Job Description
Children, Education and Justice Services
Development Officer – (PEF) - fixed term until 28 June 2025
James Gillespie's High School
Salary: £57,429
Hours: 35 per week
At James Gillespie’s High School, we work hard to create a nurturing environment in which all feel welcome and part of a larger family. We value high expectations, respect, inclusion, integrity and kindness.
With almost 1800 pupils we are one of the largest secondary schools in Edinburgh. Our Warrender Park Road campus comprises of a main teaching block, a state-of-the-art sports complex and an impressive music and drama suite including studio and theatre with further teaching accommodation in our grade 1 listed building, Brunstfield House. We also have a newly refurbished annexe (Darroch) at Gillespie Street. Staff will regularly travel between the two sites.
We are seeking a person to lead and coordinate the raising of attainment at James Gillespie’s High School. This will include managing our ‘Access to Success’ resource and supporting interventions to improve pupil attendance. This is a secondment position until 28th June 2025.
The successful candidate will have a proven track record in working in a leadership role in a secondary school and will have extensive experience of engaging with external partners and in implementing approaches to raise attainment through the Pupil Equity Fund. The role will include the following:
1. Work with a range of staff to develop the strategic direction and improvement of attainment.
2. Lead, develop and deliver supports for raising attainment.
3. Liaise with students, staff & parents to develop appropriate and sustainable resources.
4. Plan and deliver services according to organisational priorities and goals
5. Ensure that effective and robust systems are in place to develop, manage and monitor performance of the ‘Access to Success’ resource.
6. Deliver opportunities and feedback at whole school level on data and improvements in attainment of young people.
7. Lead a School Improvement Team, involving Students, Parents and Staff for attainment and attendance.
8. Oversee and manage the budget (Pupil Equity Fund and associated budgets).
9. Liaise and oversee Breakfast Club provision.
10. Exam diet provision for students with less than four exams.
11. Motivate and empower staff through clear direction, appraisal, and effective communication to develop their full potential through increased opportunities for supporting young people most at risk of not attaining.
12. Prepare plans/ timetables and reports as required and evaluate their impact.
13. Organise staff training and development where appropriate.
Salaries will be in accordance with the Scheme of Salaries and Conditions of Service for Teaching Staff in School Education.
This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.
We're committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.
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