Assistant Headteacher

We are looking to appoint a highly effective senior leader to lead all aspects of our climate for learning structures. This is an exciting opportunity to join a unique school which has improved significantly over the last couple of years and is looking to push on even further. Our vision is encapsulated in the phrase “Create Your Future. Be who you are and become who you aspire to be” and we celebrate diversity and inclusion.

You may notice that this role is called “Climate for Learning” not “Behaviour Lead”. This is a significant point and goes to the heart of the direction we are travelling.

A “Behaviour Lead” can imply a narrow, sanctions driven, reactive approach. This role is about much more than that. Detentions, suspensions and consequences are an important part of any behavioural system but so are support systems, whole school guidance for staff, communications with parents, curriculum adaptations, high profile rewards, clear and consistent expectations, data analysis, effective duties etc. This role will lead on all aspects of maintaining a positive climate for learning.

Another key aspect of the role is the expectation that all senior staff work closely together as a team with everyone contributing to the wider development of the school and the ongoing maintenance of day-to-day standards. This role links particularly closely with the SENDCo and AHT (Student wellbeing) as well are linking with our DHT to feed into our curriculum development.

Some of the key responsibilities include:

•  Lead all aspects of the climate for learning procedures and processes including line managing heads of year, the pastoral support team and internal suspension room
•  Lead the follow-up to the bi-annual Attitude to Learning assessments in conjunction with our Deputy Head
•  Further develop an explicit behaviour curriculum to ensure students understand how to behave and why positive behaviour is so important
• Work closely and meeting regularly with our SENDCo, alternative provision lead and AHT
• Lead the rewards programme
• Oversee the PSHE, anti-bullying programmes, transition into year 7 (along with the SEND department) and the Attachment Aware programme all of which are lead by Heads of Year
• Oversee the consequences processes including detentions, internal and external suspensions ensuring that students with regular behaviour issues have appropriate support plans

With this in mind, we are looking for someone with these attributes and abilities amongst others:

• A strong understanding of how different elements of “Climate for Learning” structures and processes fit together systematically using appropriate data analysis and link with other aspects of student support to contribute towards a successful school
•   A thorough understanding of the typical needs of students whose behaviour is regularly a concern. These students almost always have challenging backgrounds and we need to provide targetted and proactive support for them to help them improve their behaviour whilst ensuring they don’t disrupt the learning of others
•  Resilience and emotionally intelligent interpersonal skills to be able to manage young people and often their parents when they are at their most challenging.
•   Able to be a calm and confident day to day operational presence who can quickly earn the respect and trust of staff and students

The post offers a fantastic opportunity to lead our strong pastoral teams to further develop our climate for learning structures and process, building on solid foundations and adding some new ideas. We want a pastoral system which balances sanctions with support, one which challenges poor behaviour but always seeks to understand why that misbehaviour has happened and uses that understanding to tailor the response. In essence, we want a pastoral system which seeks to educate and develop rather than condemn but is always aware of the impact of poor behaviour on others.

If you are interested in the role, we very much encourage you to visit us before applying. You will be surprised how well our approach works and how calm and well-ordered our school is.

Belper School and Sixth Form Centre are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As this post is involves regulated activity, references and online searches will be conducted for shortlisted candidates, successful appointments are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and relevant recruitment checks that comply with guidance in the most recent version of Keeping Children Safe in Education. We are committed to equality of opportunity in employment and services.

Further details about this role and information on how to apply can be found within the attached supporting documentation.