Founding Head of Secondary School

Founding Head of Secondary School

Nord Anglia International School, Abu Dhabi is seeking to appoint a passionate, child centred, inspirational, and forward-thinking Founding Head of Secondary School to join at a pivotal stage in the school’s growth and development, commencing August 2025. The role is perfect for a leader who has the drive and ambition to lead the way in education.

The Founding Head of School will be part of the Core Leadership Team consisting of the Head of HR for Abu Dhabi, Head of Operations, Director of Admissions & Marketing, Head of Finance UAE and Head of IT UAE. 

The role will require the Head of School to ensure the highest standards of pastoral care, learning and achievement.  The school is at an exciting stage to lead us through our first ADEK inspection visit, our first full set of GCSE exams and drive our founding post 16 programme.  Not only would we expect the candidate to lead, inspire and guide the teaching staff, support staff and young people but also enrich our community ethos.

About Nord Anglia

At Nord Anglia Education, our schools shape a generation of creative and resilient global citizens who leave our schools with everything they need for success – whatever they choose to be or do in life. When it comes to creating memorable learning experiences both within and beyond our classrooms, our family of more than 13,000 passionate staff are experts in their academic and commercial professions and play a vital role in the world-class experience our schools provide.

We educate more than 74,000 children in 32 countries, our 84 schools in the Middle East, the Americas, Europe and Asia form our diverse global family, making us the largest provider of premium education in the world.

About the School

Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi (NAS Abu Dhabi) lies at the heart of the Emirate, on Al Reem Island. In August 2023, we opened the school’s new, purpose-built campus to our first cohort of students and began to do what Nord Anglia does best: make every moment at school count. Our mission is to help our students prepare for their futures, think creatively outside the box, develop healthy resilience, global awareness, and be team players.

1. Core Requirements 

The Founding Head of Secondary School will lead the creation and development of an exceptional educational institution, overseeing every aspect of the school’s establishment and growth. A critical responsibility will be the successful introduction of the founding A-Level cohort, ensuring the delivery of world-class academic standards and preparing students for prestigious global university placements.

The Founding Head will serve as the driving force in building the school’s reputation for academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement while fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment for students and staff alike.

In fulfilling the requirements of the post, the Founding Head of Secondary will demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism and will, in particular:

• Drive NAS Abu Dhabi to be a global leader in education, growing the school to be a leading international school locally and globally;
• Embody the school’s values in word and action;
• Gain and maintain the trust and confidence of students, colleagues and parents;
• Be accountable for all aspects of standards in the Secondary School;
• Motivate students and staff to aspire to excellence in all that they do;
• Build strong, high-performing teams;
• Create the conditions for staff to continue to learn;
• Be responsible for safeguarding students and leading pastoral care with oversight of the behaviour and welfare of all students;
• Deploy resources with due diligence, with efficiency and effectiveness;
• Plan strategically for the continual improvement and growth of the Secondary School;
• Take on any other duties required by the Principal;
• Create a culture where excellence is celebrated;
• Developing a culture of high attendance and high achievement;
• Lead the school through the first inspection;
• Have an authentic drive to win it for young people;
• Recruit and build a high calibre team of leaders, educators and support staff who embody the school’s mission and values;
• Create a culture of collaboration, continuous professional development, and shared accountability;
• Provide visionary leadership to inspire staff, students, and parents to achieve shared goals.

Areas of Responsibility and Key Tasks

2. Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum 

• Lead the highest standards of teaching and learning by:
• Holding responsibility for educational standards across the Secondary School;
• Providing a curriculum which provides exemplary learning opportunities within and beyond the classroom;
• Maintaining exemplary student behaviour that encourages learning within a purposeful and safe environment;
• Developing and maintaining effective systems for the care and guidance of students, from transition from primary through to university;
• Demonstrating wide-ranging knowledge of effective pedagogy and curriculum;
• Ensuring that our curriculum reflects our place in the UAE;
• Ensuring the powerful use of technology to enhance learning and developing STEAM and design thinking;
• Developing and maintaining a rigorous system of school self-evaluation;
• Monitoring, evaluating and improving standards of teaching through the use of lesson observation, work scrutiny and assessment data;
• Recognising and celebrating teaching excellence and challenging poor practice;
• Personally supporting the life of the school beyond the classroom;
• Ensuring that students participate in a rich and varied programme of enrichment activities, trips and residential experiences.
• Having responsibility for the policies and procedures for the Secondary School; (when related to teaching and learning)
• Ensuring that learning and teaching provided by the different teaching teams forms a coordinated, coherent curriculum entitlement for every student.

3. Staff

Lead, inspire and guide the Secondary School staff by:

• Fostering a culture of respect, equity, ambition, leadership, responsibility and integrity;
• Developing and maintaining a community of professional learners;
• Developing everyone’s ability to use the performance management system to raise standards and contribute to professional growth;
• Leading, mentoring and managing the performance and professional development of the Secondary School;
• Working with the Principal to recruit and retain the highest quality teachers, including participation in interviews and selection;
• Organising initial and ongoing induction for new teachers;
• Contributing to the professional development of teachers;
• Ensure positive, collaborative relationships between staff, unifying the team, ensuring a low turn-over of staff with all members of the team feeling valued, respected and heard;
• Leading, motivating and managing coordinators, teachers, teaching assistants and support staff;
• Working collaboratively with the Head of Primary to define the right targets at the end of the Primary Years to offer a successful transition to Secondary School for all students;
• Ensuring the highest standards of planning, differentiation, target setting, and assessment are practiced by close monitoring and offering guidance and support to staff.
• Develop the leadership structures in the school

4.  Community

Ensure engagement and collaboration with our community by:

• Overseeing Secondary School communications with the school community (parents, students and Nord Anglia)
• Ensuring that parents are regularly informed about their child’s progress, attainment and achievement and ensuring that they know how to support their child’s learning;
• Informing parents of key events, trips and residential activities with sufficient notice for families to plan, logistically and financially;
• Keeping parents informed of events and priorities;
• Ensuring that the achievements of students and staff are recognised and celebrated.
• Maintaining a high standard of presentation in all printed and on-line materials relating to the Secondary School;
• Working with parent representatives;
• Organising and presenting at parent workshops;
• Developing wider community links;
• Directing the strategic planning of cohesive seamless transition across all key stages;
• Promoting a culture of safety and happiness within the school and valuing all individuals within the school
• Ensuring that there is a safe and supportive culture across the school, adhering to robust safeguarding practices, student behaviour processes and attendance monitoring;
• Ensure a consistent response to misbehaviour of students across the school, including defining and implementing relevant consequences in case of behaviour issues;
• Respecting the local culture and ensuring compliance with local standards;
• Demonstrating an understanding of leading a school in a diverse culture setting.

5. School Setup and Development:

• Oversee the ongoing design and completion of school facilities, ensuring they are state-of-the-art and conducive to academic and co-curricular excellence.
• Stay ahead of local policies, procedures, and governance structures to support efficient and transparent school operations.
• Collaborate with architects, project managers, and consultants to ensure the school’s readiness, including classrooms, laboratories, sports facilities, and libraries.
• Ensuring high levels of student participation in Global Campus, Expeditions and Challenges;
• Ensuring continuity of strong participation in the NAE collaborations; especially the Julliard Programme, MIT STEAM Commitments and UN related work that upholds the seventeen sustainable development goals.

5.  The wider organization

Ensure participation in, and benefit from, our place in the global Nord Anglia Education (NAE) family by:

• Acting at all times in accordance with our NAE vision, policies, procedures and protocols.
• Participating in and contributing to the NAE annual Regional Conferences;
• Developing productive collegial relations with other NAE Heads of Secondary in SEA&ME and beyond;
• Preparing reports to NAE on student attainment and carrying out staff annual performance reviews;
• Ensuring high levels of staff participation in Nord Anglia University and the leadership programmes;

Develop and drive the post 16 programme

• Develop and implement a rigorous and inspiring A-Level curriculum that prepares students for top-tier universities worldwide.
• Identify key subject offerings based on market demand and global university prerequisites, including STEM, humanities, and creative subjects.
• Establish a dedicated A-Level team of specialist teachers to deliver outstanding subject instruction and guidance.
• Implement robust academic support structures, including personalised learning plans, career counselling, and university application support.
• Set aspirational targets for the founding cohort, ensuring they achieve excellent results and become ambassadors for the school’s reputation.

6.  Operational matters

Ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the Secondary School by:

• Creating and maintaining an annual calendar of Secondary School events, taking into account the operation of the whole school;
• Managing the Secondary School budgets for annual orders, classroom supplies, PD, trips, supply teaching and examinations;
• Holding regular, productive meetings with the Secondary Team, keeping a clear record of outcomes;
• Working with the Marketing, Admissions and Communications Team to attract and recruit students and ensuring effective induction for new students and families;
• Assisting in whole school marketing initiatives and contributing to the growth of the school;
• Thinking and planning strategically for continual growth and improvement;
• Communicating a clear, concise, coherent vision and enabling others to contribute to achieving that vision;
• Contributing to whole school strategic planning and ADEK inspections;
• Engaging supply and cover staff as required to ensure minimal disruption to students learning;
• An awareness of financial planning and budget management, good ICT knowledge and skills to support pupil learning, assessment, and school management;
• Support the local compliance inspections.

7.  Self

• Demonstrate personal adherence to the values and principles of our mission by:
• Acting with integrity;
• Aspirations to lead a high performing international school.
• Working collaboratively and effectively;
• Maintaining a professional appearance and manner and expecting the same of staff;
• Being personally ambitious ,curious, creative and engaging in significant professional development;
• Being culturally sensitive and agile.
• Being inclusive, approachable and recognising of need.
• Demonstrating a deep understanding and tolerance relating to equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications/Training

• Qualified to degree level or above - Essential
• Qualified Teacher Status - Essential
• Post-graduate qualification at Master’s level or above. - Desirable
• School leadership programme attendance or qualification. - Desirable
• Strong, recent track record of professional development. - Essential

Experience

• Proven track record with at least 7 years’ teaching experience. - Essential
• Experience of being part of a highly successful senior team at Deputy level or above. - Desirable
• Direct involvement in raising standards and driving improvement at school level. - Essential
• Experience of the English National Curriculum, (I)GCSE, A-Level and IB Diploma Programme level or equivalent.- Essential
• Evidence of working with parents.- Essential
• Experience of working with groups of students with diverse additional educational
• needs and for whom English is an additional language. - Desirable
• Experience of school accreditation or inspection. - Desirable
• Track record of leading or contributing to professional development of teachers. - Desirable

Knowledge and Skills

• Outstanding oral and written communication. - Essential
• Ability to engage and motivate people to enable them to perform highly. - Essential
• Strong organisational skills and personal time management. - Essential
• Ability to work in a team. - Essential
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines. - Essential
• Good working knowledge of school self-evaluation. - Essential
• Facility with baseline assessment, tracking, target setting and value-added systems. - Desirable
• Working knowledge of management information systems (e.g. SIMS, iSAMS). - Desirable
• High level of IT competency. - Essential

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about international education and young people. - Essential
• Comfortable with complexity, change and uncertainty. - Essential
• Cultural agility and adaptability. - Essential
• Understand the complex environment of an international community.  - Desirable
• Resilience. - Desirable
• Robust good health. - Essential
• Sense of humor. - Essential
• Ambition to lead a high performing Secondary school. - Essential

Selection Process 

Applicants should submit a CV, letter of application and the details of two professional referees, one of which should be your current Line Manager. Interviews will take place in school or online via Microsoft Teams.

Safeguarding

At Nord Anglia Education we are committed to providing a world class, safe, happy environment in which children and young people are able to thrive and learn. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our pupils irrespective of race, ability, religion, gender or culture.