We are looking to appoint an outstanding Assistant Head of Primary to join the team in August 2026. The post holder will be responsible for supporting the schools Vision and Mission as well as all policies, academic standards and pastoral support in the Secondary School.
Key Purpose
Working alongside the Principal and Head of Primary, the Assistant Head of Primary will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day and strategic management of the Primary school.
The post holder will lead, manage, and be responsible for tracking progress, considering curriculum planning, supporting the Behavior for Learning, and communicating with parents to promote the realization of the school’s vision.
Main purpose
The Assistant Head of Primary, under the direction of the Head of Secondary, will take a significant role in:
- Embracing and encouraging the ethos and standards of excellence as defined in the GEMS Core Values.
- Ensuring high academic standards in the Secondary school with the school’s desire for all students to be the best they can, as well as a commitment to the UAE National Agenda targets.
- Formulating the aims and objectives of the school
- Establishing policies for achieving these aims and objectives
- Managing staff and resources to that end
- Monitoring progress towards the achievement of the school’s aims and objectives
- Managing budgets and undertaking teaching and other professional duties as reasonably delegated by the Principal.
- Support the Head of Secondary in leading the Secondary team – including performance management.
- Assist in shaping & implementing the educational strategy for the school.
Qualities
- Uphold public trust in school leadership and maintain high standards of ethics, behavior and professional conduct
- Build positive and respectful relationships across the school and the Parent community
- Serve in the best interests of the school’s students
- Be an effective role model who demonstrates consistently the positive attitudes, values and behavior which is expected of pupils
- Make a positive contribution to the broader life and ethos of the school.
- Treat students and staff with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and always observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
Duties and responsibilities
School culture and behavior
- Embrace and encourage the ethos and standards of excellence as defined in the GEMS Core Values.
- Work closely with the Head of Secondary to establish practical and globally relevant practices of learning & teaching. Implement the school’s vision for quality aligned with the GEMS expectation of excellent education.
- Create a culture where students experience a positive and enriching school life
- Uphold educational standards to prepare students from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life
- Ensure a culture of staff professionalism
- Encourage high standards of behavior from students, built on rules and routines that are understood by staff and students and demonstrated by all adults in school
- Use consistent and fair approaches to managing behavior, in line with the school’s behavior policy
Teaching, curriculum and assessment
- Establish and sustain high-quality teaching across all subjects and phases, based on evidence
- Ensure teaching is underpinned by subject expertise
- Develop monitoring and evaluation systems to assess teaching and learning standards, and implement any necessary improvement strategies.
- Ensure the teaching of a broad, structured and coherent curriculum
- Establish curriculum leadership, including subject leaders with relevant expertise and access to professional networks and communities
- Use valid, reliable and proportionate approaches to assessing students’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum
Additional and special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities
- Promote a culture and practices that enable all students to access the curriculum
- Have ambitious expectations for all students with SEN and disabilities
- Make sure the schoolwork’s effectively with the parents to identify additional needs and provide support and adaptation where appropriate
Organizational management and school improvement
- Establish and sustain the school’s ethos and strategic direction together with the governing board, and through consultation with the school community
- Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies so the school can operate effectively
- Ensure staff and students’ safety and welfare through practical approaches to safeguarding, as part of the duty of care
- Manage staff and student wellbeing
- Ensure rigorous approaches to identifying, managing and mitigating risk
- Identify problems and barriers to school effectiveness, and develop strategies for school improvement that are realistic, timely and suited to the school’s context
- Lead on school improvement areas and ensure strategies are effectively monitored, implemented and reviewed
Staff management and Professional development
- Performance manages allocated staff, including carrying out appraisals and holding staff to account for their performance
- Ensure staff have access to appropriate, high-standard professional development opportunities
- Keep up to date with developments in education
- Seek training and continuing professional development to meet need
Governance, accountability and working in partnership
- Understand and welcome the role of effective governance, including accepting responsibility
- Ensure that staff understand their professional responsibilities and are held to account
- Lead the school effectively and ensure it operates efficiently within the required regulatory frameworks and meets all statutory duties
- Work successfully with other schools and organisations where appropriate
- Maintain working relationships with fellow professionals and colleagues to improve educational outcomes for all pupils
Skills Description
The successful applicant will be:
- A fully certified teacher, holding a B.Ed, PGCE, PGDE or equivalent
- Passionate about providing outstanding teaching and learning
- Highly experienced in the National Curriculum for England
- Efficient in people development and have proven leadership and communication abilities
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience teaching within a British Curriculum Secondary School
- A minimum of IELTS 6 or equivalent may be required
