Assistant Head of Upper Years
Woodstock seeks an outstanding educational leader to serve as its next Assistant Head of Upper Years.
POSITION OVERVIEW
- Know students deeply.
- Build a culture of belonging.
- Help young people flourish.
ABOUT WOODSTOCK SCHOOL
High in the Himalayan foothills of northern India stands Woodstock School, one of Asia's oldest and most distinctive international boarding schools.
For more than 170 years, Woodstock has been committed to educating the whole person through a vibrant combination of academic excellence, residential life, character formation, leadership development, service, and global citizenship. Inspired by its unique mission and mountain setting,
This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced and relational educator to help shape the daily experience, wellbeing, leadership development, and personal growth of students during their Upper Years.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead Student Wellbeing and Pastoral Care: The Assistant Head will help guide Woodstock's approach to student wellbeing and pastoral care, ensuring systems, programs, and practices support the growth of every student.
- Shape School Culture: Through collaborative leadership, the Assistant Head will foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture where high expectations are balanced with care, accountability, and belonging.
- Partner with Residential Life: Unlike many schools, Woodstock's boarding environment provides a unique opportunity to create continuity between classroom learning and residential living. The Assistant Head will work closely with the Head of Residential Life and residential staff to ensure students experience consistent expectations, support, and guidance throughout their day.
- Develop Student Leadership: The Assistant Head will help cultivate meaningful opportunities for student voice, leadership, responsibility, and engagement across the school community.
- Support Families: The successful candidate will build strong relationships with families and serve as a trusted partner when navigating student growth, challenges, wellbeing concerns, and important transitions.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE
- A passionate advocate for young people
- An experienced educational leader with strong pastoral instincts
- Deeply committed to student wellbeing and safeguarding
- Calm, compassionate, and approachable
- Skilled in navigating complex student situations
- A collaborative colleague who builds strong relationships
- An effective communicator with students, staff, and families
- Solutions-oriented and proactive
- Committed to restorative practices and positive school culture
- Inspired by Woodstock's mission and community
- Most importantly, the successful candidate will embody Woodstock's commitment to being Humble, Hungry, and Smart while placing student growth and wellbeing at the centre of their work.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree and teaching qualification, preferably in a related field
- At least 5 years teaching experience
- At least 3 years experience in educational leadership, pastoral care or student
- wellbeing
- Demonstrated experience leading student wellbeing, behaviour management and pastoral programmes.
- Relevant safeguarding or child protection training.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in Education, Counselling, Educational Leadership or a related field.
- Experience in an international school environment.
- Experience leading pastoral teams, counselling services or student support.
- Experience working across diverse cultural and educational contexts.
Woodstock is undertaking an exciting period of strategic transformation, marked by organizational restructuring and a significant opportunity to redesign and enhance the school's educational experience. To support this vision, several new leadership positions have been created, which will bring together a newly formed team charged with shaping the future of the school. For leaders who are energised by innovation, collaboration, and meaningful impact, this is a rare chance to help define a bold future for Woodstock in one of the world's most remarkable educational settings.
