Headteacher - January 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter
St Ursula's Convent School
Greenwich
- £107,541 - £123,168 per year
- New
- Quick apply
- Salary:
- Leadership Scale L31 to L37 Negotiable depending on experience
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- January 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter
- Apply by:
- 13 September 2024
Job overview
The Governing Board of St Ursula’s Convent School for Girls is seeking to appoint a Headteacher who is innovative, experienced as a senior leader, and has a knowledge and enthusiasm for impacting the lives of students. This post provides an exciting opportunity for the person appointed to take the school on a new journey to good and outstanding in a supportive Catholic community and environment.
St Ursula’s is a single-sex 11-16 Catholic school where every student is known and loved, and where our aim is to ensure that girls think differently and become imaginative learners through expert teaching which enables them to flourish in all areas of education and society. With this in mind, we have had a long history of excellent GCSE results and we wish our Headteacher to build upon this historical success. The successful candidate will therefore not only provide effective leadership and management of the school, but they will also promote high-quality education to maximise student attainment and achievement plus encourage intellectual curiosity for the next stage of every student’s development.
The Headteacher will have the support of all staff and governors of St Ursula’s Convent who are fully committed to the improvement of the school and the transformation of students. Given the school is beginning a new journey, it is expected that the successful candidate will be open-minded, ready to learn from others, flexible, and have core Catholic values together with high expectations while at the same time being emotionally resilient and optimistic. Moreover, the governors seek a Headteacher who will be a highly visible, collaborative and aspirational leader, a practising Catholic, and a person who can deal with the challenges of an ever-changing educational landscape. Key to the role and the school’s mission of service is someone who can model Gospel values for the whole school community, while the ability to be an articulate communicator who will engage all stakeholders for the future success of the school is also vital.
If you feel you are someone who can re-imagine and reshape the future of St Ursula’s Convent School and help us develop an excellent learning environment for young enquiring minds, then we hope you will apply. We encourage any interested applicant to have an informal discussion, a visit to the school prior to application is essential.
For further details about the post please contact Mrs Pat Barber Vice Chair of Governors on PBarber@stursulas.com
Applications should be completed on the CES Application form for Senior Leaders and accompanied by a supporting statement of no more than two sides A4 font size 11 and returned by the closing date Friday 13th September 2024 12noon to Mrs Pat Barber at: PBarber@stursulas.com
Note for Candidates:
“For appointment as a member of the governing authority of a Catholic school or to key posts within the school, a ‘practising Catholic’ is to be defined as someone who has been sacramentally initiated into the Catholic Church and who adheres to those substantive life choices which do not impair them from receiving the sacraments of the Church and which will not be in any way detrimental or prejudicial to the religious ethos and character of the school. Inspired by the Gospel and sustained by God’s grace, a ‘practising Catholic’ will give sincere external expression to their interior faith through specific religious, moral and ethical behaviour which is in accordance with the teaching of Christ and the Catholic Church” Christ at the Centre - Pg 29
School visits: Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th September 2024 by appointment
Closing Date: Friday 13th September 2024 at 12noon
Shortlisting Date: Friday 13th September 2024 at 5.00pm
Interview Dates: Thursday 19th September 2024 and Friday 20th September 2024
St Ursula’s Convent School is committed to the safety of its students and staff. All appointments are subject to safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS and current references.
Attached documents
About St Ursula's Convent School
Our History & Ethos
The school was established in 1877 by the Ursuline Order and continues to have as its inspiration the spirit and traditions of the congregation. As an Ursuline school, we have been entrusted by St Angela, our foundress, to continue to live out her vision of educating young women of tomorrow.
Our school motto is “Serviam” meaning “I shall serve.” We are a testament to this in that our school community bears witness to God’s love; whereby each individual is encouraged to serve and love one another. All girls have a responsibility to make a significant contribution to the wider community. Students understand that their thoughts, values and deeds have an impact on all they become involved in.
We are one of the many Ursuline schools across the world noted since the 16th century for encouraging the education of young women. The school offers a unique opportunity to play a part in an establishment which is rich in tradition and academic achievement.
Mission Statement
Our Mission is to ensure that every individual achieves their potential through the pursuit of academic excellence and the nurturing of their gifts and talents.
To create a caring Catholic community; allowing everyone to develop and share in the love of Christ; serving the world of today and tomorrow through the relationships we make and the service we provide to others.
Ursuline Core Values
As Ursulines, we continue the approach to ministry which draws its life and vision from St Angela’s spirit and philosophy. Inspired by the call of the same Gospel, and challenged by the needs of our time, we, like Angela, ground our mission in the following core values:
- · Spiritual formation and faith development
- · Respect for the uniqueness of the individual
- · Development of the whole person
- · Development of a nurturing community spirit
- · Commitment to peace-making
- · Serviam (I will serve) as a lived reality
- · Development of leadership skills for every individual
A hallmark of an Ursuline school is academic excellence and a shared vision and profile.
Location
St Ursula's Convent School is situated by historic Greenwich Park. The school has fine views over London and the Thames, surrounded by a rich heritage of maritime history and located on the Meridian Line.
Facilities
The original Georgian house set in beautifully landscaped grounds has been extended to embrace all the requirements of a modern school. Specialist accommodation includes up-to-date, fully equipped science laboratories, a design technology unit, extensive computer suites and creative arts facilities, including music and drama studios and an activities hall.
A Teaching School
Initial Teacher Training
We are committed to training teachers. We offer a wide range of subject placements, working closely with our local universities, Goldsmiths and the University of Greenwich.
The support and guidance given to the many “Beginning Teachers” we host on placements throughout the academic year is highly rated.
All our subject departments are involved in ITT through:
• PGCE placements
• Subject mentoring
• Pastoral mentoring
• Visits to departments from prospective PGCE students
• Delivery of Learning and Teaching sessions
“It is a pleasure to work in an environment where the staff are friendly and the morale is good. I found my placement at St Ursula’s encouraging and rewarding.”
“The students’ keenness to learn has been amazing and they have made my first experience of teaching highly enjoyable. Behaviour is incredible at the school.”
Our Teaching School ethos effectively and innovatively leads the way in the recruitment, training and development of teachers. This ensures that expert knowledge and practice is disseminated across the school and through collaborative outreach with partner schools, local authorities, initial teacher training providers and other agencies.
‘Staff feel privileged to work at the school and speak highly of the support and development they receive’. (Ofsted 2015)
A Centre of Teaching Excellence
St Ursula’s is a strategic partner in the Catholic Teaching Alliance and the Royal Borough of Greenwich Teaching Alliance. As a strategic partner, we are designated as a centre of excellence in training and development.
We focus on developing and delivering high-quality initial teacher training (ITT) and professional development which is focused on improving and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in our school community.
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