Head of Boarding, Nantong, China





Our client is a respected and forward thinking school group that blends strong traditional values with a progressive approach to education. With several campuses across mainland China and Hong Kong, they serve a large and diverse pupil community representing a wide range of nationalities. Professional learning and personal development sit at the heart of their ethos, and the group continues to grow.

As a result of their continued expansion, they are seeking a Head of Boarding for their Nantong campus. The school sits on a purpose built site of over 80,000m² and is the largest and newest campus within the group, having opened in August 2022. It offers a complete 15 year educational programme from Nursery to Grade 12 and has a capacity of over 1,200 pupils. Weekly and full boarding options are available for approximately 550 students, beginning from primary age. The campus includes high quality teaching areas, modern boarding accommodation, a theatre, a library, an indoor sports hall, two swimming pools, outdoor football and rugby pitches and a 400m all weather track. All facilities are designed to reflect the look and quality of its premium British counterpart.



As the Head of Boarding, you will lead a vibrant, multicultural boarding community and play a central part in shaping the pastoral life of the school. As a residential leader, you will be a visible and approachable presence in the house — someone who knows the pupils well, understands their needs and creates an environment where they feel safe, supported and inspired to grow.

You will guide and develop the boarding team, uphold the expectations associated with the school’s recent BSA accreditation and ensure that boarding remains a structured, caring and well run environment. You will communicate regularly with parents — including Chinese speaking families, which is why fluent Chinese is essential — while also supporting the needs of international families who entrust their children to the school.

The school already enjoys strong parental relationships and offers a broad range of activities, but the next phase of development is significant. In your first year, you will focus on strengthening English language confidence within the boarding environment, enhancing the experience for international boarders and contributing to the growth of boarding enrolment from both China and overseas. You will also play an important role in helping prospective families understand the value and ethos of the boarding experience as the school continues to expand.



As the Head of Boarding, you will be accountable to the Executive Master. You will be responsible for the academic and pastoral welfare of pupils in the Boarding House. This includes management of pupil discipline, moral, guidance, and safety. Your role will also include ensuring the maintenance of the House premises so that the environment supports the vision for boarding. 



As the Head of Boarding, you will deploy a team of boarding tutors, matrons and housekeepers, to ensure proper supervision and care, to motivate them and to monitor their work.  You will be the first point of contact for parents and the parent figure for the pupils.



To be successful as the Head of Boarding you are a warm, confident and community minded leader with a strong pastoral background. You understand what it means to create a caring, structured environment where every pupil feels they matter. You bring clarity, emotional intelligence and the ability to guide a residential setting with calm authority. You communicate effectively with pupils and parents, you are comfortable working across cultures and you are committed to high standards of safeguarding and professional conduct. You will need to be a native Chinese speaker with fluent English, and you will bring experience of leading within a boarding environment or a similarly pastoral setting. Success in this role will be reflected in the growth of boarding enrolment, the strength of relationships within the house and positive feedback from pupils, parents and staff.



In return you will join a values driven school group with exceptional facilities, a clear vision for boarding and a genuine commitment to staff development. You will be part of an inclusive community of colleagues who bring passion, integrity and a deep commitment to one another. Grounded in strong shared values, this is a workplace where ideas are realised, bonds are forged and futures can be shaped together.

You will join an organisation that invests heavily in its people. Staff are empowered to grow in ways that open new opportunities and add real value to the work they do. The group prides itself on the care and development it provides to employees, with over half of its most senior leaders promoted internally and a leadership profile in which women are strongly represented. You will have access to an exceptional range of learning and development opportunities, including internal and external coaching programmes, high potential leadership pathways and a wide range of academic and non academic training designed to support progression into middle leadership, senior leadership and beyond.

The group has been recognised for six consecutive years as one of Asia’s best employers, reflecting its commitment to wellbeing, professional growth and a positive, collaborative culture. As Head of Boarding, you will play a defining role in shaping the routines, relationships and wellbeing of a diverse and ambitious community — and you will do so within an organisation that genuinely invests in your success.



If you value education, are a people person, and like to be rewarded for your work, then apply for this position by registering and applying here or via Education Recruitment Experts website directly.  Alternately, send your CV to marco@educationrecruitment.expert with ZR150 in the subject.

Initial interviews will be carried out either face-to-face or via video call with Education Recruitment Experts in Shanghai, with successful candidates having a secondary interview with our client via video call.  The final interview comprises a panel interview on site.