Nahda Academy is the vision of Madam Fatima Naghi, a forward-thinking Saudi woman who is looking to introduce an innovative system of education to Jeddah. The intention is to provide the best education possible to help young people grow to be confident, happy, and fulfilled in themselves; to be able to thrive in the twenty-first century, both within Saudi Arabia and globally; and to be able to preserve the culture and heritage of Islamic values while using the English National Curriculum as their teaching platform.
After opening Nahda Academy in September 2017 with 70 pupils, five classes and twelve teachers (five of whom were British expat teachers with the others being Saudis), the school started the new 2018-19 academic year with 200 children, from pre-Nursery through to Year 5, 80% of whom are Saudi. Teachers now number 32, 12 of whom are British expatriates. The school expects to continue this growth into 2019 and beyond.
The curriculum connects the well-established Montessori, English National and Saudi Arabic and Islamic curricula, supported by the Jordanian Curriculum for Arabic to create what Nahda Academy believes is the ideal combination on which to base their children’s learning. All children are immersed in a bilingual environment, supported by specialist native language teachers for both English and Arabic. Nahda Academy promotes learning experiences where connections are made, both within and across subject areas.
Nahda Academy is looking for teachers who are qualified and fully conversant with the English National Curriculum, preferably with at least five years’ whole class teaching experience. Teachers should seek collaboration as a means to strive for excellence in both their own professional development and for delivering a first-class provision for all the children. The school prides itself on being an incredibly creative and innovative organization and expects all its teachers to contribute to the vision and values of the school. Preferably teachers should be single or married with a non-teaching spouse. However, married teaching couples and exceptional, newly qualified teachers will be considered. Candidates must be certified in an English-speaking country and hold a degree and/or certified teaching qualification such as PGCE.
The benefits package includes a competitive non-taxed salary and fully-furnished accommodation, including utilities. One-way airfare is provided at both the beginning and end of the contract to the employee’s home location plus a return airfare to his or her point of origin for each year completed when returning for a further year. There is a 50% tuition benefit for up to two children, and health care (including dental) is provided for all the family.
Jeddah is a port city on the west coast of Saudi Arabia. Not only is it a major commercial hub, it is also the gateway for pilgrims to the Islamic Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah. The city’s historic Al-Balad district is now a UNESCO heritage site which dates back centuries and, at the other end of the spectrum, hotels, restaurants and outdoor sculptures line the modern and stylish seafront promenade which features the iconic King Fahad Fountain.
Search Associate Bill Turner visited the school in October 2018 and was highly impressed by the ambition and achievements of the school, as well as the very positive responses of Search teachers there. He is happy to share his experience with any candidate who wishes to know more. To gain access to Nahda International Academy’s full profile on the Search Associates database, including a list of all open positions, candidates can apply for membership by clicking here. Candidates already registered can easily access the school profile directly through their dashboards.
Please note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.
