Senior Vice-Principal

The Senior Vice-Principal is responsible to the Principal for all pastoral and operational matters whilst playing a key role in the academic vision and direction of the School. After the Principal, the Senior Vice-Principal is the most senior person within the School’s leadership and management structure, and deputises for him in his absence.

The Senior Vice-Principal works closely with the Principal to ensure that the highest standards of behaviour, learning and academic attainment prevail across the School, and in maintaining and extending the School’s reputation for all educational and pastoral matters. The Senior Vice-Principal will also work with the Principal to establish key strategic goals for the School.

The Senior Vice-Principal will work closely with the Vice-Principal (Junior School), Senior School Tutors and Junior & Senior School Early Class Teachers to ensure the effective development and delivery of the School’s pastoral provision.

The Key Areas of Responsibility which attach to the position are set out below although the list is not exhaustive and the Senior Vice-Principal may be expected to assume additional responsibilities as reasonably requested by the Principal.

The Senior Vice-Principal will report directly to the Principal, keeping them informed of any significant issues relating to the behaviour, performance or progress of the School and its pupils.

This job description should be read in conjunction with the associated Person Specification for this Role.
Package DescriptionLife Insurance, Work Place Pension, Staff Fee discount.
Main Responsibilities1. Safeguarding

The Senior Vice-Principal will be the designated Assistant Safeguarding Officer for the School and, in conjunction with the Principal, Vice-Principal (Junior School) and Safeguarding Officer (Nursery), will be part of the School’s Safeguarding Team. The Senior Vice-Principal will:

• Oversee the appropriate safeguarding training and annual updates of all staff and keep rigorous and up to date records of the training and updates

• Ensure their own training and that of the rest of the Safeguarding Team is up to date

• Contribute to the annual Safeguarding Review, including involvement in reviewing the School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

• Ensure compliance with all current safeguarding regulations, guidance and best practice

• Set the tone for a caring and nurturing culture in which pupils feel confident to talk to someone if they have a problem and where staff feel able to pass on any safeguarding concerns that they may have – and understand heir obligation to do so.

2. Pastoral Care

• Preparation, publishing and review of the School’s Behaviour Policy and Anti-Bullying Policy

• Oversee and set the tone for pastoral care (Tutor System), ensuring that pupils are cared for and that expectations are high, and including assigning of pupils to Tutor groups on entry to the Senior School

• Line manage the Senior School Tutors

• Chair Tutor meetings

• Ensure that pupils have high standards of personal behaviour and presentation

• Liaison with external agencies on all referrals put forward by staff, keeping the Principal informed

• Liaison with parents and staff on concerns with individual pupils. Follow up any concerns as necessary

• Ensure that all paperwork relating to pastoral issues including records of sanctions is current, thorough and stored appropriately

• Oversight of PSHE provision within the School, including organization of staff training as required

3. Pupils

• Pastoral care responsibility for Senior 6

• Coordinate/oversee the work of the School Captain and their Prefect team

• With the Principal, organise and participate in the annual appointment of School office bearers – School Captain, Vice-Captains and House Captains

• Assist with Helping Hands Programme as required

• Oversee the work of the Senior 6 Charities Committee

• Ensuring arrangements for the annual election of School Council and their meetings take place

• Oversight of House system and its development

• Organise annual Prize giving Ceremony and procedures for determining prizewinners

• Oversee arrangements for mentoring of Taster Day and new pupils

• Ensure, with all staff, pupil compliance with School rules on uniform and presentation to maintain high standards

• Coordinate the award of Colours/Half-Colours and liaise with School uniform supplier as require

• Responsibility for School disciplinary policy and procedures

• Junior 6/Transitus transition arrangements in conjunction with Vice-Principal (Head of Junior School)

• Maintain teaching contact with pupils through a reduced timetable.

4. Pupil Progress

• Ensuring that records of pupil performance, both summative and tracking, are maintained

• Ensuring that analysis of SQA Practice Examination and final Examinations are produced as required (delegated responsibility of the Director of Studies)

• Track pupils progress using iSAMS tracking data, feedback from teaching staff and Tutors

• Chair specific progress and/or pastoral meetings as required

• Facilitate, with the Principal, intervention as appropriate; e.g., SfL, external agencies.

5. Staffing

• Assist in the interview of candidates for teaching posts

• Oversee the induction of staff new to the School

• Fulfil the role of Student Regent for trainee teachers; liaison with universities/teacher training institutions as appropriate

• Assist with the School’s PRD/CPD Policy & Procedures

• Liaison with GTCS as appropriate

• Work with the SMT/SLT, PTs and staff to identify training needs for staff, both individual and whole School

• Plan and organise all In-Service Days

• Maintain In-Service records; with assessment of quality and value

• Arrange cover for staff absence and back to work interviews 

• Organisation and monitoring of staff duties

• Regular liaison with office staff and other commercial staff as required

• Support the Principal in overall management of staff.

6. Administration/Organisation

• The Senior Vice-Principal has overall responsibility for ALL aspects of day-to-day School administration, whether delegated to others or not, specifically including:

• School examinations

• SQA examinations and practice examinations,

• Option Choice procedures at Senior 2, Senior 4 and Senior 5 transition points; establishment of option columns in preparation of the production of each academic year’s timetable in consultation with the Principal

• Pupil setting

• Staff cover (see above)

• Coordinate/timetable extracurricular activities

• Maintain effective communications within the School, including effective liaison between Junior and Senior Schools

• Allocate of staff duties

• Production of Daily Notices

• Organise and oversee Parent/Teacher Interviews

• Supervise Lunch Hall

• Populate and publish annual Academic Year Planner

• Organize and publish termly Calendar of Events

• Overseeing production of new Staff Handbook (August 2024) in conjunction with Vice-Principal (Junior School) and the Principal

• Organise and oversee all aspects of Senior School Reports, including deadlines and checking procedures.

7. Curriculum

• Have awareness and broad input into planning systems and the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum through the delivery of high quality learning and teaching experiences lessons.

8. Meetings

• Organise all Senior School and whole Staff meetings

• Organise and lead Tutor meetings

• Organise, attend and run all Senior School parent/teacher interview evenings

• Meetings with parents as required.

9. Health & Safety

• Support the Principal in the implementation of all Health & Safety protocols and procedures

• Organisation of termly Fire Practice Drills and maintenance of records

• Oversee risk assessments for School Trips

10. Extracurricular Programme

• Oversee the programme of extracurricular activities across the whole School, ensuring that it is as broad and extensive as possible

• Ensure effective communication of the programme to parents

• Monitor running of the programme, ensuring that published events are taking place

11. Other responsibilities as a member of the senior management team

• Preparation for visits by HMI – Link Inspector, QUIPE and full Inspection visits

• Participation in School Improvement Planning

• Leadership/membership of working groups as directed by the Principal

• Responding to pupil and parental concerns in a timely and considerate manner

• Carrying out School tours for prospective parents and pupils as directed by the Principal
The Ideal CandidateThe Board of Governors will expect the ideal candidate to demonstrate all of the following personal qualifications and attributes:

• Graduate (preferably at Honours Level) from a UK university

• Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Education

• Registration with the General teaching Council of Scotland – or eligibility for immediate registration

• Senior or Middle Leadership & Management experience related to the academic and/or pastoral work of a School

• Evidence of ability or clear potential to effectively lead and manage staff

• Exemplary personal integrity and honesty

• A very high level of energy, enthusiasm, commitment and reliability

• An enthusiastic, creative and demonstrably successful classroom practitioner

• Ability to work under pressure and deal with a multitude of tasks and priorities successfully

• Ability to communicate effectively and engage positively with colleagues

• Be supportive, approachable and positive in nature

• Be committed to team work

• Show initiative and creativity in problem solving and systems, and encourage initiative in others

• Flexible thinking

• Incisive and clear dec