Primary School Director of Teaching and Learning (Upper Primary)

For August 2025

The Director of Teaching and Learning provides leadership and expert advice in the ongoing development, evaluation and enhancement of the school’s teaching and learning programs. The role requires expert knowledge and experience of developing the written, taught and learned curriculum in a bilingual context in addition to a deep appreciation for the philosophy stance that emerges from the cultivation of a culture of thinking. This leader works harmoniously alongside the Director of Student Life (Upper Primary) as a valued member of the campus leadership team (CLT).

Key Responsibilities:

Lead Teaching and Learning

•      Promote the School’s Vision, Mission and Values through actions and decision-making

•      Serve as the one of the school’s pedagogical leaders working closely with the Campus Principal and as part of the Campus Leadership Team (CLT)

•      Undertake teaching responsibilities as determined by the Campus Principal (up to 0.3 of a standard teaching load)

•      Demonstrate exemplary and impactful teaching across a range of subjects 

•      Oversee the creation of stimulating, challenging and supportive learning environments where student agency for learning is evident

•      Ensure the embedding of the school’s pedagogical philosophy and elements through the planned, learned and assessed curriculum

•      Identify essential standards for each year level and subject; leading Heads of Subject to map these into units of learning and where possible, creating authentic links to the school’s program of inquiry; taking this forward in collaboration with the Director of Teaching and Learning (Lower Primary)

•      Lead Heads of Subject to map essential standards into unit plans prior to the start of each school year; thus producing the school’s scope and sequence of learning for all subjects after taking into account past reflections and any adjustments required by the national curriculum

•      Lead, with input from the Head of EU, the annual review and development of the school’s program of inquiry; ensuring across curricular contributions are enabled from all Heads of Subjects

•      Lead the annual review and develop the school’s handbooks for parents and staff, focusing bringing together input from the Director of Student Life, Heads of Subject and other key school leaders

Lead and inspire others

•      Ensure impactful teaching and learning; playing a significant role across the school

•      Model collective responsibility for students’ educational outcomes and overall wellbeing

•      Build a professional learning community within the Heads of Subject that is focused on the ongoing improvement of teaching and learning

•      Set high expectations for self and others; establish and pursue professional goals

•      Lead Heads of Subject to create cohesive processes to review the effectiveness of teaching strategies and schemes of work; modelling how to achieve this within teams so to support Heads of Subject

•      Share impactful classroom practice through the coordination of offering demonstration lessons and other such strategies

•      Coach Heads of Subject to review and expand their repertoire of impactful teaching strategies

•      Assist the Campus Principal to implement the school’s performance and development processes; inclusive of, but not limited to, assisting with recruitment, induction, probation, appraisal and continuous professional learning

•      Strengthen the school’s ‘open classroom’ approach, conducting an impactful and responsive balance of informal and formal walk-throughs in addition to formal lessons observations and offering a coordination of this between Heads of Subject

Meet learning needs of students

•      Establish reliable and known strategies across departments to provide feedback to students; adopt a balanced approach to valuing student performance and measurable achievements with students’ learning behaviors and recognition of their intrinsic motivation for learning

•      Create differentiated learning pathways for students; proactively planning to accommodate differing prior knowledge, skills and attitudes of students

Contribute to the broader life of the school

•      Actively collaborate with other leaders within the primary, middle and senior schools of Pao School and other via other professional networks

•      Provide holistic care for students by actively collaborating with other primary school leaders; align the work of the Student Life and Teaching and Learning teams

•      Lead the Heads of Subject meetings and other leadership groups as require

•      Oversee the provision of information to parents about the academic program parent workshops, handbooks, newsletter contributions and other such strategies

•      Create a cohesive and annual home/school engagement plan in unison with the Student Life team; include the hosting of parent workshops and other strategies

Undertake administration of the department

•      Support the ongoing development of the School’s pedagogical vision

•      Assist the Campus Principal in the setting of and achievement of school development goals; remaining flexible and agile to respond to changes in circumstances

•      Assist Heads of Subject to establish and achieve goals within their department, ensuring interconnection with the larger pedagogical focus of the school

•      Actively enable contributions from stakeholders (colleagues, parents and students) to inform department decision making and goal setting

•      Hold and lead Heads of Subjects meetings, maintaining records of discussion and actions

Job Requirements:

1.            Bachelor’s degree or above

2.            At least seven years full time teaching experience

3.            Previous experience as an effective school leader at a senior level

4.            Valid teaching certificate

5.            Positive attitude

6.            Proven track record in leading successful teams and building productive relationships with colleagues

7.            Excellent interpersonal skills

8.            Experience as an instructional coach