PRIMARY PRINCIPAL

Start Date: September 2026

Maple Bloom International School – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF A GROWING INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Maple Bloom International School is seeking an accomplished, inspirational and forward-thinking Primary Principal to lead its Primary School from September 2026.

This is a significant leadership appointment for an experienced Primary leader who combines a strong understanding of teaching and learning with the ability to develop people, build effective systems and create a school culture in which children and adults can thrive.

Maple Bloom is entering an important stage of its development. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence the school’s educational direction, strengthen standards across the Primary phase and help lead the continued growth of an ambitious international school community.

ABOUT MAPLE BLOOM

Maple Bloom’s educational roots extend back almost 13 years to a successful early-years organisation established by an experienced UK educator in Solihull. That experience, together with a strong reputation for educational quality and parental trust, provided the foundation for the opening of Maple Bloom’s first Tanzanian preschool in Masaki in 2020.

Since then, Maple Bloom has grown into an international school offering education from Early Years through Primary and Secondary. The wider school community now includes more than 250 students representing over 25 nationalities across four campuses in Dar es Salaam.

The Primary School is based at Maple Bloom’s purpose-built Elementary Campus in the Masaki area of the city. Small classes, supportive relationships and a commitment to knowing each child as an individual remain central to the school’s approach.

Maple Bloom is a Pearson Edexcel-approved centre. Primary students follow the Pearson Edexcel iPrimary curriculum, providing a structured and internationally recognised foundation in English, mathematics and science while also supporting inquiry, creativity and real-world learning.

The wider curriculum includes Global Citizenship, Computing and ICT, French, Swahili, Creative Arts and Physical Education. Communication, digital literacy, collaboration, problem-solving, cultural awareness and personal development are embedded throughout the student experience.

As Maple Bloom continues to expand, the school is seeking a Primary Principal capable of combining educational ambition with the practical leadership required to turn that ambition into consistently excellent classroom practice.

THE ROLE

The Primary Principal will provide strategic, academic, pastoral and operational leadership across the Primary School.

Working collaboratively with the wider leadership team, the successful candidate will establish clear expectations, develop staff capability and ensure that every aspect of the Primary School supports excellent learning, strong student wellbeing and positive relationships with families. This is a visible, hands-on leadership position. The appointed Principal must be comfortable moving between strategic planning, classroom improvement, staff development, parent communication and the everyday operational demands of a growing school.

The role requires a leader who can preserve the warmth and individual attention of a close school community while introducing the systems, consistency and accountability needed to support further growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic leadership: Develop and communicate a compelling vision for the Primary School, translating the wider school mission into clear priorities, measurable objectives and effective improvement plans.
• Teaching and learning: Establish consistently high expectations for classroom practice and ensure that teaching is engaging, inclusive, appropriately challenging and responsive to the needs of individual students.
• Curriculum leadership: Lead the effective implementation and continued development of the Pearson Edexcel iPrimary curriculum, ensuring appropriate breadth, progression and continuity across year groups and into Lower Secondary.
• Assessment and achievement: Strengthen the use of formative and summative assessment, monitor student progress and ensure that appropriate intervention, support and extension are provided.
• Quality assurance: Develop a constructive cycle of lesson observation, learning walks, work scrutiny, curriculum review and professional dialogue that leads to meaningful improvements in classroom practice.
• Staff leadership: Inspire, guide and hold colleagues to account through clear expectations, supportive line management, purposeful performance review and regular professional feedback.
• Professional development: Identify staff development priorities and create a culture of professional learning through coaching, mentoring, collaboration and carefully targeted training.
• Safeguarding and wellbeing: Ensure that safeguarding, child protection and student welfare remain central to all school decisions, procedures and professional practice.
• Inclusion: Promote an inclusive learning environment in which students of different nationalities, languages, abilities and backgrounds are known, respected and properly supported.
• Pastoral leadership: Maintain high standards of behaviour, attendance, wellbeing and personal development, ensuring that students feel secure, valued and ready to learn.
• School culture: Build a positive, respectful and high-performing culture characterised by professional integrity, collaboration, warmth and a shared commitment to children.
• Parent partnerships: Establish open and constructive relationships with parents, communicate clearly about school priorities and student progress, and respond professionally to questions or concerns.
• Operational leadership: Oversee the effective day-to-day organisation of the Primary School, including staffing, timetabling, routines, communication, events, resources and the smooth delivery of the school programme.
• Growth and development: Support admissions, recruitment, campus development and wider strategic initiatives as Maple Bloom continues to expand its educational provision.
• Compliance and accountability: Ensure that school policies, safeguarding requirements, curriculum expectations and professional standards are consistently understood and implemented.

THE PERSON

Maple Bloom is looking for a credible and emotionally intelligent leader who can inspire confidence among students, staff and parents. The successful candidate will be educationally ambitious, culturally aware and genuinely committed to the development of both children and colleagues. They will understand that sustainable school improvement depends upon clear expectations, strong relationships, effective systems and consistently good teaching. They must also be adaptable and solutions-focused. Leading within a developing international school requires resilience, sound judgement and the willingness to take ownership when challenges arise.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• A bachelor’s degree together with a recognised teaching qualification such as QTS, PGCE, BEd or an internationally recognised equivalent.
• Substantial successful teaching experience within the Primary phase.
• Proven leadership experience as a Primary Principal, Head of Primary, Deputy Head, Assistant Head or in a comparable senior school leadership position.
• A demonstrable record of improving teaching quality, student outcomes or wider school performance.
• Strong knowledge of curriculum planning, assessment, quality assurance and evidence-informed school improvement.
• Experience of leading, developing and evaluating teachers and support staff.
• A thorough understanding of safeguarding, student welfare and inclusive educational practice.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong organisational, interpersonal and communication skills.
• The confidence to make well-considered decisions, address underperformance and maintain high professional expectations.
• The ability to build trust with students, colleagues, parents and the wider school community.
• A commitment to working respectfully and effectively within a culturally diverse international environment.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE

• Previous leadership experience within a British or international school.
• Experience with Pearson Edexcel iPrimary, IPC, the English National Curriculum or another comparable international curriculum.
• Experience of leading a growing school, developing a new campus or managing organisational change.
• Experience supporting multilingual learners and students with additional educational needs.
• Experience preparing a school for accreditation, inspection or external quality assurance.
• A postgraduate qualification in educational leadership or school management.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

• Competitive international leadership salary of approximately US$4,000–US$5,000 per month, depending upon qualifications and experience.
• Accommodation allowance.
• Flights or relocation support.
• Medical insurance.
• Pension contribution or end-of-contract completion bonus.
• Two-year renewable contract.
• Ongoing professional development opportunities.
• The opportunity to make a visible and lasting contribution to the development of a growing international school.

LIVING IN DAR ES SALAAM

Dar es Salaam offers international school leaders the opportunity to combine a rewarding professional appointment with life in one of East Africa’s most dynamic coastal cities. Masaki is a well-established part of Dar es Salaam, with access to restaurants, cafés, shops, international amenities and the Indian Ocean. The city has a diverse international community while retaining a strong Tanzanian identity and culture. Beyond Dar es Salaam, Tanzania offers exceptional opportunities for travel. Zanzibar’s beaches are within easy reach, while the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro provide some of the world’s most memorable wildlife and adventure experiences.

For a leader seeking professional influence, cultural experience and a distinctive international lifestyle, Tanzania represents a genuinely exciting destination.

SAFEGUARDING

Maple Bloom International School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Any appointment will be subject to satisfactory professional references, verification of qualifications and identity, and appropriate safeguarding and criminal-record checks.