Job Description

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About this Role:

With the support of the Executive Headteacher, the Head of School will be expected to carry out all duties on the Headteacher Standards.

Job Particulars:

Our Heads of School uphold public trust in school leadership and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour both within and outside school. They:

· Build relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observe proper boundaries appropriate to their professional position

· Show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others, recognising differences and respecting cultural diversity within contemporary Britain

· Uphold fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, & tolerance of those with different faiths & beliefs

· Ensure that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit their position, pupils' vulnerability or might lead pupils to break the law.

Heads of School in the LIFE Education Trust:

· Support the Trust mission, beliefs and behaviours and model those at all times

· Participate fully in the life of the Trust including meetings, processes and procedures

· Ensure all school staff engage in the Trust activities and model Trust behaviours

· Support and promote the development of the Trust

As leaders of their school community and profession, Heads of School:

· Serve in the best interests of the school's pupils

· Conduct themselves in a manner compatible with their influential position in society by behaving ethically, fulfilling their professional responsibilities and modelling the behaviour of a good citizen

· Uphold their obligation to give account and accept responsibility

· Know, understand, and act within the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities

· Take responsibility for their own continued professional development, engaging critically with educational research

· Make a positive contribution to the wider education system

School culture

· Establish and sustain the school's ethos and strategic direction in

· partnership with Executive Headteachers and those responsible for governance and through consultation with the school community

· Create a culture where pupils experience a positive and enriching school life

· Uphold ambitious educational standards which prepare pupils from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life

· Promote positive and respectful relationships across the school community and a safe, orderly and inclusive environment

· Ensure a culture of high staff professionalism

Teaching

· Establish and sustain high-quality, expert teaching across all subjects and phases, built on an evidence-informed understanding of effective teaching and how pupils learn

· Ensure teaching is underpinned by high levels of subject expertise and approaches which respect the distinct nature of subject disciplines or specialist domains

· Ensure effective use is made of formative assessment

Curriculum and Assessment

· Ensure a broad, structured and coherent curriculum entitlement which sets out the knowledge, skills and values that will be taught

· Establish effective curricular leadership, developing subject leaders with high levels of relevant expertise with access to professional networks and communities

· Ensure that all pupils are taught to read through the provision of evidence-informed approaches to reading, particularly the use of systematic synthetic phonics in schools that teach early reading

· Ensure valid, reliable and proportionate approaches are used when assessing pupils' knowledge and understanding of the curriculum

Behaviour

· Establish and sustain high expectations of behaviour for all pupils, built upon relationships, rules and routines, which are understood clearly by all staff and pupils

· Ensure high standards of pupil behaviour and courteous conduct in accordance with the school's behaviour policy

· Implement consistent, fair and respectful approaches to managing behaviour

· Ensure that adults within the school model and teach the behaviour of a good citizen

Additional and special educational needs and disabilities

· Ensure the school holds ambitious expectations for all pupils with additional and special educational needs and disabilities

· Establish and sustain culture and practices that enable pupils to access the curriculum and learn effectively

· Ensure the school works effectively in partnership with parents, carers and professionals, to identify the additional needs and special educational needs and disabilities of pupils, providing support and adaptation where appropriate

· Ensure the school fulfils its statutory duties with regard to the SEND code of practice

Professional Development

· Ensure staff have access to high-quality, sustained professional development opportunities, aligned to balance the priorities of whole-school improvement, team and individual needs Prioritise the professional development of staff, ensuring effective planning, delivery and evaluation which is consistent with the approaches laid out in the standard for teachers' professional development

· Ensure that professional development opportunities draw on expert provision from beyond the school, as well as within it, including nationally recognised career and professional frameworks and programmes to build capacity and support succession planning

Organisational Management

· Ensure the protection and safety of pupils and staff through effective approaches to safeguarding, as part of the duty of care

· Prioritise and allocate financial resources appropriately, ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and probity in the use of public funds

· Ensure staff are deployed and managed well with due attention paid to workload

· Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies that enable the school to operate effectively and efficiently

· Ensure rigorous approaches to identifying, managing and mitigating risk

Continuous School Improvement

· Make use of effective and proportional processes of evaluation to identify and analyse complex or persistent problems and barriers which limit school effectiveness, and identify priority areas for improvement

· Ensure careful and effective implementation of improvement strategies, which lead to sustained school improvement over time

· Develop appropriate evidence-informed strategies for improvement as part of well-targeted plans which are realistic, timely, appropriately sequenced and suited to the school's context

Working in Partnership

· Forge constructive relationships beyond the school, working in partnership with parents, carers and the local community

· Commit their school to work successfully with other schools and organisations in a climate of mutual challenge and support

· Establish and maintain working relationships with fellow professionals & colleagues across other public services to improve educational outcomes for all pupils

Governance and Accountability

· Understand and welcome the role of effective governance, upholding their obligation to give account and accept responsibility

· Establish and sustain professional working relationship with those responsible for governance

· Ensure that staff know and understand their professional responsibilities and are held to account

· Ensure the school effectively and efficiently operates within the required regulatory frameworks and meets all statutory duties

General

· 4 months' notice period to be given

· To undertake such other duties and responsibilities of an equivalent nature, as defined by line management from time-to-time, subject to the proviso that normally any changes of a permanent nature shall be incorporated into the job description in specific terms

· To undertake any training commensurate with the post

· To take part in the Trust performance management system, taking personal responsibility for identification of learning, development and training opportunities in discussion with line manager and attend SDP/inset days.

· To comply with individual responsibilities, in accordance with the role, for health & safety in the workplace and to take appropriate action to identify, evaluate and minimise any risks to health, safety and security in the immediate working environment

· To work in accordance with the values, culture, ethos, equalities and inclusion policies of the Trust proactively promoting anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti- discriminatory behaviours in the day to day operation of the job

· Ensure that all duties and services provided are in accordance with the School's Equal Opportunities Policy

· The Local Governing Committee is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

· The duties above are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the post holder may be required by theExecutive Head to carry out appropriate duties within the context of the job role.

This job description is current at the date shown, but, in consultation with you, may be changed by the Executive Head to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the grade and job title.

Information about the School

LIFE Education Trust is a community of schools who work together and have the same mission to build great learning communities which unleash and champion optimism in a spirit of compassion. Chappel Primary School is one of four schools within the Trust's Colchester Hub.