International Schools Partnership Careers

Head of Secondary

Role Profile

Purpose of Role

The Head of Secondary school is to lead our International Secondary School and its staff in delivering amazing learning and outstanding success for all students. To be a positive, reflective, and collaborative member of the senior leadership team, contributing to the campus-wide experiences of our students and our learning partnerships.

ABOUT TENBY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SETIA ECOHILL

Tenby International School Setia EcoHill follows the international school curriculum comprising IGCSE, beginning from kindergarten through to Secondary School. With over 800 students, we have gained a reputation for excellence and high standards in education.

We champion a transformative approach to learning that goes beyond the classroom. By igniting our students' curiosity and growing their self-confidence, we empower them to become the next generation of changemakers.

Tenby International School Setia EcoHill is part of ISP Malaysia, one of the leading education groups in Malaysia that operates Tenby Schools, Asia Pacific Schools and Straits International Schools. The nine school campuses are strategically located in the developed areas of Klang Valley in Selangor, Perak, Penang and Johor.

ISP Malaysia is part of ISP, a global community of over 100 international schools across more than 20 countries.

Key Benefits

• A culture of engagement and trust, where staff contributions are recognised and valued.
• A passionate and motivated team of professionals who put children at the heart of decision-making.
• An embedded commitment to professional development and employee well-being.  
• Access to expertise, best practice sharing and learning opportunities across countries and cultures. 
• Competitive remuneration.
• School fee discount for children of employees.
• Medical outpatient and insurance benefits.

ISP Principles

• Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

• Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

• Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

• Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

• Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

For more information visit  http://www.internationalschoolspartnership.com

Head of Secondary – Key Responsibilities

At Tenby International School Setia EcoHill, every student is valued, and we want them all to experience amazing learning and outstanding success. By the time they leave us, we want them to be confident and ready to shape their futures. We are looking for someone who shares our vision for our young people and who is ready to work with us as part of our campus leadership team and in leading their school as we deliver that vision together.

As the Head of Secondary, you will need to be passionate about achieving the best for every young person in your school. You will be knowledgeable about learning and how to guide staff in achieving amazing learning outcomes for students. You will be good at working with and inspiring your colleagues, our students, and their parents. You will be knowledgeable about keeping children safe, well, and happy, and appreciate the value of a strong, supportive school ethos and community.

Learning is at the heart of everything we do here at Tenby SEH. We encourage our students to be curious, to take risks, to be resilient, and show creativity and adaptability in the learning process. We aim to be a place ‘where confidence grows’ so that our students take ownership of their learning and are ready to shape their futures through the Amazing Learning experiences we offer.

Teaching and Learning

• To lead on the development of teaching and learning practices that inspire and motivate students to achieve their full potential and to engage actively in amazing learning;
• Identify and promote the most effective teaching strategies for all students;
• To review, establish and implement appropriate systems that focus on quality assurance and continued improvement across the School, in consultation with staff at all levels;
• To lead, support and advise staff in taking ownership for their own learning and identifying ways in which they can improve or tailor their classroom practice;
• To lead the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning, including regular Learning Visits and Performance Appraisal of assigned teachers;
• To advise on the smooth and effective transition of students between year groups and phases as appropriate;
• To liaise with other schools to ensure continuity of support and progression when students leave SEH, as appropriate;
• To work closely with teachers to help identify students in need of additional support and who may require a tailored educational plan to ensure they have the same access to the taught curriculum as their peers;
• To work closely with the wider Student Support Services that includes the Designated Safeguarding Leads, EAL/Multilingualism teachers, SEN teachers, Counsellors and School Nurses;
• To collaborate with the Head of Primary in the planning and creation of the timetable.
• Oversee and advise on ISP led initiatives in the secondary school under the Learning.First 5 pillars; Academic Achievement, Life Competencies, ILOS, Multilingualism and Future Pathways.

Recording and Assessment

• To review current recording and assessment practices and advise on the implementation of new or revised processes, initially with the secondary school, but potentially also of benefit to the wider Tenby SEH campus.
• To have an overview of all processes related to standardised assessments and examinations and ensure that they are carried out in a timely and professional manner, and in accordance with the appropriate regulations.
• To lead on the analysis and interpretation of relevant assessment data and advise and support teachers accordingly in the effective use of such data to inform planning.
• To have an overview of the general organisation and monitoring of academic reporting cycles.
• To assist the Head of Pastoral in the creation of Individual Education Plans (IEP) in consultation with teachers.
• To assist the Admissions team in the assessment of students applying to join Tenby SEH

Leadership

• Be a member of and contribute to the effectiveness of the School’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT);
• To assist the SLT in the strategic development of appropriate policies.
• To update the SLT on the effectiveness of the teaching and learning practices and advise on and recommend further improvements.
• To contribute to the overall budgeting process by having responsibility for the financial planning within the secondary school and the effective disbursement and allocation of a delegated budget.
• To lead, liaise with and assist the deputy head of secondary – Pastoral and advise staff on Pastoral matters, including behaviour and attendance concerns.
• To manage issues related to the conduct and capability of staff.
• To lead and advise on the professional development of staff.
• To disseminate good practice across the school.
• To liaise with all stakeholders to ensure the school is providing maximum support for students.
• To contribute to the review and revision of the School Improvement Plan and the Learning Improvement Plan (LIP) with particular emphasis on matters concerning teaching, learning and continuous quality improvement at SEH.
• To maintain and develop resources, co-ordinate their deployment, and monitor their effectiveness in meeting the learning needs of the students.
• To build, value and maintain excellent relationships with students’ parents, guardians and carers, being available to and engage with them readily.
• To promote and attend functions and events as a member of the SLT as required.
• To attend and support AIMS meetings and ISP regional meetings on behalf of the school as appropriate
• Lead and maintain professional alliances with university and industry partners to continue to foster and expand on these special relationships.

Professional Standards

•          To act under the direction and guidance of the CP and in accordance with the school’s agreed priorities.

•          To develop and demonstrate the highest possible standards of communication and sharing of information.

•          To contribute to, model and support the school’s vision, values and high aspirations, with a relentless focus on students’ achievement and personal development, and continual school improvement.

•          Actively contributes to the running of an equitable and inclusive school in which every individual matters and all students feel safe.

•          To develop and demonstrate the highest possible standards of communication and sharing of information.

•          To contribute to, model and support the school’s vision, values and high aspirations, with a relentless focus on students’ achievement and personal development, and continual school improvement.

•          Actively contributes to the running of an equitable and inclusive school in which every individual matters and all students feel safe.

•          Set an excellent example in terms of dress, punctuality and attendance.

•          Uphold the School's behavior code and uniform regulations.

•          Keep abreast of developments and innovation in the leadership of teaching and learning, ensuring that all relevant policies are compliant, and regularly updated.

•          To act as a strong role model to encourage all members of staff to recognize and fulfil their responsibilities to all students.

Line management

The Head of Secondary reports to the Campus Principal

Qualifications and Experience

Education: Bachelor’s degree in education or a related field. Have a recognized teaching qualification (e.g. PGDT, PGCEi or similar); A master’s degree in education or related field would be an advantage.

Experience and Skills:

•  Experience as a Head of Secondary School or in senior school leadership in a secondary school setting.

•  Experience in an international setting is advantageous but not essential – more important is a willingness to listen and learn, to be open to diversity and to respect people’s different experiences.

•  A qualified secondary teacher with a relevant degree (essential) and has achieved or is working towards a recognized leadership qualification e.g., NPQH/NPQSL or Master’s Degree in Education (desirable);

•  Experience leading or in senior leadership at a school that follows the UK National

•  IGCSEs, with a track record of positive impact on student outcomes.

•  Experience of working within a multilingual learning environment and knowledge of EAL provision (desirable).

•  Has excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to engage and inspire staff, students, parents, and the wider school community.

•  Can lead and manage a safe and caring school, ensuring clarity of culture and a positive ethos.

•  Able to implement, monitor, and review practices that are clear and consistent and lead to successful outcomes for students.

•  Able to combine professional intelligence and insight with the use of data to assure the effectiveness of school practice.

•  Empower teachers in continually improving the quality of learning happening in their classroom.

•  Can lead on whole-school curriculum implementation, review, and design so we continue to deliver amazing learning opportunities and experiences for all students.

•  Ready and willing to work with the wider campus leadership team for the benefit of all students and the whole community.

•  Able to develop effective relationships with all based on our values of integrity, honesty, and respect.

•  Forward-thinking and ready to embrace the latest thinking and technologies where a positive impact on learning is evidenced, whilst being strategic and pragmatic in implementation.

•  Prioritizes the safeguarding and safety of students and staff, with an awareness of appropriate behaviours, policies, and procedures including the principles of Keeping Children Safe in Education and Safer Recruitment.

ISP Core Competencies

You consistently demonstrate and role-model the ISP Core Competencies in all that you do.

Cognitive

• Curious and agile

• Learns by questioning, exploring and investigating.
• Self-motivated; develops goals, monitors progress and adapts plans as necessary.
• Comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity; stays engaged and curious and effectively balances patience and action.
• Open-minded; willing to try and test ideas.
• Challenges traditional methods and ways of thinking and encourages new perspectives.

• Creative problem-solver

• Tackles challenges in an organised and systematic way and finds solutions.
• Resourceful and imaginative; sees problems as opportunities to explore alternatives and possibilities.
• Uses logic to break complex problems down into manageable components.
• Interprets and evaluates data and evidence to classify information and recognise patterns and relationships.
• Leverages data and information as critical components in decision-making.

Interpersonal

• Empathetic and emotionally intelligent

• Excels at teamwork and building positive relationships.
• Motivates and encourages others by sharing positive feedback and recognising and celebrating their contributions.
• Understands and respects others’ views, beliefs and feelings, building trust and rapport.
• Self-reflects to understand how their actions and behaviour affect others.
• Manages and self-regulates their emotions.

• Collaborative and communicative

• Communicates openly, honestly and professionally.
• Actively listens and encourages contributions; values others’ inputs and ideas.
• Adapts their style, tone and approach according to others’ needs.
• Shares relevant knowledge, ideas and information with others.
• Handles conflict and disagreements constructively, facilitating dialogue, understanding and resolution.

Self-Leadership

• Amazing Learner

• Manages their own personal development, focusing on continuous learning and getting better.
• Humble, self-aware and open about their own areas for growth.
• Seeks out, welcomes and acts on feedback.
• Understands the internal and external factors affecting their learning and takes ownership for mitigating these.
• An agile learner who makes connections between experiences and is able to unlearn when new solutions are required.

• Resilient

• Practices self-care and encourages others to do the same.
• Organises themselves and their time and resources well to effectively manage challenges and stressors.
• Understands their own emotions and triggers and follows healthy habits to help manage stress.
• Uses inner strength when times are challenging or when working outside of their comfort zone.
• Recovers positively from setbacks, using them as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Digital

• Technologically literate

• Uses technology in an ethical way, following cybersecurity and data protection best practice.
• Communicates clearly and respectfully across digital and virtual channels.
• Possesses strong functional skills, using technology effectively to support them in their role.
• Understands different digital tools and systems, selecting and using the appropriate solution for specific purposes.
• Keeps up with change, adapting to and embracing new technologies.

Global

• Values driven

• Role models the ISP Principles.
• Understands their responsibilities and the impact and influence they have.
• Demonstrates a multi-cultural mindset and respects the different values, behaviours, attitudes, and practices across cultures.
• Prioritises well-being, inclusion and belonging and is caring, considerate and supportive of others.
• Considers the environmental and social impact of their actions and finds ways to minimise these.

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All postholders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years of employment history. 

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.