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Head of Modern Languages Department, Londonderry
Client: Education Authority
Location: Londonderry
Job Category: Other
EU work permit required: Yes
Job Reference: d3cf91e771a5
Job Views: 2
Posted: 14.03.2025
Expiry Date: 28.04.2025
Job Description:
JOB TITLE: Head of Department (Modern Languages)
Reporting to: Vice Principal (Curriculum) and Principal
Accountable to: Principal and Board of Governors
Heads of Department provide professional leadership and management of their subject area to secure high quality teaching, effective use of resources and ongoing development of learning and achievement for all pupils. As part of the school’s middle management, they play a key role in the school’s strategic planning.
Each Head of Department is supported by a member of Senior Leadership Team who acts as an immediate Line Manager and Mentor.
The following are key areas of responsibility:
Strategic Direction and Development of the Subject
* To support efficient and effective teaching and learning as a whole school strategy in order to contribute to whole school improvement.
* To contribute to the self-evaluative school model including completing a departmental self-evaluation on a yearly basis as required by the Principal.
* To be responsible for devising, monitoring and evaluating appropriate action plans to support the School Development Plan in achieving whole school improvement.
* To analyse internal and external examination results, identify areas for development and report these annually to the Principal and Senior Teacher (Data/Achievement) and recommend to the department and Senior Team strategies for dealing with any weaknesses and for promoting further the strengths of the department.
* To contribute to the target setting process by establishing agreed, appropriate targets for pupils and staff both within the department and by regular discussion with the Senior Teacher (Data/Achievement) and Principal.
* To keep the Departmental Handbook under review and ensure that an up-to-date copy is available for all staff in the department as well as for senior staff at the start of each academic year.
* To communicate and cooperate with other departments, including sharing good practice.
* To establish, with colleagues, agreed aims and objectives for the department which must be consistent with the aims and objectives of the school.
* To establish departmental policies in line with School Policies.
* To monitor the implementation of all departmental policies and review them regularly.
* To monitor and review the appropriateness of the curriculum for each pupil and to ensure that there are strategies in place to provide additional support for pupils with special educational needs.
* To ensure that a range of courses, suited to the needs of the pupils is offered.
* To draw up, with colleagues, schemes of work which make clear the content of the courses, the learning objectives and the assessment procedures to be followed.
* To ensure that relevant schemes of work are reviewed annually, followed by all members of the department and made available to the Vice Principal (Curriculum).
* To ensure that there is consistency and internal standardisation within the department.
* To prepare and circulate agendas for department meetings.
* To chair regular department meetings and to act as a channel of communication and consultation on department and curricular matters between the Principal and Leadership Team and other members of the department.
* To ensure that department meetings are accurately minuted and the Vice Principal (Curriculum) is provided with minutes.
* To represent the department at Head of Department meetings and to provide feedback to department colleagues.
* To play a full part in decision making relating to whole school issues.
* To keep abreast of current developments in the curriculum and in examination specifications by attendance at relevant in-service courses, encouraging departmental colleagues to do likewise and to ensure that there is an efficient and agreed system of reporting back.
* To liaise and develop creative links and constructive working relationships with other subject departments and with other schools and external agencies as appropriate.
* To inform the school’s Examinations Officer of all entries (and any changes) for the public examinations in the subject(s).
* To be a member of relevant ad hoc working parties in which whole school policy is developed, monitored and reviewed and guidelines for good practice are established.
* To develop effective links and constructive working relationships with the Pastoral team which includes the Vice Principal (Pastoral), SENCO and the Heads of Year.
* To ensure that relevant subject material is made available on the school’s website.
Teaching and Learning
* To lead colleagues in the process of regular evaluation of the work of the department in terms of teaching, learning and standards of achievement and thus identifying areas for improvement.
* To monitor teaching standards and teaching methods within the department.
* To ensure that appropriate teaching and learning strategies are employed at all levels of the school to challenge all pupils to achieve as highly as possible.
* To ensure and monitor in the department, effective development of pupils’ individual and collaborative skills to enable them to become independent, creative and critical thinkers.
* To ensure that subject specific support is available for any pupils requiring additional assistance and liaise when appropriate with SENCO or other key personnel.
* To advise pupils at certain times of option choices and at any other times when help is needed for university applications and/or careers guidance.
* To develop and integrate the use of Information and Communications Technology, Communication and Using Mathematics within the teaching of the subject at all levels of the school.
* To promote the skills of literacy and numeracy within the department in line with the whole school approach.
* To set standards and act as a role model for pupils and other staff in the teaching and learning of the subject.
* To ensure that assessment of pupils’ work (classwork, homework, coursework, tests, examinations) is undertaken regularly, that the assessment is valid, moderated and used to inform, develop and enhance teaching and learning in line with school policies.
* To be responsible for the oversight of setting, marking, assessing and moderating the department’s internal assessments and any elements of external examinations as may be necessary.
* To ensure that learning in the subject is enhanced where possible by development of extra curricular activities, special events or projects connected with the work of the department.
* To monitor pupil attainment and to liaise with pupils/parents as appropriate.
Leading and managing staff
* To promote the professional development of staff within the department.
* To support effectively all those on Initial Teacher Training, working as a Beginning Teacher or at the Early Professional Development Stage of their career.
* To assume responsibility for the induction, supervision and support of non-teaching staff where this is appropriate.
* To encourage innovative and imaginative curriculum work within the department.
* To oversee the writing of reports and other communications within the department, as appropriate and as required.
* To arrange the department contribution to any prospective pupil occasions eg Open Night and contributions required for any school literature eg curriculum booklets and prospectus.
* To show support and concern for the welfare and wellbeing of staff in the department.
* To build and further develop the team of subject teachers.
* To observe, on a regular basis, members of the department at work in the classroom, to provide relevant feedback on effective practice and to take action to improve further the quality of teaching.
* To support members of the department with disciplinary problems eg general behavioural problems, work, homework, coursework.
* To arrange for devolved responsibilities and delegated tasks as appropriate to members of the department.
* To monitor and evaluate devolved responsibilities and delegated tasks.
* To participate in, according to the guidelines approved by the Board of Governors, the agreed Professional Review and Staff Development process, PRSD, including acting as a Reviewer, for members of the department.
* To encourage appropriate access for members of the department to in-service training opportunities both within school and outside school that will enhance teaching and learning and allow development of an increasing awareness of whole school issues and to ensure that all members of the department receive appropriate feedback from colleagues who have attended INSET.
* To liaise with Senior Team Link as appropriate.
Efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources
* To advise the Principal on human resource needs in the department.
* To assist the Board of Governors in the selection of new members of staff for the department as required.
* To identify timetable and staffing requirements in consultation with the Vice Principal (Curriculum), to liaise with the Vice-Principal (Curriculum) and Principal to deploy staff to ensure the best use of subject expertise and to support the professional development of colleagues.
* To conduct an audit of resource needs within the context of the overall School Budget and the department’s Development Plan and present to the Principal/Vice Principal (Finance) annually an analysis of departmental needs in the form of a bid for departmental funding.
* To cooperate and liaise with the Vice Principal (Curriculum) in the administration of the negotiated budget allocation.
* To provide relevant information for the Principal or Vice Principal (Finance) at any time, if required, regarding departmental priorities, needs and funding.
* To ensure that rooms, furniture, equipment, wall displays etc are maintained to a high standard in order to create an effective and stimulating environment for the teaching and learning of the subject.
* To keep an inventory of equipment which should be updated annually.
* To ensure that resources are stored securely.
* To ensure that the work of the department is effectively displayed in appropriate public areas of the school.
* To aim to ensure a respect for the working environment.
* To oversee the issue and return of books etc to/from pupils and to ensure loss or damage is charged to the individual.
* To liaise with the Library Assistant over library requirements for the subject.
* To develop/implement a department Health and Safety policy consistent with the school Health and Safety policy which is kept under constant review.
* To aim to ensure that there is a safe working and learning environment in which risks are properly assessed through an annual Risk Assessment.
* To provide careful stewardship of accommodation and equipment used by the department by ensuring prudent management and expenditure of resources at all times.
1) Exercise of general professional duties
A teacher who is not a principal shall carry out the professional duties of a teacher as circumstances may require:
* (a) if he/she is employed as a teacher in a school under the reasonable direction of the principal of that school;
* (b) if he/she is employed by a board on terms under which he is not assigned to any one school, under the reasonable direction of that board and of the principal of any school in which he/she may for the time being be required to work as a teacher.
2) Exercise of particular duties
* (a) A teacher employed as a teacher (other than a principal) in a school shall perform, in accordance with any directions which may be reasonably given to him/her by the principal from time to time, such particular duties as may reasonably be assigned to him/her.
* (b) A teacher to whom paragraph 1(b) refers shall perform, in accordance with any direction which may reasonably be given to him/her from time to time by the board or by the principal of any school in which he/she may for the time being be required to work as a teacher, such particular duties as may reasonably be assigned to him/her.
3) Planning
* 1.1 Planning and preparing courses and lessons;
* 1.2 Teaching, according to their educational needs, the pupils assigned to him/her, including the setting and marking of work to be carried out by the pupils in school and elsewhere;
* 1.3 Assessing, recording and reporting on the development, progress and attainment of pupils.
4) General
* 2.1 Promoting the general progress and well-being of individual pupils and of any class or group of pupils assigned to him/her;
* 2.2 Providing advice and guidance to pupils on educational and social matters and on their further education and future careers including information about sources of more expert advice on specific questions, making relevant records and reports;
* 2.3 Making records of and reports on the personal and social needs of pupils except in instances where to do so might be regarded as compromising a teacher’s own position;
* 2.4 Communicating and consulting with the parents of pupils;
* 2.5 Communicating and co-operating with such persons or bodies outside the school as may be approved by the employing authority and the Board of Governors;
* 2.6 Participating in meetings arranged for any of the purposes described above.
5) Assessment/Reporting
Providing or contributing to oral and written assessments, reports and references relating to individual pupils and groups of pupils except in instances where to do so might be regarded as compromising a teacher’s own position.
6) Staff Development/Professional Development
* 4.1 Participating, if required, in any scheme of staff development and performance review;
* 4.2 Reviewing from time to time his/her methods of teaching and programmes of work;
* 4.3 Advising and co-operating with the Principal and other teachers (or any one or more of them) on the preparation and development of courses of study, teaching materials, teaching programmes, methods of teaching and assessment and pastoral arrangements.
7) Discipline/Health and Safety
* 5.1 Maintaining good order and discipline among pupils in accordance with the policies of the employing authority and safeguarding their health and safety both when they are authorised to be on the school premises and when they are engaged in authorised school activities elsewhere.
* 5.2 Participating in meetings at the school which relate to the curriculum for the school or the administration or organisation of the school, including pastoral arrangements.
8) Public Examinations
Participating in arrangements for preparing pupils for public examinations and in assessing pupils for the purposes of such examinations; recording and reporting such assessments; and participating in arrangements for pupils’ presentation for and supervision during such examination.
9) Review and Development of Management Activities/Administration
* 7.1 Contributing to the selection for appointment and professional development of other teachers, including the induction and assessment of probationary teachers;
* 7.2 Co-ordinating or managing the work of other teachers;
* 7.3 Taking such part as may be required of him/her in the review, development and management of activities relating to the curriculum, organisation and pastoral functions of the school.
* 7.4 Participating in administrative and organisational tasks related to such duties as described above, including the management or supervision of persons providing support for the teachers in the school and the ordering and allocation of equipment and materials.
* 7.5 Subject to the provisions of Article 22 of the Order, attending assemblies;
* 7.6 Registering the attendance of pupils and supervising pupils, whether these duties are to be performed before, during or after school sessions.
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