Assistant Head of Curriculum & Achievement, Assessment/Reporting (Year 9-11) - April 2023

When you join GEMS Education you join an international education company with a global network of International schools and over fifty years of education experience. GEMS Education is the leading Kindergarten to Grade 12 operator in the world educating over 110,000 children from 151 different nationalities. GEMS Education staff access the company’s professional development programme, one of the largest education training programmes in the world. This ensures the best possible academic outcomes as while ensuring that GEMS attracts and retains the highest staff calibre. To find out more about GEMS Education visit: www.gemseducation.com

The School:

An outstanding school in Dubai, GEMS Wellington International School offers exceptional learning opportunities for students aged 3 to 18. Following the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum in The Early Years, the National Curriculum for England to Year 11 and the International Baccalaureate at Years 12 and 13, our dynamic school environment combined with the extensive range of experiences offered enables students to succeed and to aspire at every stage of their learning journey. The entire school community, a truly international one, is passionate and committed to ensuring all are recognised and celebrated for their individual strengths, enabled as lifelong learners and nurtured as future leaders.

http://www.wellingtoninternationalschool.com/

About the Role

We are currently recruiting for an Assistant Headteacher - Curriculum & Achievement, Assessment/Reporting (Year 9-11) to join our experienced team at GEMS Wellington International School for April 2023. 

This is an exciting time in the school’s development. We require an ambitious, experienced and highly skilled leader to drive standards and progress, working as an integral part of the curriculum and assessment team.  

Key Responsibilities Upon Appointment:

Leadership

• Make significant contributions to meetings of the Senior Leadership Team, and the Curriculum & Assessment Team
• Contribute to the operational management of the school and ensure it functions efficiently and effectively
• Be a highly visible presence around the school and role-model expectations and standards to staff and students
• Take full accountability for attainment and progress targets relating to Y9-11
• To create, implement, and maintain assessment systems, making perceptive use of all student information
• Take full accountability for the examination results of the designated curriculum subjects (line management)
• Leadership of the school’s Curriculum Policy at KS3, 4 & 5: its monitoring, review and evaluation
• Leadership of the school’s Assessment & Reporting Policy; its monitoring, review and evaluation
• Make a significant contribution to the school’s self-evaluation process, SDP and any other external accreditations 
• Leadership of the school’s Examinations Team; monitoring, review and evaluation
• To produce clear, concise and accurate information on pupil progress to all stakeholders
• To form outstanding working relationships with other leaders and also external stakeholders
• To work effectively under pressure with a calm demeanor, role modelling the attributes and qualities of a leader.

The key focus of this post is to ensure the highest quality of provision in curriculum offer, assessment/reporting, data management, examinations, to ensure the highest quality of achievement in Y9-11, by:

• Developing curriculum leadership at KS3, 4 & 5 with an emphasis on improvement and excellence for all
• Monitoring and evaluating the work of curriculum leadership at KS3, 4 and KS5
• Directing and monitoring the work of curriculum leaders in their use of assessment, reporting and recording to raising standards of achievement
• Accountability for line management of designated curriculum subjects
• Develop, lead and manage effective strategies to improve standards of achievement (progress/VA) in Y9-11
• Oversee the efficiency of the School examinations
• Implementing new approaches in the use of data and targets to inform planning and raise standards
• Regular monitoring of student progress against school, subject and individual targets
• Working closely with the DHT: Assessment & VP: Curriculum in the development, management and leadership of curriculum and assessment across the Upper school (including policies, procedures and calendars)
• Hold meetings with Core Leaders to analyse the impact of their actions at each DC point 
• Ensure internal assessments are accurate and valid in relation to the subject area
• To maintain and develop The WISdom Project, organising intervention processes and practice
• Support the development of an effective information and reporting system that clearly informs parents and supports the partnership they have with the school

Developing Self and Others

• Lead and manage the work of designated curriculum subjects
• Direct and support the work of the Examinations Officer and the Data Manager
• Take responsibility for the development of the Examinations Officer and the Data Manager; 
• Lead PD, including bespoke PD, for teaching staff and leaders across the Upper school
• Support other members of the school’s leadership team in planning and delivering whole school PD
• To develop a structured programme of advice and support to improve practice, through a coaching and modelling approach
• Establish and maintain effective and appropriate professional working relationships at all levels
• Lead and support staff in developing and sustaining positive working relationships within and across phases
• Lead and undertake leadership and subject level performance management reviews 
• Where appropriate, support the interview/selection process for teacher recruitment and ensure effective induction of new staff
• Actively pursue your own professional development as an Assistant Headteacher.

The successful applicant will be required to have the following:

• A B.Ed. or degree and PGCE / PGDE or equivalent with exceptional subject knowledge.
• Experience as a Senior Leader with a successful track record of leading initiatives at whole school level.
• The ability to demonstrate leadership of a full 3-5-year development cycle encompassing change management from conception through to embedded change and subsequent review.
• Credibility as an outstanding practitioner and leader
• Experience of leading rapid, sustainable change is essential

All positions attract an excellent remuneration package including:

Competitive tax-free salary, individual fully furnished accommodation, free schooling, private medical insurance, annual airfares to country of residence, and end of Service Gratuity.

GEMS Teachers also have free access to our loyalty app GEMS rewards www.gemsrewards.com which provides significant savings on day to day life in the UAE. We offer thousands of discounts and 2 for 1 offers on everything from flights, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets, making your salary go further and enhancing the opportunity to save whilst working overseas.