Secondary Deputy Headteacher

The Deputy Head of Secondary, reporting to the Head of Secondary, will play a pivotal role in:

• Fostering and promoting the ethos and standards of excellence as outlined in the GEMS Core Values.
• Advocating for and embodying ‘The GFM Way’ to ensure that it remains central to school improvement initiatives, prioritizing the well-being of students.
• Assisting in the development and execution of the school’s strategic plan, excellence plan, and other key improvement priorities.
• Contributing to and providing leadership in the management of staff and students.
• Ensuring an exceptional educational experience for all students, achieving desired outcomes.
• Delivering a high-quality experience for all parents.
• Upholding high academic standards aligned with the school’s aspiration for students to excel, as well as adhering to the UAE National Agenda targets.
• Defining the school’s aims and objectives and establishing policies to achieve them.
• Managing staff and resources effectively to support these goals.
• Monitoring progress towards the school’s objectives.
• Overseeing budgets and fulfilling teaching and professional responsibilities as delegated by the Principal.

Leadership Qualities

• Maintain public trust in school leadership while upholding high ethical standards, behaviors, and professional conduct.
• Build positive and respectful relationships within the school and with the parent community.
• Lead by example.
• Pursue continuous improvement and hold high expectations for oneself and others.
• Serve as an effective role model, consistently demonstrating the positive attitudes, values, and behaviors expected of students.
• Contribute positively to the broader life and ethos of the school.
• Treat students and staff with dignity, fostering relationships based on mutual respect while always observing appropriate professional boundaries.

Duties and Responsibilities

School Culture and Behavior

• Consistently uphold The GFM Way.
• Promote the ethos and standards of excellence defined by the GEMS Core Values.
• Collaborate closely with the Head of School, Secondary Leadership Team, and Vice Principal to establish effective, globally relevant learning and teaching practices. Implement the school’s vision for educational quality in line with GEMS expectations.
• Foster a culture where students enjoy a positive and enriching school life.
• Maintain educational standards to prepare students from diverse backgrounds for their next steps in education and life.
• Promote a culture of professionalism among staff.
• Encourage high standards of student behavior grounded in clear rules and routines understood by both staff and students, consistently demonstrated by all adults in the school.
• Apply fair and consistent methods for behavior management, in accordance with the school’s behavior policy.

Teaching, Curriculum, and Assessment

• Promote the Teach Like a GEM philosophy.
• Advocate for Instructional Coaching and the use of Steplab.
• Establish and maintain high-quality teaching across all subjects and phases, informed by evidence.
• Ensure that teaching is supported by subject expertise.
• Develop monitoring and evaluation systems to assess teaching and learning standards, implementing necessary improvement strategies.
• Ensure the delivery of a broad, structured, and coherent curriculum.
• Foster curriculum leadership, including subject leaders with relevant expertise and access to professional networks.
• Utilize valid, reliable, and proportionate methods to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum.

Additional Skills

Successful candidates must:

• Hold a certified teaching qualification at a degree level, such as B.Ed, PGCE, PGDE, or equivalent.
• Have a minimum of 5 years of substantial and demonstrable experience teaching in a Secondary School within a British curriculum.
• Possess experience in a similar leadership role.
• Exhibit personal leadership qualities that foster teamwork and collaboration.

Apply via the WhatSchool platform.