head of lower school - 2026 - guangzhou, china.

Harrow International School Guangzhou
AISL Harrow International School Guangzhou is scheduled to open in September 2026, with a planned capacity of 1,530 students across 65 classes and approximately 300 boarding spaces. As the fifth AISL Harrow School in the Greater Bay Area, it welcomes foreign children aged 2-18 from expatriate families and residents of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan, opening doors to unparalleled opportunities. It is expected that HIS Guangzhou will develop into a flagship school for the AISL Harrow Group.

The school will embody the essence of British education, combining academic excellence with the dynamic spirit of STEAM innovation. Students will benefit from exceptional educators and state-of-the-art facilities that empower their growth and foster innovation, as they become internationally competitive individuals ready to excel in science and technology.

HIS Guangzhou provides an excellent opportunity for experienced educators to establish an excellent school and to join a well-established, ambitious and expanding family of international schools.

Role and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be a part of the start-up team, laying the foundations for the opening in 2026. Working collaboratively with the Head, SLT, Governors and AISL colleagues Harrow to co-devise and deliver upon the School's key strategic aims. This will include:

• Working with the Head Master/Mistress to create the strategic vision for the Lower School, including preparation of the Lower School strategic plan and interconnecting development plan

• Leading staff as they work collaboratively to implement School priorities to ensure excellence in teaching and learning, curriculum development and pupil wellbeing

• Providing supportive and challenging leadership and line management to the leaders and leadership teams within the Lower School

• Involvement in the recruitment of teaching staff and educational support staff

• Involvement with admissions and the assessment of potential new pupils

• Taking an active lead in promoting the School to all stakeholders

Overall responsibility for academic standards in the Lower School including:

• Role-modelling the delivery of excellent lessons through inspiring and engaging teaching

• Reviewing schemes of work, and monitoring their use by Class Teachers

• Working with the Lower School leaders in monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of methods of formative and summative assessment of pupils' work and ensuring effective ways to track pupil progress and attainment

• Fostering, by example, a spirit of enquiry throughout the Lower School

• Liaising with fellow leaders to monitor standards of teaching and learning, including the observation of Lower

• School learning as a matter of good practice and to provide constructive feedback to the Class Teachers concerned;

• Ensuring that differentiation, challenge and support are embedded within the curriculum, regularly reviewing and sharing pupil work and progress and fostering high standards of pupil work

• In conjunction with the SENDCo and EAL Dept, managing support for individual needs within and beyond the classroom

• Compiling a termly report on academic standards for the Head, including a detailed analysis of standardised assessment results

In liaison with the Deputy Head (Academic), leading the implementation of a dynamic and innovative curriculum:

• Ensuring a challenging, varied and exciting curriculum is in place that achieves excellent academic outcomes for all pupils

• Keeping up-to-date with developments in teaching and learning in the fields of Early Years and Primary years, ensuring that the school's offer progresses as required

• Working with fellow senior leaders in ensuring there is appropriate academic progression from the Lower School to the Upper School

• Formulating and monitoring effective initiatives in the academic curriculum to provide effective opportunities for pupils to develop key knowledge, skills, and competencies

• Liaising with the Deputy Head (Academic) to provide relevant information for the construction of the Lower School timetable

Responsibility for leading the CPD programme for Lower School teachers, including:

• With the Deputy Head (Academic), coordinating, managing and reviewing the annual Professional

• Performance Review for Lower School teachers

• Collating and recommending the CPD needs of Lower School teachers

• Developing a CPD programme for Lower School teachers taking into account the School Development Plan and the needs of individual teachers

Overall responsibility for the strategic leadership of Lower School's Pupil Wellbeing Programme and the personal development of pupils, including:

• Working with colleagues to lead on initiatives in the Lower School that provide effective opportunities to develop the School's Core Values, with a focus upon pupil wellbeing, their happiness and achievement

• Leading the strategic development of policy making on pastoral care throughout the Lower School, including keeping up to date with local and international initiatives related to pastoral care

• In liaison with appropriate colleagues, coordinating responses to significant pastoral issues in the Lower School

• Overseeing and coordinating the pastoral care elements of the transition programmes for pupils from Early Years to Year 1and from Year 5 to the Upper School, including coordinating and leading on innovative transition events

• Preparing termly reports for the Head and Governing Body on pupil wellbeing and pastoral development

• In liaison with fellow pastoral leaders, implementing and regularly reviewing the School's Rewards and Sanctions Policy, the Behaviour Policy and Code of Conduct

Responsibility for Safeguarding in the Lower School, including:

• Acting as one of the School's Deputy DSLs and membership within the Safeguarding Team

• Implementing School policies on safeguarding and child protection, health and safety, anti-bullying and behaviour

• Liaising closely with the DSL and safeguarding team more widely on all childprotection and safeguarding matters in the Lower School

Overseeing the operations and organisation of the Lower School, including:

• Contributing to the writing and localization of standard AISL policies

• Chairing Lower School staff meetings, and those of middle leaders

• Chairing meetings each term of the Lower School Parent Reps

• Managing the Lower School budget

• Organising Lower School parents' meetings and the Celebration of Learning Day and other Lower School events

• Managing and reviewing the Lower School reporting process to parents

• In liaison with the Marketing Dept, producing literature for current and prospective parents and pupils

• Maintaining an active online presence via the School's social media platforms and taking advantage of ambassadorial opportunities for the development and promotion of the Lower School

Work collaboratively with the Deputy Head (Academic) and the Admissions Department to recruit new pupils to the Lower School, including:

• Designing and developing appropriate entrance testing methods of applicants

• Interviewing pupils and providing recommendations for the admission of pupils into the Lower School

All staff are expected to:

• Actively seek opportunities to develop professionally including teaching and learning theory and research, and career-related goals

• Participate fully in the annual Professional Performance Review and seek CPD opportunities, including within the AISL Academy offer

• Participate in School-wide CPD initiatives and be prepared to share expertise in CPD programmes

• Contribute to the wider life of the School by participating in the Super Curriculum and Co-curricular programmes in one or more activities

• Undertake duties as may be reasonably requested by the Head of School or a delegated representative

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree or above in any field.

• Possess a UK PGCE, or other teaching qualification, giving QTS, from a recognised institution.

• A strong understanding of effective classroom pedagogical practice within a primary level setting

• Familiarity with the National Curriculum of England at KS1 and KS2, and the EYFS Framework (as a base understanding for the Little Lions Curriculum)

• A proven track record of leadership

• Good planning and organisation skills, strong in communication, data analysis, and the use of technology within the education environment

• The ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues

Salary and Benefits Package

The remuneration package is very generous and includes the following;

• A competitive salary package

• An annual bonus of 10% of salary, subject to appraisal

• Full health insurance coverage for teachers as well as cover for dependents

• Onsite full-furnished accommodation provided for teachers in their first two years with the option of living offsite in second and subsequent contracts

• Return Airfare and baggage allowances for teacher and dependents

• 100% remission on tuition fees for up to two (2) dependent children attending the School. 50% remission on tuition fees for 3rd dependent child onward.

• The cost of all working visas, dependents' resident visas and work permits costs paid for by the school