Head of English Female

Downe House Riyadh is seeking a passionate, experienced, and committed Head of English to join our thriving school community from August 2026
. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead and shape early childhood education within a world-class school environment.

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 100+ schools in 16 countries— in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East— serving more than 85,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, ‘Thrive in a rapidly evolving world’.

At Cognita, we know every student is unique. We nurture their distinct personalities and strengths. We support them academically, socially, and emotionally, wherever they are in the world, wherever they’re starting from. We protect what’s special about them, while offering them rich knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. And they get to be part of something bigger; ensuring they get an education that’s, quite literally, world class.

Opened in September 2022, Downe House Riyadh delivers a world-class British curriculum in partnership with one of the UK’s most celebrated girls-only private schools. With over a century of excellence, Downe House UK consistently ranks among the country’s top five all-girls’ schools.

Located in the prestigious Aqeeq neighbourhood in northern Riyadh, the school offers a British curriculum enriched with Downe House UK’s tradition and expertise. The programme is carefully adapted for Saudi Arabia, ensuring girls achieve excellence in Arabic and Islamic Studies alongside core subjects.

The close partnership between the Riyadh and UK schools is evident in both philosophy and practice. At the heart of the Downe House ethos is the individual: every girl’s strength, challenges, and interests are recognised, with bespoke pathways that foster confidence and success.

• A first-class British education leading to IGCSEs and A Levels
• Academic excellence in girls’ education
• Exceptional pastoral care and opportunities for personal growth
• A wide range of co‑curricular activities

The school nurtures intellectual curiosity, creativity, and respect for others through strong pastoral systems, personalised tutoring, and a spotlight on every student.

• Pre‑Prep:
  Nursery to Year 2 (ages 2–7)
• Prep:
  Year 3 to Year 8 (ages 7–13)
• Senior:
  Year 9 to Year 13 (ages 13–18)

Boys and girls are admitted from Pre‑School to Year 4.

The state‑of‑the‑art campus features dedicated libraries, central atriums, science and design labs, art studios, a 450‑seat theatre, music, dance, and drama facilities, IT labs, and both senior and learner swimming pools.

The Head of English will lead and manage the English Department, teaching English from Year 6 onwards and contributing to a rich and extensive extra‑curricular programme. The role focuses on delivering the English curriculum ensuring all students make excellent academic progress while developing a genuine enjoyment of English through engaging and challenging learning experiences.

The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the department, maintaining high academic standards, and promoting a culture of excellence in teaching and learning.

• To actively promote our unique vision and the Downe House Potential through enthusiastic participation in all areas of school life.
• To share and support the School’s commitment to provide an all‑round, outstanding education for all our pupils.
• To always set high expectations, which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils.
• To have the highest aspirations for our pupils’ development and achievements, both in and out of the classroom.
• To offer excellent pastoral care for all pupils.

• To teach a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum and contribute to the preparation and writing of schemes of work, teaching materials, teaching programmes, methods of teaching and assessment.
• To facilitate and encourage high quality learning…