual schedule, style and pace—whether that’s during the school day, after hours, or even at home on the weekend. It makes esports education more accessible, personalised and empowering for every learner.
And just as importantly, the courses are inclusive. Both the Certificates and the BTEC have no written exams, which makes them more accessible to students who might struggle in traditional assessment environments. Instead, students are assessed through engaging, practical work that reflects real-world skills.
So as you can see, these courses are for any student who wants to be future-ready, whether they’re passionate about esports or simply want to gain relevant, modern skills in a format that works for them.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
Not many people would guess it, but I was actually quite a naughty child at school! I have dyslexia, which made learning in the traditional way really challenging for me. That experience has shaped who I am as an educator—it’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about creating learning experiences that are accessible and adaptable for everyone. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be when learning doesn’t feel like it’s built for you, and that’s exactly why I work so hard to make sure it is.
Another fun fact people are often surprised to hear: I used to be a keen fencer! I was actually pretty good—I even won a few school competitions!
What are you most excited about this year?
There’s so much happening at EStars right now—it’s hard to choose just one thing! We’ve got some truly exciting projects in the pipeline, and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of them.
At the moment, I’m especially excited to be developing a new set of Certificates to add to our existing portfolio. These will give younger students an even broader understanding of the esports industry, while continuing to prepare them for the more advanced Level 2 BTEC. It’s all about building those foundational skills and expanding their knowledge in fun, accessible ways.
I’m also thrilled to be working on a brand-new project: creating CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for teachers in esports. Just like with students, I’m passionate about helping teachers grow, gain confidence and feel supported. Leading this project means I get to equip educators with the tools and knowledge they need to become outstanding esports teachers—and I couldn’t be more excited to champion that.
How can students, staff, and parents best find out more about esports?
We’ve recently upgraded our website, and it’s a fantastic place to start! You’ll find lots of information about who we are, what we do, the courses we offer, and even a closer look at the syllabus. Whether you’re a student curious about the industry, a parent looking to support your child’s interests, or an educator exploring new learning pathways, the website is full of useful insights.
And I’d genuinely love to hear from you! If you have any questions, ideas, or just want to chat about esports and education, feel free to reach out to me directly at le***@****rs.pro. Since joining EStars, my passion for the gaming industry and its educational potential has only grown. I’d be thrilled to connect with parents and students who want to learn more—and equally excited to collaborate with teachers and colleagues who see the huge benefits esports can bring to student engagement, skill-building, and future career opportunities.