Higher Learning Support Assistant - Primary

About us:

Fortes Education has been a leading education provider in the UAE for over four decades with premium international schools and nurseries that have experienced outstanding success and growth. Our schools offer the most innovative and character-building education in the entire Middle East region.

Our core ethos and philosophy of education is Positive Education (PosEd). Through PosEd, our schools foster active engagement in learning, celebrating character strengths and accomplishments. We encourage children to cultivate fulfilling relationships with others and seek meaning and purpose in their own lives. We enable children to become happy learners and develop into innovative thinkers, confident young adults, and life-long learners. Our students develop resilience, a growth mindset and deep character strengths that allow them to flourish in an ever-changing world.

About Sunmarke School – Where Amazing Happens

Sunmarke School provides an ambitious and inspiring, values-based education that nurtures the hearts and minds of students so that they can flourish and achieve their dreams. Powered by our suite of signature programmes, Sunmarke is a uniquely innovative school, transforming young lives. This was reflected in Sunmarke School winning the coveted ‘Most Innovative School’ award at the international Which School Advisor ceremony in Dubai and London.

Sunmarke is an all–through school which offers a premium education across a fantastic range of pathways for students, including the National Curriculum of England, GCSE/IGCSE, ‘A’ Levels, BTEC and the IB Diploma Programmes. Our students regularly win examination boards’ ‘best in world’, ‘best in Middle East’ and ‘best in country’ awards every year, across a diverse range of subjects. The latest incredible IB results show that Sunmarke School is in the top 3 schools in Dubai and 69 th in world rankings. Our suite of Signature Programmes is unrivalled in Dubai, with inspiring opportunities for students to experience transformative learning opportunities. These include Environmental and Sustainability Studies, where students learn in Forest School settings, as well as utilising cutting-edge hydroponic technology to examine how science can support sustainability in future terrains; a world-class STEAM centre and curriculum, which offers students an incredible opportunity to apply their learning in solving real-world problems, from Foundation Stage through to Year 9; Augmented and Virtual Reality AR/VR experiences alongside our cutting edge use of Artificial Intelligence for staff and students; outstanding performing arts opportunities with full black box and auditorium facilities alongside peripatetic music spaces and media suites; and a fantastic sports programme augmented with professional coaches, which led Sunmarke to be overall champions at the BSME Games.

Sunmarke School has been judged by the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) as a ‘Very Good’ school since our third year of operation and is consistently judged ‘Outstanding’ by British Schools Overseas (BSO).

We present an exciting opportunity to join our all through school and to play an important part in our journey beyond “outstanding”. Sunmarke School, Dubai is one of our flagship schools, located at a prime location in Jumeirah Village Triangle.

About you:

We are seeking to appoint a dedicated and proactive Higher Learning Support Assistant (HLSA ) to join our English Language Learning team in Primary for an immediate start .

The role will involve supporting students who are very new to English in Years 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Each HLSA would be assigned to one year group and would primarily work with a small group of students.. The role involves working closely with the class teachers to adapt and prepare learning materials that are accessible and tailored to the needs of the students, with a focus on Maths, Science, STEAM and MSC.

You will work with this small group of children through in-class support and leading small group sessions to help students reach their full potential. A good understanding of the British Curriculum is preferred for this role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the class teacher to meet the learning needs of individual students, ensuring lessons are accessible and appropriate for each child’s language level.
• Adapt and prepare teaching materials to ensure content is accessible, adapted, and aligned with students’ language levels.
• Lead small group sessions focusing on Maths, Science, STEAM and MSC, as required.
• Provide in-class support during lessons, assisting students in understanding and completing tasks, as required.
• Collaborate with the class teachers to ensure key content is covered and understood by students.
• Monitor and track the progress of students, providing feedback and adjusting support strategies as necessary.
• Work closely with the relevant ELL teacher, to ensure you are consolidating language learning covered in ELL lessons, in other subject areas as much as possible.
• Promote an inclusive and supportive learning environment, encouraging student engagement and independence.
• Foster positive relationships with students, ensuring a safe, nurturing, and respectful atmosphere.
• Support the teacher with classroom management and maintaining a productive learning environment.
• Attend staff meetings and professional development sessions as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The candidate should have at least 4 years of relevant experience working in an international school
• The candidate should hold a bachelors degree with a CELTA, TESOL etc is desirable but not essential.
• Experience working with children in an educational setting, ideally within the UK education system or curriculum.
• A good understanding of the British Curriculum, particularly in Maths and Science.
• Experience or knowledge of working with children with language barriers.
• Ability to differentiate learning materials and tailor teaching strategies to individual student needs.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with both students and staff.
• Ability to work as part of a team and be flexible in response to the evolving needs of the classroom.
• An understanding of child development and how to support children’s learning and well-being.

Application Process:

If you have the passion, energy, and commitment to drive accelerated outcomes for young people, we will welcome your application. In return, you will join a rapidly evolving organisation that can offer you a central role in our future growth plans.

Candidates are invited to complete our Online Application by visiting: http://forteseducation.com/Careers/Current-Openings

The closing date for applications is the 20th October 2025 . Please note that due to the expected volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. The school reserves the right to make suitable appointments before the official closing date, and therefore we would encourage candidates to apply early in the process . The appointment start date will be October 2025 .

Fortes Education is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders in regulated activity are subject to appropriate vetting procedures including a satisfactory International Child Protection Certificate, plus resident country Police checks.