Head of Humanities

Prince of Wales Island International School (POWIIS) is a co-educational day and boarding school (Years 7-13) modelled on the best of British independent and international education. Attracting students from Penang, the whole of Malaysia as well as internationally, POWIIS currently welcomes around 450 students.  Around 25% of our students are boarders, and all academic staff are required to contribute to boarding life including occasional evening and weekend involvement. Experience of boarding education is an advantage but by no means essential.

Our KS3 curriculum is based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales,  and we offer IGCSE and A level for senior students. We are not highly selective, and accept students with a broad spread of ability, including students who require EAL support, but our cohorts include many very able students. Results at IGCSE, AS and A level are strong, and most POWIIS graduates head to top universities in the UK, US, Australia or Asia.

Academics are only part of the story at POWIIS, however, and we offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities, and every Friday afternoon is devoted to the POWIIS Project, where students select from a wide range of activities designed to enhance their global citizenship and develop their soft skills.

Our campus is located in the attractive rural location of Balik Pulau, on the island of Penang. Facilities at the school are second to none in Penang, and arguably in Malaysia. In addition to our well equipped science laboratories and classrooms, we also boast a substantial and developing library, a multi-purpose sports hall, a dance studio, a 25 metre swimming pool, football and netball pitches, tennis courts, a fitness suite, art studios, and a design technology centre. Our magnificent 500 seat natural acoustic auditorium with full backstage and technical facilities houses our Steinway D concert grand piano, a provision usually found only in professional venues, and is indicative of our leading reputation in the performing arts.  We offer an enhanced music and drama programme for students who are part of our Arts Academy.

Our senior staff are from leading schools internationally and many of our teachers have come from other top international schools; their collective experience spans 5 continents and over 40 countries.  We are seeking to recruit able and visionary teachers interested in supporting high standards in a friendly and informal, but well-organised and purposeful atmosphere.  One of the key attractions for our teachers is the quality of the students, most of whom are utterly delightful, many are very talented and discipline problems are rare and almost always quite minor. The school has a very special atmosphere of purposeful and relaxed co-operation with excellent staff/student relationships.

Because of its beauty and gentle life-style, Penang is an attractive location for teachers at various stages of their careers. It is an excellent and safe place for families, and an ideal location for those who enjoy the outdoors; the comfortable standard of living and exotic travel opportunities make it a wonderful place to live and work. The quality of life is high, not least because of the warmth and generous hospitality of the people of Penang.

Part of the philosophy of our school is that subjects should be taught by specialists at all levels. Candidates should therefore have good academic backgrounds themselves and be able to teach across the range from Year 7 through to A level. One of the great strengths of our school is that teachers have a whole range of interests themselves, enabling contributions beyond their subjects. Teachers are encouraged to follow their own enthusiasms within school and, indeed, to be seen to pursue their areas of interest outside. The school’s trips calendar is impressive, both within Malaysia and overseas.

POWIIS is committed to the safety and well-being of all of its students. Those appointed will be subject to thorough background and social media checks and must be able to provide up to date and full police checks/child protection certificates/criminal records disclosures covering all countries in which they have lived and/or worked for at least the last 10 years.

We do our best to acknowledge applications and to keep applicants informed on the progress of their application, but the large number of applications sometimes makes this impossible, for which we apologise.