Head of Sport (Maternity Cover)

HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL APPI, JAPAN

Located in the mountains of Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Harrow Appi is setting a new benchmark for British international full-boarding education in the East Asia region, offering a strong academic programme, close personal tutoring, values based holistic education and learning in nature due to unparalleled access to the Japanese mountains. 

Surrounded by the hills, high achieving students excel both inside and outside of the classroom. Our outstanding teachers support students towards exceptional academic outcomes and eventual access to the international universities of their choice. A unique co-curricular programme engages students in sport, creative arts, and service learning, whilst developing their values and behaviours. Our sports academies offer particular specialisms in alpine sports, swimming, tennis, golf, and mountain biking.

Having opened in August 2022 to Years 7-10, we are now recruiting a high performing Head of Sport to join us from April 2025 as a maternity cover for approximately 12 to 15 months. Primarily, we are seeking teachers who genuinely love working with young people using a holistic approach.

Successful candidates will relish the challenges of establishing a school and will thrive in a mountain-based lifestyle. They will embrace a high degree of integration between their personal and professional lives in term time. We welcome applicants with an understanding of the British independent and/or quality international education sectors and who have experience of boarding, though these are not prerequisites.

If you can imagine yourself working in a dynamic residential mountain-school environment, teaching in the day, supporting students in the boarding houses, running activities and golfing or enjoying the mountains in your spare time, we would welcome your interest.

Specifically, we require:

• An appropriate education degree, or a bachelor’s degree and UK QTS.
• A sustained period of teaching experience in a strong school or schools, and familiarity with the National Curriculum of England and IGCSE/GCSE syllabi (A Levels will be offered from 2024 onwards).
• An ability to guide highly able students, supporting their eventual progress to leading universities. 
• Commitment to boarding and to holistic, values-based education.
• Expertise in supporting students studying in English as an additional language.

Safeguarding of our students is central to our work. Appointments are conditional on:

• Acceptable police checks (or equivalent) from the country of origin and from all countries in which you have worked.
• Appropriate references from your current and previous employer, corroborated by personal phone calls made to each referee (to be taken at short-list stage).

The Appi environment, and the nature of the school, suits energised professionals whose personal situation allows them to embrace life in rural, mountainous Japan. We seek resilient teachers who see the challenges of mountain-living, whatever the season, as part of the adventure; the rewards being access to the beauty of the Japan’s natural environment in four seasons, and to extensive outdoor sports. 

Appointees are offered two-year renewable contracts with highly competitive terms of employment, outstanding working conditions and access to the Appi resort.

HOW TO APPLY

The Candidate Information Pack and Job Description give further details regarding timeline and process. Application is via our portal here.

Applications should be received by Sunday 8th December (midnight GMT). Early applications are encouraged; we reserve the right to hold early interviews and encourage application before the deadline.