Deputy Head / Primary Teacher

The Primary Class Teacher / Deputy Head of School is a combined teaching and educational leadership position at Good Dharma International School.

The Deputy Head leads their own Primary class while also taking responsibility for the day-to-day leadership of the teaching team, curriculum implementation, teacher development and safeguarding across Preschool and Primary.

All Preschool and Primary Class Teachers report directly to the Deputy Head. Class Teachers, in turn, lead and guide the Teaching Assistants assigned to their classes.

The role is currently structured around approximately four days of classroom teaching and one protected leadership day each week. Leadership time may be organised as one full day or two half-days depending on the needs of the school.

The Deputy Head also serves as the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and reports to the Head of School.

The Head of School retains overall accountability for educational standards, school performance, people, culture, parents, strategy and the continued development of Good Dharma. The Deputy Head's role is focused on ensuring that excellent educational practice happens consistently on the ground.

As the school grows, the balance between classroom teaching and leadership responsibilities may be reviewed.

About Good Dharma

Good Dharma International School is a nature-based international school in Ahangama, southern Sri Lanka, providing education from Early Years through Primary.

We follow the Oxford International Curriculum (OIC), which provides the academic foundation for what children learn and how knowledge and skills progress. Our own educational philosophy defines how we bring that learning to life.

Our approach is built around seven pillars:

Child-Led · Nature-Based · Playful · Sustainability · Social-Emotional · Creativity & Movement · Community & Culture

Our academic year is organised through five Learning Cycles, providing shared themes and inquiries through which meaningful connections can be made across the curriculum.

Learning Cycles provide context, not curriculum. Teachers begin with the relevant OIC learning objectives and make thematic connections where they strengthen understanding. Where a connection is not meaningful, the curriculum is taught independently.

Our tropical organic gardens, animals, local community and the wider natural environment of southern Sri Lanka are integral learning resources.

Nature is our classroom.

We believe that learning can be rigorous without losing its joy.

1. Primary Class Teacher

As a Primary Class Teacher, the Deputy Head is responsible for providing consistently high-quality teaching and learning within their own class.

The Primary Class Teacher / Deputy Head will:

• Plan and deliver engaging lessons aligned with the Oxford International Curriculum, ensuring appropriate coverage and progression.

• Provide strong, explicit teaching in core academic areas, particularly reading, writing, mathematics, science and foundational knowledge.

• Bring learning to life through nature, inquiry, creativity, movement, play, community and meaningful real-world experiences.

• Use Learning Cycles to create authentic connections across subjects without allowing themes to replace or disrupt curriculum progression.

• Use the school's gardens, animals, outdoor environments and wider surroundings as genuine learning resources.

• Apply a Local → Global approach, beginning with children's direct experiences where appropriate and expanding towards wider concepts and global perspectives.

• Create a classroom culture that develops curiosity, independence, agency, collaboration and responsibility.

• Assess student learning and use assessment to inform future teaching.

• Differentiate teaching to provide appropriate support and challenge.

• Maintain appropriate student records, portfolios and evidence of learning.

• Maintain high expectations for learning, behaviour and positive guidance.

• Take responsibility for the academic progress and wellbeing of children within the class.

• Maintain warm, professional and consistent communication with parents.

• Produce regular classroom learning updates and student reports.

• Lead and guide the Teaching Assistant assigned to the class.

2. Teaching Team Leadership

The Deputy Head is the day-to-day educational leader and line manager of the Preschool and Primary teaching team.

The Deputy Head will:

• Directly manage and support all Preschool and Primary Class Teachers.

• Set clear expectations for teaching quality, planning and professional practice.

• Be visible in classrooms and maintain a strong understanding of what is happening across the school.

• Regularly observe teaching and learning.

• Provide teachers with clear, constructive feedback and coaching.

• Support teachers with classroom practice, differentiation, classroom management and individual student needs.

• Lead regular academic team meetings and collaborative planning.

• Ensure Class Teachers effectively lead and support their Teaching Assistants.

• Identify areas where teachers require additional support or development.

• Recognise and share strong practice across the education team.

• Address day-to-day teaching or performance concerns promptly and escalate significant or recurring concerns to the Head of School.

• Support the educational induction of new Teachers and Teaching Assistants.

• Maintain a professional culture of high expectations, collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

Formal recruitment, significant performance-management matters and overall responsibility for the education team remain with the Head of School, with the Deputy Head contributing educational input where appropriate.

3. Curriculum Implementation & Teacher Development

The Deputy Head is responsible for ensuring the Oxford International Curriculum and Good Dharma educational philosophy are implemented consistently and effectively across the school.

The Deputy Head will:

• Support teachers in understanding and implementing the OIC Whole-School Curriculum Map.

• Ensure appropriate curriculum coverage and progression across Preschool and Primary.

• Review Learning Cycle and weekly planning.

• Ensure teachers begin planning with relevant OIC learning objectives and progression.

• Ensure Learning Cycles provide meaningful context without replacing the curriculum.

• Ensure the Seven Pillars are reflected meaningfully in teaching and learning.

• Support teachers in using nature, inquiry, creativity, movement, community and real-world experiences to strengthen learning.

• Ensure nature-based and thematic connections are authentic rather than forced.

• Support teachers in applying the Local → Global approach.

• Maintain expectations for systematic and explicit teaching, particularly in phonics, reading, writing and mathematics.

• Support teachers in using assessment effectively to understand student progress and plan next steps.

• Identify significant curriculum or student-progress concerns and bring these to the Head of School.

• Identify curriculum or teaching-resource gaps and communicate these to the Head of School.

Teacher Training & Professional Development

The Deputy Head is responsible for the ongoing professional development of the teaching team.

The Deputy Head will:

• Develop an annual Teacher Training & Professional Development Plan in collaboration with the Head of School.

• Identify individual and whole-team training needs through classroom observations, planning reviews and professional discussions.

• Organise and lead regular teacher training sessions and workshops.

• Coach and mentor teachers.

• Support individual professional-development goals.

• Ensure teachers understand and confidently implement OIC, the Good Dharma educational philosophy, Seven Pillars and Learning Cycles.

• Coordinate educational training in areas such as curriculum implementation, assessment, classroom practice, inclusion, safeguarding and nature-based learning.

• Ensure new Teachers and Teaching Assistants receive a structured educational induction.

• Encourage collaborative planning, peer observation and the sharing of effective practice.

The focus of this responsibility is practical: helping teachers become better teachers and ensuring the school's educational approach is visible in everyday classroom practice.

4. Safeguarding

The Deputy Head serves as Good Dharma's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

The Deputy Head will:

• Act as the primary point of contact for safeguarding and child-protection concerns.

• Ensure staff understand and follow the school's safeguarding policies and reporting procedures.

• Ensure safeguarding concerns are appropriately documented, followed up and escalated.

• Maintain appropriate confidential safeguarding records.

• Ensure safeguarding forms part of staff induction.

• Lead safeguarding training and refresher training.

• Work closely with the Head of School on significant safeguarding matters.

• Work with relevant external professionals or authorities where escalation is required.

• Support teachers in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns.

• Promote a culture in which children's safety, wellbeing and dignity are everyone's responsibility.

The Head of School retains overall accountability for safeguarding at school level, while the Deputy Head leads its day-to-day implementation as DSL.

Working with the Head of School

The Deputy Head works closely with the Head of School while maintaining a clear division of responsibility.

The Head of School leads the school as a whole, with overall responsibility for educational standards, school performance, people, culture, parent relationships, strategy, policies, school improvement and continued development.

The Deputy Head leads the day-to-day teaching team and educational implementation, with particular responsibility for:

Teaching Team Leadership · Curriculum Implementation · Teacher Training & Development · Safeguarding

The Deputy Head should identify issues early, resolve matters within their area of responsibility where possible and bring significant concerns, recommendations and priorities to the Head of School.

Leadership Time

The role is currently structured around approximately four days per week teaching a Primary class and one protected day per week for Deputy Head responsibilities.

Depending on the needs of the school, this may be organised as one full day or two half-days.

Protected leadership time will primarily be used for classroom observations and teacher coaching, planning and curriculum reviews, teacher meetings, teacher training and professional development, safeguarding responsibilities, educational follow-up and improvement priorities, and meetings with the Head of School.

The Deputy Head remains the line manager and educational leader of the teaching team throughout the working week, including on classroom teaching days.

As student numbers and the education team grow, the balance between classroom teaching and leadership time may be reviewed.

Qualifications & Experience

Candidates should have:

• A Bachelor's degree or higher in Primary Education, Education or a closely related field.

• A recognised teaching qualification where this is not included within the degree.

• Significant professional experience teaching within Primary education.

• Strong classroom practice and understanding of child development.

• Experience in educational leadership, curriculum coordination, teacher development, mentoring or a similar responsibility.

• Strong understanding of curriculum planning, assessment and academic progression.

• Experience observing teaching and providing constructive professional feedback.

• Experience supporting and developing other educators.

• Strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection.

• Excellent spoken and written English.

• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills.

• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to balance classroom teaching with leadership responsibilities.

• A collaborative, proactive and solution-focused approach.

Experience with the Oxford International Curriculum, Cambridge, English National Curriculum or another recognised international curriculum is an advantage.

Experience with nature-based, inquiry-led, outdoor, sustainability, experiential or progressive education is highly valued.

Previous experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead or equivalent is an advantage.

The Teacher-Leader We Are Looking For

We are looking for an experienced Primary educator who wants to remain an excellent classroom teacher while taking the next step in educational leadership.

You may already have experience as a Deputy Head, Phase Leader, Curriculum Lead or in another school leadership position, or your leadership experience may have developed through leading teacher training, curriculum development, mentoring teachers, coordinating academic programmes or supporting whole-school improvement.

A formal previous Deputy Head position is therefore not essential. What matters is that you are an excellent classroom practitioner with demonstrated experience taking responsibility beyond your own classroom and the confidence and capability to lead and develop other educators.

You should enjoy working directly with children while also being comfortable leading adults, setting expectations, reviewing curriculum and planning, observing teaching, providing constructive feedback and helping other educators improve.

You should believe strongly in academic foundations while understanding that children also learn through questions, exploration, play, nature, creativity, movement, relationships and real experiences.

Good Dharma is a young and growing school. We are looking for someone who is adaptable, organised and excited by the opportunity to help strengthen teaching, curriculum and educational practice as the school develops.

Above all, we are looking for someone who can lead by example: demonstrating excellent teaching within their own classroom while helping other educators continuously develop theirs.

Nature is our classroom. Learning can be rigorous without losing its joy.