What skills and experience we're looking for
Woodeaton Manor School is a Foundation Special School located four miles to the Northeast the city of Oxford. The school serves young people aged 7 to 18 with Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH) and where many also have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Main Purpose:
The Deputy Headteacher will support the Headteacher to create a culture of constant improvement through inspirational leadership, being committed to the highest achievement for all areas of the school, to provide an outstanding education for all pupils.
With excellent leadership skills and adopting a hands-on approach, the Deputy Headteacher will support the Headteacher in managing the day-to-day operations of the school and have a strong track record of working within specialist schools, improving teaching and learning and curriculum development.
The duties outlined, in line with Headteacher and Teacher standards, are in addition to the ones stated in the last School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document that you will automatically be required to meet. The Deputy Headteacher may also be required to undertake professional duties delegated by the Headteacher.
Key Responsibilities
To ensure a high-quality service is provided to meet the educational and support needs of our students. To support the Headteacher to:
• Provide professional leadership to secure sustained improvements in school’s performance in partnership with staff, pupils, parents, governors, the local authority and the community
• Provide an environment for teaching and learning that empowers pupils and staff to achieve their fullest potential
• Undertake any professional duty of the Headteacher which may be delegated in accordance with the pay and conditions document
• Deputise for the Headteacher and undertake, in their absence, all professional duties
Leadership and Managing Staff
The Deputy Headteacher will support the Headteacher to work with the Interim Executive Board (IEB) to develop the strategic view of the school and analyse and plan for its future needs and future developments.
The Post holder will:
• Deputise and undertake overall responsibility for the school in the absence of the Headteacher and on any other occasions which are deemed necessary
• Create and develop an ethos and culture in which all staff recognize that they contribute to and are accountable for the success of the school, including improving the quality of education provided, and standards achieved and ensuring that constructive working relationships are formed and maintained
• Share with the Leadership Team the responsibility for supporting and promoting the wellbeing of all staff
• Plan, allocate, support and evaluate work undertaken by individuals, groups, and teams, ensuring that there is clear delegation of tasks and devolution of responsibilities
• Manage and monitor the use of staff and resources effectively and efficiently, taking the lead on arranging and managing staff cover and working with relevant agencies
• Assist the Headteacher in monitoring and supporting the work of the staff team to identify individual and whole school staff training needs and requirements
• Ensure the sharing of expertise as well as the implementation of statutory and local frameworks for staff appraisal and performance management
• Motivate and enable teachers, including senior and middle leaders and support staff, to develop expertise in their respective roles through high quality continuing professional development
• Work with the Headteacher to ensure strong succession planning, including a commitment to growing future leaders
• Sustain motivation of self and other staff
• Ensure that professional duties are fulfilled, as specified in the most recent Conditions of Service for School Teachers, in line with the Teachers’ Standards (2011)
Strategic Direction
• Work closely with the Headteacher in developing the school’s strategic vision and ensure the school’s vision is communicated and clarified to all stakeholders
• Contribute to the school Development Pan and Self-Evaluation Form to ensure that the aims, values, and objectives of the school are met
• Ability to support and challenge staff effectively
• Work with staff, parents and governors to ensure effective, sustainable school improvement and efficient management of school resources
• Hold and articulate clear values and moral purpose focused on providing high quality education for all pupils
• Contribute to planning for the school’s future needs and further develop and monitor the plans already in place
• Provide information, objective advice and support to the Headteacher to secure effective teaching and learning, ensuring improved standards of achievement, efficiency and value for money are met
• Work closely with the Headteacher and governors in strategic planning, budget preparation and monitoring and effective budget management
• Monitor, evaluate and review the impact of school policies, priorities and targets, taking or advising action where necessary
• Ensure that parents/carers re well-informed about the curriculum, their child’s attainment and progress and about the contributions they can make to support their child’s progress
• Meet with the Headteacher and the leadership team regularly to discuss matters of policy, organization and development
Teaching and Learning
• Take a whole school responsibility for developing and promoting teaching for pupils with specific SEND, in particular SEMH and ASC
• Coach teachers across the school to improve their practice
• Promote, develop and ensure high-quality delivery of a curriculum appropriate to the needs of the school’s pupils
• Determine, organise and implement assessment monitoring and evaluation to identify and act on areas for improvement
• Work with the Headteacher to analyse the school’s assessment data to make whole school improvements to teaching and learning and ensure consistent practice across the school and identify areas of CPD
• Work with the Headteacher to create and maintain environments which promote and secure good teaching, effective learning, high standards of achievement and good behaviour for learning throughout the school
• Undertake teaching duties to cover teachers where necessary and modelling effective teaching, good classroom organization and display and high standards of achievement
Community
• Be the Designated Safeguarding Lead and keep up to date with relevant legislation and guidance and monitor and advise the Headteacher on issues relating to pupil safeguarding and wellbeing following the child protection procedures adopted by the school
• Lead and take responsibility for Safeguarding and child protection procedures, training and referral processes, working I close partnerships with parents, multi-agencies and staff to ensure the safety of all pupils is paramount
• Liaise with other schools to create, promote, evaluate and develop positive relationships between schools
• To be attuned to national developments, best practices and innovation in the field of SEN
• Develop links and partnerships with other local special and mainstream schools to enhance and share good practice and foster school-to-school support networks
• Work with the Leadership Team to develop a school culture which continues to promote equality and diversity and reflects its wider community
• Work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary team and other health professionals to maximise their input and impact on pupils and keep them safe
• Collaborate with other agencies to promote the academic, spiritual, moral, social, emotional, and cultural well-being of pupils and their families
• Work in partnership with the governing body and attend meetings to represent the school as directed by the Headteacher
Other Duties
• The post holder may be required to perform duties other than those given in the job description
• The duties and responsibilities attached to posts may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and would not themselves justify the re-evaluation of a post
• In consultation with the post holder, the Headteacher and governing body retain the right to implement changes to this job description to reflect changes in the demands of the post
What the school offers its staff
We can offer:
• A friendly work environment and a supportive leadership team.
• A team dedicated to making a difference to pupils who need it most.
• Employee Assistant Programme.
• Continuous CPD opportunities.
This is an outstanding opportunity for someone who wants to join a high performing school and gain significant experience to further enhance their career.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.