Head of EYFS (August 2024 start)

Star International School Mirdif, is a rapidly growing British curriculum school in Dubai. We are an ambitious school that aspires to be the very best version of ourselves, and for those who join us, we would help them do the same. 

We seek individuals who want to make a difference in the world, seeing themselves as lifelong learners, committed to putting children at the heart of everything they do. We want educators who align closely with our vision, mission and values. If you feel you can champion these, then please apply to join the Star Mirdif family for August 2024.  

• Vision: To grow the future leaders and global citizens of tomorrow, who will Go Beyond and change our world for the better.
• Mission: Through amazing learning opportunities and personalised pathways, our educators and students Go Beyond to ensure every member of our Star Family achieves their personal best both inside and beyond the classroom
• Values: Self-belief, teamwork, adventure, respect

Star International School Mirdif is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history. 

The role – Job description for all teachers 

Key Accountabilities: 

•  Represent areas of knowledge, understanding and skills to students
•  Lead by example in the highest regard for truth, justice, equality of opportunity, human rights, benevolence and compassion
•  Engage and motivate students to achieve at levels that are beyond their expectations and previous limits
•  Use excellent subject knowledge, pedagogic and interpersonal skills to enthuse students and enable students to experience amazing learning
•  Make full use of ICT and the new technologies to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for students of all ages and attainment levels
•  Plan lessons taking full account of students’ individual learning needs, as well as their individual learning styles, preferences and capabilities
•  Encourage and enable all students to become effective, confident and independent life-long learners
•  Maintain excellent professional relationships with colleagues by making a wider professional contribution to the continuing improvement of the school
•  Plan and deliver a programme of learning opportunities and activities to enrich and enhance the taught curriculum
•  Cooperate with colleagues to establish and maintain fair and consistent disciplinary practices in the classroom, around the school and on school trips, and taking active measures to protect students from all forms of abuse, including racist or sexist abuse, bullying, and any kind of corporal punishment
•  Communicate open and professionally with parents on a regular basis about the attainment and progress of their child
•  Model good practice of academic practices
•  Contribute actively to department discussions in academic meetings
•  Contribute to and plan after-school activities as required
•  Actively support the school partnership with the community e.g. attending school / community events which may occasionally occur at weekends or in the evening i.e. school concerts etc.
•  Contribute to the development and provision of the highest quality of education at Star International School Mirdif
•  Make sure that young people of all abilities and backgrounds fulfil their potential
•  Promote a positive ethos across the school based on the school vision/values and a commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of students, staff, and the wider school community
•  Other responsibilities as reasonably requested

Teaching 

•  Plan and prepare schemes of work and complete planning documentation
•  Teach with consistent effectiveness the students in her/his classes, taking full account of all students’ individual educational needs
•  Set and mark work to be carried out by the students in school, online, at home and elsewhere as appropriate
•  Promote the intellectual, moral, spiritual, cultural, physical and personal abilities and aptitudes of the students in her/his classes and provide guidance and advice to students on educational and relevant social and other matters
•  Make records of and reports on the personal and social needs of students
•  Take part as appropriate in whole school development and share and promote best practice
•  At Star Mirdif we are Research informed and Well Being Aware
•  We believe in strategies which have the most impact being utilised in the classroom
•  We actively seek resources, methods and systems which can support workload and have equal if not more impact on student outcomes
•  Assessment, recording and reporting
•  Assess, record and report on the development, progress and attainment of the students in her/his classes
•  Provide or contribute to oral and written assessments, reports and references relating to individual students or groups of students
•  Guide students to set targets to improve on their previous ‘best’ and give regular feedback to students to support next steps in learning

Continuing Professional Development 

•  Keep under review her/his methods of teaching and programmes of work
•  Be proactive and take accountability for own development
•  Participate in arrangements for her/his further training and professional development as a teacher

Curriculum Development 

•  Advise and co-operate with the principal and other colleagues on the preparation and development of courses of study, teaching materials, teaching schemes, methods of teaching and assessment and pastoral arrangements
•  Take responsibility for specific subjects
•  To embed UAE heritage and culture within the curriculum

In addition, the post holder will -  

• Ensure teaching and learning in the early years are of the highest standard and personalised to specifically meet individual needs
• Lead CPD for all members of the school community
• Ensure all aspects of the day to day running of the school are smooth
• Ensure the school maintains a positive and respectful ethos
• Ensure the curriculum is inclusive and learner led, taking into account the cultural heritage of the school community and the local region
• Ensure children in the early years make as much progress as possible
• Ensure there is continuity and progression between the early years and year one

Skills, Qualifications and Experience 

Education: Relevant teaching qualification: minimum of a BEd or BA/BSc + PGCE/QTS in Early Years Education 

Experience: Min of 5 years of EYFS teaching experience plus 2 in a middle leadership role in a British school either internationally or in the UK