Core Purpose

The Headteacher will be responsible for the successful strategic development and direction of the school, providing the vision and effective leadership that will ensure high quality education for all its students and excellent standards of learning and achievement. The Headteacher will also contribute to the Trust as part of the extended Senior Leadership Team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

School Culture and Behaviour

• Actively lead, contribute to and promote the overall ethos and values of the school and the wider Trust

• Create and promote a culture where students experience a positive and enriching school life

• Uphold educational standards in order to prepare students from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life

• Ensure a culture of staff professionalism and high expectations, fostering an environment where staff feel supported and workload is managed effectively

• Encourage high standards of behaviour and attendance from students, built on rules and routines that are understood by staff, students and parents, underpinned by the schools' agreed values in their response to the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged students

• Use consistent and fair approaches to managing behaviour, in line with the school’s behaviour policy

• Treat all people fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive culture in line with the Trust and school’s agreed vision and values

Leading and managing the school

• Take overall operational responsibility for the leadership, internal organisation, management and safe day to day  running of the school and alert the CEO to any potential breaches of statutory responsibility, including Health and Safety and Safeguarding

• Oversee recruitment and selection of staff to meet the short and longer term needs of the school and its students

• Implement effective performance management processes with all school staff, proactively address underperformance at all levels and ensure effective corrective action and follow-up

• Ensure staff and students’ safety and welfare through effective approaches to safeguarding, as part of an ongoing duty of care

• Manage and organise accommodation efficiently and effectively to ensure it meets the needs of the curriculum and health and safety requirements and provides a positive learning environment that promotes the highest achievements

• Manage the school’s financial and human resources effectively and efficiently to achieve the school’s educational goals and priorities within the Trust’s financial framework

• Ensure rigorous approaches to identifying, managing and mitigating risk

• Ensure that school policies and practices take account of national  and local circumstances and meet the Trust’s expectations.

• Exercise the school’s duty of care regarding staff welfare and mental health

Teaching, curriculum and assessment

• Establish and sustain high-quality teaching and learning across all subjects and phases that meets the needs of all students through the continuing development of a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum

• Ensure teaching is underpinned by subject expertise and evidence based pedagogical practices

• Effectively use formative assessment to inform strategy and decisions including school improvement 

• Establish curriculum leadership, including subject leaders with relevant expertise and access to professional networks and communities

• Use valid, reliable and proportionate approaches to assessing students’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum

• Ensure the use of evidence-informed approaches to reading and literacy so that all students are taught to read

• Encourage a wide range of extra-curricular trips and activities that support and enhance a broad and balanced curriculum to develop students’ cultural capital

• Provide a safe and healthy environment in which students’ wellbeing and welfare are nurtured

• Report each term on the school’s educational performance to the Trust

Additional and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

• Promote a culture and practices that enables all students to access the curriculum

• Have ambitious expectations for all students with SEND

• 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 

Professional development

• Ensure staff have access to appropriate, high standard professional development opportunities

• Keep up to date with developments in education

• Seek training and continuing professional development to meet needs of all staff as part of a wider Trust focus

Governance, accountability and working in partnership

• Understand and welcome the role of effective governance as part of the Trust scheme of delegation

• Work with the Trust’s finance team to advise the Governing Body on the formulation of the annual budget in order to ensure that the school secures its objectives 

• Plan, manage and monitor the curriculum within the agreed budget; setting appropriate priorities for expenditure, allocating funds and ensuring effective administrative control

• Ensure that all 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

• Promote, encourage and support initiative and team working, both within the school and more widely with other schools across the Trust and with external organisations

Communications and Partnerships

• Develop and maintain an effective partnership with parents and carers and be the senior point of contact for parents and carers who may need to discuss concerns about their child’s education

• Ensure that parents and students are well informed about curriculum attainment and progress and are able to understand targets for improvement

• Develop and encourage good relations between the school and the local community

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain consistent high standards of professional conduct, tact and diplomacy at all times in dealing with students, parents, staff colleagues, external agencies and any other visitors to the school or wider Trust

• Duties may be varied to meet changed circumstances in a manner compatible with the post held, at the reasonable direction of the Director of Education (Secondary) the CEO or the Trust Senior Leadership Team

Compliance

The post holder is required to be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection; health and safety; confidentiality; and data protection and report all concerns to an appropriate person.

Safeguarding

Danes Educational Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

The Headteacher under the guidance of the Governors and the Trust’s Executive Team, will be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of all children with whom they come into contact with, in accordance with the Trust and other relevant safeguarding policies. 

Additional Information

All staff are required to participate in training and other learning activities and in performance management and development as required by the Trust’s policies and practices.

This job description is a guide to the duties the post holder will be expected to undertake. It is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive and will be subject to change as working requirements dictate and to meet the organisational requirements of the Trust.

Supervision/Job Context

The post holder is line managed by the CEO and works closely with the Secondary Director & Director of Education.

Contacts

The post holder will work with the Senior Leadership Team, staff, students, parents, governors, other Trust staff including the CEO, Central Services Team, and key community stakeholders.