GEMS
Head of Primary
- Permanent
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Experience 5 - 10 yrs
Job expiry date: 23/02/2026
Job overview
Date posted
09/01/2026
Location
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Salary
Undisclosed
Compensation
Salary only
Experience
5 - 10 yrs
Seniority
Senior Manager
Qualification
Bachelors degree
Expiration date
23/02/2026
Job description
The Head of Primary role at GEMS Founders School – Al Mizhar is a senior leadership position accountable for leading, managing, and evaluating the progress, wellbeing, and academic development of students within the Primary Key Stage. As a member of the Extended Leadership Team, the role is responsible for articulating and delivering a clear Key Stage vision aligned to the school’s ethos, driving curriculum planning, assessment tracking, behaviour management, and performance standards. The position plays a central role in implementing and sustaining the High Performance Learning (HPL) framework, supporting accreditation against HPL World Class School standards, and embedding cognitive performance characteristics and values across the Primary phase. The role leads teaching and learning quality, manages staff teams, oversees student welfare and behaviour systems, drives professional development, ensures effective use of resources, and represents the Key Stage internally and externally while contributing to whole-school strategy, policy implementation, and future-focused educational delivery.
Required skills
Key responsibilities
- Lead, manage, monitor, and evaluate student progress, wellbeing, and attainment across the Primary Key Stage
- Articulate and deliver a Key Stage vision aligned with the school’s ethos and strategic objectives
- Implement and promote the High Performance Learning framework and support formal HPL accreditation processes
- Oversee curriculum planning, assessment tracking, baseline analysis, and progress forecasting
- Ensure effective implementation of Behaviour for Learning, student welfare, and disciplinary structures
- Lead teaching and learning quality through monitoring, observation, and liaison with subject leaders and tutors
- Set and monitor progress targets in collaboration with the Head of School and senior leadership
- Lead and manage Primary staff teams, including coaching, professional development, performance reviews, and induction
- Coordinate with Student Welfare, House Teams, and external agencies to support student engagement and wellbeing
- Manage resource planning, budgets, inventories, and deployment of support staff to ensure value for money
- Represent the Primary Key Stage to senior leadership, governors, parents, and the wider community
- Contribute to whole-school policy development, school development planning, and reporting requirements
- Ensure safeguarding compliance including adherence to UK-enhanced DBS or equivalent police check requirements
Experience & skills
- Demonstrate senior leadership experience within a Primary or Key Stage educational setting
- Exhibit strong capability in curriculum leadership, assessment tracking, and student progress analysis
- Demonstrate experience implementing structured learning frameworks such as High Performance Learning
- Exhibit experience leading and managing teaching staff, including professional development and performance review
- Demonstrate experience managing behaviour, pastoral care, and student welfare systems
- Demonstrate ability to manage budgets, resources, and operational planning within a school environment
- Comply with safeguarding requirements including UK-enhanced DBS or equivalent police clearance