The Hayesbrook School Principal Candidate Information

Learning Together

The Hayesbrook School Principal candidate information

1 Welcome

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in the post of Principal at The Hayesbrook School.

One of the earliest converter academies, the school is at a pivotal point in its journey of improvement. This post presents a rare opportunity to shape a school that is securely good and aiming to be outstanding. Furthermore, the successful candidate will then be in the privileged position of being able to appoint his/her own Vice Principal, a post which is currently vacant and being filled on an acting basis.

The Hayesbrook School is part of the Brook Learning Trust, a nationally recognised and successful multi academy trust whose other academies are The High Weald Academy and The Ebbsfleet Academy. All three academies achieved their best ever GCSE results in summer 2015 and the Trust was the only multi academy trust in Kent to record improvements in all three of its academies.

The aim of the Trust is that all of its academies should have their own individual identity and ethos and reflect the community in which they are situated. To that end, all have their own substantive Principals as opposed to Heads of School, all have their own local governing body, and uniforms and culture are different. However, all three academies are united in the Trust vision of realising outstanding achievement, aspiration and potential for their students.

Finance, HR and Estates Management are all centrally organised by the Trust, which allows for the Principal of each academy to focus on the core areas of student achievement and teaching and learning. As Principal of The Hayesbrook School, you will benefit from the support of the Trust Executive Team which has a wealth of experience, expertise in financial management and national leadership recognition. In addition, the Brook Learning Trust is an accredited SCITT provider, training high quality future teachers for the Trust and beyond.

We are therefore seeking to appoint an inspirational and motivated leader to effect further rapid and sustainable improvement and to build on the achievements of The Hayesbrook School. The successful candidate will have proven leadership and management skills, demonstrating a secure understanding of the role of school leadership and being highly proficient in effecting high quality teaching and learning.

In joining The Hayesbrook School, you will become a leader within a family of academies but with the autonomy to influence the direction of your own school.

We wish you every success in your application and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Debbie Coslett CEO, Brook Learning Trust

Ian Daker Trust Director

2 3 Learning Together The Brook Learning Trust The Hayesbrook School is a flourishing The Hayesbrook School is part of the Brook community with great ambition. Learning Trust, a nationally recognised and successful multi academy trust whose other A diverse and inclusive school, we have well- academies are The High Weald Academy qualified and caring staff who are committed and The Ebbsfleet Academy. The Trust was to our future success. established in September 2010, when The Hayesbrook School converted to academy Hayesbrook is an all boys, wide ability school status, as an outstanding school. with a mixed sixth form. Our specialisms of sports and maths have been instrumental The Trust recognises the power of education in the school’s continued drive to raise to transform lives and communities, promote standards across the curriculum. social justice and champion learning for all. It aims to ensure outstanding achievement We are a genuinely wide ability school in a and progress, raise aspirations and maximise highly selective area, serving the communities potential. of Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Kings Hill and the surrounding areas. Our students enjoy school, behave well, work hard and are fully engaged in their education.

The school has been judged as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted on three occasions in 2005, About the role 2008 and 2009. In June 2013 ‘Behaviour’ was judged as outstanding and overall the We need a leader who can excite, inspire school was rated as good. We have a focused and influence others to achieve excellence. improvement plan, which addresses key This is your chance to build a culture of high areas such as: raising achievement; improving expectations and take a good school to great. the quality of teaching and learning; building students’ self-esteem; and building positive As Principal, you will have the full support of partnerships with feeder primaries. the Brook Learning Trust Board and executive team, as well as the autonomy to influence Our staff are well-qualified, enthusiastic and the direction of the school. You will also have committed. They choose to work with us the support and challenge of an experienced, because of the reputation of both the school skilled and dedicated local governing body. and Brook Learning Trust, the excellent professional development opportunities on offer and the chance to teach post-16 courses. We invest in our staff and, as a result, they are able to give their best.

The Hayesbrook School is located in southwest Tonbridge, west of the A26. The school is on a single, 18-acre site with excellent facilities that are often enjoyed by the local community.

“Students’ attitudes to their learning are excellent. They feel safe, behave exceptionally well in lessons and take considerable pride in their school.” Ofsted 2013

4 Our values

We promote the values of PRIDE:

Personal excellence Respect Inspiration Determination Equity.

“Strong teaching, careful tracking and individualised support are securing improvements in students’ achievement.” Ofsted 2013

“Expectations are extremely high and behaviour management focuses on praise and encouragement.” Ofsted 2013

5 Job profile

• Inspire and influence others – within school and across the Trust – to believe in and promote the fundamental importance of education

• Demonstrate optimistic personal behaviour, forging positive relationships and attitudes with pupils, staff, parents, governors, the Trust and the community

• Lead by example with clarity, integrity, creativity, resilience demonstrating emotional intelligence and excellent communication skills

• Lead strategically, drawing on own scholarship, expertise and skills, as well as that of others

• Show attention to detail, consistency of judgement and high level analytical skill

• Communicate compellingly the school’s vision, driving strategic leadership and empowering others

• Focus on school’s vision within a clear set of principles, translating vision into a practical implementation plan • Institute rigorous, fair and transparent • Design and implement systems and • Set and demand ambitious standards for all systems and measures for managing the processes that are efficient and fit for staff and pupils performance of all staff purpose

• Drive to overcome disadvantage and • Secure excellent teaching through an • Lead with financial astuteness advance equality for pupils understanding of how pupils learn, the core features of successful classroom practice • Exercise strategic, curriculum-led financial • Provide a safe, calm, well-ordered and curriculum design planning delivering equitable deployment environment for pupils and staff, focused of resources in the best interest of pupil on safeguarding pupils and maintaining • Establish a culture of sharing excellent achievement and school sustainability exemplary behaviour in school practice within and across departments in the school • Embed strong governance supporting the • Promote a vision for a learning Local Governing Body to understand and environment and the use of appropriate • Create an ethos where all staff are deliver its functions effectively new and existing technologies to achieve motivated and supported to develop their excellence own skills and subject knowledge • Develop effective relationships with fellow professionals across the Trust and the local • Instil in all staff a strong sense of • Identify and nurture emerging talent as part community of schools and academies accountability for the impact of their of coherent succession planning work, holding all staff to account for their • Contribute to the future quality of the professional conduct and practice profession through commitment to SCITT aims and practice

6 Person specification

Qualifications and professional development NPQH (working towards) Essential

Good degree (minimum second class) Essential

Evidence of masters level study Desirable

PGCE/QTS Essential

Record of CPD relevant to headship Desirable

Willingness to undertake further professional development Essential

Experience Successful senior leadership experience Essential

Recent significant experience at a senior level of improving standards with demonstrable outcomes and results Desirable

Experience of successful growth of Post 16 provision Desirable

Experience of effectively leading schools through Ofsted inspections Desirable

Experience of working effectively with Governing Bodies and committees Essential

Knowledge, skills and competencies Secure knowledge and understanding of education policies Essential

The ability to drive the vision and strategic direction Essential

Excellent understanding of equality and diversity Essential

An ability to develop and sustain positive relationships with a range of stakeholders Essential

Excellent IT skills and an ability to access, analyse and interpret data Essential

Ability to challenge underperformance and to act decisively when dealing with underperformance Essential

What the post offers: • The full support of the BLT Board and executive team • An exciting opportunity to make your own mark, taking The Hayesbrook School forward to greater success • The opportunity to appoint your own Vice Principal to join the existing committed senior leadership team • A student body who enjoy school, behave well, work hard and are fully engaged • A well-qualified, ambitious and caring staff who are committed to THS future success • The support and challenge of an experienced, skilled and dedicated local governing body • Competitive pay – negotiable for the right candidate.

7 Key school facts and statistics

Type of school Academy

Age range 11 - 18

Location Tonbridge, Kent

Co-educational or single sex Boys school with a mixed sixth form

Specialism Sports and Mathematics

Budget In balance

Number of children/pupils 760

Average class size 26

Best 8 value added score 1009.58 (2015 provisional)

Absence days Student attendance 93.8% (2014/15)

School awards National Support School

SCITT

Healthy Schools

Princes Institute for Maths

Number of teaching staff 50

Teacher turnover rate Low

% of newly qualified teachers 6%

Entry level attainment Key Stage 2 APS 25.2 (2014/15)

% of students on FSM 12.8% (2014/15) 25.2% (Ever6)

% of students with SEN 20%

% of students with EAL 2.5%

GCSE results 61% 5 A*- CEM (2015)

A level results 100% A* - E (2015)

Level 3 Vocational results Average grade D*

University admissions 100% applications successful

Number in the sixth form 62 in Year 12

46 in Year 13

The Hayesbrook School Brook Street Tonbridge www.tesprime.com Kent TN9 2PH