Thank you for your interest in the position of Assistant Headteacher: Attendance and Belonging at Orchard School Bristol.
This is a 0.4 (two days per week) job share role with an experienced job share partner who works 0.6 (three days per week). You will be required to teach on a pro rata basis during the two working days, which will be agreed at the time of appointment, and in liaison with the job share partner. However, if necessary, and in liaison with the existing job share partner, any agreed working pattern may be subject to change, following consultation.
We are a friendly school, serving a richly diverse community in north Bristol. Our students are wonderful – they value their teachers, knowing that you can make a real difference to their lives. The mission statement of the school, “inspire today, empower for life”, lies at the heart of all that the school does. We place no limits on our aspirations for our students.
We are seeking an experienced Assistant Headteacher to lead on Attendance and Belonging.
You are:
* A Senior Leader who can evidence positive impact and who can join the team with ease, familiar with both the strategic and operational aspects of a Senior Leadership role.
* Keen to make a significant impact on children’s attendance, and able to lead the school’s attendance protocols. This includes working with our Attendance and Pastoral Managers to ensure attendance data is accurate, that reports identify trends and concerns, that poor attendance is managed well and in a timely way, including where necessary taking responsibility for Fixed Penalty Notices and Prosecutions.
* A great communicator, able to liaise with parents and carers, school staff, staff across the council, social workers, police, and other services in the pursuit of excellent attendance.
* The Senior Leader for Admissions, working with a team of pastoral and year group staff, as well as the Admissions Panel across the Trust, and the Behaviour/Safeguarding Lead who may bring Fair Access/Managed Move students to be admitted to school. You will ensure all children receive a highly impactful induction to school and monitor progress of mid-year arrivals carefully. You will lead on Appeals for the School.
* Able to encourage a sense of belonging in school, getting children to want to come into school to take part in co-curricular activities. You will line manage our Attendance Manager, a new post for September 2025, and the House Champions and ensure these are promoted well to parents/carers, students, and staff with visible impact in the school community.
* Able to contribute to Tutor Notices regarding all aspects of Attendance and Belonging.
* A teacher, able to impact on department/Faculty outcomes through skilled teaching and learning. You inspire, motivate, and enthuse students in lessons and staff across your team.
* A skilled Senior leader: able to think and act innovatively but plan coherently and systematically and write with impact. You are highly organised, able to monitor and review at pace. You read widely and are linked into CPLD networks.
* Prepared to roll up your sleeves and get involved across the school to help our students live our ORCHARD values and deliver the excellent provision our community deserves.
This role puts you at the heart of the school, highly visible to all students, parents, staff, and our community. You will represent Orchard and be absolutely committed to building and sustaining relationships over time.
We offer:
* Enthusiastic students, willing to learn and achieve, who need staff who believe in them.
* Excellent student behaviour and a calm learning environment.
* A bright, happy place in which to learn and work.
* A professionally stimulating environment which values the contributions of all staff.
* A collegiate, dedicated Senior Leadership Team.
* A strong commitment to your professional development.
* A strong focus on staff wellbeing and voice.
* A warm and friendly staff body.
Sustainability is important: we need a Senior Leader with a mature understanding of how to bring out the best in our staff to consistently deliver exceptional opportunities for our young people.
Suitability for the role is also key: as this is a job share, you will need to demonstrate that you understand the requirements of a job share contract. Given the importance of this role in the Senior Leadership Team and with attendance being a School, and Trust, strategic priority, we are unable to offer this role alongside another full-time leadership position, nor split a second role, e.g. you cannot hold an additional leadership role such as Head of Year/Head of Faculty. We are seeking a Senior Leader with full focus on Attendance and Belonging for two days per week only, to fulfil a full-time job share.
We are building success on the core ORCHARD values of being: Open-minded, Respectful, Creative and Curious, Healthy, Ambitious, Responsible and Determined.
We welcome your application.
Mel Sweet, Headteacher
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