Head of Middle School Humanities

UWCSEA Dover has a vacancy for August 2026 for a Head of Middle School Humanities (ages 11-14).

The Middle School Head of Humanities, in collaboration with the Vice Principal (Academic), leads the teaching and learning of Humanities for all Middle School students. They lead their team of teachers in creating a positive learning environment based on the values of honesty, integrity, respect and responsibility. The Head of Department fosters a sense of community within the Middle School through their active leadership and interactions with students, parents, teachers and the wider community.

The successful candidate must have a tertiary qualification in relevant subjects and must have the skills and relevant experience required to teach Grade 6-8 classes in Humanities.

Main Responsibilities

Effective Leadership - Leading across all five areas of the learning programme

• Puts student learning at the forefront of all decisions and planning.
• Has a clear vision for the department and translates this into practical and achievable plans.
• Ensures that the learning programme in the department is consistent with the UWCSEA mission, the UWCSEA Learning Principles, the UWCSEA profile and with the strategic goals of the school, campus and College.
• Ensures that the learning programme in the department develops and changes as necessary to match developments in technology and educational practice.

Professional Development - Supporting the professional development of staff they lead

• Identifies and utilizes the full potential of staff in the department by being alert to professional development needs.
• Mentors staff within the Professional Learning Programme, and coaches where appropriate so that they work most effectively.
• Organises and/or runs informal/formal Professional Development opportunities for the department as individuals or as a whole.

Collaboration - working collaboratively within teams

• Enthuses and motivates staff and fosters an environment where creativity and collaboration flourish.
• Involves people in decisions, and delegates interesting and challenging tasks.
• Gives, expects and acts on constructive feedback, and acknowledges error.
• Assumes shared and individual responsibility for successes and problems and is happy to be accountable for the outcomes.
• Sets clear boundaries and expectations providing freedom for the team to work effectively.
• Acts and leads ethically and with integrity.

Communication - communicates effectively within and beyond their team

• Relates well to individuals and deals sensitively with potentially difficult situations with colleagues/students/parents and has effective sensitive and/or difficult conversations.
• Chairs meetings effectively and ensures opportunities for more informal communication to take place within the department.
• Is clear and articulate in both spoken and written communications with students, colleagues, parents and the wider community.
• Is proactive in making appropriate information available to colleagues, pastoral teams, parents and the College community.

Teacher Responsibilities:

• Teachers should contribute positively to the collaborative culture of the Humanities Department and broader Middle School team.
• Teachers should construct learning experiences that challenge students, support the diversity of learners in each classroom and demonstrate a strong commitment to concept-based teaching and learning.
• Teachers should utilise the UWCSEA Learning Principles as a foundation for effective teaching and learning.
• Teachers should ensure assessments support ongoing learning and provide timely, relevant and appropriate feedback to students on formative and summative assessments.
• Teachers should demonstrate effective classroom management that shows an understanding of the academic, social and emotional dimensions of learning.
• Teachers should keep parents informed about the learning of their children, and be proactive in communication with parents.

Expectations and Standards

• Follow the and .
• Lead in line with the
• Teach in line with the

Person Specifications

• A good degree in Humanities or a closely related discipline and a recognized teaching qualification or certification are expected.
• Suitable applicants should have experienced middle leadership, or be able to demonstrate their potential to lead a department.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, experience and pedagogical knowledge in areas outlined by the UWCSEA Learning Principles and the UWCSEA Profile.
• Experience of developing concept-based teaching approaches, contemporary assessment practices and the application of blended learning to enhance learning.
• Ability to inspire, lead and model pedagogical practices for improved student learning.
• Teachers should be willing and eager to participate in the five key elements of a UWCSEA education: Academics Activities Outdoor Education Personal and Social Education and Service.
• Academic expectations include enthusiastic participation in Professional Learning.
• Pastoral expectations include the leadership of a mentor group, unless the teacher is exempted due to other responsibilities.
• On average the College expects a yearly contribution of two sessions per week in each season to Activities and/or Service.
• The College expects that teachers will participate enthusiastically in the curricular Outdoor Education experiences (as a mentor this will include one overseas trip per year) and will also occasionally volunteer for holiday Outdoor Education trips and/or Service Trips.
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion is essential alongside a willingness to adapt and develop pedagogy to meet the needs of our learners.
• Applicants should have a passion for working with young adolescents and understand the unique developmental needs of 11-14 year olds.

Applications

Estimated Recruitment Timeline: Interviews will take place during end October to early November, with an offer made to the successful candidate by the mid/end November.

The UWC Mission is to make education a force to unite people, nations and culture for peace and a sustainable future. We are committed to creating a community in which all members feel safe and secure, and know that their authentic selves and individual differences are accepted with respect and care. At UWCSEA, we acknowledge that diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) is an ongoing and evolving process and strive to create and sustain a sense of belonging for all members of our community, past, present and future. All qualified applicants, including those who identify as a part of marginalised group(s) and individuals with (dis)abilities are all encouraged to apply. Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices and all appointments are subject to interview, satisfactory references, identity and criminal record checks.UWCSEA Dover has a vacancy for August 2026 for a Head of Middle School Humanities (ages 11-14).

The Middle School Head of Humanities, in collaboration with the Vice Principal (Academic), leads the teaching and learning of Humanities for all Middle School students. They lead their team of teachers in creating a positive learning environment based on the values of honesty, integrity, respect and responsibility. The Head of Department fosters a sense of community within the Middle School through their active leadership and interactions with students, parents, teachers and the wider community.

The successful candidate must have a tertiary qualification in relevant subjects and must have the skills and relevant experience required to teach Grade 6-8 classes in Humanities.