Assistant Headteacher – Personal Development

Are you innovative, enthusiastic and passionate about education and would like to join the senior management of a top performing school?

Then this post might be the job for you.

This post provides a fantastic opportunity to work within a high-performing, 11 to 18 grammar school with a large sixth-form and exceptional students.

The post may suit colleagues currently in Assistant Headteacher posts looking for experience of working in a large school with an extensive sixth form, or colleagues looking for promotion from senior middle management level.

This post has become available due to the retirement of the current post holder, after many years of outstanding service. The key focus of this role is Personal Development, to ensure all students fulfil their potential academically and personally.

The successful candidate will be an integral part of the school senior leadership team, which is comprised of Headteacher, 2 Deputy Headteachers, 4 Assistant Headteachers and the Financial Director. As a stand-alone academy with a revenue budget of approximately £8m, and around 1,500 pupils, we continue to be in a healthy financial position with opportunities to invest to ensure the best possible outcomes for the students. Over a number of years we have been successful in bidding for capital funds and these have allowed us to expand and improve our facilities for the benefit of all our pupils. We are especially proud of our purpose built 6th Form Centre named after our former Head Girl and the Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox, a £1.5 million project.

The school is heavily oversubscribed at both admission points of Year 7 and Year 12, with over 1000 students sitting the entrance examination, competing for 210 places and over 700 post 16 students competing for 205 places in year 12. Sixth form places are filled by students from our Year 11 with remaining places filled by high ability external students.

Heckmondwike Grammar School is outstanding in every context. GCSE outcomes are consistently particularly strong and provide an excellent foundation for further study. A level outcomes are in line with national expectation and are a particular focus for further improvement. The House system is a very important part of school life and fosters healthy competition and teamwork. Many students excel at sport and the performing arts are a key part of school life.

In staff surveys, staff report they are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school and enjoy their job. CPD is a key focus of the school, with regular in house training and opportunities for all staff to follow national training frameworks.

You will need to:

• prioritise the importance of educational outcomes for able students

• believe in our school values of Respect, Responsibility and Excellence and follow our

school ethos embedded in our motto of ‘Nil Sine Labore’.

• be a reflective practitioner wanting to develop and hone your craft to the highest level

• be an inspirational leader who builds excellent relationships and motivates students and

staff.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Ofsted readiness – Personal Development

· Co-ordination of extra-curricular activities

· Co-ordination of the non-examined curriculum

· Line management of Careers

· Year 7 admissions/transition

· Co-ordination of some key day to day operational school functions

· Co-ordination of the mental health strategy

· Line management of selected academic subjects

In addition to these, other senior leadership responsibilities will be agreed after appointment.

In addition to this, staff at HGS are expected to be effective, reflective professionals who challenge and support all pupils to do their best. Staff at HGS should inspire confidence, build team commitment, engage, and motivate their pupils. They should think analytically about their work and take positive action to improve the quality of pupils’ learning. 

They will encourage high standards of academic and personal achievement and be a good role model for the students in the school. They will make an active contribution to the policies and aspirations of the school.

In return we can offer:

•  a competitive salary commensurate with experience and expertise

•  membership of the teachers’ pension scheme and other wellbeing benefits

•  eager and committed students who are keen to learn and progress

•  a creative and supportive team, who are driven to support and challenge our students

•  outstanding facilities

•  a learning-centred school where the best possible practice is the priority

•  a comprehensive CPD programme and opportunities to develop as a leader

•  a vibrant, supportive community of like-minded professionals

Why Should You Apply?

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a unique school, with students who are eager to learn, keen to know more and want to enjoy their educational experiences. It is exceptional in many ways: a very diverse school community that produces results of the highest quality. We work effectively with our young people, really care about them and their futures and have an ultimate success measure of enabling them to proceed to where they want to go. Excellent relationships between staff and students are the norm, expectations are high and students perform very well as a consequence.

Please apply by the deadline, completing the application form and submitting a letter of application illustrating how you meet key aspects of the person specification. In so doing, please explain 2 large scale school improvement initiatives driven by you, which led to a positive impact on student outcomes.

Protection of children:

Disclosure of criminal background of those with access to children.

All posts involving direct contact with children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. However, amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 & 2020) provide that certain convictions and cautions are ‘protected’. These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of

these cautions and convictions can be found on

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide details of unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered prior to the date of the interview. You may be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this self-disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure and Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed.

Safeguarding Statement:

Heckmondwike Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.