Appointment of a Principal
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 02
03 Executive summary
04 An introduction to the ABS
07 Organisational structure
09 Academic excellence
11 Holistic education
13 Finances
14 Fundraising and capital investment
15 Role description
17 Personspecification
19 Living in Jordan
20 Terms of appointment and how to apply
Contents
Executive summary
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 03
One of the leading schools in the Middle East,
the Amman Baccalaureate School (ABS) is a
pioneering, bilingual IB World School with a rich
heritage and impressive reputation for innovation.
Situated in vibrant Western Amman, the ABS blends
Arabheritagewithinternationalism,offeringafirst-class,
holistic education to 1,175 students aged 4 to 18. The ABS
wasthefirstSchoolintheworldtobeaccreditedunder
the new rigorous CIS international protocol and is at the
forefront of new developments within Round Square.
The Board of Trustees, chaired by HRH Princess Sarvath
El Hassan, now seek an outstanding Principal to
succeed Stuart Bryan who will step down in summer
2019 after ten years of exceptional service. This is an
exciting opportunity to shape the future of an already
high performing school and further strengthen the ABS’
positionasanagenda-settingschoolinthefast-changing
world of international education.
The next Principal will combine a track record of successful
leadership experience with the cultural sensitivity and
global perspective to inspire a dynamic international
school. The appointed candidate will have the political
acuity to lead an organisation at the heart of the community
in Amman, and the personal authority, gravitas and
authenticitytoengagemultipleinfluentialstakeholders
nationally and internationally. A sense of adventure and
highlevelsofresilienceandflexibilityareessential,asisa
genuine commitment to the ABS’ vision and mission.
An introduction to the ABS
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 04
Established in 1981, the ABS is a pioneering
international school with an impressive
reputation for excellence in the Kingdom of
Jordan, the Middle East and globally. The School
was founded by His Royal Highness Prince El
Hassan bin Talal and Her Royal Highness Princess
Sarvath El Hassan and was the first truly bilingual
school in the region. There are currently 1,175
students aged 4 to 18.
The ABS has always been an innovative school
operating at the forefront of the changing world of
international education.
ItwasoneofthefirstschoolsintheworldtogainIB
diploma authorisation in 1986 and is now an IB World
School authorised for all four IB programmes. The ABS
wasalsothefirstschoolintheworldtobeaccreditedby
theWorldAcademyofSport(WAoS)asanofficial
Athlete Friendly Accreditation Centre.
InSeptember2017,theABSbecamethefirstschoolto
gain accreditation under the new and more rigorous
international accreditation protocol introduced by the
Council of International Schools (CIS). ABS was highly
commended for “creating an outstanding whole school
climate and a highly positive learning community, which
fully reflects the Guiding Statements.” The reports
submitted to CIS and the report written for ABS have
been selected to be used as CIS training materials.
The ABS is also a member of Round Square and is a
pioneer school for the Round Square Discovery
Programme, hosting a workshop for Round Square
education in April 2018.
The current strategic plan covering the period 2014 to
2019 can be found here.
An introduction to the ABS
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 05
Vision statementThe Amman Baccalaureate School is recognised as a
leading pioneer school in the region for fostering a
stimulating learning environment based upon the
International Baccalaureate philosophy and enhanced
by appropriate educational technologies and a rigorous
differentiatedcurriculum.
Mission statementThe Amman Baccalaureate School is an IB World School
that provides a bilingual education in Arabic and English,
which, whilst meeting the highest international
standards,remainsfirmlyrootedintheArabheritage.
TheSchoolisaJordanian,non-profitinstitutionthat
promotes international understanding, communication
and awareness through embracing other cultures.
The Amman Baccalaureate School works towards
developing well rounded responsible world citizens.
Al TarbiyehTheABSisamissionandvision-ledschoolandthe
Al Tarbiyeh acronym has been developed to encapsulate
the key attributes of an ABS education. This is fully
understood and embedded across the school community
and is used to evaluate all aspects of school life.
An introduction to the ABS
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 06
The ABS Experience ModelThe ABS Experience Model has been created to map
the holistic experience of ABS students all the way
through the School. It connects the Al Tarbiyeh
attributeswiththeIBLearnerProfile,withtheCIS
Accreditation Model and with the Round Square
Discovery Framework.
Organisational structure
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 07
GovernanceTheABSbenefitsfromthesupportandstrategic
guidance of a distinguished Board of Trustees. The Chair
of the Board is Her Royal Highness Princess Sarvath El
Hassan and there are 12 members who are appointed at
the invitation of the Chair after nomination and voting by
the Board. One member is elected by the parent
community as the PTA Representative to the Board of
Trustees.ThePrincipalisanexofficiomember.
The recent CIS Accreditation highlighted the
“unwavering commitment to good governance”
as a notable strength of the School.
LeadershipThe Board of Trustees delegate the running of the
ABS to the Principal/CEO who is responsible for a
Leadership Team which is currently comprised of:
•VicePrincipal(ArabicProgrammeandSecondary
Grades6-12)
•VicePrincipal(English)andHeadofPrimary
(KG1-Grade5)
•AssistantPrincipal(Development)
•AssistantPrincipal(Administration)
•HeadofMiddleYearsSchool(Grades6-10)
•HeadofIBDiplomaCollege(Grades11-12)
•DeputyHeadofPrimary(KG1-Grade5)and
IBPrimaryYearsCo-ordinator
•DirectorofWholeSchoolStudentAchievement
andWell-beingandWholeSchoolAccreditation
Co-ordinator
•DirectorofWholeSchoolIBContinuum
•DirectorofAdditionalEducationalNeedsDepartment
This team oversees the three distinct schools which
make up the ABS: Primary School (KG1 to Grade 5),
MiddleYearsSchool(Grade6toGrade10)andthe
IB College (Grade 11 and Grade 12).
Organisational structure
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 08
StaffTheABSemploysnearly192teachingstaffand128
supportstaff.Ateachingstafftostudentratioof1:6
ensuresthatallstudentsbenefitfromindividual
attention and support.
The ABS is extremely successful in attracting and
retaininghigh-calibrestaffwhobringconsiderable
experience of other leading international and
Jordanian schools.
A strong emphasis on continuing professional
developmentforallstaffisakeystrengthoftheABSand
thisisreflectedinboththepopularityoftheSchooland
inthelowlevelsofstaffturnover.TheSchoolhasa
partnershipwiththeUniversityofBathasanofficial
Department for Education Study Centre through which
staffcanparticipateintheIBEducatorCertificate
Programmetofurtherenhancetheirqualificationsand
extend their development.
Academic excellence
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 09
The ABS prides itself on delivering an
international, bilingual education of the highest
quality. The School is a vibrant learning
community in which expert teachers support
each individual to achieve his or her potential in
the classroom.
The School is one of less than 30 schools worldwide to
offerallfourIBProgrammes(DP,MYP,PYP,CP)andthe
firstschoolinJordantodoso.
Teaching objectives The Teaching Objectives of the Amman Baccalaureate
SchoolareadaptedfromtheIBLearnerProfile.
As a Jordanian IB World School, the ABS aims to
provide an educational environment where students
aspire to become:
Inquirers – developing skills of inquiry and research,
nurturing curiosity and building a lifelong love of learning.
Knowledgeable – developing and using conceptual
understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of
disciplines and engaging with issues and ideas that
havelocalandglobalsignificance.
Thinkers – using critical and creative thinking skills to
analyse and take responsible action on complex
problems, exercising initiative in making reasonable and
ethical decisions.
Communicators–confidentandcreativeexpressionin
morethanonelanguagewitheffectivecollaboration
and careful listening to the perspectives of others.
Principled – acting with integrity and honesty, with a
strong sense of fairness and justice and with respect
for the dignity and rights of all people.
Open-minded – critical appreciation of one’s own
culture and personal history as well as the values and
traditions of others.
Caring – showing empathy, compassion and respect
with a commitment to service and action to make a
positivedifferencetothelivesofothers.
Risk-takers – approaching uncertainty with forethought
and determination, and being resourceful and resilient in
the face of challenges and change.
Balanced – understanding the importance of balancing
the intellectual, physical and emotional aspects of life,
recognising interdependence with other people and the
wider world.
Reflective – understanding personal strengths and
weaknesses in order to support learning and
development.
Academic excellence
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 10
CurriculumTheABSPrimarySchooloffersthePrimaryYears
Programme(PYP)providingastrongacademicfoundation
throughaninquiry-basedapproachtodiscoveryand
learning.StudentsinGrades6-10followtheMiddleYears
Programme(MYP)andtheABSwasthefirstschoolin
Jordan and the Middle East to gain authorisation for the
MYPin2002.TheIBCollegeofferstwoprogrammesfor
students in Grades 11 and 12: the IB Diploma Programme
andtheIBCareers-RelatedProgramme.
Bilingual educationArabic and English share equal importance at the ABS
and both languages are used throughout the School.
Lessons in Arabic and English start in KG1 and continue
through to Grade 12 when most students have
developed their skills in both languages to a high level.
FrenchandSpanisharealsoofferedaselectives,
with Chinese and German as activities.
International sectionThe International Section at ABS was established in 2010
forstudentsinGrades6-10whodonothavetheArabic
language skills to access the bilingual programmes.
ThesestudentsfollowtheMYPwhichistaughtin
English and they are given intensive Arabic classes
in small groups. The curriculum is tailored to suit the
needs and the levels of each individual student
depending on his or her current understanding of Arabic.
International Section students can then progress on to
the IB College where the study of Arabic is encouraged
but not mandatory.
Exam results and university destinationsThe ABS is proud of the consistently excellent academic
resultsachievedbyitsstudents.In2017,theIBMYPand
IBDPresultswereconfirmedasamongthebestinthe
world. The pass rate for the Diploma was 100 per cent
with an average points score of 35. Over 13 per cent of
students in 2017 received over 40 points and over 50 per
cent achieved a score over 35.
ABS students go on to study at some of the most
prestigious and competitive higher education
institutions in the world, regularly securing places at
Russell Group and Ivy League universities. 2017
university destinations included King’s College London,
the University of St Andrews, the University of Bristol,
Stanford University, the University of California, Purdue
University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the
University of Toronto and the University of British
Columbia among others.
Holistic education
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 11
The ABS is committed to the value of a holistic
education which supports the development of
well-rounded, responsible world citizens.
ABSstudentsbenefitfromarichprogrammeof
sporting, cultural, artistic and intellectual activities
providing numerous opportunities to develop talents,
take risks and broaden horizons.
Performing ArtsThe ABS has an outstanding reputation in the region for
the quality of its music, drama and dance.
The annual English and Arabic plays and wide range of
concerts and talent shows provide a plethora of
performance opportunities and the emphasis is on the
highest quality of performance. Students have many
opportunities to develop their skills as performers or in
various backstage roles.
The ABS is a proud member of the International School
Theatre Association (ISTA) which is closely linked to the
IB and exists to bring together young people, artists and
teachersfromdifferentcountriestoexperienceand
learn about theatre, culture and each other.
Sports The ABS has a thriving sports programme with
opportunities for students to participate across a range
of pursuits and at all levels. The main sports are football,
volleyball, basketball, rugby, gymnastics and track and
field.TheABS’membershipoftheAmmanAthletic
Conference (AAC), the Middle East Triangle Sports
(METS) and the Oasis Activities Conference (OAC)
provides many opportunities for students to compete
against teams from other schools in the region. Last
year,theABSfieldedover38teamsacrosssixdifferent
sports and more than 400 students participated.
In 2015, the ABS was accredited as a World Academy of
Sports School. This allows elite sportsmen and women
to attend the School and continue with their
international training and competitor programme whilst
completing the IB Diploma programme over a three
year period.
Holistic education
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 12
El Hassan AwardTheElHassanAward(HYA)isderivedfromtheDukeof
Edinburgh’s Award and was established in Jordan in
1984. The award was piloted at the ABS. Targeted at
youngpeopleaged14to25,theHYAexpeditionsand
servicetripsofferexperienceswhichsupportthe
developmentofwell-roundedglobalcitizens.TheABS
MiddleYearsServiceasActionProgrammeandtheIB
College Creativity, Action, Service Programmes are fully
integrated with the El Hassan Award.
Sarvath El Hassan AwardIn 1996, the Sarvath El Hassan Award Scheme was
establishedintheMiddleYearsSchooltorecogniseand
furtherencourageinvolvementinco-curricularactivities.
Over the course of Grade 7 and Grade 8, students are
requiredtocompletefouractivitiesintheABSco-
curricular programme and two qualifying expeditions.
Al SawsanahThe Al Sawsanah Award is for Grade 4 and Grade 5
students. The scheme is designed to encourage
students to participate fully in the life of the School, to
develop a sense of service to the local community and
to develop an informed international perspective.
Model United NationsTheAmmanModelUnitedNations(AMMUN) was
foundedin2002bytwoformerstudents, andisthe
leadingModelUnitedNationsConferencesinthe
MiddleEastandNorthAfrica.ThelatestAMMUNsaw
over 400 students from six countries and 16 schools
gather to discuss major global issues from cyber
security to the militarisation of space.
MUNisamajorpartoftheABSco-curricular
programme. All Grade 7 students participate in a mini
MUNtrainingconferenceandtherearenumerous
opportunities for all students to be involved in local and
international conferences.
Community engagementABSstudentsaredefinedbyastrongsenseofserviceto
the community.
AwardsTheABSco-curricularprogrammeisassociatedwith
threemajorawards:theElHassanYouthAward,the
Sarvath El Hassan Award and the Al Sawsanah Award.
Thesearedesignedfordifferentagegroupswithinthe
School and provide exciting opportunities for students
to challenge themselves, and develop a sense of
responsibility and awareness of the world around them.
Finances
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 13
The ABS is a not for profit institution under the
auspices of the Hashemite Society for Education.
It has a turnover of US $17.5 million and enjoys a
very strong financial position.
The School fully owns all its land and facilities, which is
locatedinaveryaffluentpartofWesternAmman.
Thereisnolong-termdebtandprudentfiduciary
monitoring has been integral to helping the ABS meet
the challenge of balancing rising costs with the
continuedprovisionoffirst-classeducation.
Thereisaten-yearfacilitiesMasterPlan,whichhasseen
over US $10 million invested over the past few years,
including in new buildings, such as a state of the art
Kindergarten and LEED Platinum Accredited IB College
(Post-16centre).Therehasalsobeeninvestmentinthe
renovation of existing facilities, such as an upgraded
DesignandInnovationCentre.TheSchooliswell-placed
to continue to invest in the coming few years subject to
continued progress with the fundraising strategy.
Potential planned capital projects (subject to
fundraising) include the construction of a new
Administration and Student Activities Building.
Fundraising and capital investment
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 14
The ABS is committed to offering the best
possible educational experience and fundraising
plays an important role in ensuring the School is
able to continue to invest in its facilities.
The Board of Trustees established the Baccalaureate
Endowment Fund (BEF) in 1987 in order to ensure the
School is able to maintain and enhance its buildings and
grounds. In 2010, the Capital Campaign was launched and
sincethentherehasbeensignificantinvestmentinthe
campus, together with a focus on student scholarships.
Role description
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 15
The opportunityOne of the leading schools in the Middle East, with a
reputation for excellence and innovation which extends
beyond the region, the ABS is a high performing school
withsignificantstrengths.TheSchoolhasenjoyedten
years of outstanding leadership from Stuart Bryan
whose tenure as Principal has been marked by
considerable development in many areas of school life.
His successor will therefore inherit a strong existing
platform and will lead the ABS into the next stage of its
evolution with the support of a distinguished Board of
Trustees,talentedstaffandengagedparentcommunity.
For an adventurous, ambitious individual, this is an exciting
opportunitytoleadadynamicorganisation,todefinethe
next chapter for an already successful school and to
experience the cultural richness and beauty of Jordan.
Key responsibilitiesThe Principal is accountable to the Board of Trustees for
thedeliveryoffirst-classeducationandoutstanding
pastoral care. The Principal works closely with and is
accountable to the Board in its responsibility for the
overall strategy and vision for the School.
Morespecifically,thekeyresponsibilitiesofthenext
Principal of the ABS can be outlined as follows:
Vision and strategic leadership•ToworkwiththeBoardofTrustees,theLeadership
Team,staffandotherstakeholderstodevelopaclear
strategy for the ABS which builds on progress made
underthe2014-2019strategicplanandfurtherdevelop
the School as a pioneering institution.
•Togroundthisstrategyinthecontextofbotha
changing international education landscape and a
rapidly evolving country and region, ensuring that the
ABSiswell-positionedtoseizeopportunitiesand
respond to changes locally, nationally and internationally.
•Toprovideclear,strategicleadershiptotheLeadership
Team, devolving responsibilities appropriately and
proactively creating opportunities for professional
development.
Role description
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 16
External engagement and ambassadorial responsibilities•TounderstandtheABS’suniqueheritageandposition
in Jordan, nurturing and further developing the existing
strong relationships with the Ministry of Education,
and other key stakeholders.
•TobeacompellingambassadorfortheABSinthe
local community and on a national, regional and
international stage.
•Tobuildstronglinkswithparentsandtoencourage
parental engagement in, and support for, school life.
•TodevelopgoodrelationshipswithRoundSquare,
the IB, CIS and other educational organisations,
valuing connectivity with such bodies.
People and financial management•Toprovideeffectiveleadershiptoanexperienced
LeadershipTeam,delegatingeffectivelysuchthat
colleagues are supported to deliver their remits to the
highest standards.
•ToworkcloselywiththeChiefFinancialOfficertoensure
theABS’financesandresourcesarewell-managed.
Educational leadership•Toprovideinspirationaleducationalleadership
ensuring that ABS students of all abilities are
supported and challenged to realise their full potential.
•Tochampionacultureofhighachievement,
celebrating academic excellence and the richness of
the ABS holistic education.
•Toleadbyexampleinmodellingtheattributesof
Al Tarbiyeh, ensuring these values continue to guide
the development of the School.
•Topromoteexcellenceinteaching,recruitinghigh
qualityteachingstaffandmotivatingandinspiring
these colleagues to deliver the highest possible
standards.
•Tomaintainastrong,currentknowledgeofthelatest
pedagogical developments globally and encourage all
leadersandstafftobeoutward-facingintheirapproach.
Person specification
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 17
The next Principal will be a leader of exceptional
calibre. The Board of Trustees seek an
outstanding educationalist with the vision and
strategic abilities to lead this successful school
into the next exciting stage of its development,
further strengthening the ABS as a pioneering,
innovative and ambitious school.
He or she will have most or all of the following
experience, skills and knowledge and personal attributes:
Experience•Afirst-classeducatorwithastrongtrackrecordof
highly successful school leadership experience,
ideallywithsomeexperienceofKG-Grade12settings.
•Anunderstanding,ideallygainedthroughdirect
experience, of the nature of leadership in international
schools.
•Provenexperienceofleading,developingand
motivating high calibre teams with a clear commitment
to the continuing professional development of all
colleagues.
•Clearevidenceofapositivepersonalcontributiontoa
school in the pursuit of excellence.
Skills and knowledge•Stronginterpersonalandcommunicationskills
characterised by high levels of emotional intelligence
and the cultural sensitivity and global perspective to
relate well to people at all levels and from a diversity
of backgrounds.
•Anunderstandingofhowtoworkeffectivelywithahigh
profileBoardandgetthebestoutofBoardmembers
who bring a rich range of skills and experiences.
•FamiliaritywiththeInternationalBaccalaureate
programmes.
•Abroadunderstandingoftherapidlyevolving
international education sector and the opportunities
and challenges this presents for the ABS.
•Highlevelsofculturalsensitivityandtheflexibilityto
rapidly understand and assimilate the Jordanian context.
•Agoodunderstandingofthebusinessaspectsof
21st century international school leadership.
Person specification
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 18
Leadership style and personal attributes•Asenseofadventureandtheflexibility,resilienceand
energy to adapt and thrive in Jordan.
•Awarm,empatheticandvisibleleadershipstyle
with the presence to motivate and inspire excellence
in others.
•Anauthenticcommitmenttothevaluesandattributes
of Al Tarbiyeh and to the mission of the ABS as a
not-for-profitbilingualschoolwhichblendsrichArab
heritage with the highest international standards.
Living in Jordan
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 19
Jordan is a fascinating, friendly and safe place in
which to live and work.
Ammanoffersarichmixoftheoldandthenewwith
spectacularRomanruins,buzzingcoffeeshopsand
souqs, modern shopping malls, art galleries and an
international-standardmuseum.TheABSenjoysa
privilegedpositionintheleafy,affluentdistrictof
Western Amman.
Culturally,JordanoffersmanytreasuresandtheDeadSea,
Petra and Jerash are all within easy reach. For those
interestedtoventurefurtherafield,Jordanisalso
well-placedasahubfromwhichtotravelmorewidely
within the region to Beruit, Cairo and numerous other
interesting destinations.
Terms of appointment
Amman Baccalaureate School Appointment of a Principal 20
An excellent remuneration package commensurate with
the importance of the role and the experience of the
successfulcandidatewillbeoffered.
How to applyThe ABS has retained the services of Perrett Laver to
helpidentifythewidestpossiblefieldofsuitable
candidates and assist in the assessment of candidates
against the requirements for the role. An executive
search exercise is being undertaken alongside the
public advertisement of the post.
ApplicantsshouldsubmitaCV(including
comprehensive details of key achievements and
responsibilities) along with a covering letter which fully
addresses the competencies outlined in the job
descriptionandpersonspecification.
Completed applications should be uploaded at
https://candidates.perrettlaver.com/vacancies
quoting reference 3477. The closing date for applications
is 0830hrs BST on Wednesday 28th March 2018.
Longlisted candidates will be invited for interview with
Perrett Laver during the weeks commencing 9th April,
16th April and 23rd April 2018.
The shortlist of candidates will be selected on Monday
30th April 2018 and those shortlisted will be invited to
participateinafirstroundinterviewviaSkypewiththe
Search Committee on Wednesday 2nd May 2018. Final
interviews will take place at the School on Wednesday
9th and Thursday 10th May 2018.
8-10 Great George StreetLondonSW1P 3AEUK
T: +44 (0)20 7340 6200F: +44 (0)20 7340 6201
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