Job Pack
An exciting opportunity at an ‘outstanding’ school
Post: Deputy Headteacher
Start Date: April or September 2014
Grade: Leadership Spine: 16-20 (£54,848 - £60,407)
The post is permanent – full-time
(1) Weald of Kent Grammar School Academy Trust
Job Title: Deputy Headteacher
Reports to: Headteacher
Team: Senior Leadership Group (SLG)
Start date: April or September 2014
Grade: Leadership Spine: L16-20
The Governing Body is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. An Enhanced DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate.
ABOUT US
Weald of Kent Grammar School is set in a beautiful, tree lined, location in Tonbridge, Kent. Ofsted judges the school to be ‘outstanding’. We are not a complacent school and we demand that the learning experience for our students moves with the times whilst maintaining the traditions of good manners, discipline and respect for others.
Results We are exceptionally proud of the magnificent performance that has led, again, to some wonderful results both at GCSE and A level in 2013. 100% of students achieved a record 5 GCSEs grades A* - C (including Maths and English) and an increase in the point score per entry for A level students. Our aim is for students to achieve high academic results whilst still affording them a platform to extend their personal qualities, talents and interests.
Teaching School This is an exciting time for Weald of Kent as we embark on our journey to become a Teaching School. We are passionate about ensuring that students and staff have an opportunity to develop and grow and because of this we are working with a group of schools to become a Teaching School consortium. This will enable us to share good practice, skills and training across many schools.
Thinking School Weald of Kent is committed to developing fully the independent thinking skills possessed by our students. We commenced in September 2011 our journey towards becoming officially accredited as a Thinking School in 2014. Our whole staff have been trained in the use of Thinking Maps, Thinkers’ Keys, Habits of Mind and Thunks are used throughout the school to stimulate our students’ thinking. We aim to develop our students’ ability to move from sharing what they know to how they know something. All staff throughout the school engage with our work as a Thinking School and use thinking methodologies in their lessons.
(2) Staff Development Opportunities As an accredited ‘Investors in People’ school we are passionate about staff development and believe that every employee should have an individual development plan. Plans are tailored to help and support staff in new positions, existing posts and preparation for promotion. A whole range of developmental and capacity building training is available, supporting staff to develop their skills and professionalism. This includes activities such as:
A well-established, tailored, induction programme Performance development programme CPD days and CPD workshops Relevant external courses and training Thinking Schools training Mentoring-Coaching programme Investment in Excellence (IiE) Embedding Outstanding Teaching Embedding Outstanding Leadership
(3) ABOUT THE TEAM
The successful candidate will join the SLG who are a dedicated, positive and passionate group with high expectations of themselves and the school.
During the current academic year Governors and the Senior Leadership Group have consulted with staff as part of a review of key management structures in the school. Throughout this process serious consideration was given to the school’s short, medium and long term needs. Fortunately due to careful husbandry we continue to be able to embed strategies that underpin our commitment to invest in staff’s professional development whilst maintaining staffing levels. We consider both to be essential if the rapid rate of improvement the school has made is to continue.
All Staff are extremely school supportive and work exceptionally hard. Their commitment has secured higher standards across all areas of the school. Teams work effectively and closely within a framework that encourages rigorous self-reflection. All staff contribute to the school’s self-evaluation process, the identification of priorities and very importantly the delivery of our ambitious targets. The use of mentoring/coaching approaches has been strengthened and a significant number of ideas have grown through the Investment in Excellence programme adopted.
We are all motivated and inspired by the students who have boundless energy and enthusiasm for learning in the classroom. This level of engagement is equally replicated in the way they respond to the vast array of extracurricular activities we offer. Weald of Kent Students “walk the talk” and at any Key Stage they can confidently compile a CV that clearly demonstrates academic excellence and personal success.
Our stakeholders expect us to deliver a high quality learning experience for the students who study here. Nevertheless, the help we receive in return from Governors, parents and other friends of the school is second to none. Everyone pulls together, be it at the Year 7 & 8 disco or a transformational new build.
This appointment will be challenging and as a team member of SLG you will be expected to drive school improvement across any identified area of the school’s work, which will at times mean supporting outside school and term hours. Roles are reviewed annually so that strengths can be matched to priorities and an individual’s professional development needs supported. The expectation is that the successful candidate will put the school first whilst preparing to move into Headship.
We hope you will want to read on but please do not expect a list of strategies and operational tasks to be identified.
(4) ABOUT THE POST
Job Description Deputy Headteacher
Purpose The Deputy Head is committed to delivering the school’s vision and the high ambitions for the school’s future. His/her clear strategic thinking and planning leads to sustained improvements and raised standards across the organisation. The Deputy Head seeks to challenge underperformance and remove barriers to inclusion and achievement. The Deputy Head is an outstanding teacher who consistently supports school policy and models Professional Standards. He/she actively seeks out best practice and inspires others also to continue to improve. The Deputy Head promotes and actively supports the activities of the school community and the wider community it serves.
Areas of Responsibility and Key Tasks
General The Deputy Head’s roles and responsibilities will be reviewed and negotiated annually to meet the needs of the school community and in order to support his/her own on-going professional development. The areas of responsibility will include a range of strategic and operational activities.
The Deputy Head will support by:
Deputising as required for the Headteacher. Taking on any specific task or additional responsibility which might from time to time be determined. Creating and maintaining positive and supportive relationships with students, staff, parents, the PTA, Governors and all other stakeholders. Engaging with appropriate training opportunities to promote professional effectiveness in their role of Deputy Head.
Strategic Responsibilities The Deputy Head will support and:
Secure the commitment of others to the vision, ethos, ambitions for the school’s future and policies of the school in order to accrue high levels of performance from the personnel and teams for which he/she has both direct and indirect accountability. Carry out routine, rigorous and robustly self–evaluation in order to contribute to the creation, implementation and monitoring of the school strategic plan. Facilitate opportunities for all staff to contribute to achieving the school’s priorities and targets.
(5) Teaching and Learning The Deputy Head will support by:
Determining, organising and implementing the curriculum and its assessment. Establishing a learning environment that extends students’ personal learning and thinking skills in order to increase their independence and prepare them to take their place as responsible adults. Ensuring classroom practice is always engaging and challenging and meeting the schools’ minimum expectation of good. Insisting that student behaviour is consistently well managed and that students are safe. Monitoring the quality of learning and teaching and analysing performance data to inform improvement strategies. Promoting opportunities to share and develop best practice.
Leading and Managing Staff The Deputy Head will support by:
Fostering positive working relationships across the school community. Leading groups of staff in development and self-evaluating activities. Actively promoting rigorous and forward thinking performance development processes. Informing the Headteacher and Governors of future development needs that will help to realise the school’s vision.
Effective Deployment of Staff and Resources The Deputy Head will support:
The effective and efficient deployment of staff and support those staff in carrying out their duties. Through advising on priorities for expenditure and in monitoring the effectiveness of spending and usage of resources to ensure value for money. Specific strategic & operational responsibilities including related policies.
Specific Strategic Responsibilities 2014-2015:
To be negotiated
Operational Responsibilities 2014-2015:
To be negotiated
Direct Line Management Responsibilities for the strategic direction, work, standards and policies of:
Identified subject areas’ leads.
To be a link to an identified year group.
(6) ABOUT YOU PERSON SPECIFICATION Essential Desirable Qualifications Qualified teacher status Masters’ Degree or Degree or equivalent evidence of willingness Evidence of further professional development relevant to post to carry out further study to similar level Experience Outstanding classroom teacher and tutor Teaching experience to Development work with colleagues A Level Sustained performance securing very good student outcomes Experience of working Evidence of successful leadership of an aspect of Standards or Developmental with or within more related strategy and work than one school Experience of initiating, leading and/or contributing to a whole school or Mentoring/Coaching wider community issue which sits outside a generic job description and/or comfort zone Confident user of new technology as a management tool Skills & Knowledge Able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing Able to demonstrate effective planning and teaching skills Able to present confidently to a large group of students or staff Able to work with others to achieve common goals Able to use / analyse assessment data systems to raise standards Able to provide clear direction and to inspire, motivate and enthuse others Confident in own ability to be effective and to take on challenges Ability to relate well to students, colleagues, parents and Governors Builder of teams, networks and collaborations to secure the best outcome Effective behaviour management Able to support staff and students in maintaining high standards Up to date awareness of curriculum development Efficient and effective administrative, organisational and personal management skills Personal Attributes Ability to inspire, challenge and motivate colleagues Have a positive approach to education Energy, enthusiasm and perseverance Reliability and integrity Good interpersonal skills Able to perform well under pressure Clear vision and educational philosophy Positive commitment to individual personal development Capacity to work hard, under pressure, to meet deadlines A good record of attendance during the last three years Adaptable and amenable with respect to working practices Ability to work independently and be a team player Suitable to work with children Equal Opportunities Understanding of equal opportunities issues and an ability to demonstrate strategies to challenge discrimination and prejudice A commitment to inclusive education (7) THE APPLICATION PROCESS
There are two parts to the application process which I should be grateful if you would kindly complete as outlined below:
Part 1 On-line application form
Part 2 Letter, 2 sides of A4. The communication should set out how your proven experience as a leader will contribute at the Weald of Kent to:
The achievement of students. The quality of teaching. Behaviour and safety. The quality of leadership.
You should also outline what you will bring to the school’s moral, cultural and spiritual dimension and how you will contribute to our drive for further improvement.
DATES:
Closing date for applications: Tuesday 21st January 2014
Long listing and references sought: Wednesday 22nd January 2014
Task details to candidates: Monday 27th January 2014
Interview day 1: Thursday 30th January 2014
Interview day 2: Monday 3rd February 2014
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