Assistant Head (Academic)

The Assistant Head (academic) will hold a key role on the Leadership Team and will work in conjunction with the Executive Principal and Heads of School to support a clear strategy that sits alongside the ethos of the whole school.

The post holder will offer visionary leadership and play a crucial role in the day to day management of the educational offering in the school, as well as offering wider support to the team.

They will ensure that the curriculum and timetable is well planned, covering all areas of the specifications for the International/American curriculum. The post-holder will also be responsible for keeping the staffing allocations up to date, thus providing adequate teaching resource for the timetable. This role also oversees the school assessment calendar. The post holder will lead on iSAMS for the school (educational purposes).

Accountability

• Line managed by the Head of the Senior School/Primary School
  
  

Core Responsibilities

Vision – support and promote the vision, purpose and education strategy for the school and work inpartnership with the leadership, students, staff and parents, as well as the operating partner. Ensure that the systems and processes are in place for this vision to come to fruition.

Culture – support a culture where every individual is valued, and their opinion sought and where it is the norm to work collaboratively. Ensure that all those involved in BHSR are committed to its values and aims, motivated to achieve them, and involved in meeting long, medium, and short-term objectives and targets which secure the educational success of the school and happiness of the students.

Development Plan – contribute to the plan that will support the school through a period of embedding and developing best practice, securing continuous school improvement. This will also see the post holder taking on responsibility for specific aspects of the SDP, in agreement with the Leadership Team.

Learning and Teaching – ensure that the curriculum being taught is broad, holistic and sequential, and that all requisite components are planned for and delivered to the highest standard.

• Work in conjunction with the Leadership Team to develop the curriculum and approach in seniorsbringing together the Beech Hall School Riyadh Tapestry and the IMYC, American Curriculum and IB
• Support the development of a pedagogical approach that is future-facing, incorporating the following areas of the BHSR Tapestry in all aspects of the school day:
• BHSR Mindset
• BHSR Health and Wellbeing
• BHSR Digital Literacy
• BHSR Global
• BHSR Sustainable Leadership
• BHSR Entrepreneurs
• Develop an approach to planning that enables learning to be sequenced in such a way that builds knowledge and understanding, leading to progress over time.
• Lead on a CPD programme that supports all staff to teach effectively in line with best practice internationally, and one that ties in with the ethos and vision of the educational model at BHSR
• Lead on systems for quality assurance that are measurable and that lead to growth and development in a collegiate and supportive manner; oversee a programme of lesson observations and book scrutinies, liaising openly and positively with members of the leadership team with regard to the monitoring of learning and teaching at BHSR
• Ensure that Assessment for Learning is constructive and informative, enabling learning to be tailored to each cohort, and supporting progress for all Lead on assessment for learning (summative and formative), ensuring that outcomes are clearly evidenced and well articulated to students and their parents.
• Oversee the school assessment calendar, ensuring that all assessments are carried out in an organised manner, and that all materials are available. Ensure any external assessment is carried out in the correct conditions
• Lead on the design, production and distribution of academic reports/grade cards. (annual and termly reports)
• Lead on the design, production and distribution of the timetable (annual and termly reports) and ensure this is on isams, thus leading to the smooth management of staff timetables and cover
• Ensure the school is ‘Inspection ready’ in conjunction with the Heads and Business Manager at all times
• Create a culture of aspiration, ensuring that there is ample challenge and ambition for every child
• Lead on the wider educational offering in terms of trips, visits, clubs and themed days, ensuring that there is purpose and impact considered and clearly communicated to all stakeholders
• Deliver excellent lessons themselves, contributing to the timetable and curriculum
  

Inclusion – working with the Director of Inclusion, nurture a climate that is fully inclusive, celebrating the strengths, habits, and skills of every child, including those with specialist learning needs. Regardless of need or challenge, every child will be a valued and included member of the learning community.

• Work alongside the Director of Inclusion in delivering outstanding provision for pupils with specialeducational needs, and support teaching staff in delivering an immersive and inclusive education for every child, in a tailored way
  
  

Links with stakeholders – ensure effective commutations with all members of the school community including:

• Supporting the effective and timely communication systems between home and school
• attending meetings as appropriate with the board and provide reports as required
• promoting the school at key marketing events within Saudi Arabia and beyond, to support the marketing and admissions function of the school
  
  

Operational Leadership

• Lead on the school’s use of iSAMS or other MIS in future
• Oversee and update the staffing matrix to ensure that lessons are taught by specialists and that all staff have the right number of teaching periods, planning periods and other school duties. Utilise this to lead on the design and implementation of the timetable in conjunction with the Heads of School
• Oversee the cover of absent staff, ensuring cover is allocated fairly and tracked
• Lead on the staffing matrix, with the support of the senior leadership team
• ensure that all relevant learning and teaching and pastoral policies and procedures pertaining are fit for purpose and embedded in a clear and consistent way
  
  

Staffing recruitment and management

• Support recruitment through contributing to interviews and observations
• Using the staffing matrix to plan staffing in an organised and proactive manner, in liaison with the senior leadership team
• Ensuring safeguarding policies are followed
• Devising and delivering a robust induction for all senior staff
• Line managing certain staff at Beech Hall School Riyadh as appropriate
  
  

Collaboration and Community

• Be open minded to coaching and appraisal, taking on board praise and dialogue around development.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the team to develop best practice, share ideas and work cohesively to bring out the best in every member of the community.
• Share expertise through Professional Learning and Development (PLD).
• Engage in Action Research and be willing to experiment with approaches that could positively impact the wellbeing and development of students and subjects.
• Show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others.
• Support and encouraging fundamental values such as the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
• Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the School and maintain high standards in personal attendance and punctuality.
• Present a positive image of the School to all other stakeholders.
• Anything else reasonably requested by the Senior Leadership Team.
  
  

Safeguarding, Inclusion and Wellbeing

• Taking a proactive approach to safeguard all children and members of the School community.
• Commit to upholding all school policies and procedures.
• Be part of a fully inclusive school where all members of staff work together to provide a fully inclusive environment and working practices, free of bias and prejudice.
• Promote the general progress and well-being of all students and report concerns to a staff member.
• Provide an effective role model for students in terms of your own professional practice.
  
  

This job description does not constitute a complete description of duties. The post holder will carry out the professional duties of a teacher, and may be required to undertake other duties as reasonably requested by the Executive Principal.

Person Specification

The successful candidate for is likely to fit the following profile:

Skills And Knowledge Requirements

• Deep understanding and experience of the challenges and demands of leadership in an all-through, international educational setting
• Experienced senior practitioner and leader
• Experience of operational leadership at a whole school level
• Experience of the International and/or American curriculum
• Demonstrable experience of developing and leading high performing teams
• Recognised academic and intellectual credentials
• An intellectual enthusiasm for wider educational developments, particularly with relation todevelopments in technology supporting academic outcomes and effective teaching & learning
• Capable, strategic and involved in social media to help promote and market the school
• A willingness to learn and develop, remaining ahead of the curve with regards to pedagogy and research
• Good awareness of the cultural and operational challenges of managing a school in the Middle East or an international context
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to relate to parents, pupils, and stakeholders of the school from a wide variety of countries and cultural backgrounds
• A keen supporter of inclusive education