With 450 years of Harrow’s legacy as our foundation, we empower our people to make a diflerence —
whether by nurturing future leaders or driving the engine behind our world-class education.
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in joining Harrow International School Shanghai.
A school is defined by its people. At Harrow Shanghai, we are fortunate to have a talented and committed team of teachers and professional staff who care deeply about their work, their colleagues and, above all, the young people they serve. Together, they have created a warm, ambitious and supportive community in which both pupils and adults are encouraged to flourish.
We believe that excellent schools are built on strong relationships, shared purpose and high expectations. We seek colleagues who are passionate about their profession, intellectually curious and committed to helping every pupil achieve their very best. In return, we offer an environment where professional expertise is valued, collaboration is encouraged and colleagues are supported to continue developing throughout their careers.
As a British curriculum school in Shanghai, we combine the traditions and values of a Harrow education with the opportunities that come from being part of a vibrant international community. Our close links with Harrow School in the UK and the wider AISL family of schools provide opportunities for professional collaboration, while our location in one of the world’s most dynamic cities offers a rewarding and enriching experience both inside and outside the classroom.
One of the great strengths of Harrow Shanghai is our community. Ours is a school where people know one another well, where colleagues work together with generosity and purpose, and where staff, pupils and families share a commitment to excellence in all that we do. We believe that when teachers and professional staff feel valued and supported, they are able to make the greatest difference to the lives of young people.
If you are looking for a school where you can make a meaningful contribution, continue to grow professionally and become part of a welcoming and ambitious community, I encourage you to explore our current opportunities. We would be delighted to hear from you.
Christopher McAllister
Head Master
Our School
The Harrow Shanghai community is a close one. Around 500 children from about 350 families come to us from the four corners of Shanghai. They are generally academically able; most children learned English as a second or even third language, though are mostly very capable indeed (English scores are well above UK averages at all levels); and have a wide range of cultural backgrounds, though most have a Chinese cultural heritage.
Families have high expectations but are very supportive and committed to the school. We are an exceptionally open community, believing that relationships are the core of everything in life, and so we develop strong connections to our families through communications and events that draw parents, grandparents and wider families into our school.
Shanghai
Shanghai is an exciting, rapidly changing and developing city. It is a city that doesn’t sleep and it will not be long before you see for yourself the strong work ethic of the Shanghainese. Shops close later and working hours of surgeries and other services are longer than you would find in many places. The city is future-orientated, international and open- minded, and this makes it a fantastic and vibrant place to live.
The Huangpu River divides the city into two parts. These are called Pudong and Puxi. Pudong is to the east of the river (“dong” means east in Mandarin) and Puxi is to the west (“xi” means west). The Bund looks across the Huangpu River from Puxi to the gleaming, high-rise towers of Lujiazui in Pudong, the city’s commercial centre. Harrow Shangai is in Waigaoqiao, conveniently close to Pudong International Airport (PVG, 30 minutes), Disney World (30 minutes), Lujiazui (30 minutes) and other attractive areas.
Our teachers can choose where to live: most choose the open, leafy and family-friendly area of Waigaoqiao, which is where you will find the school. But others choose to live in Lujiazui, Huangpu, Jing’an and Xuhui, in the heart of the city.
Travelling around the city is very cheap. A metro journey of an hour will cost 5RMB (approximately 50 pence) and a taxi ride to the airport will cost between 120 and 200 RMB. To make life even easier, there is also Didi (similar to Uber) and this is hugely cheaper than in the UK.
Shopping in Shanghai is something else. It includes the street markets selling tourist souvenirs and antiques, all the way to Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermes. Uniqlo, Muji and IKEA are also in everywhere. Most staff do their grocery shopping online. ‘Epermarket’ is very reliable and is a well- stocked grocery delivery services. Delivery is very cheap, if not free, when you spend over a certain threshold, and the variety of stock on offer is impressive.
The Chinese have really taken to shopping online, and Shanghai is home to the biggest online store in the world, Taobao. Think of eBay and Amazon on steroids and you are on the right lines. For the most part, Shanghai is a cash-free city where you pay for most day-to-day goods using a WeChat or AliPay app on your mobile phone. WeChat is similar to WhatsApp – only you can run your entire life through it!
How our teachers make an impact？
We care for, challenge and support a very special group of students. Every visitor to our school finds that there are children around every corner who will tell you just how much they love the school and its teachers.
Our teachers are, above all, the adults in our children’s lives who look after and care for our children. They are class teachers or subject specialists; they are tutors within our robust and connected House system; they are Heads of House, PSHE teachers, residential leaders, counsellors and, simply trusted adults.
A Harrow Shanghai teacher makes a huge impact every day because our children know they care. Our teachers are also well-qualified, committed professionals with the experience and both the subject knowledge and the teaching and learning excellence to make an impact on the learning of our young people. We teach the English National Curriculum adapted to the needs of our pupils, in our context, with a dash of transatlantic flavour for those children headed to the US.
Our teachers make a difference every day. Perhaps the best way to demonstrate this is to give you an idea of what life looks at our school for our children. Cast your eyes over the activities: there are teachers involved in every one of them. They organize, support and engage – our teachers have the chance to follow their own enthusiasms, and to encourage the next generation of enthusiasts.
Who we are looking for?
We don’t have a fixed picture of a Harrow Shanghai teacher. We are looking for people who will be energetic, curious, visible and committed to developing our whole community. We are also looking for people who want to learn about our families and are keen to form strong relationships with them.
Qualifications and experience are likely to include:
Skills are likely to include:
Personal qualities will include:
Professional Development at AISL Academy
AISL is committed to nurturing the growth of both academic and non-academic staff. To support this, AISL Academy was established in 2021 as AISL Harrow’s strategy partner to provide a dedicated centre for staff learning and professional development across the AISL family of schools.
For more details, please refer to Work With Us – AISL Harrow Schools
Professional Growth at Harrow Shanghai
A good teacher is always learning, and Harrow Shanghai offers our staff the full range of opportunities to develop their skills and careers. As part of the AISL Harrow group of schools, we also benefit from the AISL Academy who, in partnership with the Institute of Education in London, support staff with accredited courses and a wide selection of high-quality online courses.
Opportunities include:
Safeguarding statement
Our network of schools is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
All adults in the school community are expected to follow its Child Protection procedures and are required to undertake safeguarding checks. AISL Harrows is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect, where equal employment opportunities are available to all irrespective of all characteristics protected by the Equal Opportunities Commission and all other applicable ordinances.