Director of Arabic and Islamic Studies

Job Headline

Harrow International School Abu Dhabi is seeking an inspirational and exceptional Director of Arabic and Islamic Studies to join the founding team and become part of the legacy.

Job Description

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.

Harrow International School Abu Dhabi is seeking an exceptional Director of Arabic and Islamic to join the founding team and become part of the legacy.

As part of our founding team, you will play a pivotal role in building a vibrant and inclusive community where the learning of every individual is at the heart of daily life. Guided by the Harrow values, our staff will create an environment in which every pupil is nurtured, challenged, and empowered to achieve their very best.

Within our state-of-the-art facilities, you will help establish a culture of academic and sporting excellence, creativity, and curiosity, ensuring that Harrow International School Abu Dhabi quickly takes its place among the leading international schools of the region.

Joining Harrow International School Abu Dhabi is not only an opportunity to teach — it is an invitation to shape and inspire generations to come.

The Director of Arabic and Islamic Studies will lead the department in delivering an outstanding curriculum that is academically rigorous, culturally relevant, and aligned with UAE national standards and Harrow’s international ethos. The post holder will inspire high-quality teaching, foster a love of learning, and promote a deep appreciation of Emirati culture and Islamic heritage. Working in close partnership with the Senior Leadership Team, the Director will drive excellence, monitor impact, and ensure all students achieve their fullest potential in Arabic and Islamic Education.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Leadership and Department Management

• Provide leadership for the strategic development of Arabic and Islamic Studies, ensuring alignment with UAE national standards and Harrow’s international ethos.

• Collaborate with Heads of Department and Senior Leadership Teams to enhance inspection outcomes and student achievement across the school.

• Foster a culture of innovation, professional growth, collaboration, and high expectations within the department.

• Monitor and evaluate the impact of departmental and whole-school action plans, using data to inform strategic decisions.

• Advise the Senior Leadership Team on budgetary priorities and manage departmental budgets, procurement, and end-of-year reporting.

• Keep abreast of ADEK regulations and ensure departmental compliance.

• Actively participate in Taaleem-wide Arabic and Islamic initiatives, contributing to the sharing of best practices, professional networks, and cross-school improvement strategies as guided by the Taaleem Director of Arabic.

Curriculum Development

• Design, implement, and continuously refine a rigorous, culturally relevant curriculum that promotes Emirati culture and Islamic heritage.

• Develop systems to ensure effective use of formative and summative assessment data to guide learning.

• Monitor Arabic and Islamic lesson plans and unit planners to ensure consistent development of students’ independent learning skills, including critical thinking, enquiry, and investigation.

• Ensure clear and progressive pathways for both Arabic A and Arabic B embedding language acquisition principles to support student progress across all phases.

• Collaborate with other Department Chairs on the vertical and horizontal alignment of the curriculum school-wide language policies and curriculum development.

• Promote cross-curricular initiatives to integrate Arabic and Islamic perspectives across the school.

Teaching and Learning

• Champion effective pedagogy and evidence-based teaching practices.

• Identify and implement best practices and innovative approaches in teaching, assessment, and curriculum design.

• Monitor and review teaching quality and student progress to ensure continuous improvement.

• Support differentiation and scaffolding to meet the diverse needs of both native and non-native Arabic learners, ensuring progress for all groups.

• Maintain awareness of emerging research and best practices in education.

• Promote a love of learning and a deep appreciation of Emirati culture and Islamic heritage among all students.

• Support initiatives and events that enhance students’ cultural awareness, moral understanding, and personal growth.

Staff Management

• Inspire, support, and evaluate teachers to achieve outstanding teaching and learning outcomes.

• Design and deliver professional development programmes to support outstanding teaching.

• Provide developmental feedback through the performance management process.

• Support recruitment, induction, and ongoing development of department staff.

• Assist Arabic and Islamic teachers and assistants in differentiating instruction and supporting exceptional learners.

Safeguarding and Student Well-being

• Uphold and promote the school’s safeguarding policies and practices, ensuring the welfare of all students.

• Embed safeguarding, pastoral care, and student well-being in all aspects of teaching and learning.

• Promote inclusive practices and differentiation to meet the needs of all learners, including those with additional needs.

Community and External Engagement

• Engage with parents, the local community, and educational authorities to strengthen students’ learning experiences and cultural understanding.

• Lead workshops and initiatives to promote opportunities for parental involvement and cultural enrichment.

• Establish links with other schools and experts to enhance Arabic and Islamic Subjects provision.

Skills Description

Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant leadership or senior management qualifications.
• Track record of successfully developing and implementing culturally relevant and academically rigorous curricula.
• Experience in integrating national standards, cultural values, and international educational practices.
• Strong data analysis skills, with the ability to interpret assessment results and use them to inform departmental planning, student attainment, and progress.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to drive innovation and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire students and staff.
• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusivity, and the wider ethos of Harrow School.

Essential

• A degree in Arabic Language or Arabic/Islamic Studies, and a Postgraduate certificate in Education (PGCE), Teaching Diploma, or equivalent qualification.
• Senior leadership experience in Arabic and Islamic education within an international school context. Strong understanding of UAE culture, Emirati heritage, and Islamic values.

Leadership and Personal Qualities

• Inspirational leadership with the ability to articulate and deliver a strategic vision.
• A genuine love of working with young people and commitment to their holistic development.
• Solutions-focused, with the highest levels of professionalism.
• Collaborative, resilient and innovative in approach.
• Willingness to embrace Harrow’s broad environment and approach to all-round education.
• Cultural and linguistic sensitivity with the ability to champion Arabic as both a native language and an additional language, ensuring inclusion and motivation for all learners.

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 Abu Dhabi 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.