Head of Secondary English

Dover Court International School; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Dover Court International School in Singapore seeks an outstanding Head of Secondary English for August 2027. The role leads a contextualised English National Curriculum, IGCSE/GCSE and IB English programmes within an inclusive school community.

Applicants should have experience in strategic leadership, developing high-quality learning and assessment practices, and supporting learners with diverse needs and English as an additional language.

Qualifications

• Experience of strategic leadership and developing high-quality learning and assessment practices.
• Support professional growth in team members.
• Experience in supporting learners with additional learning needs and English as an additional language.
• Passion for driving high-quality teaching and learning in an inclusive school.
• Reflective practitioner and effective collaborator.
• Strong track record of curriculum delivery across English National Curriculum, IB and GCSE.

Responsibilities

• Generate excitement and passion for learning in students and the wider school community.
• Inspire trust and confidence in students, colleagues and parents.
• Engage and motivate students to be ambitious for themselves and others.
• Be committed to helping students progress.
• Be committed to high achievement for students of diverse language skills and educational needs.
• Use data to design challenging learning and promote excellence.
• Develop and deploy resources efficiently and effectively.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Curriculum development

Team development

Inclusion & EAL support

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

PGCE / QTS or international qualification

Job description

Job Posting Date: 11 Nov 2026

Location: Singapore, SG, 139644

Job ID: 10584

School: Dover Court International School

Company: Nord Anglia Education

Job Purpose

An outstanding and inspirational Head of Secondary English is required for August 2027. We offer a contextualised English National Curriculum in Years 7 and 8, Edexcel Pearson IGCSE Language and Literature in Key Stage 4 (Year 9-11), and IB English Language and Literature in our Sixth Form. We also offer a number of additional inclusive qualifications for our diverse learners, including IGCSE English as a Second Language and ASDAN Short Courses in English.

English is a large and successful faculty, and the successful candidate will require experience of strategic leadership, developing high-quality learning and assessment practices and support professional growth in team members. As a school with inclusion at its heart, candidates with experience in supporting learners with additional learning needs and English as an additional language are particularly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will be passionate about driving high-quality teaching and learning in our inclusive school and committed to making a difference to the lives of the young people in their care. They will be a reflective practitioner and an effective collaborator, relentless in the pursuit of ‘better’ practice.

The English faculty promote a love of reading and oracy through a culturally diverse curriculum, conceptual inquiry projects, and competitions in both speaking and writing.

About The Role

• Generate excitement and passion for learning in students and the wider school community;


• Inspire trust and confidence in students, colleagues and parents;


• Engage and motivate students to be ambitious for themselves and others;


• Be committed to helping students progress;


• Be committed to high achievement for students of a wide range of language skills, learning dispositions and educational needs;


• Be relentless in the quest for excellence, using achievement and progress data to design challenging learning;


• Use technology effectively in the classroom to enhance learning;


• Strive to develop the quality of students’ personal and interpersonal skills;


• Contribute to school improvement in line with the school’s strategic plan;


• Contribute to the development of the curriculum;


• Develop and deploy resources efficiently and effectively;


• Promote the school mission and values and those of the NAE family of schools.

Areas of Responsibility and Key Tasks

Planning, Teaching and Learning

Maximise Learning By

• Inspiring students to be passionate, curious, exited learners.


• Setting consistently high standards through the communication of high expectation and positive relationships;


• Develop effective approaches to learning in students;


• Monitoring, evaluating and developing teaching;


• Planning effective teaching programmes which provide exemplary learning opportunities within and beyond the classroom;


• Demonstrate responsive teaching to ensure learning is adapted to suit the needs of students;


• Identifying and supporting individual learning needs, liaising with EAL and Learning Support specialists when appropriate;


• Maintaining high levels of behaviour and routines that maximise learning;


• Effectively promoting homework and co-curricular learning opportunities;


• Establishing a purposeful and safe learning environment;


• Using technology to enhance and transform learning

Tracking, Assessment, Recording, Reporting

• Make effective use of assessment, formative and summative, to plan challenging learning opportunities for all students;


• Provide effective, regular feedback to students on learning;


• Collect and use data to enhance teaching and learning and secure student progress;


• Monitor and record student learning to ensure ongoing progress, setting challenging targets;


• Accurately report on progress to students, parents and colleagues, meeting deadlines to support school processes;


• Effectively communicate progress and areas for development in consultations with parents and students.

Student Care and Guidance

• Establish a safe, purposeful learning environment for all students;


• Follow safeguarding practices and procedures in the school.


• Invest time in establishing the strengths, interests and aspirations of learners to maximise their success in school, build positive relationships and contribute to their sense of belonging.


• Ensure that students are supported through challenges;


• Promote the progress and well-being of all students;


• Contribute to the preparation of action plans and other support mechanisms;


• Alert appropriate staff to problems experienced by students and make recommendations as to how these may be resolved;


• Communicate effectively with parents and liaise with other staff as appropriate.

Co-Curricular Activities

• Support the life of the school beyond the classroom;


• Lead one (or more) after school activities per week;


• Participate in residential and curriculum trips;


• Contribute to whole school cross faculty learning initiatives;


• Engage in the NAE Global Campus and support GC initiatives as directed.

Other Requirements

• Contribute positively to the morale and community spirit of the school;


• Collaborate effectively in different teams;


• Assist in whole school marketing initiatives and contribute to the growth of the school;


• Operate at all times within the stated policies and practices of the school;


• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of evidence-based pedagogy;


• Demonstrate agency in identifying and seeking professional learning through a cycle of professional reflection and growth.


• Keep knowledge of wider curriculum developments up to date;


• Undertake professional learning to enhance student learning and well-being as required;


• Meet responsibilities with regard to health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant legislation and conform to professional and ethical requirements;


• Any other appropriate duties as allocated by the Head of Secondary/School Principal.

About You

• Bachelor’s degree or higher qualification in a relevant field.


• PGCE, QTS, or an internationally recognized teaching qualification.


• Proven track record with at least 2 years’ teaching experience

A strong track record of curriculum delivery across the following areas: the English National Curriculum, IB and GCSE.

• Experience in international schools, including working with groups of students with diverse additional educational needs and for whom English is an additional language.

About Us

Established in 1972, Dover Court International School in Singapore is a leading inclusive international school with British heritage, serving international families, set on a green 12-acre site about 20 minutes from the Singapore CBD. Dover Court International School is a community with inclusion at its heart. With more than 2000 students aged 3 to 18, our unique Pathway programme enables us to provide an education that meets the needs of a diverse student population, ensuring all learners are appropriately supported and challenged in their learning.

In our Early Years we use a Reggio Emilia inspired approach. In Primary we are guided by the National Curriculum for England and the International Primary Curriculum. In Secondary we have IGCSE/GCSE, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and International BTEC qualifications. We also offer courses that focus on English, mathematics, life skills and employability through ASDAN programmes.

All students are involved in a wide range of co-curricular activities, mainly run by teaching staff. Resulting in a rich and varied co-curricular offer for our students, with our school active and competitive in the local international school sports league across a number of sports. The school has an extensive programme of residential trips starting in Year 3 up to the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in Secondary.

Our unique approach enables us to prepare all students to flourish in our dynamic world, so they are active participants in a globally connected community, now and throughout life.

We are members of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) and are accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Dover Court is a strong, vibrant community, where all staff are well supported with access to a range of professional learning opportunities and a commitment to professional reflection and growth.

Job Description

Please find the Job Description link here.

Leadership Standards

Please find the Leadership Standards here.

Definition of High-Quality Learning

Please find the Definition of High-Quality Learning here.

School Profile

Discover more about our Secondary School profile here.

Information Brochure

To learn more about the opportunity, please access the Information Brochure here.

Safeguarding

Dover Court International School in Singapore is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including references from previous employers in accordance with our safer recruitment practice. Final interviews will be conducted in person or online, and they will explore candidates’ suitability to work with children.