Executive Headteacher Recruitment Pack

Transcription

1 Executive Headteacher Recruitment Pack The school is part of a federation of small schools which has a commitment to the pursuit of excellence. Ofsted 2017 A Christian school community where pupils strive to achieve their full potential regardless of ability or background. SIAMS 2015 Older pupils are good role models for younger children and are proud to be ambassadors for their school. Ofsted 2014 I like the federation because it feels like a big family.

2 Welcome Dear Prospective Executive Headteacher, We are delighted by your interest in the role of Executive Headteacher for the Spires Federation of schools. We are proud of our thriving federation of three small schools which are rooted in our three key values of respect, honesty and friendship. When we asked our pupils, parents and staff to talk about our schools the responses overwhelmingly reflected the friendly atmosphere, family centered ethos, sense of pride in belonging together, and the certainty that we are all supporting each other. Our partnership began in 2009, when Dunston and Digby schools entered a soft federation. After a successful couple of years, we entered into a hard federation agreement and became one governing body for the federation. In 2016, the opportunity arose to add Nocton Community School to the federation and at that point, the Spires Federation name was born. This recruitment pack will give you more information about the federation and we hope you will take the opportunity to visit on one of our open mornings. Please ensure that in your application you detail how your knowledge, skills and experience address the criteria listed on the person specification and job description. You may give any evidence either in the personal statement section of the application form or in a separate letter. I look forward to hearing from you Yours sincerely Jenny Hutchinson Chair of Governors. Our school is one of a kind. You could not get a better one, anywhere! We do lots of sports and we love to try new things. I like that everyone is friendly and welcoming. We all know each other and we all look after each other.

3 Our schools Each of our three rural schools is set on the edge of their prospective villages and adjoin open countryside. The schools are central to their communities and are highly valued by the pupils, parents and village populations. All 3 schools cater for children aged 4 11 and provide wrap around care in the form of breakfast or after school clubs. All three schools have been graded as Good by Ofsted in their most recent inspections. In addition, Digby was graded as Good in its last Church Schools inspection (2015) and Dunston was graded as Outstanding after its recent Church Schools inspection (2017) The Spires Federation is wonderful for all of the schools. As it opens up a wealth of learning opportunities for the children beyond what each school would be able to offer as one small, individual school. Digby Church of England School has 83 children taught in three mixed aged classes and a thriving on-site pre school. The extensive school grounds provide fantastic outdoor learning spaces for our pupils. They include a gardening area, story telling space and wildlife garden for the enjoyment of all. The school has been awarded the Gold Sainsbury s Sports Mark for four years in a row. Pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted exceptionally well through a vibrant and exciting range of subjects and activities. Ofsted 2015 Dunston St Peter s Church of England Primary School has 99 children taught in 4 mixed age classes in a bright, modern and well equipped building. The school has extensive links with the local community and welcomes visitors from both the Anglican and Methodist churches. Termly Messy Church sessions are a highlight for all pupils. The Christian character is particularly evident in the high quality of relationships across the whole school, where everyone is cared for and valued as an individual. SIAMS 2017 A short walk along the bridle path takes you to Nocton Community Primary School. A school of 57 pupils, taught in 3 mixed age classes in a traditional school building next to the school green. The beautiful building dates from The picturesque village of Nocton is a growing community with ongoing housing development for new families. The headteacher, staff and governors work closely together. They create a climate in which the skills and talents of all pupils are valued and good behaviour can flourish. Ofsted 2014

4 Ethos, Values and Aims of the Spires Federation Our Core Values: Our core values are Friendship, Respect and Honesty. These are the core values in all three schools. These values permeate everything that we do. The pupils are clear about what they mean and they are regularly discussed in assemblies and in lessons. Our Mission: The Spires Federation family of small schools is committed to excellence. We hope to inspire all of our pupils to enjoy learning, make outstanding progress and achieve their full potential. Our Aims: We will provide our pupils with a solid foundation of essential knowledge and skills. We will develop our pupils' social, spiritual, moral and cultural values to help them fulfil their potential. We will provide the widest possible range of experiences for all of our pupils. We will nurture and develop the strong relationships between the schools and their wider communities. At Digby and Dunston, as Church of England schools, we believe that every pupil is unique in the sight of God. We aim to provide a Christian environment for every pupil, including opportunities to worship together and with our local communities.

5 Person Specification Executive Headteacher Selection decisions will be based on the criteria outlined below. At each stage of the process an assessment will be made by the appointment panel to determine the extent to which the criteria have been met. When completing your application paperwork you should ensure that you address each of the selection criteria and provide supporting evidence of how you meet the criterion through reference to your work or relevant experience and assessed by evidence from application form, formal interview and the references. Essential Desirable Qualifications and Experience A proven track record of significant and successful senior leadership within a primary school Experience of working with church schools Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) NPQEH / NPQH / NPQSL Evidence of proactively pursuing continued professional development and being a lifelong learner Experience of working within a school federation Evidence of CPD covering curriculum, leadership and management within the last two years Experience of working within a small rural school and community Experience across the whole primary provision including the Foundation Stage Experience of strategic financial planning, including setting priorities for expenditure and cost control, to ensure school sustainability Safeguarding Children Current safeguarding training Current safer recruitment training Enhanced DBS clearance Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children Evidence of actively maintaining a safe and well-ordered school environment Professional Knowledge & Understanding A commitment to embrace Christian and community identities and continue to embed the Spires Federation core values Clear understanding of the SENd Code of Practice and proven experience of supporting children in overcoming barriers to learning Have an excellent understanding of the primary curriculum across all Key Stages including the Foundation Stage A person who will play a key part in the spiritual development of the school and wider community

6 Ability to articulate a clear vision, building upon existing strengths and engaging all members of the school community Experience of a SIAMs inspection at leadership level Lead by example with integrity, inspiration and creativity; drawing on their own experience and skills of staff and governors Experience of an OFSTED inspection at leadership level Understanding of values development within the broader curriculum to support the federation, local community and pupils as citizens of the world A person who understands the distinctive nature of a Church School and able to lead Christian worship Ability to provide constructive feedback to staff and children that promotes next step development whilst recognising achievement Pupils and Staff Evidence of creating an environment which enables personal, social and emotional development of each child Abreast of the latest educational developments and research (nationally and internationally) Committed to aspirational educational standards for all pupils and staff Demonstrates the ability to be inspiring and motivating Evidence of identifying and developing emerging talent and leadership ability Demonstrates an enthusiastic and collaborative approach with distributive leadership Values mutual support and respect, fostering strong working relationships and building effective teams The Self Improving System Proven track record to drive for improvement and challenge underperformance Successful participation in collaborative partnerships with other schools and academies as part of the peer review process Involvement in sector led school improvement, teaching schools and wider education establishments Able to maintain and develop opportunities for partnerships with parents, other schools, local churches and other community groups

7 Welcomes support and challenge from the Governing Body and actively supports the governors to deliver their functions effectively Able to build upon the recent Good Ofsted inspections Personal Attributes A commitment to uphold and promote the school s Christian ethos and community life Evidence of church and community involvement Be reflective, having the ability to selfevaluate and build on past experiences Be approachable and accessible to the children, parents and staff Be an excellent communicator and have strong interpersonal skills (written, verbal and oral) and resilience to engage the whole school community Able to manage own workload and that of others to allow an appropriate work/life balance Ability to nourish the children spiritually, morally, socially and culturally

8 Spires Federation Executive Headteacher Job Description Job Purpose The Executive Headteacher will be responsible for providing strategic leadership, vision and management as well as fulfilling statutory duties. Shaping the Future Strategic Direction and Development 1. Formulate a vision of school improvement and ensure that the vision is clearly articulated, shared, understood and acted upon effectively by all staff. 2. Translate the vision into agreed objectives and operational plans which will promote and sustain school improvement. 3. Contribute to the development of policies and procedures. Teaching and Learning 4. Maximise the opportunities for all pupils through a continuous focus on pupils achievement, using data and benchmarks to monitor progress in every child s learning. 5. Ensure high quality teaching is at the heart of strategic planning and resource management. 6. Establish creative, responsive and effective approaches to teaching and learning and contribute to the collaborative approach across the three schools in sharing good practice and improving the learning experience for all pupils. 7. Empower pupils to take an active part in their own learning and to take personal responsibility for improving their future opportunities for educational experience. 8. Implement strategies which secure high standards of behaviour and attendance. 9. Monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and standards of learning and achievement. 10. Work with other professionals to determine, organise and implement a diverse, flexible curriculum and effective assessment frameworks. 11. Establish a culture which promotes aspiration within the school communities and celebrates success and achievement. 12. Challenge underperformance at all levels and ensure effective corrective action is taken, including support and review. 13. Build an effective partnership with parents and the wider community to support and enhance the achievement and personal development of pupils. Developing Self and Working with Others 14. Treat people fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive culture. 15. Develop and maintain effective strategies and procedures for staff induction, professional development and performance management in line with agreed local and national policy and procedures. 16. Ensure effective planning, allocation, support and evaluation of work undertaken by teams and individuals, ensuring clear delegation of tasks and responsibilities. 17. Develop and maintain a culture of high expectations for self and others and take appropriate action when necessary. 18. Regularly review own practice and take responsibility for own personal development. 19. Ensure adequate provision to enable an appropriate work/life balance for all.

9 Managing the Organisation 20. Produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies for the ongoing development of all three schools 21 Maintain and develop the Christian ethos and values of Digby and Dunston Schools. 22. Work in partnership with other key services who provide a service to all three schools including finance and human resources, to achieve the schools goals and priorities. 23. Ensure the successful recruitment of high quality members of staff. 24. Manage the setting of annual performance management targets for staff and review progress against them in line with agreed policy and procedures. 25. Ensure that the use of resources provides value for money. 26. Take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people within the school and take on the role of Designated Safeguarding Lead. Securing Accountability 27. Ensure individual staff accountabilities and responsibilities are clearly defined, communicated, understood and agreed and are subject to a robust and rigorous review and evaluation in accordance with statutory performance management policy and procedures. 28. Provide objective advice and support to the governors to enable them to meet their responsibilities. 29. Present a clear, coherent and accurate account of performance to a range of audiences including governors, parents and carers. Strengthening the Community 30. Promote and develop a culture and curriculum which takes account of the richness and diversity of the communities and the wider world. 31. Create and promote positive strategies for challenging discrimination. 32. Collaborate with other agencies to provide a holistic approach to the well-being of staff, students and their families. The appointed Executive Headteacher will work to the professional duties set out in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document. The job description details responsibilities but does not direct any particular priorities or amount of time to be spent carrying out these duties. This job description is not prescriptive, nor necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. As such, it may be subject to amendment, after consultation, to meet the changing needs of the schools.

10 Spires Federation Recruitment Privacy Notice About Us Spires Federation is known as the "Controller" of the personal data you provide to us. The purpose of this privacy notice is to tell you how and why we use the information we gather about you when you apply to work with us. Why do we collect your personal data? It is necessary for us to collect and process personal data about you in order to assess your eligibility to work with us and to make a decision about your recruitment and employment. More specifically, this will include but is not limited to the following: Assessing your skills, qualifications and suitability for a role within the school Carrying out background and reference checks, where applicable Communicating with you about the recruitment process Maintaining records relating to the recruitment process To comply with legal or regulatory requirements e.g. Safer Recruitment We will not collect any personal data that we do not need and as far as is reasonable and practicable will ensure that the information recorded is accurate and kept up to date. What personal data do we collect? The personal data we will collect includes: Personal contact details such as name, address, telephone number and address Date of Birth National Insurance Number Employment history Qualifications and other academic achievements Contact information for the provision of references Identification documents Results of psychometric testing, where applicable. We will also collect and use the following "special categories" of more sensitive personal data: Information about your race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and political opinions Trade union membership Information about your physical and mental health, including any medical conditions. Information about criminal convictions and offences, including information from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Who do we get your personal data from? This information is collected in the following ways: Provided to us directly by you through the application form and at interview From your named referees

11 Who do we share your data with? We will only share information when it is necessary to do so for the purpose of recruitment and in accordance with the law. Where necessary, we will share your data with organisations that deliver services on behalf of the school. Where necessary we will share your personal data with the following categories of recipients: Disclosure and Barring Service Occupational Health Provider Previous employers and other individuals identified as capable of giving a reference Professional advisors and consultants involved in the recruitment exercise How long do we keep your data for? We are required to retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary, after which it will be securely destroyed in line with the school's retention policy. Retention periods can vary and will depend on various criteria including the purpose of processing, regulatory and legal requirements, and internal organisational need. Retention periods for recruitment data are 12 months How do we keep your data safe? Access to information is strictly controlled based on the role of the professional. All staff are required to undertake regular data protection training. Your Rights You have a number of rights which relate to your personal data. You are entitled to request access to any personal data we hold about you and you can also request a copy. You can also request that we correct any personal data we hold about you that you believe is inaccurate; You can request that we erase your personal data and request that we stop processing all or some of the personal data we hold. We are obliged to consider and respond to any such request within one calendar month. To exercise any of your rights please contact the schools Data Protection Officer, contact details below. Further Information If you wish to make a request or make a complaint about how we have handled your personal data please contact: Sharon.keane@spiresfederation.co.uk Alternatively, you can contact the school by writing to: Mrs S Keane Digby Church of England School Church Street Digby LN4 3LZ If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are not processing your personal data in accordance with the law you can complain to the Information Commissioner s Office (ICO) Last updated July 2018