Headteacher

POST TITLE: Headteacher

JOB PURPOSE: The Headteacher will support the CEO, the Local Governing Board and the Trust Board, in providing professional leadership which, in turn, secures success and improvement, ensuring high quality education and improved standards of learning and achievement for all students.

GRADE: Leadership pay scale L16 – L20

RESPONSIBLE TO: Deputy CEO (DCEO)

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

To carry out the duties of a Headteacher as set out in the Headteachers’ Standards 2020 and in line with School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Headteacher) and:

• Lead school improvement through the championing of outstanding quality of education.
• Contribute to and also provide leadership and management of the senior leadership team, staff and students.
• Ensure a high-quality school experience for all children and young people, securing desired outcomes.
• Implement the vision and key objectives of the Trust’s growth plan together with the school’s stated aims and objectives in its own development plan.

Strategic direction and development of the school

The Headteacher, working with the DCEO, governors and senior leadership team, will contribute to the development of a strategic view for the school in the community and analyse and plan for its future needs and further development. This will be undertaken within the context of, and supporting, the Trust’s strategic plan.

The Headteacher will contribute as the lead member of the senior leadership team to the establishment of a shared vision for the school; the support and continuation of the academy ethos which promotes effective teaching and learning, which sustains improvement in the development of all students; and the development and implementation of a strategic plan.

The Headteacher will be an ambassador for the school and the Trust in the wider community, ensuring that the school is the preferred choice for local parents. They will skilfully and continually enhance the school’s reputation both directly (through marketing and promotion) and indirectly (through school improvement).

Strategic direction and development

Continually develop, promote and ensure implementation of the Academy Development Plan across the school.

Produce short, medium and long-term plans to develop the school in relation to:

• Quality of education
• The aims of the school and its policies and practices
• Targets for realistic but challenging improvements
• Personnel policies and deployment
• The leadership and management of the middle leadership team.
• Quality Assurance.

Teaching and Learning

The Headteacher as the lead member of the senior leadership team, together with the DCEO and Local Governing Board, will secure and sustain effective teaching and learning, monitor and evaluate the quality of education and standards of pupils’ achievements, and use benchmarks and set targets for improvement. Specifically:

• Plan and monitor the teaching and learning across the school.
• Ensure that teachers are clear about teaching objectives, understand the sequence of teaching and learning within their curriculum areas and communicate this to students.
• Support and provide guidance for colleagues to select the most appropriate teaching and learning methods and resources to meet the needs of the full range of students.
• Help implement clear policies and practices for assessing, recording and reporting on student achievements in line with academy policy.
• Evaluate the teaching within all areas in the school; use this analysis to identify effective practice and areas for improvement.
• Take appropriate action to improve further the quality of teaching within any area when curriculum required.

Safeguarding

• To have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and to follow the safeguarding procedures adopted by the Trust.

Efficient and effective deployment of staff resources

• The Headteacher as the lead member of the senior leadership team will deploy staff and resources efficiently and effectively in line with the Trust’s vision and strategic plan.

Leading and managing staff and self

• Lead all staff.
• Develop and maintain a framework to effectively utilise middle leaders and experienced teaching staff.
• Promote and maintain a culture of high expectations for staff and others.
• Support and challenge colleagues throughout the school, recognising their achievements and holding them to account where necessary.
• Regularly review own practice, set personal targets and take responsibility for own development, seeking advice and support from other agencies.

Recruitment

The Headteacher will work with the DCEO, governors and senior colleagues to recruit staff of the highest quality, deploying and developing staff effectively to improve the quality of education.

Managing the organisation

• Develop effective relationships and communications with parents and the local community that underpin a professional learning community that enables everyone in the school to achieve.
• Provide effective organisation and management for the school and seek ways of improving organisational structures and functions based on rigorous self-evaluation.
• Working in conjunction with the Chief Financial Officer, manage the school’s financial resources effectively and efficiently to achieve the school’s educational goals and priorities.
• Use and integrate a range of technologies effectively and efficiently to manage the school.
• Manage and organise accommodation efficiently and effectively to ensure that the school’s buildings meet the needs of the curriculum and health and safety regulations.
• Develop and oversee all extra-curricular activities to achieve a varied offer of extended provision in the school.
• Review the impact of policies, priorities and targets of the Trust and evaluate these with the Local Governing Board.
• Implement established school policies and collaboratively review and make recommendations for change.
• Ensure evidence based improvement plans promote continuous school development linked to the school’s self-evaluation.
• Keep the DCEO fully informed of any critical need, if it affects the smooth operation of the school and the educational experience of the pupils.

Accountability

The Headteacher as the lead member of the senior leadership team will account for the performance of the school to the DCEO, governors, trustees, students, parents, staff and other members of the local and wider community.

Securing Accountability

• Develop the Partnership ethos which enables everyone to work collaboratively.
• Ensure individual staff accountabilities are clearly defined, understood and communicated.
• Ensure compliance at every level with school policies and procedures.
• Ensure every child has access to high quality teaching and learning, in a safe and stimulating learning environment.

Specific responsibility as the lead member of the senior leadership team

• Lead member of the senior leadership team.
• Governor support/link.
• Personnel issues.
• Middle leader management.
• Analysis and presentation of examination data and student progress measures.

Other professional requirements:

• To play a full part in the life of the school, to support its distinctive mission and ethos and to encourage staff and students to follow this example.
• To contribute positively and collegiately to the executive team
• To undertake any reasonable request of the DCEO and accept any reasonably delegated additional responsibility from the DCEO.

Data Protection

To ensure that all responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1984 and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) for the security, accuracy and significance of personal data held on paper or electronic systems are complied with.

Health and Safety

To ensure compliance with the school’s health and safety policies and the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) in all buildings at the school.

Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified. The job description is current at the date shown, but, in consultation with you, may be changed by the CEO to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the grade and job title or changes to Headteacher standards.

General

• Comply and assist with the development of policies and procedures relating to health, safety, data protection and confidentiality, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• To adhere to the Trust/academy Health and Safety Policy including risk assessment and safety systems.
• Participate in training opportunities and professional development as required.
• Support the Trust’s academies at events as and when required.
• Develop constructive relationships and communicate with other agencies/professionals.
• Contribute ideas on new and innovative business opportunities that could improve the effective functioning of the Trust.

Trust

All Multi Academy Trust staff are expected to:

• Undertake other such reasonable duties as may be required from time to time.
• Work towards and support the Sponsors’ and DCEO’s vision and the objectives of Development Plans.
• Support and contribute to the MAT’s responsibility for safeguarding students.
• Work within the MAT’s Health and Safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, students and visitors.
• Work within the MAT’s Diversity Policy 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, colleagues, Members, Trustees and members of Local Governing Boards at all times.
• Actively engage in the MAT’s performance management process and take responsibility for their own professional development.
• Adhere to MAT policies and procedures as set out in the staff handbook and other guidance documentation which is available to all staff via the Trust networks.

This job description should be seen as enabling rather than restrictive and may be subject to regular review to reflect the changing priorities and objectives of the annual MAT Development Plan.

All staff of the MAT are expected to comply with any reasonable request from a leader to undertake work of a similar level and/or type that it is not specified in this job description.