Head of Support for Learning (SENCo) - DQ Campus - Required for August 2025

The British International School Riyadh (BISR) is an extremely well-regarded not-for-profit, co-educational school in the Middle East, catering for students aged 3-18 across its existing five campuses, providing high-quality education to the expatriate community since 1979. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and as a British School Overseas (BSO). BISR is also a member of the British Schools of the Middle East (BSME), the Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO), the Heads Conference (HMC) and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). The BISR Diplomatic Quarter campus is also an IB World School, offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Learning is holistic, supported by a broad co-curricular programme, encompassing extra-curricular activities, student leadership, service learning and residential trips. Strong pastoral care supports student well-being.

We are seeking a lively, dynamic Head of Support for Learning (SENCo) to join the BISR Student Services Department and lead the Support for Learning team at the DQ campus. The Support for Learning team is a highly committed team of specialist teachers and Learning Support Assistants who work cooperatively and imaginatively. The Head of Support for Learning contributes to the development of inclusive provision/practice across the BISR campuses.

The candidate should be an outstanding classroom practitioner able to provide support and guidance to teaching staff and parents. They should hold a recognised qualification in SEN and have an understanding of the challenges in dealing with SEN issues in a Middle East context. We are specifically looking for an individual who is willing to contribute to our three strategic pillars of learning, enrichment and well-being.

• British International School Riyadh
• PO Box 85769, 2786 Ibrahim Mubarak, Said Ad Dusari Street 7693
• Riyadh
• 11612
• Saudi Arabia

The British International School Riyadh (BISR) is a prestigious institution renowned for its commitment to academic excellence and holistic development. Offering a dynamic, globally-minded education rooted in the British curriculum, BISR fosters a vibrant and inclusive learning environment where students thrive academically and personally. With state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated team of educators, the school provides an enriching experience that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and leadership skills, preparing students for success in an ever-evolving world.

A highly respected, not-for-profit educational institution with seven campuses across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, BISR serves nearly 3000 students aged 3-18 from over 90 nationalities, and is supported by 538 dedicated staff.

BISR leverages Saudi Arabia's rich cultural heritage. It encourages its diverse community and partnerships with service learning to inspire students to engage with complex global issues and develop as responsible global citizens.

Since 1979, the school has delivered high-quality education to the expatriate community. It is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and as a British School Overseas (BSO), with affiliations to leading educational organisations and exam boards.

BISR focuses on three core pillars: learning, well-being and enrichment, giving equal importance to each. Research indicates that happy students are more effective learners. Moreover, active participation in the broader school community—such as through extracurricular activities, service, leadership roles, and trips—offers significant benefits. These benefits include enhanced academic performance, increased self-esteem and confidence, a broader perspective, improved social skills, and leadership and life skills development.

What do we think makes our school special?

• A British education is respected world-wide.
• We are academically successful with proven examination success at IGCSE and A-level.
• The behaviour of our students is excellent – a feature regularly commented on by visitors.
• We enjoy high levels of parent satisfaction.
• Individual student and staff successes are recognised, rewarded and celebrated.
• We offer a broad co-curricular programme, encompassing extra-curricular activities, student leadership, service learning and residential trips.
• Student well-being is a key focus, where we support the holistic development of each child within our Intercultural context.
• Our students develop as life-long learners.
• Traditional values and good manners are reinforced.
• BISR students feel proud of themselves and their school.
• We have an international mix of students from more than 50 Countries.
• We invest in our staff, supporting their professional development by providing a broad range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities. Our staff retention is very good.
• We are reflective, leveraging from our British School Overseas (BSO) and Council of International Schools (CIS) inspection and accreditation processes to drive self-improvement. The most recent reports can be found here.
• There is an excellent sense of community, with a very active and supportive PTA who both run and contribute to a range of events throughout the academic year.

Teaching at BISR

Ideally, we would like to appoint teachers with UK and/or international experience and an understanding of the place of British schools in the international context, but do not be prevented from applying if you do not necessarily have international or British curriculum experience.

We have a wonderful community here at BISR. Our students are highly motivated and a pleasure to interact with every day. Our staff are committed and know how to have fun. However, although the package is generally regarded as generous, we are not interested in people who only want to join us because of the money.

We want passionate educators, who wish to work extremely hard to make BISR the best British-style school in the region, and a genuine contender for the status of flagship British School worldwide. We expect all teachers to offer an extra-curricular activity and also to contribute to the House programme.

Our sponsorship packages cater for single status teachers without families, or married teachers with their spouse and children, or married teaching couples with their children. The package covers up to a maximum of 2 dependent children; however, families with more than 2 children may still apply but all costs (including schooling) for the 3rd child and onward will need to be borne by the staff member. Our sponsorship packages only apply to candidates who will not be under their spouses sponsorship. The visa process to enable sponsorship can take a couple of months to progress, so it is advisable that candidates seek advice from the BISR HR Team on the timings for taking their children out of their current school.

The Curriculum at BISR

For younger learners, all primary schools follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and an adapted version of the English National Curriculum for Years 1 through 6, enriched to reflect the school’s local and international context. Assessment and reporting procedures are standardised across campuses for consistency.

In secondary schools, students study a broad range of subjects through GCSE examinations and a more focused selection of A-Levels. At the DQ campus, BISR also offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for 16-18-year-old students and has recently introduced vocational pathways, including Btecs. BISR graduates often continue their education at prestigious universities worldwide.

BISR is well prepared to cater to the academic and social needs of internationally mobile students and encourages all students to challenge themselves constantly. Our teachers nurture intellectually curious, creative, respectful, caring, and discerning young adults who are conscious of their responsibility to the community and their environment. Parents are encouraged to work in partnership with the school and support its drive towards excellence.