Head
Harrow International School Hong Kong
Hong Kong
- New
- Salary:
- A highly competitive remuneration and benefits package.
- Job type:
- Full Time, Fixed Term
- Start date:
- August 2025
- Apply by:
- 14 October 2024
Job overview
Head
Harrow International School, Hong Kong
This is an exceptional and highly attractive opportunity to lead Harrow International School, Hong Kong, one of the world’s highest performing international schools.
Harrow Hong Kong is one of eleven AISL Harrow Schools in Asia, and the first international boarding and day school in Hong Kong. It opened its doors in September 2012 and now runs at capacity, with extensive waiting lists, at a combined roll of c.1650 pupils from Early Years to Sixth Form. There are plans to carefully grow to a roll of over 2,000 in the years ahead and a new satellite Early Years campus is due to open in August 2025. The School is defined by its holistic culture and values; it offers a caring, respectful community in which everybody thrives, while delivering truly world-class academic outcomes.
Located in a magnificent crescent-shaped Neo-classical styled building with custom-built facilities within the stunning Gold Coast area, the School integrates elements of the educational philosophy, practice and traditions of Harrow School in London within the diverse international community context of Hong Kong to provide a highly distinctive education.
Harrow Hong Kong is a co-educational all-through school for pupils from Nursery (3 years) to Year 13 (18 years), educated within four phases: Early Years, Pre-prep, Prep and Senior Schools. Boarding begins from Year 6 in the Prep School on a weekly basis from Sunday evening to Friday evening. Just under 50% of pupils in the Upper School board, with all Day pupils also members of a House. There are currently four boys’ and three girls’ Prep Houses (Year 6 to Year 8), and four boys’ and four girls’ Senior Houses (Year 9 to Year 13).
The new Head will follow eight years of outstanding leadership from Ms. Ann Haydon MBE, and will demonstrate obvious passion for continuing the holistic, individualised pastoral care that is a hallmark of the School. He/She will benefit from strong premium education reference points, and an unashamedly academic pedigree, as a foundation for continuing the delivery of world-class academic outcomes. International experience is not essential, but as the school is very high profile, an ambassadorial presence with gravitas (locally and globally) and a heightened cultural sensitivity are imperatives.
Harrow Hong Kong is a dynamic school in a fast-moving environment, so there will be opportunities for a visionary Head to innovate with fresh eyes, and to re-envision the school's concept of 'excellence'. Given the School’s success and profile, the new Head must ensure they take the community with them on the journey ahead. That journey is one of visionary evolution, rather than revolution. The Head will enjoy the support and fellowship of the AISL Harrow Group of Heads, as well as benefiting from the strong partnership with Harrow UK.
The successful candidate will begin in role in August 2025. The position comes with a highly competitive remuneration and benefits package, including a generous salary, accommodation, private medical insurance, use of a car, remission on school fees for dependents and a flights allowance.
For a preliminary, confidential conversation about the role with Jean Sullivan, Head of International Search, please contact jeansullivan@rsacademics.com
Further, detailed candidate information about this role, including information on how to apply, is available at https://www.rsacademics.com/current-vacancies/harrow-hong-kong/ Please also refer to the candidate information brochure and job description available within this advert.
The closing date for applications is Monday 14 October 2024 at 10:00 (UK) / 17:00 (Hong Kong).
Harrow Hong Kong is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all its employees and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding and child protection issues will be discussed throughout the appointment process and candidates must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including reference checks with previous employers and criminal records and social media checks.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.
The safeguarding responsibilities of the role are indicated in the candidate information.
RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.
Attached documents
About Harrow International School Hong Kong
- Harrow International School Hong Kong
- 38 Tsing Ying Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories
- Hong Kong
About Harrow International School Hong Kong
Harrow International School Hong Kong occupies a spectacular site on the Gold Coast in the New Territories near Tuen Mun.
Its Lower School is for pupils aged 3-10, which comprises Early Years (K1 and K2) and the Pre-Prep (Years 1 to 5); the Upper School is for pupils aged 10-18 and consists of the Prep School (Years 6 to 8), the Senior School (Years 9 to 11) and the Sixth Form (Years 12 to 13). Weekly Boarding is available to Upper School pupils. There are four Prep School Houses for boys and three for girls, four Senior School Houses for boys and four Senior School Houses for girls, two of which are ‘Day’ Houses.
September 2025 sees the opening of a satellite Early Years Centre in the Kai Tak area of Hong Kong. Harrow Hong Kong Little Lions will be housed in a new development on Kwun Tong Road and will educate approximately 230 Nursery and Reception pupils in purpose-built classrooms with an outdoor play area and shared learning spaces. The pupils will have priority entry to Year 1 on the Harrow Hong Kong Gold Coast site. This is an exciting development for Harrow International School Hong Kong.
Our facilities
The School is fortunate to have a wonderful campus with extensive facilities, including a state-of-the-art STEAM Centre.
Light, wide corridors, very well-equipped classrooms and large departmental office areas, which are purpose-built for collaborative preparation, are characteristic of the Lower School and Upper School teaching areas. There are also a number of large multipurpose rooms. Specialist teaching areas include high quality Science laboratories, a Library and Learning Lounge closely linked to the ICT Department and located at the heart of the School, studios for Art, Music, Drama and Dance. We have a range of excellent sporting facilities including: a swimming pool, sports hall, well-equipped fitness room, 4G astro and tennis courts.
Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership
The School’s vision statement, Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership, underpins what happens in the classroom, in extra-curricular activities and in our pupil development programme.
Collectively, we aim to develop in our pupils the desire and skills to make a positive difference in the world. In doing so, the School essentially combines elements of educational philosophy, practice and traditions from Harrow School in London with the international mindset of a diverse pupil body in Hong Kong.
Many aspects of the School are characteristic of Harrow School London: high expectations of pupils and teachers; excellence in academic work; an emphasis on extra-curricular pursuits; high quality pastoral care; a genuine focus on the individual; the importance of service and the development of leadership skills. The School has also quickly taken on some of the traditions of Harrow that have survived continual scrutiny and review over many years: it has composed its own songs; taken on elements of the School uniform; incorporated some of the academic reward; and some of the distinctive Harrow ‘terminology’; and Speeches & Prizes on Speech Day, a traditional Harrow ceremony.
Pastoral care
At all ages in the School, there is a strong emphasis on the quality of relationships and community life, and the personal formation of character of each of its pupils.
In the Lower School, the focus of pastoral care is the Class Teacher. However, from Y6 when pupils enter the Upper School, pastoral care is centred on the House system: all boarders and day pupils are members of a House.
We work hard at establishing strong bonds within the communities of our Houses and the School. Above all, we aim to ensure our pupils are happy, secure and valued. The result is that there is an evident sense of pride among pupils of all ages in the School, and what it means to be a part of it and the family of Harrow schools.
The present pupil body is a diverse international one with 36 different nationalities. The focus of the pupil admissions process is to identify those with the aptitude, ability and personality to make the most of the opportunities at Harrow International School Hong Kong. Through our scholarships and bursaries scheme, we are looking to attract outstanding pupils with the potential to act as significant leaders in academic work, cultural activity, the arts and sport in the School, irrespective of their parents’ financial circumstances.
For further information about the School, visit the website at www.harrowschool.hk
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