Deputy Head - Pastoral
Guangzhou, China | January 2026 (flexible)
AISL Harrow Schools
Teachanywhere is proudly supporting recruitment for AISL Harrow Schools, a family of schools in China and Asia that look to the 450-year old heritage of Harrow School in the UK to anchor its guiding principles, drive progressive initiatives and inspire a vision that seeks to produce leaders for tomorrow. The schools offer exceptional education to prepare students with diverse background and abilities for a life of learning, leadership, service and personal fulfilment.
Harrow International School Guangzhou
AISL Harrow International School Guangzhou is scheduled to open in September 2026, with a planned capacity of 1,530 students across 65 classes and approximately 300 boarding spaces. As the fifth AISL Harrow School in the Greater Bay Area, it welcomes foreign children aged 2-18 from expatriate families and residents of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan, opening doors to unparalleled opportunities. It is expected that HIS Guangzhou will develop into a flagship school for the AISL Harrow Group.
The school will embody the essence of British education, combining academic excellence with the dynamic spirit of STEAM innovation. Students will benefit from exceptional educators and state-of-the-art facilities that empower their growth and foster innovation, as they become internationally competitive individuals ready to excel in science and technology.
HIS Guangzhou provides an excellent opportunity for experienced educators to establish an excellent school and to join a well-established, ambitious and expanding family of international schools.
Role and Responsibilities - full job description and candidate pack available
The successful candidate will be a part of the start-up team, laying the foundations for the opening in 2026
Whole School Pastoral Leadership
Lead Head of Houses to deliver Boarding & Pastoral provision
Guide the Assistant Head of Pastoral Care and Boarding in developing innovative wellbeing programs aligned with the School's leadership vision
Formulate cutting-edge pastoral policies compliant with UK/CIS/international standards
Orchestrate seamless pastoral transitions across all school divisions
Convene the Pastoral Support Committee to address complex pupil welfare cases
Report directly to Governors on pastoral development and safeguarding matters
Curate all pastoral communications for parents and digital platforms
Safeguarding Leadership
Serve as institutional DSL with ultimate safeguarding responsibility
Disseminate global safeguarding knowledge through whole-staff training
Maintain rigorous staff vetting systems and external provider compliance
Unify safeguarding practices across Lower and Upper Schools
Stakeholder Management
Chair senior residential staff governance meetings
Ensure regulatory compliance with all transport and education authorities
Cultivate strategic partnerships with Harrow UK and international schools
Champion staff welfare initiatives across the school community
Assume full school-wide leadership responsibilities in the Head of School's absence
Behavioral Standards Leadership
Uphold school-wide behavior policies and appearance standards
Investigate serious disciplinary incidents with recommendation authority
Coordinate off-campus discipline with transport providers and local authorities
Pastoral & Boarding Operational Leadership
Align administrative resources with pastoral needs
Steer BSO (or equivalent) accreditation preparations
Govern the annual policy review cycle
Approve all major parent communications
Allocate pastoral budget resources
Design and implement pupil leadership programs
Oversee critical incident response systems
Evaluate health services performance
Advise on capital expenditure decisions
Regulate campus traffic and transport systems
Advise Head of School on selection decisions for all teaching staff and pupil admissions
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor's Degree or above in any field.
Possess a UK PGCE, or other teaching qualification, giving QTS, from a recognised institution.
Inspire, motivate and support pupils and colleagues
A proven track record of leadership, impacting on whole school outcomes
A proven track record of delivering academic performance
A proven track record of suitability for working with children and young people, including the ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries
Experience of collaborating with colleagues
Experience of analysing whole school data and using it to inform whole school planning and development
Salary and Benefits Package
The remuneration package is very generous and includes the following;
A competitive salary package
An annual bonus of 10% of salary, subject to appraisal
Full health insurance coverage for teachers as well as cover for dependents
Onsite full-furnished accommodation provided for teachers in their first two years with the option of living offsite in second and subsequent contracts
Return Airfare and baggage allowances for teacher and dependents
100% remission on tuition fees for up to two (2) dependent children attending the School. 50% remission on tuition fees for 3rd dependent child onward.
The cost of all working visas, dependents' resident visas and work permits costs paid for by the school