Prep School Assistant Head – Teaching & Learning

GEMS Wellington Academy, Al Khail are looking to appoint an exceptional, experienced leader to join us as Prep School Assistant Head – Teaching & Learning for August 2026. The successful candidate will be self-motivated, have proven and sustained impact on driving standards and be committed to a culture of High Performance.

Job Purpose: Leading, managing and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning across the FS and Primary phases

Purpose of the post:

This position is a fantastic opportunity to make an impact in the growth and development of Teaching and Learning at GEMS Wellington Academy, Al Khail.  You will work as part of the Primary Leadership Team to ensure the students at The Academy receive a world class education.

To do this, the Assistant Head will be accountable for providing professional leadership and management in the development of Teaching and Learning so as to secure high-quality teaching, effective use of resources and improved standards of learning and achievement for all pupils. The emphasis of the role will be on working with and coaching individuals and teams to improve teaching and learning core practice. The Assistant Head will also actively participate in whole-school self-evaluation and school improvement planning and will be responsible for the coaching, mentoring and development of all staff.

About the Role:

Teaching and Learning:

§  To lead and drive the teaching principles in order to enhance teaching and learning

§  To support the monitoring of effective learning and teaching through quality assurance processes such as lesson observations, learning walks and work scrutiny etc.

§  To support the coordination of coaching and workshop cycles in order to develop teacher practice

§  To support on the gathering of best practice linked to Teaching Principles and Teacher Playbook to support instructional coaching and workshop cycles

§  To mentoring/coaching to individual teachers in need of 1-to-1 support to improve their practice

§  Model consistently high-quality teaching and be able to demonstrate excellent practice to others

§  Prepare and deliver training courses across the school to improve teachers’ practice

§  Use data to identify individuals or groups that need further teaching support and develop and implement strategies to raise the quality of teaching

§  To be an active lead member of the whole school teaching and learning team

Curriculum:

§  To work alongside subject leads to establish what high-quality teaching looks like within each subject

§  To evaluate and support the quality of curriculum planning and work alongside year group leaders and teachers to ensure collaborative planning is effective

Staff Development:

§  To oversee the school CPD framework and lead the strategic development of staff at all levels

§  To support and lead on the Performance Management Review cycles for staff members

§  To support and lead on the ECT programme offering and coordinate student teacher support

§  Lead on researching best practice and keeping up to date with the latest developments with an emphasis on Cognitive Science

§  Share knowledge with staff and offer support to implement the research into their own practice 

§  Inform staff about the latest innovations in teaching and learning

§  Take part in further training and development in order to improve their own practice

§  Where appropriate, take part in the appraisal and professional development of others

§  Build a network across the sector to seek out best practice that will ensure the Academy is at the forefront high-quality teaching and learning

Behaviour for Learning:

§  To support and lead on the development of Learning Skills to embed behaviours for learning

§  To support the implementation of the behaviour and rewards system to ensure positive learning environments in all subjects

Parental Partnerships:

§  To raise the profile of the teaching and learning amongst primary parents and the community

§  To coordinate and lead parental workshops and information sessions to support parents in understanding teaching and learning strategies and supporting students at home

• A strong commitment to high standards and a variety of approaches to teaching and learning 
• The ability to lead, inspire, motivate and support pupils and colleagues 
• An outstanding classroom practitioner 
• The ability to inspire others and lead by example, role modelling the School’s vision statement Leadership for a better world in relationships with pupils, teachers and parents; 
• The ability to work in a successful and dynamic school 
• Excellent organisational, administrative, IT and data management skills 
• Ability to maintain high standards of accuracy and have a calm methodical approach to work whilst working under pressure 
• Excellent numeracy and literacy skills 
• A high level of understanding of data management and its complexities 
•  Evidence of numeracy and logic skills 
• Deep understanding of British curriculum frameworks, inspection standards (KHDA, BSO), and GEMS expectations.  
• Recognised teaching qualification (PGCE or equivalent). 
• Bachelor’s degree in Education or relevant field; Master’s degree or National Professional Qualification in Education (NPQ) preferred.  

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS WEDNESDAY 18TH FEBRUARY 2026

GEMS Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all of its students and staff. A UK-enhanced DBS or equivalent police check is a pre-requisite for all appointments.