Bishop Gore School
HEADTEACHER JOB DESCRIPTION
Overview of job
Remit of job
To provide professional leadership for the school to secure its success and
continuing improvement by motivating and supporting all staff, working with
the Governing body and effectively managing the resources of the school.
Inspire and influence others- within and beyond schools- to believe in the
fundamental importance of education in young people’s lives and to promote
the value of education.
To lead by example the professional conduct and practice of teachers.
To set standards and expectations for high academic achievements.
Provide a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all pupils and staff
which will focus on safeguarding pupils.
Ensure the school follows all Health and safety guidelines and current
legislation is implemented.
Accountable to
The Governing Body
Would all candidates take due regard of the WG document, “The revised professional standards for
education practitioners in Wales”, with particular reference to Leadership standards.
CORE DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
DESCRIPTION
The strategic direction is reflected in the School Development Plan.
The Headteacher works with the Governing Body to develop a vision and
strategic view for the excellence and continual improvement of the school in
its service to the community.
The Headteacher analyses and plans for the future needs and further
development within local and national contexts.
CREATING STRATEGIC
DIRECTION
To compellingly communicate the school’s vision and drive the strategic
leadership to empower all pupils and staff.
Work within the school community to translate the vision into agreed
objectives and operational plans which will achieve sustained school
improvement.
Ensure that the objectives and plans are effected successfully by all.
Exercise strategic curriculum led financial planning to ensure the equitable
deployment of budgets and resources in the best interests of the pupil’s
achievements and schools sustainability.
Lead by example- with integrity, creativity, innovation, resilience and clarity.
Draw on their own personal scholarship skills and of those around them.
Ensure a consistent and continual school-wide focus on learners’
achievements.
Identify emerging talents, coaching current and aspiring leaders in a climate
where excellence is standard, leading to clear succession planning.
Create an ethos within which all staff are motivated and supported to
develop their own skills and subject knowledge and support each other.
LEADING LEARNING
AND TEACHING
Ensure that school and classroom climates promote effective learning and
teaching for all pupils.
Promote the equity of academic, vocational and experiential learning routes.
Develop and deliver policies and practices to secure social inclusion for all
learners to ensure their individual learning needs are met.
Effect and maintain strategies that secure high standards of behaviour and
attendance.
Organise and implement the curriculum so that it meets the requirements of
the national curriculum in Wales and develops learners’ bilingual skills as
appropriate.
Maintain a high visibility around the school and devote time to interact with
learners, staff and parents and the wider community.
Treat people fairly, equitably, with dignity and respect to create and
maintain a positive school climate.
Share and distribute leadership, and work closely with the senior leadership
team.
Develop and empower and sustain effective teams.
Create an ethos within which all staff are motivated and supported to
develop their own skills and subject knowledge and to support each other.
DEVELOPING
WORKING WITH
OTHERS
Hold staff to account for their professional conduct and practice. Lead by
professional example.
Develop and maintain effective strategies and procedures for staff induction,
early and continuing professional development and performance review.
Demand ambitious standards for all pupils, overcoming disadvantage and
barriers to learning and advancing equality. Instil clear accountability in staff
for the impact of their work on pupil’s outcomes.
Develop and maintain Headteacher’s own continuing professional
development (for example, but not limited to, involvement with ESTYN,
Welsh Government and school-to-school support).
Have regard for Headteacher’s own workload and that of others to secure a
satisfactory work/life balance.
Ensure that the professional duties and conditions of employment as set out
in statutory requirements, including those for the Headteacher, are fulfilled.
Ensure the school’s systems, organisation and processes are well considered,
efficient and fit for purpose and uphold the principles of transparency and
probity.
Distribute leadership throughout the school, forging teams of colleagues
who have distinct roles and responsibilities and hold each other to account
for their decision making.
MANAGING THE
SCHOOL
Produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans for
policies for the development of the school and its facilities.
Ensure that policies and practices take account of national and local
circumstances, policies and initiatives, including bilingualism and the Welsh
dimension.
Act upon the outcomes of school self-evaluation, external inspection by
ESTYN and LA/Regional support and challenge to drive school improvement.
Use information and data from inside and outside the school to inform
management and organisational development.
Manage the school’s financial and human resources effectively and
efficiently to achieve the school’s education priorities and goals.
Ensure individual staff accountability is clearly defined and understood and
that it is subject to rigorous internal and external review and honest, robust
self-evaluation.
Welcome strong governance and actively support the Governing body to
understand its role and deliver its functions effectively- in particular, to set
school strategy and hold the Headteacher to account for pupil, staff and
financial performance.
SECURING
ACCOUNTABILITY
Work with the governing body so that it can meet its responsibilities for
securing effective learning and teaching and improved standards of
achievement.
Use data and benchmarks to monitor progress in every child’s learning and
to focus teaching.
Hold staff to account for their professional conduct and practice.
Set ambitious targets for the whole school community based on consistently
high expectations.
Develop and maintain a climate for high expectations for self and others and
take appropriate action when performance is unsatisfactory.
Promote equality and inclusion.
Develop citizenship in learners so that they make a positive contribution to
local and wider communities. Actively listen to and take account of the views
of stakeholders, pupils, staff, Governors, parents and carers in shaping the
vision of the school.
Create and maintain anstrenghtening effective partnership with parents,
guardians and carers to support and improve learners’ achievements and
personal development.
STRENGTHENING THE
COMMUNITY FOCUS
Maintain, develop and extend partnerships with other schools and learning
providers to share best practice and support school improvement, paying
attention to the school’s partnership with its partner primary schools and its
Sixth Form collaboration and relationship with other Post-16 providers.
Ensure the school plays a productive role as a member of its local, national
and global communities.
Ensure that the school plays a productive part in connections with Welsh
Government, Region, LA and other national and local leadership networks
(including by way of example, but not limited to, the ERW regional education
alliance, local School Budget Forum and Swansea Secondary Headteachers
Association).
Please note that this job description outlines the responsibilities of the post and does not describe in detail all
the duties to carry them out. It will be reviewed as changing circumstances require.
Bishop Gore School
HEADTEACHER PERSON SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL
QUALIFICATIONS
Qualified Teacher Status
NPQH
Degree
Current EWC (or English equivalent)
registration on appointment
Experience of Health and Safety management.
Have a track record of sustained success as a
senior leader in secondary education, able to
demonstrate a positive impact on school
ethos, culture and performance.
Further qualifications and/or
professional studies relevant to
the age-range.
Leadership experience in an 11
– 18 school
Familiarity with operating a
Specialist Teaching Facility
within a mainstream school
Have experience of leading the achievement
of improved results and outcomes across a
diverse range of student abilities. Have
experience of developing the curriculum and
approaches to teaching to support high levels
of value added and enriched learning.
Experience as a school
Inspector or Advisor, e.g. with
ESTYN or OFSTED, within the
Schools Challenge Cymru
programme, or as a Leadership
Peer Mentor
Have experience of recruitment and managing
and developing staff.
Knowledge and understanding
of the Welsh Educational
context and initiatives.
Have experience of implementing effective
strategies to support pupil’s pastoral and
emotional needs.
KNOWLEDGE
and EXPERIENCE
DESIRABLE
Have experience of effective safeguarding
practices- profound knowledge of best
practice and procedures.
Sound understanding of health and safety
requirements in line with current legislation.
Have experience of managing and valuing
diversity.
Proven strategic management ability including
financial, human and material resources.
Experience of working within an accountability
culture in education.
Experience of budget formulation and
management.
The highly effective use of school information
and data analysis, data presentation and
robust critical self-evaluation skills.
Widespread knowledge of current educational
issues and an appreciation of how they will
impact on secondary education.
Advanced knowledge of school improvement
and change management.
Proven experience of monitoring, evaluating
and reviewing performance to raise
achievement.
Up-to-date knowledge and understanding of
what constitutes excellent teaching and
learning and how to implement it.
Knowledge of effective strategies and
procedures relating to continuous
professional development and performance
review.
Experience of effective liaison with governors,
parents/carers and the wider community.
Successful experience of providing for pupils
with additional learning needs.
Collaborative management and innovation.
Ability to articulate and deliver a clear vision
of high quality educational provision and
inspiring ideas for raising standards in the
school.
Inspire and motivate pupils, staff and parents
and carers.
Forward looking with a skill for leading change
positively, openly and collaboratively.
SKILLS
Ability to communicate highly effectively
through all media types.
Powerful communicator with the ability to
connect with, inform and motivate
stakeholders.
Competent in using and applying Information
and Communication Technology.
Chair and participate in meetings effectively.
Analyse, judge and resolve problems arriving
at fair and acceptable decisions.
Challenge constructively and be open to
challenge.
PERSONAL
ATTRIBUTES
The ability to demonstrate strong leadership
qualities, to be resilient under pressure. To be
visible, approachable, self-aware, confident
and energetic.
To demonstrate authority and presence and is
publicly valued.
Sound understanding of the social and
political context in which schools operate.
Ability to demonstrate sound and balanced
judgement, decisiveness and flexibility.
Integrity, loyalty and sensitivity.
Demonstrate a strong personal presence with
the ability to promote effective team work in
all departments of the school.
Ability to thrive on challenge and shows
confidence when dealing with conflicting
priorities.
Ability to analyse, judge and resolve problems.
Sees solutions where others see
unmanageable dilemmas.
Possesses sense of humour.
Understand and demonstrate a willingness to
promote positively the equal opportunities
policy of the school.
OTHER
REQUIREMENTS
To become one of the key reasons why
parents would choose to send their child to
Bishop Gore School.
Note: The post is exempt from the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and a
comprehensive screening process will be
undertaken on all applicants. This will include
an enhanced check with the Disclosure and
Barring Service (DBS)