BSCBCD

Role Purpose

Key Responsibilities

• Provide clear leadership and direction for Nursery, KG1, and KG2.
• Lead the Early Years teaching team, assistants, shadow teachers, and relevant support staff.
• Establish high expectations for teaching quality, professionalism, safeguarding, behaviour, and student care.
• Ensure the Early Years department operates in line with the school’s vision, policies, and strategic priorities.
• Support staff induction, mentoring, coaching, and professional development.
• Conduct regular classroom observations, learning walks, and staff performance reviews.
• Monitor staffing needs, classroom organisation, resources, schedules, and daily operations.
• Participate actively in school leadership meetings and contribute to whole-school development.

Teaching and Learning

• Lead the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a high-quality Early Years curriculum.
• Ensure learning experiences are developmentally appropriate, engaging, purposeful, and inclusive.
• Promote strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, communication, language development, personal and social development, physical development, and creative learning.
• Ensure teachers use differentiated teaching approaches to meet individual student needs.
• Monitor lesson planning, classroom delivery, assessment, student engagement, and progress.
• Promote learning through play, exploration, practical activities, inquiry, and structured teaching.
• Support teachers in developing effective classroom environments and learning centres.
• Ensure appropriate transition and school-readiness preparation for students progressing into Grade 1.

Assessment and Student Progress

• Oversee Early Years assessment, observation, tracking, and reporting systems.
• Monitor student progress and identify children requiring additional support or intervention.
• Review assessment data regularly with teachers and support teams.
• Ensure teachers maintain accurate student records and evidence of progress.
• Coordinate appropriate interventions for students who are not meeting developmental or academic expectations.
• Ensure parents receive clear and meaningful information regarding their child’s development and progress.

Inclusion and Additional Needs

• Work closely with the Lead SENCO, Special Education team, therapists, teachers, and shadow staff.
• Ensure appropriate classroom accommodations and differentiation are implemented.
• Support the implementation of Individual Education Plans and student support plans.
• Participate in student case reviews and multidisciplinary meetings where required.
• Monitor the effectiveness of support provided to students with additional needs.
• Promote an inclusive culture where all children are respected, supported, and encouraged to participate.
• Ensure classroom staff understand individual student needs, strategies, and support requirements.
• Support appropriate transitions between specialist and mainstream learning environments.

Safeguarding, Wellbeing and Behaviour

• Ensure safeguarding and child protection procedures are consistently followed.
• Promote a safe, caring, respectful, and positive Early Years environment.
• Monitor student wellbeing, attendance, behaviour, and emotional development.
• Ensure staff maintain appropriate professional boundaries and supervision at all times.
• Work with safeguarding staff and senior leadership when concerns arise.
• Promote positive behaviour strategies appropriate to young children and individual developmental needs.

Parent Engagement

• Develop positive and professional relationships with parents and families.
• Ensure clear and regular communication regarding student progress, routines, expectations, events, and concerns.
• Lead parent meetings, information sessions, workshops, and Early Years events.
• Respond appropriately to parent concerns and ensure matters are followed up promptly.
• Encourage families to participate actively in their child’s learning and development.

Staff Development

• Identify staff training and professional development needs.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and practical classroom support.
• Lead departmental meetings and professional learning sessions.
• Support teachers in improving planning, differentiation, assessment, classroom management, and inclusive practice.
• Encourage collaboration, accountability, and continuous professional improvement.

Quality Assurance

• Monitor the overall quality of Early Years provision.
• Ensure compliance with school policies, Ministry of Education requirements, licensing requirements, and relevant accreditation standards.
• Maintain appropriate evidence and documentation for inspections, accreditation, and school improvement processes.
• Contribute to school self-evaluation and improvement planning.
• Identify areas requiring improvement and implement appropriate action plans.
• Support the school’s WASC accreditation and continuous improvement processes.

Operations and Organisation

• Oversee daily Early Years routines, arrivals, dismissals, break times, transitions, and supervision.
• Ensure classrooms and learning environments are organised, safe, welcoming, and appropriately resourced.
• Coordinate Early Years events, celebrations, trips, transition activities, and parent programmes.
• Monitor educational resources and submit requests where additional materials are required.
• Work collaboratively with Admissions when assessing or placing new Early Years students.
• Support the organisation of student orientation and transition programmes.

Admissions and Student Placement

• Participate in Early Years admissions assessments where required.
• Review developmental readiness and student support requirements before placement.
• Work with Admissions and SEN teams when determining suitable placement and support arrangements.
• Support new students and families during the transition into school.
• Provide recommendations regarding classroom placement and support needs.

Professional Expectations

• Maintain high standards of professionalism, confidentiality, and integrity.
• Model positive leadership and professional conduct.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with staff, students, parents, and external professionals.
• Work collaboratively with all departments across the school.
• Remain visible and actively involved in the daily life of the Early Years department.
• Take responsibility for addressing concerns promptly and constructively.
• Perform other reasonable duties assigned by the Executive Director or senior leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, or a closely related field.
• Recognised teaching qualification.
• Minimum 5 years of teaching experience, preferably within Early Years.
• Demonstrated experience in a leadership, coordinator, or supervisory role.
• Strong understanding of child development and Early Years pedagogy.
• Experience with assessment, curriculum planning, and student progress monitoring.
• Strong communication, organisation, and staff-management skills.
• Commitment to inclusive education.

• Master’s degree in Education, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
• Previous experience as Head of Early Years, Early Years Coordinator, or similar leadership role.
• Experience in an American curriculum or international school.
• Experience working within an inclusive education setting.
• Knowledge of supporting students with autism, ADHD, developmental delays, communication difficulties, and other additional needs.
• Experience with school accreditation or quality assurance processes.

Key Competencies

• Strong educational leadership.
• Excellent knowledge of Early Years development.
• Effective staff management and coaching.
• Strong classroom observation and feedback skills.
• Sound judgement and problem-solving ability.
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and parent communication skills.
• Ability to use assessment information to improve teaching and learning.
• Commitment to safeguarding and student wellbeing.
• Strong understanding of inclusive education.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Accountability and ability to follow through on agreed actions.

Key Performance Indicators

• Quality of teaching and learning across Early Years.
• Student progress and developmental outcomes.
• Effective implementation of the Early Years curriculum.
• Quality of classroom environments and learning experiences.
• Staff performance, development, and retention.
• Parent satisfaction and communication.
• Effective implementation of inclusive education practices.
• Student attendance, wellbeing, and behaviour.
• Compliance with safeguarding and school policies.
• Readiness for Ministry, accreditation, and quality assurance requirements.
• Successful transition of KG2 students into Grade 1.

Working Relationships

• Executive Director
• School Leadership Team
• Heads of School and Department
• Lead SENCO
• Special Education Team
• Admissions Team
• Teachers and Teaching Assistants
• Shadow Teachers
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Occupational and Physical Therapy professionals where applicable
• School Nurse
• Safeguarding Team
• Parents and families
• Administration and support departments

GFH Alia National School Commitment