Head of Secondary - Aug 2025
Job Description
This is an exciting time to be part of GEMS Wellington School – Qatar (WSQ). Due to the continued growth, success and ambitious nature of the school we are delighted to be looking for a dynamic, hard-working and talented individual to join our aspirational Executive Leadership Team as
Head of Secondary.
WSQ is one of the leading British curriculum schools in Qatar and part of the Premium GEMS Wellington brand. We firmly believe, as a true inclusive school, that every child can achieve, reinforced by our commitment to the High-Performance Learning philosophy. As a community, we have very high expectations for all with a clear emphasis on personal values, proactive attitudes and positive behaviours. We believe in excellence in all we do.
The Head of Secondary will support the Principal/CEO by contributing to and implementing the educational strategy of the secondary school through visionary and inclusive leadership. They will report directly to the whole school Vice Principal and will lead the day-to-day operations of the secondary school overseeing all aspects relating to curriculum, teaching and learning and the pastoral welfare of the students.
Key Responsibilities Include:
Supporting the Principal / Vice Principal in the effective and efficient leadership and management of the secondary school, including the successful implementation of the school improvement plan Ensuring the smooth and effective day-to-day operations of the secondary phase Overseeing the continued development of the secondary curriculum across all key stages Developing highly effective pastoral systems to ensure the overall personal and academic wellbeing of the students Ensuring high levels of student retention and being instrumental in all marketing activities to promote the school to the wider community Overseeing continued improvement in student progress and attainment through high quality teaching and learning Ensuring the effective use of assessment strategies and data across secondary school to inform quality teaching and learning, curriculum development, target setting and ensure students are reaching their academic potential Embedding highly effective strategies and opportunities for parental engagement, including regular, high-quality communication between home and school (Pulse)
Skills
The successful candidate will: Be a vocational and inspirational educator who supports an inclusive learning environment, with the ability to raise standards for all students Have had successful experiences of leading and managing staff resulting in improved learning and student outcomes Be knowledgeable and confident of the recent developments relating to GCSE and A Level qualifications and other relevant external pathways Have extremely high standards and expectations for all, with excellence as the primary goal Be strategic and considered in their actions, with a proven track record in school improvement and self-evaluation processes Be someone who is visible within the school community, with presence and exuding gravitas both in their appearance and actions Believe strongly in and fully support the wider extra-curricular life of the school to develop fully rounded students Be a team player and have the ability to maintain a sense of perspective and humour.
As a GEMS employee you can be guaranteed of an excellent, well-resourced professional environment, including working alongside highly driven, committed colleagues and fabulously polite and dedicated students. You will have access to significant further professional development opportunities not only at school level but also as part of the wider GEMS Wellington cluster and GEMS network.
The post is to commence in August 2025.
Qualifications and Experience – The successful candidate will have previous senior leadership / Head of School experience. They will also have a degree and Qualified Teacher Status. Further professional development in the form of NPQML / NPQSL or Masters in Education is desirable but not essential.
To apply for this position, please complete an online application, submitting your full CV along with a Letter of Application outlining why you believe you have the skills, experience and attributes for the role.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 19th February. Early applications are encouraged.
Job Location Doha, Qatar Company Industry Education Job Role Education
GEMS WELLINGTON SCHOOL - QATAR
Education Doha, Qatar GEMS Wellington School is a premium school offering the National Curriculum for England from the ages of 3 – 18. The school opened in 2015 and has undergone rapid growth during this time, making it one of the leading schools offering an authentic British style education in Qatar. We are ambitious for all our students and staff and aspire for excellence in all we do. Our strong community ... ethos and culture is built around a clear set of traditional values and behaviours, including integrity, honesty, respect, empathy and hard work, in which we expect every member of our community to exhibit. At WSQ we believe that by providing a supportive and challenging learning environment alongside high quality teaching, every student should thrive and succeed. They should have the opportunity to explore their strengths and interests whether that is in academics, sports, performing arts or more. Through this approach our aim is to ensure that when students leave WSQ they are well prepared for the rapidly changing world, not only with the desired qualifications but also with a ‘can do’ mindset, a love of learning and the resilience to effectively overcome future challenges. This ambition is underpinned and reinforced by the fact that we have recently adopted the High-Performance Learning (HPL) philosophy with the aim of becoming a ‘World Class HPL’ School.
