Deputy Head (Pastoral and Boarding)

Job Description

• Full Time
• Permanent
• Closing Date: 3rd December 2024
• First Interviews: Week Commencing 9th December 2024
• Final Interviews: Week Commencing 16th December 2024

Application Information

The Deputy Head (Pastoral and Boarding) will be expected to teach approximately 8/30 periods per week. Please state your subject specialism and experience in your application.

Job Purpose

To play a key role in the leadership and management of the school with particular reference to the pastoral care and progress of all students from Primary 6 upwards and leadership of Boarding.

Accountable To: The Head Line Manages Heads of Section/Year, Housemistress, Lead First Aider and Medical administrator, School Counsellor, Welfare staff and Heads of Department, as agreed with the Head annually

Policy/Strategic Direction and Development

• Assist the Head in translating the vision for the school into agreed objectives and operational and business plans, in line with the school planning cycle.
• Develop a strategic vision for the health and wellbeing of the school community and the individuals within it, both staff and students, and evaluate the impact of that strategy once implemented.
• Take ownership of policy development and implementation in the following areas: Pastoral and Wellbeing, Boarding; Child Protection; Behaviour, Diversity Equity and Inclusion; Staff Engagement, Medical. Keep policies under review and make recommendations for change to ensure that they continue to meet the school’s developing needs and regulatory requirements.
• Survey the educational horizon for pastoral innovations and developments to benefit the students and staff.

Learning and Teaching

• Identify and secure the implementation of appropriate strategies to develop a classroom environment and teaching practice which secures effective learning across the breadth of the curriculum.
• Take responsibility for the development and monitoring of a curriculum area(s) or whole school curriculum aspect(s) as agreed from time to time.
• Provide a professional model for others, clearly demonstrating effective teaching, classroom organisation and display high standards of achievement, behaviour and discipline; demonstrate personal commitment to quality and excellence, and resolution in achieving them.
• Undertake an appropriate programme of teaching in accordance with the duties of a standard scale teacher as outlined in the general job description.
• Support the Head in the monitoring of the quality of teaching and student achievement including lesson/activity observation and the evaluation of performance data.
• Support the Head in the management and organisation of relevant groups of students to ensure effective teaching and learning takes place and that their personal development needs are met.

Leadership and Management of Others

• Lead by example, providing inspiration and motivation, and embody for the students, staff, governors, parents and wider community the vision, purpose and leadership of the school.
• Support the Head in the recruitment, deployment, motivation, development and appraisal of staff to make the most effective use of their skills, expertise and experience and to ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
• Support the Head in developing positive working relationships with and between all staff, maintaining confidentiality as appropriate.
• Leading disciplinary, capability or absence procedures as required by the Head.
• Take responsibility for managing the school effectively in the absence of the Head.
• To act as an SLT link for socials, events and school trips and expeditions outside of school hours and in non-term-time (on a rota basis).
• To provide boarding cover during boarding outings if required, by prior arrangement with the Housemistress.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Assessment

• Ensure the effective operation of school improvement and self-evaluation system! s as appropriate and produce reports within the self-evaluation cycle as required.
• Monitor and evaluate specific areas of responsibility in line with agreed school procedures, including evaluation against quality standards and performance criteria.
• Ensure the maintenance of accurate and up-to-date management information concerning specific areas of responsibility in order to inform the review and evaluation process.
• Identify and take appropriate action on issues arising from evaluation, setting deadlines where necessary and reviewing progress on the action taken.

Communications, Marketing and External Links

Support the Head in ensuring that:

• Parents are kept well informed about the school’s pastoral and PSHE curriculum, its targets, student attainment and their part in the process of improvement.
• School policies and procedure s are regularly communicated to staff and students so that they are clear about their responsibilities.
• Links with parents, other schools, educational institutions and the wider community, including business and industry, are developed in order to enhance teaching and learning and students’ personal development.
• The school’s marketing strategies are implemented throughout the school.
• Act as SLT lead on organising certain transition and pastoral events e.g. student induction days.
• Participate as required in consultation processes with staff, students, parents, and the local community.

Management of Resources

• Work with the Head in establishing priorities for expenditure and monitoring the effectiveness of spending and use of resources with a view to achieving value for money.
• Take responsibility for the oversight of specific budgets as follows, to ensure effective and ! efficient use of resources: Guidance/PSHE; Medical; Staff Wellbeing; Boarding House.

Training and Development of Self and Others

• Develop and maintain a culture of high expectations for self and others.</p><p>• Regularly review own practice, set personal targets and take responsibility for own development.
• Encourage all staff to be similarly active in their personal and continuous professional development.
• Lead groups of staff in developmental activities and evaluate outcomes.
• Lead and participate in the school’s INSET/Probationer/new staff induction programmes to ensure that all new staff feel welcomed and appropriately briefed and supported to undertake their responsibilities.

Specific Responsibilities

• To safeguard the well-being and safety of all students.
• To act as the Head of Boarding (support the Housemistress in leading the House team and embedding a sense of continuous improvement in the team, to be available out of hours to advise on emergency situations, to understand Care Inspectorate requirements and ensure that we are meeting and exceeding these, to play a part in the marketing and promotion of our boarding offer).
• To act as the School’s Child Protection coordinator and work with the named persons in the school to ensure mutual support and consistency of practice. E-Safety Lead
• Keep up to date with developments and requirements around Child Protection, GIRFEC, Prevent etc. and ensure the school policies and practice reflect any changes
• To oversee, implement and keep under review, the school’s behaviour policies and approach.
• To develop and use the school systems to track attendance and pastoral trends and ensure these are followed up/ proactively addressed.
• Interviewing and selecting students for admissions as part of a team
• Responsibility for settling new students and transition along with Heads of Year and Housemistress
• Oversight of Personal, Social and Health Education curriculum and teaching
• To lead on staff engagement and well-being (including taking a lead role in working with the Staff Consultative Forum).
• Liaison with Nursery and Junior School to ensure consistency in vision, good relations and continuity in areas of responsibility.
• SLT member with oversight of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (with exception of the curriculum).
• Promote and maximise the benefits of our partnership with ‘Tooled Up’ for pupils, staff and families
• To attend and prepare papers for termly Council meetings in the relevant committees (eg Safeguarding and Education).

General Requirements:

All school staff are expected to:

• Work towards and support the school vision and the current school objectives outlined in the School Improvement Plan.
• Contribute to the school’s programme of co-curricular activities.
• Support and contribute to the school’s responsibility for safeguarding students.
• Work within the school’s health and safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, students and visitors.
• Work within the School’s equality policies to promote equality of opportunity for all students and staff, both current and prospective.
• Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with students, parents and colleagues.</p><p>• Engage actively in the performance review process.
• Adhere to policies ! as set out in the school policies folders.
• Undertake other reasonable duties related to the job purpose required from time to Review and Amendment

This job description should be seen as enabling rather than restrictive and will be subject to regular review. We regularly share and rotate responsibilities within the team to ensure professional development. Flexibility and willingness to work for the greater good of the school is essential, but the core purpose of this role will remain the well-being, inclusion and engagement of staff and students.

Person Specification

Detailed Person Specification can be found in the attached Job Pack

Application Information

The Deputy Head (Pastoral and Boarding) will be expected to teach approximately 8/30 periods per week. Please state your subject specialism and experience in your application

About the School

As Edinburgh’s only all-through independent school for girls aged 3-18, St George's is a place of possibilities: where everyone is clearly heard; pupils feel empowered to be themselves; and innovation is constantly encouraged. The courage of our founding mothers, who pioneered women’s education in Victorian Scotland, still echoes defiantly through our corridors. That’s why amplifying the voice of every girl remains part of our DNA today as a loyal school community with a unique spirit of pride.