Secondary Vice Principal – Student Culture & Experience

GEMS Wellington Academy, Al Khail are looking for a Secondary Vice Principal – Student Culture and Experience to join our team from August 2025. The role requires a skill set that includes exceptional leadership, outstanding communication, and the ability to positively influence both staff and students. 

As a member of the Academy Leadership Team, the Vice Principal is responsible for fostering a culture of success, inspiring students to be positive role models within the wider school community. 

Whole-School Responsibilities 

• Drive the improvement of the school by providing a clear vision and leadership for behaviour and culture, ensuring high expectations and standards.
• Ensure students are supported with outstanding pastoral care and wellbeing initiatives, placing their needs at the forefront of school practice.
• Lead and monitor whole-school initiatives to improve behaviour, attendance, and punctuality.
• Oversee effective systems for recognising and celebrating student achievements.
• Build strong professional relationships with parents, ensuring confidence in the care and education provided for their children.
• Coordinate and ensure the quality assurance of secondary school trips, enhancing student engagement and experiential learning opportunities.
• Set high expectations and standards for teaching and learning across the school, contributing to the whole-school vision.
• Conduct quality assurance of KS3 lessons to ensure alignment with school-wide teaching and learning practices.
• Ensure alignment between KS3 teaching and learning practices and the whole-school vision.
• Coach and mentor staff to support professional growth and teaching excellence.
• Deliver professional development (PD) sessions aligned with the school’s needs.
• Ensure effective performance and line management of staff within the pastoral and wellbeing team, including Assistant Principals and Heads of Year.
• Oversee student enrolment and retention processes for KS3, ensuring effective communication with prospective and current families.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Principal – KS3 on improving the student experience and fostering a positive environment for learning and growth.
• Contribute to the consultative and strategic management of the school as part of the senior leadership team.
• Lead Secondary School logistics to support students and staff in areas such as duties, trips, building safety, and school events.

Alongside strategic over sight of student culture and pastoral care, the Vice Principal will provide executive leadership and oversight of Key Stage 3 and line manage the Assistant Principal of that Key Stage.

Key Stage 3 Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Assistant Principal – KS3 to implement and embed behaviour and culture strategies, ensuring alignment with whole-school initiatives.
• Provide collective oversight of the KS2-to-KS3 student transition, ensuring a seamless and supportive process.
• Ensure effective line management of Heads of Year through the Assistant Principal – KS3, supporting student culture and experience initiatives.
• Oversee coordination of KS3 Parent-Teacher Conferences (PTCs) and enhance parental engagement across the Key Stage.
• Oversee programs that promote student leadership and voice within KS3, fostering engagement and a sense of community.
• Support the implementation of the curriculum and assessment strategy across KS3 in collaboration with the Assistant Principal.
• Lead efforts to improve student attainment and progress outcomes in KS3 by setting ambitious and achievable goals.
• Oversee the planning and execution of KS3 assessment and key assessment (KA) windows, ensuring consistency and effectiveness.
• Provide strategic oversight for National Agenda testing, including CAT4, NGRT, and GL assessments, in collaboration with the Assistant Principal – KS3.