What skills and experience we're looking for
Purpose of the Post:
The purpose of this role is to assist the Leadership Team in the leadership and management of effective strategies to support teaching and learning throughout the Academy and to achieve the outcomes required by Government regulations and the Academy Development Plan adopted by the Local Governing Body.
As an Assistant Principal you will nurture and support the ethos of positive communication, collaboration and engagement to ensure the delivery of high quality teaching and learning. This will be demonstrated by the way you carry out your duties as a Teacher and be an outstanding practitioner.
Key Accountabilities:
• To ensure our young people’s EHCP and curriculum outcomes are achieved, and progress is made for all pupils.
• To support all staff, provide clear direction and hold staff to account for any underperformance.
• To be responsible for the operational running of all aspects of the day to day organisation of a phase
• To plan, implement and monitor personalised provisions related to pupil EHCP needs
Role Specific Responsibilities will include:
• To lead on a key area of the Academy Development Plan
• Support on the implementation of an agreed progressive curriculum for pupils within a Phase including monitoring lesson delivery, pupil assessment, recording progress and intervention.
• Establish firm links with Specialist Support Services and other professional colleagues in-line with the Academy Vision in order for our pupils to receive their full entitlement of support, development, and stability into adulthood.
• Ensure that appropriate communication strategies are in place across the phase through close liaison with all professionals and parents.
• Co-ordinate a social calendar to encourage parental liaison through a variety of inclusive and purposeful activities that may include coffee mornings, special assemblies and workshops, designed to enhance understanding and learning of our parents/carers and pupils.
• Undertake a teaching timetable commitment across your Department/Academy as appropriate.
Professional Duties will include:
• To work with the Leadership Team to undertake the day to day running of the Academy following the direction of the Principal.
• To develop and implement policies for the department which reflect the Academy’s commitment to high achievement and effective teaching and learning.
• To attend Leadership meetings and make contributions to whole school strategic direction and development.
• To nurture and support Department teams through a coaching/mentoring approach in order to empower staff, develop new staff, and shape future leaders.
• To maintain a climate which enables staff to maintain positive attitudes to the specific needs of our pupils through agreed strategies, developments and processes.
• To ensure pupils make progress equal to or better than expected on the basis of prior attainment data, in line with their EHCP.
• To ensure that pupil progress is monitored, collated and analysed so that appropriate measures are taken to address under achievement of groups and individuals.
• To ensure that work with pupils underpins and promotes the schools ethos, values and reflects all aspects of SMSC.
• To ensure that within classes each pupil has their needs met through an appropriately personalised curriculum, timetable and strategy that enables engagement and progression.
• To ensure effective learning takes place through consistent high-quality teaching and innovative practice.
• To liaise with parents, carers and any external agencies involved with the pupils.
• To ensure that Annual Review procedures are fully met.
• To assist in the formulation of the Academy’s overall aims and objectives and their implementation towards the Academy Vision.
• To meet regularly with the Senior Management Team to discuss matters of policy and strategic development.
Safeguarding:
In carrying out any of the role set out below, your role of ‘Deputy’ Designated Safeguarding Lead should be guided by two important principles. First, following the Children Act 1989, the principle that
the welfare of the child should be paramount. Second, the principle that confidentiality should be respected as far as possible (without compromising the first principle).
It is essential that ‘Deputy’ designated safeguarding leads are familiar with the content of the following key documents:
- the Department for Educations (DfE’s) statutory guidance for schools and colleges, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ 2021
- ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 2018
- Ofsted Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings 2019
- The Prevent duty July 2015
- Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership (SSCP) Threshold Guidance Document
- Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework 2017 (EYFS)
As Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead you:
- Should be an experienced member of staff, from the school or college.
- Must take responsibility for safeguarding and child protection.
- Should be fully conversant with the SSCB child protection (CP) procedures and act on child abuse within school.
- Provide support and guidance to all members of staff
- Should liaise with designated staff for Looked After Children (LAC).
- Are responsible for referring individual cases of suspected abuse to relevant Local Authority (LA) Children Services area (following SSCP guidelines) and to liaise with them and other agencies on individual cases and on general issues relating to CP.
- Should undertake “Prevent” awareness training and support with this within the school/college.
- Will have responsibility to act as a school-based resource on CP issues for staff.
Working with others – as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, you will:
- Liaise with the senior Designated Safeguarding Lead, head teacher or principal to inform him or her of issues especially on-going enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 and police investigations.
- As required, liaise with the “case manager” and the Designated Officer in the Local Authority (LADO) for child protection concerns.
- Liaise with staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies. Act as a source of support, advice and expertise for staff.
This list is not exhaustive, please refer to Annex B in KCSiE for more detailed guidance.
Conditions of Service:
The above job description does not define in detail all of the duties and responsibilities of the post in question. It may be necessary to re-evaluate areas of responsibility. After due consideration and discussion areas may be amended in consultation with the Principal.
What the school offers its staff
- Permanent contract
- Teacher Pension Scheme
- Leadership Pay Scale
- Continuing Professional Development
-Access to the Schools Advisory Service
- Bike to Work scheme
Further details about the role
For further information, please visit the school website.
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.