Head of Secondary

CREATE YOUR FUTURE

HEAD OF SECONDARY

Location: Guangzhou, China

We’re looking to recruit a Head of Secondary to join The British School of Guangzhou, a Nord Anglia Education school.

THE SCHOOL

The British School of Guangzhou is at the forefront of international education in China. Established in 2005 for expatriate students aged 1-18, our school is recognised for academic excellence leading to outstanding A-Level results and entry to top universities worldwide. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools (most recently in March 2023), is a full member of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) and is a member of the Association of Chinese and Mongolian International Schools (ACAMIS). BSG is a registered Cambridge and Pearson/Edexcel examination centre and is approved to offer US SAT examinations.

The school follows the National Curriculum for England from Early Years through all five key stages, with 60% of IGCSE examination grades A*-A in summer 2024, and 69% of A Levels graded A*-A. In addition to academic success, the school has a number of high performing sports teams competing locally and internationally and a thriving social impact programme including initiatives working with members of our local, regional and international communities.

The Southlake Campus, a 20-minute drive north of the city centre, enjoys picturesque views over Nanhu Lake and a golf course. All classrooms are well-resourced, air-conditioned and equipped with high-speed WiFi and Smart TVs. The school has impressive resources and facilities including a dedicated 6th Form Centre and recently renovated Early Years Centre. The school’s large campus provides an impressive range of indoor and outdoor facilities.

BSG has a thriving parent support group and class representatives at every year level. The school’s standing within the Guangzhou community is extremely high and BSG has close links with the office of the British Consul General in Guangzhou.

While most parents choose BSG because of the school’s outstanding record of university placements in the UK, the school also has recent graduates now studying in Australia, Canada, USA, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Dubai and a number of other top destinations worldwide.

https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/bsg-guangzhou

THE ROLE

We are seeking an outstanding and experienced school leader to offer leadership, inspiration and guidance to the secondary school community. As a key member of the senior leadership team(SLT) you will play a major role in deciding on future academic direction. You will be an excellent communicator who enjoys positive relationships with colleagues, students and parents and be comfortable with technology and in leading change. To continue to deliver and build on our existing high standards, we are looking for a Head of Secondary who is experienced, confident, well organised, adaptable and have a willingness to participate fully in all aspects of school life within and beyond the classroom. 

We are specifically looking for someone who will:

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the IGCSE and A-Level curricula
• Demonstrate our core values and help to promote a love of learning within our students
• Relentlessly pursue outstanding academic performance maintaining our reputation as the most academically successful school in Guangzhou
• Blend the best of premium British education with contemporary international education to create a distinctive positioning for the school
• Oversee extension and enrichment activities to ensure that our students develop holistically
• Lead teaching and learning within the secondary school and with an understanding and consideration given to the whole school approach
• Oversee reporting and assessment in the secondary school
• Ensure that secondary students welfare is supported by secondary school practices
• Respect, appreciate and understand a variety of cultures and societies
• Manage financial budgets prudently and ensure value for money for all stakeholders
• Liaise with our parent body informally and through meetings with the parent support groups
• Manage the secondary school CPD requirements and PM processes for secondary staff
• Liaise with the Principal with regard to the teaching commitments for secondary staff
• Contribute to whole school policies and collect, collate and edit secondary documentation
• Ensure that the secondary school and any relevant school policies ensure compliance with NAE policies and meet our accreditation expectations.
• Manage secondary facilities, ensuring that Health and Safety requirements are met
• Recruit and retain excellent teachers in the secondary school
• Play an active role in the secondary student admission process

NORD ANGLIA EDUCATION

We’re Nord Anglia Education, one of the world’s largest premium international schools organisations. Every day, our teachers and support colleagues help our thousands of students achieve more than they ever imagined possible.

A transformational education at one of our schools is focussed on excellent academic outcomes, creativity, wellbeing, and international connectedness. Our innovative use of educational technology also creates a personalised, 21st century learning experience for all students, while our global scale means we can recruit and retain the world’s best teachers and offer unforgettable events and expeditions.

Our people are empowered to make a difference in their fields of expertise. Our fast pace of growth requires evolution and change from everyone, giving you the chance to define the role you do in the future. This challenges the learning agility of our employees and ensures every day brings interesting new experiences.

Founded in 1972 in the United Kingdom, our first international school opened in 1992 in Warsaw, followed by rapid growth across the world since the 2000s.

When you join our team, you’ll become part of a global family of experts working for a fast-growing premium international brand.

OUR SCHOOLS

Each Nord Anglia Education school is unique in character and designed to meet the needs of its community. We are ambitious for our students, our people, and our schools. Working together, we can achieve more than we can individually.

We also create unique opportunities to benefit our students and people, such as Global Campus, Nord Anglia University, and our collaborations with The Juilliard School, MIT, UNICEF, and King’s College London.

OUR GLOBAL ACADEMIC RESULTS

The 2023-2024 academic year was the strongest ever in terms of BSG’s academic results. In A-levels, our students achieved 69% of grades at A*-A, along with 82% at A*-B. In IGCSE, BSG students achieved an outstanding set of results, with 60% of grades at 9 – 7 for the year and 92% at 9 – 4.

BENEFITS

The successful candidate will benefit from career and development opportunities that are commensurate with the nature of the role.  Nord Anglia University unites our team through a vibrant online forum which harnesses the collective expertise of their peers in an exchange of knowledge, ideas and best practice. We provide extensive online and face-to-face professional development through Nord Anglia University to ensure that school managers can develop their leadership skills.

The successful candidate will enjoy a competitive salary and benefits package in line with the leadership responsibilities of a Head of Secondary.  You will have the opportunity to live in and work in one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Guangzhou is the major city in Southern China, home to over 23 million people, and is a regional hub for transport, sports, commerce and cultural events. The city has a stunning opera house, a huge number of museums and exhibition spaces, public parks and a vast botanical garden. Baiyun Mountain Park is a short ride from the school and offers hiking and biking opportunities through forest and lakeside trails. Guangzhou is just over an hour from Hong Kong, and has other high speed rail connections with many of Southern China’s most interesting visitor destinations. Due to the comparatively low cost of living in Guangzhou the majority of our staff are able to travel widely across Asia and are still able to save a significant part of their salary.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Please click here for job description and here for a letter to Head of Secondary candidates.

EMPLOYMENT START DATE: 1st August 2025

Selection Process

The closing date for application is Friday 28th February 2025 with initial interviews for shortlisted candidates to be held online. We reserve the right to appoint before the final interview date if necessary.

At Nord Anglia Education we are committed to providing a world-class, safe, happy environment in which children and young people can thrive and learn. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our pupils where we embrace all race, abilities, religions, genders, and cultures.

All post holders in regulated activity (having regular unsupervised contact with children) are subject to appropriate national and international vetting procedures including satisfactory criminal record checks from both your country of residence/birth and any country of residence within the last 10 years.

We welcome applications from suitable qualified persons from all diverse backgrounds.

Please note, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.