Full Time, Fixed Term

August 2025

15 December 2024

The Arbor School seeks a special individual for an exciting opportunity that has arisen within our school. The successful candidate will play a key role in fulfilling the school’s ecological and sustainability vision, as well as challenging students to fulfil their potential within the academic disciplines. The Arbor School are seeking a highly motivated Teacher of Art to join the growing Art and Design Technology department in the newly opened Secondary School. The department currently consists of two Design Technology teacher, one Art and Food Technology teacher and three technicians.
Enough For All, For Ever
The Arbor School opened in 2018 with a very different vision of what education could and should be – experiential, authentic and inspired by the natural beauty, human ingenuity, and profound ecological and social challenges of the Arabian Peninsula.
The cultivation of a learning community uniquely committed to understanding and restoring the health of ecological and human communities as interconnected parts of a whole requires equal parts optimism, ambition, and humility. A fundamental belief in the inherit goodness of people and their capacity to act with empathy and compassion underscores the sense of hope that is fundamental to learning for a sustainable future. The resilience and determination to tackle challenges that have grown to global proportion is essential to finding sustainable solutions and orchestrating the social changes needed to grow them to scale. The realisation that comes from recognising that we are all students – never a master – drives our commitment to ignite a lifelong love of learning.
Recognising the interconnected nature of the cognitive, affective and participative domains, and their roles in shaping learning, we are pursuing a holistic approach to teaching and learning, designed to prepare learners:

• to understand the interconnected concepts of sustainability, individual and collective well-being, and environmental and social justice;
• to find purpose, meaning and joy in their interactions with the natural world and with each other, and to seek to understand people who are different to themselves; and
• to experience a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy through their actions at home, in school and in the wider world.

We are looking for an experienced teacher with a passion for this subject. The successful applicant will be able to teach students of all abilities as well as demonstrate a proven track record of securing outstanding student outcomes. They will be proficient and experienced in teaching Art, ideally with experience of teaching across GCSE/i GCSE and A Level or IB and with a background of teaching textiles or graphics as well.
JOB SUMMARY
The successful candidate will be proficient and experienced in teaching Art (and Textiles/Graphics ideally) with experience of teaching across GCSE/i GCSE and A Level or IB. You will form an integral component of the team, with responsibilities across KS3, KS4 and KS5.

• Undertake specific operational tasks as agreed upon with the Assistant Head of Curriculum, including some or all of the following areas:
• To support in developing and reviewing the Art curriculum and schemes of work at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
• Support in the preparation, delivery and evaluation of schemes of work for the school in accordance with the National Curriculum requirements; with a particular focus on challenge, pace, high order questioning and thinking skills to facilitate students accessing the highest grades at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
• To ensure that the learning environment is well-ordered, safe and stimulating, leading by example to encourage a high standard of display work in classrooms and communal areas with a clear emphasis on celebrating success, sharing achievements and highlighting specialist subject knowledge.
• Develop and implement engaging Art lessons that align with the school's ecoliteracy principles, emphasising sustainability, environmental awareness, and global citizenship within the curriculum with flexibility.
• Review and refine the Art curriculum and lesson plans for KS3, KS4, and KS5, integrating sustainability concepts and nature themes to develop students' understanding of the world's interconnectedness, as well as closely following the National Curriculum for England.
• Lead inquiry-based learning experiences in Art, encouraging students to explore real-world issues through engaging educational visits.
• Collaborate with colleagues to infuse artistic practices into cross-curricular activities, ensuring Art lessons contribute to a broader understanding of creative ideologies.
• Encourage an inclusive and stimulating learning environment where students actively engage with sustainability topics, facilitate discussions, and showcase their understanding through design-thinking projects that promote environmental aspects of Art

THE ARBOR PROMISE
Arbor teachers are a part of a community which is inclusive, fun-loving, and active. Arbor teachers enjoy authentic friendships with their colleagues, positive relationships with school leaders, who care for their wellbeing, and are a team in the true sense. Arbor teachers are resilient in the face of challenge, are stable and calm in the face of change, and creative and flexible when solving problems. Arbor teachers bring their passions and interests to enrich our school and are clear that there is an expectation to do so. We commit to meeting agreed deadlines, to communicating proactively with an assumption of positive intent and share a passion to provide an education of the highest quality to our students.
REQUIRED CANDIDATE PROFILE:

• Native-level English language skills
• Bachelor’s degree in Art or similar, with a PGCE in Education with QTS or equivalent
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience teaching Art in the UK or a reputable British school overseas
• A track record of outstanding GSCE and/or A Level examination results
• A track record of outstanding teaching and learning and an ability to create a caring and nurturing classroom environment.

REMUNERATION:
Competitive tax-free salary, school provided accommodation, free school places for children, private medical insurance, annual airfares, and end of contract gratuity as per the UAE labour law.
APPLICATION:
To apply for this position please complete the application on TES and upload:

• An up-to-date CV with a recent photograph to be included.
• A letter of application, no longer than two pages in length, which outlines your educational philosophy and suitability for the Arbor School.

The Arbor 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 hold ourselves to a high standard of effective safer recruiting practices with specific attention to child protection. All appointments are subject to CV and qualification checks, interview, identity checks, criminal record checks, and successful references.
All appointments are subject to the approval of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Arbor School is an ecological school in Dubai, based on the National Curriculum for England. An extraordinary school, blending academic rigour with a deep understanding of the world and our place within it. At Arbor, children are taught to question their impact on the planet and to assume their responsibility as stewards of the future in a profoundly interconnected world.
Inspired by an ecologist, taught by a community of passionate educators.

A Unique Ecological Approach

A mindful approach to education that combines ecoliteracy - the ability to understand the natural systems that make life on earth possible, with the rigour provided by the National Curriculum for England.

Our People

Our team of passionate educators bring a wealth of experience and ecological expertise, as they strive to create an outstanding flagship school in our region.

Our Learning Spaces

The school is specifically designed to inspire and nurture students different learning styles and abilities. Space to collaborate, shine and reflect with access to a range of environments not usually accessible in the Gulf.
Arbor School is located in Al-Furjan, within easy reach of Jumeirah Village Triangle, Green Community, Victory Heights and the Marina. Offering FS1-Year 13 (Y12 opens September 2024), we provide a unique ecological approach to learning in Dubai. The Arbor School’s educational vision is grounded in the British curriculum and focuses on project-based, experiential and outdoor learning. The school offers modern, adaptive facilities, six climate-controlled biodomes and learning gardens as key spaces to engage children in a deeper understanding of their ecology and environment.

Our Mission Statement

Arbor School’s mission is to provide an education that connects our community with the natural world and inspires us to imagine and build a future in which all may flourish.
Arbor School is a diverse and welcoming community that nurtures curiosity and celebrates the connectedness of humans with the natural world. Arbor recognises and addresses the unique academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of each individual and strives to build a culture of human flourishing, social harmony, and ecological abundance.

The Arbor Promise

Students at Arbor are expected to demonstrate hard work and effort in all that they do. They are proactive in their learning, resilient when faced with a challenge and collaborative in solving problems. Arbor students are exceptionally caring, with an acute sense of compassion for others. They are passionate about the world around us and act with integrity and ingenuity when striving for a sustainable future.