Primary Pastoral Assistant Headteacher for Year 5 and 6 at Safa Community School

POST: Primary Pastoral Assistant Headteacher for Year 5 and 6 at Safa Community School, Dubai

Safa Community School - a beacon of excellence. In 2024, we were honoured with the ‘Happiest School in the UAE’ title, a testament to our commitment towards student well-being. In addition, we were proud recipients of the ‘Value Add, Leaving No Child Behind Award’, reflecting our dedication to academic progress. This was further underscored by our 2024 GCSE VA score of +2.2. Our high staff retention rates and inclusion in the top 15 Schools in the UAE by the Schoolscompared.com survey are a source of pride for us all.

At Safa Community School, we are more than just a school-we are a community. With a parent body comprising Expats, including around 35% from the UK, we have fostered a reputation for being a friendly, warm and community-oriented school. Our positive relationships among staff, parents and students are a testament to our inclusive approach, making everyone feel welcomed and part of a larger family.

Safa Community School is not just another school but an award-winning all-through UK curriculum school, from FS1 to Year 13, with 2,570 on roll. Follow our school Instagram channel for a glimpse into our vibrant community showcasing student achievements, community events, and much more at safa_scs.

Currently, we are in search of a dynamic and passionate Primary Pastoral Assistant Headteacher for Year 5 and 6. 

Ideal Candidate

Safa Community School is seeking to appoint an outstanding, talented and visionary Assistant Headteacher who will oversee the pastoral care of our students. The successful applicant will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Having a proven track record of success as a teacher, as a leader and manager and will have an in-depth knowledge of all aspects related to Primary education.

What can SCS offer?  

• the ability to develop and grow within the Primary School;
• the opportunity to be innovative, to develop new educational procedures and student experiences;
• the ability to develop a significantly broad portfolio;
• an exciting, challenging and stimulating place to work in a friendly and welcoming environment.

Who/what is SCS looking for?  

• excellent leadership, strong management and communication skills demonstrable through your present role;
• the ability to communicate a clear vision for improving Primary education at SCS;
• a capacity for hard work and resilience; and a belief that this is at the core of success;
• a creative thinker with an ability and determination to secure high-quality outcomes for all students;
• an exceptional and innovative classroom practitioner;
• demonstrable ability to lead, inspire and motivate others;
• readiness for meeting the high expectations in Dubai with enthusiasm;
• a leader who places the well-being of all students first.

General Responsibilities  

• To lead both the team of Heads of Year and cohort of students. This involves giving a clear vision and direction to work, identifying key areas for improvement and planning appropriate actions to meet them.
• To manage both the people and resources associated with each year group.
• To monitor the quality of learning experienced by the year group, liaising with Heads of Years and Curriculum Leaders offering support and guidance where necessary.
• To promote the ethos of the school through leading high-quality assemblies.
• To use assessment data to inform an analysis of individual student progress, collective progress across each class group and year group as a whole.
• To have an overview of the range of barriers to learning that impact on student progress.
• To use all of the above to identify underachievement with a view to establishing and coordinating improvement strategies in conjunction with teachers and Heads of Year.
• To monitor the effectiveness of these interventions and report to SLT termly on the progress being made by students in the year group.
• To liaise with key staff, including the SENCO, regarding all groups of students’ achievement in the year group.

Leadership and Management   

• To act as a role model by demonstrating high-quality pastoral care and academic monitoring of students, continuous professional development and professional presence in the team.
• To lead and manage a team of teachers and maintaining regular formal and informal contact with staff.
• To ensure all staff understand and are actively implementing the key aspects of the school’s policies including those for behaviour, attendance, uniform and safeguarding.
• To make a significant contribution to the induction of staff referring to any individual training needs to SLT with responsibility for staff INSET.
• To initiate and respond to communications with parents ensuring that they are kept fully informed and involved in the progress of their children.
• To contribute to the organisation of any parent information evenings.
• To oversee the completion of progress checks.
• To oversee the completion of school reports for the year group including writing summary comments.
• To work with staff to ensure appropriate follow-up to reporting procedures and to play an important part in the evaluation of reporting procedures.
• Keeping up to date with curriculum innovation, participating in arrangements for CPD, contributing to professional development.
• Being supportive of UAE initiatives and cultural expectations.

Candidate Profile

It is required that the successful candidate:   

• Will hold relevant qualifications and QTS.
• Have strong leadership and management experience.
• Have an understanding of assessment and examination requirements for primary.
• Be an outstanding teacher, able to demonstrate outstanding practice and progress of students.
• Actively keeps up to date with developments in Primary education.

This job description will be reviewed regularly and may be subject to modification and amendment.

Application Process

Closing date for applications is Tuesday, 31st December 2024 at 10h00 UAE time.

1. All applications must be submitted on the TES Portal. Only applications submitted through the Portal will be considered.
2. Submit a full current resume / CV. 
3. Submit a covering letter of no more than 2 A4 pages.
4. Provide at least 3 referees’ names, telephone numbers (with international dialling codes) and email addresses. One must be a current employer.

• The closing date for all applications is Tuesday, 31st December 2024 at 10h00 UAE time. We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date and therefore invite interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.  

Upon request, feedback will only be provided to candidates who progress to the interview stages.

At Safa Community School we hold ourselves to a high standard of effective practices in relation to child protection and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to various background checks including, receipt of satisfactory references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification and police checks, including overseas checks.