Assistant Headteacher – Co-curricular and Harrow Identity

Job Description

Safeguarding Statement

Taaleem is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. 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 to share this commitment.

All successful applicants must be willing to undergo enhanced child protection screening appropriate to the post, including various background checks including, receipt of high-quality references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification and police checks, including overseas checks. No member of staff will be able to start until these checks are complete and this process takes, on average, a month.

Job Purpose

The Assistant Headteacher (Co-curricular and Harrow Identity) will lead the strategic development and delivery of a broad, inclusive and ambitious programme of wider education from EYFS to Year 8. Reporting to the Head of Junior School, the post-holder will bring coherence to co-curricular provision, sport, educational visits, pupil leadership, community service, partnerships and major school events.

The post-holder will ensure that opportunities beyond the classroom contribute purposefully to pupils’ character, confidence, talents and sense of responsibility. They will lead Harrow identity through traditions, shared experiences and the lived expression of Courage, Honour, Humility and Fellowship, making these meaningful and accessible to pupils of all ages.

The post-holder will line-manage the Director of Sport and relevant co-curricular leaders, and oversee the House programme and pupil leadership in collaboration with the Assistant Headteacher responsible for Pastoral. Pastoral care, behaviour and wellbeing will remain within the Pastoral portfolio. The role will develop productive links locally, internationally and across the Harrow family of schools, and contribute fully to the leadership and daily life of the Junior School.

Key Relationships: Head Master, Head of Junior School, Junior School Leadership Team, Director of Sport, co-curricular leaders, Housemasters, Beaks, Admissions and Marketing, Operations, Finance, safeguarding staff, pupils, parents, external providers, Harrow schools and partner organisations.

Key Accountabilities

Strategy and Co-curricular Provision

• Lead an integrated strategy for wider education across EYFS to Year 8, aligned with the School Improvement Plan, Harrow values and pupils’ developing interests and needs.

• Design, coordinate and evaluate a balanced programme of sport, creative and performing arts, academic enrichment, practical pursuits, leadership and service, working with specialist leaders.

• Ensure provision offers both broad participation and appropriate pathways for pupils with particular interests or talents, with accessible entry points and increasing challenge.

• Coordinate schedules, staffing, spaces and communications to ensure a coherent programme alongside teaching, prep, dining and other school commitments.

• Monitor participation, pupil experience and impact; identify barriers, address gaps and report on engagement, quality and development priorities.

• Oversee external activity providers with Operations and relevant leaders, ensuring appropriate checks, clear expectations, effective supervision and regular quality review.

Sport and Physical Participation

• Line-manage and support the Director of Sport in delivering a coherent strategy for participation, skill development, fixtures, competition and sporting excellence.

• Ensure sporting opportunities are inclusive, age-appropriate and balanced, promoting enjoyment, fair play, resilience and commitment alongside competitive ambition.

• Oversee the coordination of fixtures, tournaments and sporting events, including staffing, transport, facilities and communication with families.

• Work with academic leaders and the Director of Sport to align curricular PE with wider sporting opportunities while maintaining clear responsibilities for curriculum delivery.

Educational Visits and Trips

• Lead the strategic planning and coordination of local visits, residential experiences and international trips, creating a progressive programme with clear educational purposes.

• Oversee visit planning, staff preparation, pupil suitability, inclusion, parental information and consent, ensuring agreed safeguarding, supervision and emergency arrangements are in place.

• Ensure risk assessments, provider checks, transport and accommodation arrangements are reviewed through school procedures and submitted for the required approvals before commitments are made.

• Work with safeguarding, medical and Operations colleagues to review changing conditions, including regional developments, and recommend changes or cancellation where required.

• Evaluate visits and ensure lessons from feedback, incidents and near misses inform future planning.

Pupil Leadership Community Service and Houses

• Develop progressive pupil leadership opportunities across EYFS to Year 8, including representation, pupil voice, mentoring and practical responsibilities.

• Develop community service that helps pupils understand needs, contribute responsibly and reflect on their impact.

• Coordinate charitable activity with school leaders, ensuring suitable partners, appropriate approvals and compliance with school procedures and applicable local requirements.

• Lead House activities and events with Housemasters, building participation, healthy competition and fellowship.

• Work with the Pastoral leader to align House activities, recognition and pupil leadership with the wider pastoral system, maintaining clear responsibilities for individual pupil care.

Partnerships and Harrow Identity

• Develop purposeful local and international partnerships with schools, community organisations, cultural institutions and sporting bodies, with clear benefits for pupils.

• Build links with Harrow School and other Harrow international schools, including Harrow Abu Dhabi, through shared projects, events, visits and staff collaboration.

• Lead Harrow identity with the Head Master, interpreting traditions, heritage and expectations appropriately for pupils’ ages and the UAE context.

• Embed Harrow values through participation, service and shared experiences; ensure traditions are understood and contribute to belonging and character.

• Coordinate the educational contribution of parents, Old Harrovians and other partners, following safeguarding and visitor procedures and evaluating partnership quality.

Major Events People and Resources

• Lead major school events, including Speech Day, Long Ducker, House Songs and agreed celebrations, with the Head Master and relevant leaders.

• Coordinate the annual events calendar with Operations, Admissions and Marketing, ensuring clear responsibilities, realistic preparation, effective communication and suitable contingencies.

• Line-manage the Director of Sport and designated co-curricular leaders; set objectives, support professional development and review the quality and impact of their provision.

• Plan and monitor delegated budgets; evaluate costs, value and affordability, and secure required approvals for expenditure, providers and partnerships.

• Ensure programmes and events are appropriately staffed, safeguarded and risk assessed; contribute evidence to school self-evaluation and improvement planning.

Shared Leadership and Professional Responsibilities

• Contribute to strategic planning, self-evaluation, improvement and daily leadership as a member of the Junior School Leadership Team; deputise for the Head of Junior School when delegated.

• Undertake a teaching commitment appropriate to the role, modelling high standards of teaching, pastoral care and professional conduct.

• Support recruitment, induction, appraisal and professional development within the role, following safer recruitment requirements and school procedures.

• Maintain accurate records, communicate professionally, uphold confidentiality and use pupil information responsibly.

• Undertake other reasonable duties appropriate to an Assistant Headteacher, as agreed with the Head of Junior School.

Skills Description

Essential Requirements

• Appropriate degree and a UK PGCE or other teaching qualification conferring Qualified Teacher Status.

• At least three years of successful leadership experience, with evidence of leading staff and securing sustained improvement.

• Successful teaching experience and evidence of leading high-quality co-curricular, enrichment, sport or wider education provision for school-age pupils.

• Strong organisational and people leadership skills, including experience of managing events or visits, budgets, risk and external relationships.

• Ability to build inclusive programmes, develop pupil leadership and service, and communicate a school’s values and identity convincingly.

• A proven commitment to safeguarding children and a sound understanding of child protection responsibilities and procedures.

• Successful completion of all required pre-employment and child protection checks, including appropriate police and overseas checks, an International Child Protection Check where applicable, verified qualifications and satisfactory references.

Desirable Characteristics

• Experience in a British independent or international school, including residential or international visits and school partnerships.

• Relevant educational visits or leadership training; understanding of Harrow traditions, with cultural sensitivity and a collaborative approach.

School Values and Behaviours

All staff are expected to conduct themselves in line with the school’s values which are: Courage, Honour, Humility and Fellowship. While the School’s values set out what matters most to us, the behaviours below are intended as a shared set of expectations to refer to, and standards to aspire to, in our dealings with others. They are the practical application of our values.

Courage: We remain optimistic and purposeful in a disrupted world. We take responsibility for our decisions, even the hard ones. We always challenge poor behaviour in ourselves and others. We are open to new ideas, and seek fresh challenges.

Honour: We keep our promises. We act with integrity – doing the right thing, even when it is difficult or when no one is watching. We respect and value our traditions whilst setting them in the context of today.

Humility: We work hard to serve others within the School and across our wider communities where possible putting their interests before our own. We give and seek honest and appropriate feedback, reflect on our failures and learn from them. We support each other through challenges and whatever the outcome, we celebrate those that took part.

Fellowship: We respect each other and value our differences, knowing that we are more effective and more resilient working together. We are kind and inclusive; we value the contribution that each of us makes. We role model the behaviours that we would like to see in others; we ask only of others what we would be prepared to do ourselves.

Equality, diversity and inclusion are values that are important to us at Taaleem. We believe in diversity of thought and actively welcome everyone regardless of their background to bring their valuable and relevant skills to our community.

Note: It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

This advertisement is posted on behalf of Harrow International School Dubai which is part of the group owned by Taaleem Holdings PJSC and independently operated under a licence to use the Harrow School brand. For further details of the relationship, please see the relationship statement on the harrowdubai.ae website. Accordingly, applicants should be aware that the employer will be part of Taaleem Holdings PJSC’s group and under its control and not Harrow School.