Headteacher

Headteacher

Main purpose

• Establish and sustain the school’s ethos and strategic direction together with the governing board and through consultation with the school community
• Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies so the school can operate effectively Identify problems and barriers to school effectiveness, and develop strategies for school improvement that are realistic, timely and suited to the school’s context
• Make sure these school improvement strategies are effectively implemented
• Monitor progress towards achieving the school’s aims and objectives
• Allocate financial resources appropriately, efficiently and effectively

Qualities

• Uphold public trust in school leadership and maintain high standards of ethics, behaviour and professional conduct
• Build positive and respectful relationships across the school community
• Serve in the best interests of the school’s pupils and staff

Duties and responsibilities

School culture and behaviour

• Create a culture where pupils experience a positive and enriching school life Uphold ambitious educational standards to prepare pupils from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life
• Ensure a culture of staff professionalism
• Encourage high standards of behaviour from pupils, built on rules and routines that are understood by staff and pupils, and demonstrated by all adults in school
• Use consistent and fair approaches to managing behaviour, in line with the school’s behaviour policy  

Teaching, curriculum and assessment

• Establish and sustain high-quality teaching across all subjects and phases, based on evidence
• Ensure teaching is underpinned by subject expertise
• Effectively use formative assessment to inform strategy and decisions
• Ensure the teaching of a broad, structured and coherent curriculum
• Establish curriculum leadership, including subject leaders with relevant expertise and access to professional networks and communities
• Use valid, reliable and proportionate approaches to assessing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum

Additional and special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities

• Promote a culture and practices that enables all pupils to access the curriculum Have ambitious expectations for all pupils with SEN and disabilities
• Make sure the school works effectively with parents, carers and professionals to identify additional needs and provide support and adaptation where appropriate
• Make sure the school fulfils statutory duties regarding the SEND Code of Practice.

Managing the school

• Ensure staff and pupils’ safety and welfare through effective approaches to safeguarding, as part of a duty of care
• Manage staff well with due attention to workload and work-life balance
• Ensure rigorous approaches to identifying, managing and mitigating risk

Professional development

• Ensure staff have access to appropriate, high-standard professional development opportunities
• Keep up to date with developments in education
• Ensure training and continuing professional development is effectively planned, delivered and evaluated
• Make sure professional development opportunities draw on experts both within, and beyond the school
• Seek training and continuing professional development to meet the needs of all staff members

Governance, accountability and working in partnership

• Understand and welcome the role of effective governance, including accepting responsibility
• Ensure that staff 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
• Work successfully with other schools and organisations
• Maintain working relationships with fellow professionals and colleagues to improve educational outcomes for all pupils

Other areas of responsibility

Please note that this is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the Headteacher will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role.