Nursery Principal

Job Title: Head of Nurseries
Reports To: Director of Education/Executive
Leadership
Location: All the Nurseries Branches
Job Type: Full-Time

Job Purpose
The Head of Nurseries is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic planning, quality
assurance, and operational management of multiple nursery branches. This role ensures
high-quality early childhood education, compliance with ADEK and other regulatory requirements, and a safe, nurturing environment for children, staff, and parents. This position oversees all academic aspects across nursery branches, ensuring consistency, excellence, and alignment in curriculum implementation, teaching, and learning.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership
• Develop and implement in collaboration with the Nursery SLT a Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) focused on continuous improvement across all nurseries.
• Lead strategic planning efforts to ensure effective operations, enrollment growth, safeguarding, and staff promotion/retention.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and professional working culture across all nurseries.
• Oversee enrolment strategies, ensuring targeted recruitment and retention of students.

2. Quality Assurance & Compliance
• Ensure all nurseries adhere to ADEK and other regulatory communication and compliance requirements.
• Serve as the final approver for all ADEK-related documents, ensuring accurate translation and compliance with standards.
• Prepare nurseries for external visits, inspections, and compliance audits, ensuring they are always inspection ready.
• Monitor nursery performance based on the FAAE framework and other standards, ensuring academic excellence and alignment across branches.

3. Curriculum & Instructional Oversight
• Ensure that all nurseries meet key Nursery KPIs, tracking progress and making necessary improvements to ensure targets are achieved.
• Oversee the implementation of teaching and learning policies across all nurseries.
• Ensure consistency and quality in lesson plans, unit planners, and Floorbooks, providing regular review and feedback.
• Monitor lesson plans, unit planners, and children’s Learning Journeys, ensuring they
are effectively implemented across all branches.
• Conduct observations, assess weaknesses, and develop instructional coaching and professional development programs for staff.
• Oversee learning environments, ensuring that resources are consistently used and available for children’s learning experiences.

4. Academic Oversight & Staff Development
• Conduct regular classroom observations, assess teaching effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement.
• Team-teach, coach, and mentor staff weekly, maintaining a record of staff progress and challenges.
• Monitor lesson plans, unit planners, and Floorbooks weekly, ensuring feedback is implemented.
• Oversee children’s Learning Journeys, ensuring progress tracking and monthly documentation.
• Enforce non-negotiable lists for staff expectations and classroom setups, maintaining high standards.

5. Operational & Human Resource Management
• Oversee human resources, recruitment, and staffing allocations across all nurseries, working with the Head of HR.
• Ensure organizational efficiency and coordinate closely with the Head of Operations on logistics and facility management.
• Develop the academic calendar and long-term plan in collaboration with the Nursery SLT, ensuring smooth transitions between academic years.
• Oversee human resources, recruitment, and staffing allocations across all nurseries, working with the Head of HR.
• Ensure organizational efficiency and coordinate closely with the Head of Operations on logistics and facility management.
• Develop and manage the academic calendar, ensuring smooth transitions between academic years.

6. Strategic Meetings & Communication
• Chair weekly meetings with Nursery Principals, Vice Principals, and relevant stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment.
• Lead weekly strategic meetings to discuss academic progress, compliance with ADEK standards, and operational issues.
• Lead monthly meetings with all stakeholders, including the Director of Abu Dhabi Schools, Head of HR, Head of Operations, and Nursery Leadership Teams.
• Ensure all meetings have official agendas, minutes, and clear action items, maintaining records on OneDrive.
• Lead weekly strategic meetings to discuss academic progress, compliance with ADEK standards, and operational issues.
• Lead monthly meetings with all stakeholders, including the Director of Abu Dhabi Schools, Head of HR, Head of Operations, and Nursery Leadership Teams.
• Ensure all meetings have official agendas, minutes, and clear action items, maintaining records on OneDrive.

7. Community & Parent Engagement
• Oversee communication strategies, including newsletters and parent-teacher conferences, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Ensure staff are correctly using the Parent App daily, overseeing accuracy and effectiveness in updates and communication.
• Foster strong community relationships and ensure cultural events and workshops enhance engagement.
• Organize education sessions and workshops for parents, supporting holistic child development.

8. Professional Development (PD) & Training
• Design and implement PD programs tailored to specific staff needs and areas for growth.
• Deliver PD sessions and workshops across all branches, ensuring staff are trained in best educational practices.
• Assess the effectiveness of PD programs through follow-up observations and performance evaluations.

9. Liaison & Compliance with ADEK
• Serve as the primary liaison with ADEK, ensuring the Head of Nurseries stays updated on compliance requirements.
• Ensure all necessary documents, communications, and educational materials are
accurately translated into Arabic.
• Drive to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain at least twice weekly to conduct site visits, lead SLT meetings, coaching sessions, and PD sessions, of all branches.

10. Quality Assurance & Monitoring
• Evaluate and ensure high teaching and learning quality in all subjects, including Arabic, Islamic, and general education.
• Stay updated on best practices in early childhood education, implementing enhancements where necessary.
• Use data and observations to drive continuous improvement across all nursery branches.
• Monitor health and safety compliance, working closely with the Head of Operations to maintain a safe learning environment.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and ensure that all health and safety protocols are followed, including fire safety, child protection, and emergency preparedness across all nursery branches.

OSH Roles and Responsibilities include:
• Bring up OSH concerns to the attention of his direct Supervisor or OSH department.
• Exercise effective supervision of their pupils and to know the procedures in respect of fire, first aid and other emergencies, and to carry them out.
• Follow the OSH procedures applicable to their area of work.
• Give clear oral and written health and safety instructions and warnings to Children as often as necessary.
• Ensure the use of personal protective equipment and guards where necessary.
• Make recommendations to their Heads of Department/Nursery EE Director on OSH equipment and on additions or necessary improvements to plant, tools, equipment, or machinery.
• Ensure that personal items of equipment (electrical or mechanical) are not brought into the Nursery without prior authorization.
• Regularly check their classrooms for potential hazards and report any observed to the Facilities Manager.
• Report all accidents, defects and dangerous occurrences to their Head of Department in the first instance.
• Be vigilant in work area, identify and report to their Supervisors about imminent dangers / hazards / concerns to environment, health and safety.

This job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment or modification. It is not a comprehensive statement of procedures and tasks but sets out the main expectations of the Nursery in relation to the post holder’s professional responsibilities and duties.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Degree in Early Childhood Education
  Experience:
• Minimum of 3 years teaching experience
• Certifications: ADEK-approved teaching license (if applicable)
• First Aid & CPR, Safeguarding Training.
• Skills: Strong leadership, communication, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multi-site operations.
• Must be an Arabic speaker
• Willing to drive to nurseries in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain twice a week.

Degree in Early Childhood Education/Cache 5