Head Of School

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Head of School

Pay Scale: Leadership Scale (Inner London) L20-24

Reporting to: Executive Headteacher

About you:

You will be a highly effective leader with a proven track record of success at a Senior Leader level and have the knowledge, drive and ambition to achieve our ambitions.

Job Purpose

• Play a major role, with the support of the Executive Headteacher, in formulating the aims and objectives of the school in the context of the Governors’ strategic vision and bring specialist knowledge and skills to strengthen the federation
• To lead the SEMH Special School, within H3 federation, providing a breadth of support for students with social, emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties.
• To provide professional leadership of the SEMH Special School, leading to high quality, accessible and inclusive education for all students and improved standards of learning, achievement and wellbeing.
• Identify barriers to school effectiveness, and develop strategies for school improvement that are realistic, timely and suited to the school’s context
• To manage the school, both strategically and operationally, including health and safety.
• To ensure safeguarding is of paramount importance
• To ensure creativity, innovation and flexibility in delivering a curriculum offer that meets the current and future needs of all students.
• To develop an effective team including the recruitment of new staff as well as fostering and developing in-house talent.
• To carry out the duties required of a Headteacher as set out in part six of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document

Student culture and ethos

• Create a culture where pupils strive to achieve in their learning and personal development.
• Provide for the specific educational and emotional needs of the students in the school, in collaboration with other services as appropriate.
• Uphold ambitious standards for students’ education and personal development in order to prepare them for their next phase of education and future pathways, including making positive transitions to and from other educational settings.
• Ensure effective implementation of behaviour and safeguarding policies to constantly improve our culture of safeguarding and high expectations and to maintain a safe environment in which to learn.

Leading/Managing People

• Lead by example, providing inspiration and motivation
• Monitor, review and evaluate the work of teams and individuals in the context of School policies and plans.
• Create opportunities for reflective practice, including professional supervision where appropriate.
• Set and review appraisal objectives for an agreed group of staff and to monitor performance against those objectives in line with school policy challenging underperformance where necessary.
• Ensure a culture of staff professionalism and support for our colleagues, including consideration of staff wellbeing and workload.
• Treat people fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive school culture.
• Line manage SLT members, ensuring they are accountable for their areas of the school development plan.
• Support and challenge colleagues to be as effective as they can in their roles and develop their capacity over time, ensuring effective succession planning.
• Lead on the recruitment and appointment of new staff.
• Establish, lead and chair, as necessary, groups of staff including the SLT.
• Take a full and committed part in your own performance management, as well as those of your team members.
• Ensure the effective induction of new staff.
• Be seen as a role model in terms of industry, innovation and commitment and have a positive impact upon children’s lives and education.

Managing resources and policies

• With the support of the H3 central team, ensure compliance with all statutory policies and frameworks
• With the support of the Executive Headteacher, be responsible for the school’s budget.

Supporting the community of the school

• Represent the school and its interests in meetings and other relationships with parents, members of the community, the DfE and a wide range of organisations and agencies.
• Handle difficult situations and issues with sensitivity and calm ensuring you are always aware of the safeguarding of our students, data protection and the need for strict confidentiality where appropriate.
• To promote and be involved in the wider life of the school community.

Governance

• To understand the purpose of governance and to facilitate an effective relationship with the link governor to the school
• Participate and present at whole Governing Body Meetings, leading on items related to Harmood School, bringing expertise relating to social emotional and mental health.
• Be the school’s principal representative on governor subcommittees and attend other governor meetings as necessary.

Supervision

• The majority of this work will be undertaken with minimum supervision. Matters of policy are discussed as the need arises with the line manager by whom work is also monitored.

Other

• Other duties which may be reasonably required or delegated by the Executive Headteacher, from time to time.
• This is a job description only and is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It may be subject to modification or amendment, after consultation with the post holder.
• H3 Federation and its Governing Body are committed to ensuring consistency of treatment and fairness, and will abide by all relevant equality legislation
• The school will endeavour to make any necessary reasonable adjustments to the job and the working environment to enable access to employment opportunities for disabled job applicants or continued employment for any employee who develops a disabling condition

To find out more about the role, please follow the link: https://h3federation.org.uk/

To apply, please contact the HR/Finance Officer, Grace Molloy, by email via the button below for further details and information. Grace will also arrange informal visits if desired – these will be available on Wednesday 24th January at 11.30am and Tuesday 30th at 1.30pm.

Closing date for applications: Friday 9th February 2024 at 9am

Interviews: 21st and 22nd February

Post commences: September 2024

This position is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Further details regarding this check are available from school.

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.