Deputy Head of Primary: Academic) – The Arbor School (Aug 2026)

Job Overview

The Arbor School is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and visionary leader to join our Primary Leadership Team as Deputy Head of Primary: Academic. This is a pivotal role for an experienced educator who can lead the curriculum, assessment, and teaching standards across the Primary phase (FS1 – Year 6), ensuring that every child experiences exceptional learning rooted in curiosity, compassion, and courage.

As a core member of the Primary Leadership Team, the Deputy Head will work closely with the Head of Primary to shape and deliver a progressive, research-driven educational model. You will lead the development of a world-class curriculum, drive teaching and learning excellence, and ensure data-informed decision-making underpins all school improvement processes.

Enough For All, For Ever

The Arbor School opened in 2018 with a very different vision of what education could and should be – experiential, authentic and inspired by the natural beauty, human ingenuity, and profound ecological and social challenges of the Arabian Peninsula.

The cultivation of a learning community uniquely committed to understanding and restoring the health of ecological and human communities as interconnected parts of a whole requires equal parts optimism, ambition, and humility. A fundamental belief in the inherit goodness of people and their capacity to act with empathy and compassion underscores the sense of hope that is fundamental to learning for a sustainable future. The resilience and determination to tackle challenges that have grown to global proportion is essential to finding sustainable solutions and orchestrating the social changes needed to grow them to scale. The realisation that comes from recognising that we are all students – never a master – drives our commitment to ignite a lifelong love of learning.

Role

Recognising the interconnected nature of the cognitive, affective and participative domains, and their roles in shaping learning, we are pursuing a holistic approach to teaching and learning, designed to prepare learners:

• to understand the interconnected concepts of sustainability, individual and collective well-being, and environmental and social justice;
• to find purpose, meaning and joy in their interactions with the natural world and with each other, and to seek to understand people who are different to themselves; and
• to experience a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy through their actions at home, in school and in the wider world.
  
  

The Arbor Promise

Arbor teachers are a part of a community which is inclusive, fun-loving, and active. Arbor teachers enjoy authentic friendships with their colleagues, positive relationships with school leaders, who care for their wellbeing, and are a team in the true sense. Arbor teachers are resilient in the face of challenge, are stable and calm in the face of change, and creative and flexible when solving problems. Arbor teachers bring their passions and interests to enrich our school and are clear that there is an expectation to do so. We commit to meeting agreed deadlines, to communicating proactively with an assumption of positive intent and share a passion to provide an education of the highest quality to our students.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Primary curriculum and assessment frameworks across FS1 to Year 6.
• Ensure consistency and excellence in teaching and learning through coaching, mentoring, and the alignment of pedagogy, assessment, and reporting.
• Champion a culture of professional growth — leading on teacher appraisal, professional learning, and collaborative practice.
• Lead and manage the Assistant Heads of EYFS, KS1, and KS2, fostering cohesion, accountability, and alignment across phases.
• Oversee the Primary reporting cycle, data analysis, and internal/external review processes, including KHDA Standards 1, 3 and 4.
• Work collaboratively with subject leads, data coordinators, and specialist teams to enhance standards of attainment and progress.
• Drive whole-school strategic initiatives, inspection readiness, and continuous improvement aligned to Arbor’s strategic intent.
• Build meaningful partnerships with parents and the wider community to support engagement in learning.
• Promote an inclusive and equitable learning culture that values diversity and wellbeing across all levels of the school.
  
  

Required Candidate Profile

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent, with a minimum of three years’ educational leadership experience within a British curriculum school.
• Proven expertise in curriculum design, assessment strategy, and educational improvement.
• Deep understanding of the National Curriculum for England, and the developmental continuum from EYFS through Key Stage 2.
• Demonstrated success in leading teams, building capacity, and managing change.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and align others around a shared vision.
• A reflective, forward-thinking professional committed to ecological literacy, global citizenship, and lifelong learning.
  
  

Remuneration: Competitive tax-free salary, school-provided accommodation, free school places for children, private medical insurance, annual airfares, and end-of-contract gratuity as per the UAE labour law.

Application: To apply for this position, please complete the application on TES and upload:

• An up-to-date CV with a recent photograph to be included.
• A letter of application, no longer than two pages in length, which outlines your educational philosophy and suitability for the Arbor School.
  
  

The Arbor School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We hold ourselves to a high standard of effective, safer recruiting practices with specific attention to child protection. All appointments are subject to CV and qualification checks, interview, identity checks, criminal record checks, and successful references.

All appointments are subject to the approval of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.