What skills and experience we're looking for
Strategic Direction
1. To provide strategic leadership that upholds and communicates the school’s vision, aligning it with its philosophy, aims, and targets. This vision should foster high standards of behaviour, academic achievement, and positive social development for all students, while reflecting the needs of the community and guiding the school’s direction.
2. Create and develop the strategic School Improvement Plan, which is underpinned by sound financial planning and management, identifies priorities and targets aimed at raising achievement and is critical to sustaining school improvement. Ensure that the school improvement plan is informed by thorough self-evaluation and that progress towards its targets and objectives is regularly reviewed.
3. Develop and ensure an ethos that supports effective teaching, learning, and achievement, with a strong focus on a broad and balanced curriculum and extracurricular activities. Enable students to make significant progress across academic, spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical domains, preparing them for lifelong success.
4. Build strong partnerships with parents/carers, schools, and the local community, ensuring that all stakeholders are engaged and committed to the school's aims. Regular consultations and feedback should inform decision-making and policy development.
5. To consult, develop, implement, monitor, review and evaluate policies for the delivery of the overall aims and objectives, ensuring these take account of national trends, local and school data, and inspection and research finding.
6. To serve as a professional advisor to the Governing Body, providing them with the information needed to fulfil their strategic leadership role, offer support and challenge to the school’s work, and prepare evaluation documents and improvement plans that align with the school’s vision.
Learning and Teaching
1. Maximise progress throughout KS3 & KS4 by setting high expectations for both staff and students, fostering a culture of excellence
2. Determine, organise and implement a diverse, flexible appropriate curriculum for the school and implement an effective assessment framework.
3. Create and maintain a positive learning environment with a clear expectation of behaviour which promotes high standards, effective learning mutual respect.
4. Regularly monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning, ensuring that professional standards are maintained and addressing any underperformance at all levels.
5. Assess, monitor, and evaluate the curriculum, identifying areas for improvement and cultivating a personalised learning culture that meets the diverse needs of students.
6. Produce and revise as appropriate a School Improvement Plan relevant to the needs and development of the students and of the potential resources available to the school.
7. Evaluate the quality of teaching and learning, including provision for Special Educational Needs, using data to drive strategies that promote inclusion, diversity, and accessibility for all students.
8. Foster strong partnerships with parents, carers, the community, and other schools, while creating valuable links with businesses, industry, and post-16 providers to enrich students' learning experiences, achievements, and personal development.
9. Participate, to such an extent as may be appropriate and in consultation with the Governing Body, in the teaching of students in the school, including the provision of cover for absent teachers.
Leading & Managing Staff
1. Take the lead in recruiting and selecting teaching and support staff, ensuring the appointment of the best candidates while upholding Equal Opportunities principles.
• Promote a culture of fairness, respect, and equity, fostering a positive work environment.
3. Oversee the effective allocation of work and supervision for all teaching and support staff, maximising their skills and contributions to enhance the quality of education and improve standards.
4. Implement and maintain robust systems for managing and inducting staff performance, including participation in the appraisal of both personal and staff performance, as appropriate.
5. Lead by example in promoting professional development, ensuring all staff have access to relevant advice, training, and development opportunities, particularly those identified through appraisal systems.
• Lead the Senior Leadership Team with a collaborative approach, fostering mutual respect and accountability.
7. Ensure the fulfilment of professional duties and employment conditions as outlined in the STPC document, as well as national and local conditions of service for teachers and support staff.
8. Develop and maintain a decision-making structure that encourages staff participation, while establishing clear channels for communication and formal procedures to address issues and resolve conflicts.
9. Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with organisations representing teachers and support staff to ensure a collaborative working environment.
• Promote a school culture where safeguarding is a priority, ensuring that every child feels valued and supported.
Finance and Deployment of Resources
1. Act as the Accounting Officer, meeting the requirements of the Academy Financial Handbook.
2. Establish clear priorities for expenditure, allocate funds strategically, and ensure the efficient administration and management of all resources, including staff.
3. Collaborate with the Business Manager, Trustees, and Academy accountants to prepare the annual budget, ensuring financial planning aligns with the school's goals and objectives.
4. Regularly monitor and review the budget to ensure financial stability and alignment with the school's priorities.
5. Ensure the security and effective management of the Academy’s buildings, grounds, and contents, adhering to Health and Safety regulations while supporting the needs of the curriculum.
6. Oversee the management, monitoring, and evaluation of resources to improve the quality of education, enhance student achievement, ensure operational efficiency, and secure value for money.
Community Engagement:
1. Strengthen relationships with parents, carers, and the local community to support student success.
2. Promote the school’s reputation and engage prospective families with its ethos and achievements.
3. Foster positive relationships with external agencies to enhance student support services.
Governance:
• Work collaboratively with the Governing Body, providing regular updates and insights to inform and support fulfilling their strategic decision-making.
• Ensure Trustees are well-informed about school performance, priorities, and progress.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications and Experience:
1. Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and leadership experience at a senior level.
2. Evidence of recent, relevant professional development in leadership and management.
Skills and Knowledge:
1. Proven ability to lead and inspire a secondary school community to achieve excellence.
2. Deep understanding of curriculum design, assessment practices, and effective teaching strategies.
3. Experience managing budgets and resources effectively to support student outcomes.
4. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, capable of building productive relationships with stakeholders.
5. Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Personal Attributes:
1. Integrity, resilience, and the ability to inspire trust and respect.
2. A passion for education and unwavering commitment to student success.
3. Reflective and open to feedback, with a focus on continuous personal and professional growth.
What the school offers its staff
Whitstone School offers the following in return:
Professional Development: Ongoing opportunities for Continuous Professional Development (CPD), inset days, and leadership progression programs.
Wellbeing Support: Wellbeing Week for all staff, CareFirst an Employee Assistance Programme.
Culture: A supportive, collaborative work environment that values diversity, enabling staff to thrive and bring their best selves to work.
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.