DEPUTY HEAD. Introduction

Transcription

1 DEPUTY HEAD Introduction Location and size St Andrew s is a co-educational, day and boarding IAPS prep school of some 350+ pupils aged between 9 months and 13 years. It is situated in Meads village on the outskirts of Eastbourne. The school is minutes from the beach and at the foot of the South Downs. Structure The school is divided into departments: the Nursery, the Pre-Prep (Reception to Year Two), Juniors (Years Three and Four), Middles (Years Five and Six) and Seniors (Years Seven and Eight). All the departments are located on one green and spacious campus and share many facilities such as the swimming pool, chapel, dining room and playing fields. Up until Year Four, children are taught by class teachers with some specialist teachers. From Year Five, children have form tutors and then are taught by specialist teachers. Education The school is non-selective. It prides itself on the breadth and excellence of its curriculum, both academically and in extra-curricular activities. At the older end of the school most subjects are setted (principally from Year 6 but with Maths setting from Year 3) and children are prepared for Common Entrance or Scholarship exams in order to apply for a range of senior schools. The majority of pupils play musical instruments, there is a depth of sports teams to cater for all abilities and most children are involved in drama productions. A strong pastoral system supports key values of kindness and honesty, tolerance and forgiveness, learning to listen and trying our best. The school aims to open doors and encourage children to have a go and discover an interest or passion that will last a lifetime. The school day runs from 8:30am to 5:30pm for the older children in the Middles and Seniors with earlier finishes for the younger children. After school activities take place throughout the school. From September 2013 compulsory Saturday morning school for Years 4-8 was replaced with optional activities to which the majority of children came. Most sports fixtures are played on Wednesday afternoons but some remain on Saturday afternoons. The Nursery and Pre-Prep The Nursery is housed in its own accommodation called The Lodge which has its own playground area. There is a Baby Room which children can join at 9 months before they transfer to the Robins class at 2. In their final year in the Nursery (Pre-School) the children will be in one of two classes, Chaffinches and Kingfishers. The Nursery has its own small kitchen/dining area, ICT suite and Sleep Room. The Nursery staff are managed by the Nursery Manager who, in turn, is line managed by the Head of Pre-Prep and Nursery. The Nursery children benefit from having specialist tuition from several teachers who work further up in the school, e.g. tennis, swimming, dance, PE and music. The older Nursery children frequently make use of the Pre-Prep facilities as well as some facilities within the main school. The Pre-Prep is housed in its own purpose built accommodation which includes six classrooms, an ICT suite, a hall/gym and a library/resource room. The Reception classes also have a covered outdoor learning area adjacent to their classrooms. The Pre-Prep covers three year groups: Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Many of the children joining Reception will come from our Nursery, with whom the Prep-Prep and, in particular the Reception teachers, have close ties. Children from other nurseries and schools will join all the year groups in September and

2 throughout the year. The expectation is that all Pre-Prep children transfer to the Prep Department at St Andrew s. Year 2 staff, in particular, have close ties with the Prep Department to ensure a smooth transition to the next part of the school. The Pre-Prep is managed by the Head of Pre-Prep and Nursery. Each form has a teaching assistant as well as a class teacher and a number of specialist staff are also part of the Pre-Prep team such as the swimming coach, PE teachers, music teacher, etc. The Juniors Whilst the Junior Department of Years 3 and 4 is part of the Prep School it is housed in its own wing called Top Floor and has its own Head of Juniors, four class teachers and a Teaching Assistant. Children are class taught most academic subjects yet will move around a little more to specialist teaching rooms and teachers, e.g. music. The Middles and Seniors The move from Year 4 to Year 5 is a key transition point in the school as the children are moving from having one class teacher who teaches most of the academic subjects in one classroom to a system of having a form tutor and them moving around to specialist classes and teachers for most subjects. From Year 5 the children have a form tutor who has an overview of the education and school life of their tutees and they will meet with their form each morning for registration and at other points in the week, e.g. Chapel, assemblies, tutor times. There is a Head of Middles and Head of Seniors who have responsibility for the pastoral side of their year groups and the Deputy Head, Senior Master and Director of Studies manage the academic and day to day lives of the children. Most teachers who work with these older four years will teach one, two or sometimes three subjects. Each subject is led by a Head of Subject who oversees the delivery of that area of the curriculum throughout the school and line manages others who teach that subject. Most of the academic lessons are taught in the Ascham Block and attached buildings at the Darley Road end of the campus with other lessons in specialist areas such as the Music School, pool, gym, art and DT rooms. The expectation is that children will stay to Year 8 before transferring to senior schools and that we will have a number of children join us into each of these year groups, with a particularly strong intake normally into Year 7, with children moving across from local primary schools. Amalgamation St Andrew s amalgamated with Eastbourne College in The two schools retain a good deal of independence and their own identities, but share some facilities and support staff have established strong interdependent links which benefit the education of the children within the wider charity. The two headmasters have their own separate teaching staffs and SMTs and the Headmaster of St Andrew s is not line managed by the Headmaster of the College. Each school has its own committee of governors who form part of the overarching Council that governs the wider charity. Whilst about two thirds of the children go on to the College, others go to a range of senior schools including Brighton College, Lancing, Bede s, Tonbridge, Benenden, Ardingly, Hurst, etc. Offering choice at thirteen and finding the right school for each child is critical. Boarding The school was founded as a boarding school in Although the majority of its pupils are now day children it retains a mixed boarding house which provides flexi, weekly and full boarding. There are typically boarders looked after by live in house staff with help from teaching staff in the upper years. Further Information More information about the school may be found by visiting the website at 2

3 Job Description Job Summary To deputise for the Headmaster in his absence Head of Pastoral Care Child Protection Officer Head of Staff Welfare and Development Coordinating the School s preparation for Inspection Main Duties and Responsibilities Head of Pastoral Care Anti-Bullying Responsible for the formation, implementation and review of the school s Anti-Bullying policies and strategies. Appearance Overall responsibility on matters of uniform and appearance. Behavioural Issues (children) Chair the weekly Pre-prep and Prep department pastoral meetings Attend pastoral meetings for all age groups Intervene in behavioural matters see Rewards and Sanctions Policy Maintain links with outside agents where help from these is needed Secure a balance between discipline and pastoral care Advise teachers as necessary on matters of behaviour management Be responsible for Rewards and Sanctions in the Prep School Be responsible for organising reward trips. Boarding Line manager for Boarding House parents. Child Protection Officer Be the contact point for Child Protection issues in school Know how to refer cases outside school Provide information and advice on Child Protection Ensure appropriate action is available at the point of referral Liaise with external agencies To liaise with Deputy DSPs (including weekly meeting with School Nurse) Keep the appropriate management contact informed about action Ensure proper records are kept Advise and provide for child protection training needs Devise and be responsible for the child protection policy and procedures Responsible for ensuring that all staff are appropriately trained Ensure that governor responsible for Child Protection is fully aware of Child Protection issues Counselling Maintain contact with trained counsellors and psychotherapist and referral of individual children to them as necessary. 3

4 Communication Ensure staff are kept up to date with latest policy on all safeguarding matters Ensure parents are informed of all pastoral matters Be responsible for administering the annual children s questionnaire. Food Liaise with the Head of Catering Chair the Food Committee. Loss and grieving Overall responsibility for providing support to children, their parents and staff in matters of loss and grieving Facilitate contact with specialist outside agencies where needed Attend bereavement support group. Medical Line manager to school nurse Policies Development and implementation of policies pertaining to Pastoral Care, Health, Safety and Welfare of children Ensuring that policies on the website are accurate and up to date Attend and take minutes for termly Safeguarding meeting Pupils Be responsible for ensuring that children with specific learning and/or medical requirements are appropriately catered for Social and emotional Overall responsibility for the promotion and monitoring of the emotional welfare of children Overall responsibility for social development within children s friendship groups and the community The above achieved through the dovetailing of PSHE, the Mind Matters programme, assemblies (whole school and year group), chapel and tutor periods) Attend monthly meeting with Head of PSHE to coordinate the above Tutorial system Overall responsibility for ensuring that the tutorial system meets the pastoral needs of children (and those of their parents). This achieved by maintaining close links with the Heads of Department and Tutors/Class Teachers Chair weekly meeting with Heads of Department Staff Development Accountability for standards Chair monthly meeting with Assistant Heads on academic matters and performance Through close liaison with the Assistant Heads, develop and implement policies pertaining to teaching and learning Administration Set (with the Bursar, the Head and the Assistant Heads) and administer a budget for teacher training which takes account of individual and subject department needs as well as whole school strategic aims 4

5 Curriculum Ensure that subject department documentation (policies, plans, lists etc) is up to date and developing in order to meet fully the current and future needs of pupils, staff, inspectors and parents. Information Be responsible for keeping the handbook (and policies therein) up to date Management Day to day management of the Prep school staff (Years 3-8) Job Descriptions The development, implementation and oversight of job descriptions for all Prep School staff Planning Assisting with the planning of the termly and yearly calendar Senior Classroom Practitioner Training Be responsible for the Induction of new members of staff to the school & existing staff to new departments Responsibility for INSET and CPD in consultation with Assistant Heads Other Communication Arrange and chair regular meetings with Heads of Department Take a leading role in weekly staff briefings Responsibility for the flow of information to children via: school assemblies tutors parent mail bulletin and so on Weekly meeting with the facilities bursar Educational Trips Coordinator Concerns & Complaints Acts as a vehicle for concerns and complaints Governors Attend governors meetings as required Prepare reports for governors meetings Health and Safety Responsibility as the Designated Fire Officer Chair Health and Safety meetings Parents & Wider Community Coordinate arrangements for public events, e.g.: The Sponsored Walk, Bonfire Night, St. Andrew s Day and Christmas Responsibility as the link between the school and The Friends 5

6 Senior Management Represent the school at Unity meetings Attend SMT meetings Whistleblowing Responsibility for overseeing the formation, implementation and review of the school s Whistleblowing policy and procedures. Person Specification Applicants should be able to demonstrate the following: Attribute Essential Desirable Education and Training Educated to good degree standard (or equivalent). Evidence of continuous personal and/or professional development. Teaching qualification. Post graduate degree. Knowledge and Experience Skills Personal Qualities Schools experience. Management experience. A dynamic and skilled leader with the ability to manage people towards a common goal. Excellent communication and listening skills. Strong organisational and administrative skills. A high level of ICT competency. An inclusive manner and the ability to work in a team. The ability to interpret quantitative and qualitative feedback; to monitor and evaluate. A belief in the School s core values and the determination to uphold them. An ability to set deadlines, meet them and manage expectation against them. An ability to build, foster and sustain positive relationships with all in the community. Patience, compassion, courage, resolve and objectivity. Dedication, loyalty, commitment and positivity. Capacity for hard work. To positively embrace change and development. Being a positive role model for all in the community by virtue of approachability, personal conduct and standards of expectation. To be a lead learner. Experience of working in a boarding/residential environment. 6

7 Salary and Conditions The School has its own salary scale and the successful applicant will be remunerated at a level representing their qualifications, skills and experience. Specifics of this can be discussed with the Headmaster at interview. The Charity offers generous packages of additional benefits and pay; all staff are on a salary scale above the national average and have opportunities for salary progression. The Charity participates in the Teachers Pension scheme. The successful candidate will also benefit from a generous rate for the education of their own children, both at St. Andrews Prep and at Eastbourne College. All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory medical disclosure, an enhanced check with the DBS and any other pre-employment checks deemed necessary by the Charity. The College is a non-smoking establishment and an equal opportunities employer. How to Apply In order to apply, please send the completed application form, together with a letter of application (addressed to the Headmaster). Please also provide the contact details of three referees, one of whom should be your current employer. Your letter of application should evidence your suitability for the post against the job description and person specification described above. Postal applications should be sent to: Human Resources Department Eastbourne College Old Wish Road Eastbourne BN21 4JY. Electronic applications are welcome and should be sent to hr@eastbourne-college.co.uk All applications must be received by noon on 29 May 2017 All candidates will be contacted shortly after the closing date with long list interviews taking place at the School on 12 & 13 June Short list interviews will be held on 19 June St Andrew s Prep is an equal opportunities employer. St Andrew s Prep is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects al staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 7