The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Summary of the role Job Title: Director of Digital Learning

Reporting Line: Director of Teaching and Learning

Hours: Full Time

Salary: Dependent on experience

Role Summary: The Director of Digital Learning will develop and implement a strategy for delivering an appropriate level of digital literacy for all pupils and staff

Main duties and responsibilities This job description does not form part of the contract of employment and may be varied in accordance with the demands of the appointment.

The main duties and responsibilities of the Director of Digital Learning are as follows (this list is not exhaustive):

 to develop and implement a school wide digital literacy strategy  to Chair the IT Strategy Committee and ICT Education Committee  to oversee the school’s development towards fully embracing the digital age  to play a leading role in the development of the school estate  to help generate staff and pupil enthusiasm for computing  to work with Director of Teaching and Learning to determine the direction of and facilitation of staff training.  to do some classroom teaching of computing  to run pupil clubs  to liaise with external agencies, companies, interested parties  to raise the profile of digital awareness inside the school, and outside  to support and liaise with the Director of IT  to sit on the Heads of Department and Heads of Faculty committees  to report to Governors and CMT as appropriate  to support and liaise with the Head of Academic Computing  to develop and implement a strategy for “bring your own device”, as appropriate  to keep abreast of digital learning developments and ensure that CMT are aware of emerging directions in this area  to organise student focus groups to ensure that we are responsive to pupil needs

 to encourage and support professional development of all staff in IT and help prepare training materials where necessary  Ensure that the school is preparing pupils for the appropriate use of technology as they move through the school  Promote the use of appropriate new technologies for the benefit of the school community  Engage with staff to encourage the widest possible use of appropriate digital resources within the learning process.

This job description is not exhaustive and the job holder may also be expected to undertake such other comparable duties as may be required from time to time. These details may be amended at any time by agreement, but in any case will be reviewed through the appraisal process.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Essential Desirable Method of assessment These are qualities without which the These are extra qualities which can Applicant could not be appointed be used to choose between applicants who meet all of the essential criteria

Qualifications Degree or equivalent qualification Certificates

Evidence of continued career development

Skills and Outstanding IT skills Application form, Knowledge references and A vision for how schools need to be interview developing their pupils in the current day

Effective communication skills in all contexts and forms

An understanding of and commitment to an ethos

An affinity with, and understanding of, boys aged 7-18

Experience Evidence of strategic leadership Experience in the classroom Application form, references Ability to work well with a range of Experience in the workplace away and interview different people from schools

An understanding of budget management and financial planning

A strategic thinker and doer Ambition Personal Interview and qualities Capable organiser, planner and A sense of humour references administrator

Confident communicator with a genuine love of education

Resilient; personable; tactful; hard working

Natural authority; leadership by example; personal integrity

Energy; imagination; courage to innovate; drive to see initiatives through, an eye for detail

Solution orientated mindset

Director of Digital Learning

To all aspiring applicants

It is a rather unusual step to write a letter to accompany a job advertisement, but this particular appointment excites me hugely. We have reached a really interesting point in our (long: 1552) history: a school full of 1100 boys, both boarding and day from aged 7-18; a truly outstanding recent ISI inspection; our best ever A Level and IB results (just under 60% of papers were marked at A* or A); and numerous national achievements in sport, music and drama, to name only three of a myriad of extra-curricular opportunities. However, we still feel we have much progress to make.

Bedford School has been here for over 450 years and keeps many of the traditions that have formed its ethos; it aims to mix these traditions with a genuinely open, fun, ambitious, forward looking atmosphere, understanding that education should be enjoyable as well as challenging for all those who work here together, be they adults or children. There is a wonderful sense of community. We are determined, however, not to be complacent or stuck in our ways. The world is moving quickly around us and we wish now to employ someone who is closely in touch with that quickly changing world, who is excited by the opportunities that it opens for the next generation, who is passionate about education, knowledgeable in technological matters and keen to lead both boys and staff through a period of change. It seems pretty clear to me that teaching and learning will look very different in 10 years’ time; and that we need to be pre-empting that position now.

I, and the Governors (who recently held an Away Day on the Future of Education), are absolutely committed to this challenge. If you are successful in your application, you will find a school in great heart, with boys who are open, intelligent and good fun, and a wider community which is open minded and keen to support each other. You will also find a school with strong finances and exciting prospects for the development of its site. You do not need to have been a teacher before; you will need to be knowledgeable, persuasive, determined and a hard working team player.

If you have read this far and are wondering about salary, I will simply assure you that this will be commensurate with experience and also the fact that we are a school. The role also comes with significant benefits not least of which (for those with families) is generous fee reduction at all the schools.

I look forward very much to hearing from you.

With kind regards,

James Hodgson Head Master

Director of Digital Learning List of Benefits

Financial:

 Membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme  School fee remission for sons and daughters in any of the Harpur Trust’s 4 Schools (50%-60% off the fees)  Private Healthcare scheme via Westfield Health  Starter finance for renting in , if moving to the area; or help with first year accommodation on site, where available  Moving home allowance; and support with finding a new home  Holiday discounts on booking of facilities; children’s courses  Year round free use of pool and gym (with onsite staff changing facilities)  Discounts on all Quarry Theatre tickets  Free lunches in term time from a national award winning catering team

Career development:

 Generous INSET budget for courses  Possibility of help with financing further qualifications  Up to 2 staff members financed fully through a PGCE each year  Staff fellowship awards available for overseas educational visits  IB teaching courses in a range of overseas destinations  Close partnership with two local state schools, and three local independent schools (via Harpur Trust), for sharing of practice  Member of the Bedford Borough Learning Exchange.

Environmental:

 450 years of history; opportunities to meet many extraordinarily successful and influential Old Bedfordians; vibrant, happy and global community; a sense of fun  Weekly lunchtime concerts  Departmental entertainment allowance; staff Christmas party; Friday early evening bar in the Memorial Hall  Staff weekly yoga and weekly mindfulness sessions  Staff football and cricket teams with regular fixtures  Full time onsite community via 6 boarding houses  Common Room with coffee, biscuits, sandwiches at tea etc  Valete dinners for longstanding staff members when they leave the school

Great location:

 The gorgeous 50 acre site is on the edge of a busy town centre  Trains from Bedford Station to Kings Cross St Pancras take 33 minutes; and under 15 minutes to Luton Airport Parkway; and direct to Gatwick and Brighton via the Thameslink  X5 bus runs several time per hour between Oxford and Cambridge (via Bedford Town Centre)  15 minutes from the M1 (J13)  30-40 minutes from Milton Keynes; Cambridge