PRINCIPAL (GROUP 2)
CUMBER CLAUDY PRIMARY SCHOOL
Disclosure of Criminal Background
If you have applied for a post that involves “regulated activity” under the
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007, the Education
Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of
Criminal Background. Please note that due to proposals set out in the
Department of Education’s Budget, you WILL be expected to meet the
cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate, which is currently £33.
Further details in relation to legislative requirements can be accessed on
www.nidirect.gov.uk/vetting or www.accessni.org.uk.
The School and its Location
Cumber Claudy Primary School is a controlled school owned and maintained by The
Education Authority. It is set in its own lovely grounds in a delightful rural area, on the
outskirts of Claudy village, just off the main Londonderry to Claudy road.
The school, which is a modern, well laid out and attractive building, was opened in September
1994. The school has a current enrolment of 145 pupils with a teaching complement of 6 plus
the Principal.
Cumber Claudy Primary School admits boys and girls aged from 4 to 11 years.
The accommodation includes 6 well equipped classrooms all with interactive whiteboards, 2
resource areas, an assembly hall, a staffroom, offices and a school meals kitchen.
There is a computer suite situated in the senior resource area of the school, complete with
interactive whiteboard.
The junior resource area is a well-equipped play-based learning area for our Foundation
Stage and Key Stage 1 pupils.
The school grounds were recently designed and provide excellent play facilities for all pupils.
They include climbing frames, wooden play trail, play houses, sand pit, outdoor classroom,
raised flower beds, mini orchard and willow tunnel in addition to the playground and playing
field.
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Cumber Claudy Primary School prides itself in delivering the Northern Ireland Curriculum in a
stimulating learning environment, both indoors and outdoors. It is characterised by its warm,
friendly, caring ethos where “EVERY CHILD MATTERS.”
POST:
PRINCIPAL
RESPONSIBLE TO:
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
SALARY SCALE:
L10 – L16 - £48,227 - £55,951 per annum.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Please note this is a Teaching Principal post.
A successful candidate will be able to demonstrate relevant experience, knowledge
and skills associated with the following key areas.
Shaping the Future
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Keep abreast of and anticipate educational trends;
Think strategically to build and communicate a shared coherent vision;
Create an ethos and provide direction, which promotes a culture of high expectation,
successful learning and achievement;
Inspire, challenge, motivate and empower others to carry the vision and ethos forward;
Model the values and ethos of the school.
Leading and Managing Staff
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Provide high quality leadership to secure improvement;
Collaborate and network with others within and beyond the school;
Foster a culture of shared/ distributed leadership;
Develop, empower and sustain individuals and teams;
Support the development of an open, fair, equitable culture and manage conflict
effectively;
Support and challenge performance in order to raise standards;
Work with others to lead professional development for all staff within the context of the
school’s development plan in order to support effective teaching and learning.
Leading Learning and Teaching
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Cultivate enthusiasm for and commitment to the learning process;
Lead and manage the development of an effective learning and teaching culture;
Lead and manage the self-evaluation process; work with staff and others to analyse a
range of data, interpret outcomes and plan for improvement;
Ensure effective implementation of the NI Curriculum, share good practice and work
with others to challenge and address pupil under-achievement.
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Developing the School in the Community
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Lead and manage the development and promotion of a positive image of the school
within the local community and beyond;
Develop and maintain strong and effective relationships with parents and the local and
wider community;
Ensure effective channels of communication are in place between the school and the
local and wider community;
Listen to, reflect and act on community feedback;
Recognise and lead others to ensure that strategic planning takes account of the
richness and diversity of the school’s communities and community feedback;
Work closely with other relevant statutory and voluntary agencies to enhance the
education of all pupils.
Managing the Organisation
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Prioritise, plan and organize themselves and others;
Think creatively to anticipate and solve problems;
Make sound decisions based on a range of informed judgments;
Establish and maintain appropriate structures and systems;
Lead and manage the development and implementation of the School Development
Plan;
Delegate tasks and monitor their implementation;
Manage all resources efficiently and effectively.
Ensuring Accountability
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Create and develop a culture in which all Governors and staff recognize that they are
accountable for the success of the school;
Combine the outcomes of regular self-evaluation, ETI inspection evidence and other
external evaluations in order to develop the school;
Lead and manage the process of monitoring and evaluating effectively school
outcomes, policies and procedures;
Work with the leadership team and others to recognize and disseminate effective
practice and challenge and address unacceptable performance;
Work closely with and provide effective reports to Governors on the school’s progress
and development.
Professional Duties
The Education Authority requires a Principal to carry out his/her professional duties in
accordance with the Terms and Conditions of Employment of Principals as stated in Schedule
1/Regulation 4 of the Teachers (Terms and Conditions of Employment Regulations (Northern
Ireland 1987))
Terms and Conditions of Service
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The main terms and conditions of employment are those for Teachers in accordance with the
Teachers (Terms and Conditions of Employment) Regulations (NI) 1987.
General Conditions of Service
Appointments are subject to:
(a)
the Contracts of Employment and Redundancy Acts 1975 as amended and in
particular the statutory provisions relating to termination of employment and the period
of notice;
(b)
the provisions of the Teachers Superannuation Act (NI) for the time being in force;
(c)
satisfactory completion of all Pre-Employment Checks
(d)
probationary period of six months;
Canvassing
Canvassing directly or indirectly will entail disqualification.
Posts involving work in educational institutions are subject to the provisions of the
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007
Please note: Candidates called for interview will be required to make a short
presentation on a topic related to the post.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR APPOINTMENT
Appear:
Tuesday 10 January 2017
Closing Date:
Tuesday 24 January 2017
Shortlisting:
Monday 6 February 2017
Interviews by Board of Governors:
Thursday 23 February 2017
Meeting of the Education Authority Membership
and Teaching Appointments Committee:
Thursday 30 March 2017
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
PRINCIPAL – CUMBER CLAUDY PRIMARY SCHOOL
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Qualifications
Essential Criteria
Applicants must at the closing date for applications:
 Hold a teaching qualification which meets the requirements for recognition to teach in
grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland;
 Possess a degree.
Desirable Criteria
Preference may be given to those applicants who:
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Have successfully completed a professional qualification for headship or a similar
post-graduate qualification in the area of educational leadership;
Experience
Essential Criteria
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Have a minimum of 7 years’ teaching experience in a paid capacity in primary
education, and/or equivalent experience in an affiliated educational body, within the
last 9 years as at the closing date for receipt of completed applications.
Currently hold or have held within the last 5 years; AND for a minimum of 2 years;
- a promoted post of at least 1 Teaching Allowance(s)*, and/or
- a post of Principal or Vice-Principal, and/or
- a post at the equivalent level within an affiliated educational body. Equivalence to
be regarded as salary placement at least equal to L1 (£38, 597) on the
Leadership Group Pay Spine.
The above promoted posts may be in an acting capacity.
*Excludes special needs allowances awarded solely for teaching pupils with Special
Education Needs.
Demonstrate evidence of successfully leading and managing whole school
Improvement.
Demonstrate evidence of strategic planning at whole school level.
Demonstrate evidence of building a professional learning community within a school.
Demonstrate evidence of effective organizational management.
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Desirable Criteria
Preference may be given to those applicants who:
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Have experience of being a member of a Senior Leadership Team;
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Have experience of financial management within school/s
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Knowledge
The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate extensive knowledge of:
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The NI Curriculum;
Current educational developments and the ability to evaluate and respond to new
educational challenges and manage change effectively;
Effective classroom pedagogy and how to ensure high standards of teaching,
learning and achievement throughout the school;
Effective data management;
Effective organisational management including the appropriate deployment of
resources;
Effective financial management.
Skills
The successful candidate must demonstrate highly developed skills in order to:
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Lead, motivate, manage, challenge and enthuse others;
Create an ethos and articulate a vision for the future of the school;
Develop good relationships at all levels and promote a collaborative and team
approach among staff, pupils, parents and governors;
Lead strategically and develop self and others in order to achieve outcomes;
Promote, achieve, monitor and evaluate high standards of teaching, learning and
achievement throughout the school;
Develop effective partnerships between the school and the local community;
Communicate effectively orally and in writing;
Organise and prioritise workload effectively.
Personal Qualities
The successful candidate must demonstrate:
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Vision;
A sound value system;
Enthusiasm and motivation;
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Assertiveness and confidence;
A caring child-centred approach;
Integrity;
Advocacy and empathy;
Sensitivity and discretion;
An ability to cope under pressure;
Tact and diplomacy;
Decisiveness;
Adaptability.
The Board of Governors reserves the right to enhance the essential criteria if
necessary in order to facilitate a manageable shortlist.
Applicants must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland
(GTCNI) upon taking up employment.
Please note the onus is on candidates to provide sufficient detailed information on
their application forms in order to demonstrate how they meet each of the criteria.
Failure to do so may result in a candidate not being shortlisted since Selection Panels
cannot make assumptions in the absence of essential information.
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