Assistant Principal - Pastoral, Wellbeing and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Safa Community School

POST: Assistant Principal - Pastoral, Wellbeing and  Designated Safeguarding Lead at Safa Community School, Dubai

In 2019 the school was awarded the title of ‘Best New School in the UAE’ and 2021 shortlisted as a finalist for ‘Most loved’, ‘Happiest’ and won the award for ‘Best Value Added’ for schools in 2021-2022 across the UAE. The school has one of the best staff retention rates in Dubai and was voted one of the 15 Best Schools in the UAE by the Schoolscompared.com survey. 

Safa Community School is an all-through UK curriculum school, from FS1 to Year 13, with 2,200 on roll. (@safa_scs and Safa Community School Youtube. We pride ourselves on our high standards across all aspects of school life. This includes high academic progress and a wide variety of extra-curricular success.

We are looking for an outstanding and highly motivated Assistant Principal. The successful candidate will have strategic responsibility for pastoral systems, and wellbeing across the whole school (approx. 2500 students, primary and secondary in 2023-24).

Roles and Responsibilities

• Developing, maintaining and regularly reviewing effective behaviour systems to ensure outstanding learning behaviours across all parts of the school.
• To oversee the provisions associated with the wellbeing matters, specifically monitoring the Komodo, the online wellbeing platform for students, as well as TES Pulse for staff. 
• To oversee and lead the wellbeing curriculum team to ensure it has a positive impact on student outcomes. 
• To line manage the school counseling team, as well as systems and procedures associated with the counseling team. 
• To support and promote the unique  culture within the school. 
• To coordinate, and plan special events linked to pastoral care and wellbeing. 
• To oversee attendance systems/procedures, coordinating leave approvals, ensuring students have outstanding attendance. 
• To support and oversee elements of health and safety, specifically online safety provisions. 
• To monitor and implement robust risk assessments to ensure health and safety provisions take place for educational trips.
• To support and coordinate with relevant departments regarding international trips. 
• To coordinate a shared approach, working closely with the relevant Assistant Heads. 
• Ensuring systems for child safeguarding and child protection are robust and improved.
• Accountability for the execution of the wellbeing strategy and initiatives. 
• Delivering appropriate training for staff to ensure that they can effectively implement behaviour and safeguarding systems to ensure consistency.
• Monitoring and evaluating the quality of students' personal and social development and their protection, care, guidance and support.
• Ensuring appropriate systems and structures are in place to hold staff to account.
• Ensuring policies and procedures related to pastoral care, safeguarding and child protection are formalised and implemented.
• Supporting the development of a culture in the school which is stakeholder focused and aims to improve levels of engagement and satisfaction for students, parents, staff and community stakeholders.
• To play a major role in formulating the aims, objectives and shared vision of the school.
• To lead the development and maintenance of a high quality positive learning environment.
• To ensure the entitlement of all students to have equal access to and participation in all aspects of the curriculum.
• To challenge under-performance at all levels throughout all departments
• To establish, and maintain, the highest possible standards of behaviour, learning and attainment
• To lead and manage staff in an appropriate manner
• To maintain high morale amongst staff and set an example of professional standards and leadership
• To contribute to the recruitment, training, deployment and professional development of staff.

Qualifications and Experience

To be considered for this role, you should have:

• Experience of working with data management system.
• The ability to work constructively as part of a team understanding roles and responsibilities, including own.
• The ability to build and form good relationships with young people, colleagues and other professionals.
• Commitment to the highest standards of child protection.
• The ability to work in a fast paced, high pressure environment, without distractions.
• Full training for safeguarding in schools.
• Working knowledge of Data Protection.
• Knowledge of, and ability to utilise, ICT to access and retrieve information. Particularly Microsoft Word and Excel, Google Suite.
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills.
• The ability to communicate effectively with students, staff, parents and other related professionals both verbally and in writing.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work with different agencies to improve student outcomes.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and adapt to and drive change.
• QTS (or equivalent) and a good undergraduate degree
• Extensive teaching experience and outstanding teaching practice
• Successful management experience as Head of Department or member of the SLT
• Experience of writing department SEF
• Experience of lesson observations and giving feedback
• Experience of improvement planning
• Experience of implementing a range of strategies to raise student achievement, with evidence of success
• Contribution to impact on the quality of learning & teaching and curriculum
• Experience of developing and sustaining positive relationships with students, parents, staff and the Governing Body to build consensus support and capacity
• Proven track record of managing and implementing change in relation to teaching practices and standards
• A track record of success in leadership and management

This role would be suitable for somebody with experience of pastoral systems in a large school looking to take the next step to senior leadership or a senior pastoral leader in a small school looking to extend their experience.

Application Process

The closing date for applications is Friday, 23rd June 2023 at 12 noon UAE time.

The application process is: 

• All applications must be submitted via the TES Portal. 
• Submit a full resume / CV. 
• Submit a covering letter of no more than two A4 pages. 
• Provide at least three referees’ names, telephone numbers (with international dialling codes), and email addresses. One must be a current employer. 
• The closing date for all applications is Friday, 23rd June 2023 at 12 noon UAE time. However, applications will be processed as received, and initial interviews will be arranged for successful candidates as applications are received. 

Upon request, feedback will only be provided to candidates who progress to the interview stages.

Important Note:

Safa Community School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all of its students. Applicants will be required to submit a current police criminal clearance check or equivalent from their home country or current country of residence prior to appointment.