Assistant Headteacher

What skills and experience we're looking for

Job Overview:

With support from the Headteacher and the IEB, the Assistant Headteacher will be an outstanding senior leader who is passionate about securing the best possible outcomes for pupils and who is willing to embrace our mission of a learning community.

The Assistant Headteacher will not only be ambitious for the pupils, but also for themselves. They will need a strong trac record of working within specialist schools along with excellent leadership skills together with the drive and enthusiasm to help develop, build achievements, and support the vision and ethos of the school.

Main Purpose:

The Assistant Headteacher will support the Headteacher to create a culture of constant improvement through inspirational leadership, being committed to the highest achievement for all areas of the school, to provide an outstanding education for all students.

This requires a hands-on approach.

The duties outlined, in line with Headteacher and Teacher Standards, are in addition to the ones stated in the latest School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document that the post holder will automatically be required to meet. You may also be required to undertake professional duties delegated by the Headteacher.

Key Responsibilites:

• Communicate the school’s vision compellingly and drive strategic leadership, empowering all pupils and staff to excel
• Provide professional leadership, ensuring that pupils are provided with a world-class education, receive the best possible care and achieve high standards in all areas of learning
• As directed by the Headteacher, work collaboratively with other schools and organisations to champion best practices and secure excellent achievements for all pupils
• Monitor and review the quality of the school’s pastoral provision
• Monitor and review the effectiveness of the school's attendance processes and procedures
• Lead and manage a range of identified staff and staff groups, developing a framework of mentoring, coaching and peer support
• Develop effective relationships with the therapy team and colleagues in other public services to improve academic and social outcomes for all pupils

Leadership and Managing staff:

The Assistant Headteacher will support the Headteacher to work with the IEB to develop the strategic view of the school and analyse and plan for its future needs and future developments.

The post holder will:

• Support development of the schools, organization and processes, so they are well considered, efficient and fit for purpose, upholding the principles of transparency and integrity
• Monitor, evaluate and review the effectiveness of the school policies and procedures
• Be responsible for the effective use and monitoring of budgets as directed by the Headteacher
• Actively support the IEB by liaising and reporting to them on specific areas
• Demonstrate optimistic personal behaviour, positive relationships and attitude towards their pupils, staff, parents, governors, and local community members
• Lead by example – with integrity, creativity, resilience, and clarity – drawing on own scholarship, expertise, and skills and those around them
• Sustain wide, current knowledge and understanding of education and school systems, locally, nationally, and globally, and pursue continuous professional development
• Work with political and financial astuteness within clear principles centered on the school’s context
• Liaise with parents and key professionals as part of a multi-disciplinary team working to support pupil outcomes
• Undertake in the absence of the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher and to the extent required by the IEB, the professional duties of the Headteacher, including the deployment of staff to ensure their effective contribution to pupil learning

Behaviour and attendance:

• Demand ambitious standards for all pupils, overcoming disadvantages and advancing equality, instilling a strong sense of accountability in staff for the impact of their work on pupils’ outcomes
• Secure excellent teaching through an analytical understanding of pupils’ learning and the core features of successful classroom practice and curriculum design
• Demand high expectations of pupils and staff, ensuring consistency and high quality in the delivery of the Relations and Behaviour Policy
• Provide appropriate support and develop effective strategies to enable all students to access their learning and ensure that their learning needs are met
• Establish an educational culture of ‘open classrooms’ to share best practices within and between schools, drawing on and conducting relevant research and robust data analysis
• Build a culture of praise and celebration, ensuring all that this is at the heart of all we do at WMS
• Monitor and maintain attendance systems, providing support for pupils and families to enable them to overcome barriers to attendance

Pupil Needs:

• Lead the admissions and transition process, ensuring all pupils’ needs are understood and that the appropriate resources are available for them as they join WMS
• Ensure that all staff understand the needs of the pupils they work with, and that they have the knowledge and understanding of the strategies that are effective with individual pupils
• Line manage the Readiness for Life (RfL) with the support and challenge they require to ensure its effectiveness
• Oversee the development of the Annual Review process, ensuring it is both efficient and effective

Strategic Direction:

• Contribute to the whole school improvement plan and school evaluation procedures and lead on identified areas of the school improvement
• Contribute to strategic decision-making as part of the school’s senior leadership team
• Plan and manage change in accordance with the School Improvement Priorities

Staff and Resources:

• Create an ethos within all staff are motivated and supported to develop their skills and subject knowledge and support each other
• Identify emerging talents, coaching current and aspiring leaders in a climate where excellence is the standard, leading to clear succession planning
• Inspire and influence others – within and beyond school
• Hold all staff to account for their professional conduct and practice
• Support the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team in the recruitment, development, and deployment of staff, Make effective use of staff skills, abilities, and training

Safeguarding:

• As a DDSL, be an active and supportive member of Safeguarding Team
• Provide a safe, clam, and well-ordered environment for all pupils and staff, focused on safeguarding pupils and developing their exemplary behaviour in school and in the wider society
• Ensure the welfare and safeguarding of pupils across the whole school through rigorous application of the school child protection, behaviour management and pupil welfare policies
• Support safeguarding across the school as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Contribute to the safety and welfare of our pupils, staff and parents, staff and parents and work collaboratively with other agencies to protect children and share information where appropriate

Other Duties:

• Promote equal opportunities throughout the school and ensure the application of the school equal opportunities policy
• Promote an ethos of inclusion and opportunity for all
• The Post holder may be required to perform duties other than those given in the job description. The duties and responsibilities attached to posts may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and would not themselves justify the re-evaluation of a post
• The Headteacher, and IEB retain the right to implement changes to this job description to reflect changes in the demands of the post and this will be done in consultation with the post holder

Person Specification

1. Qualifications
2. 1 Qualified teacher status
3. 2 Recent and relevant in-service training courses and qualifications
4. 3 Recognised leadership study and qualification
5. xperience, knowledge, and understanding
6. 1 Experience of teaching pupils with Special Educational Needs, including severe and profound learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties and pupils on the Autism Spectrum
7. 2 Significant experience in performing a leadership role in a special school
8. 3 Evidence of substantial and successful school improvement
9. 4 Evidence of involvement in curriculum planning and development at a whole school level
10. 5 Excellent classroom practitioner with a proven track record of delivering outstanding outcomes for pupils with severe and profound learning needs
11. 6 Experience working within a multi-agency context to support pupils with learning difficulties
12. 7 Experience facilitating links with other agencies and schools to extend learning opportunities
13. 8 Experience of the whole school assessment systems development and use of school data to drive improvement
14. 9 Good understanding of current theory and practice of best practice in teaching and learning, particularly as it relates to achieving high rates of progress for children with a range of learning needs
15. 10 A knowledge of school self-review and evaluation processes
16. 11 Commitment to equality of opportunity and inclusive education for all children
17. 12 An understanding of safeguarding as applied to a school for pupils with complex learning needs.
18. Skills in leadership and management
19. 1 Demonstrate excellent communication experience with various audiences, including pupils, parents, governors, and the wider community
20. 2 Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with pupils, staff, parents, and agencies working with the school and the wider community
21. 3 Ability to positively influence people and successfully work with members of the school community while promoting the school’s ethos and values
22. 4 Commitment to continuous professional development for all staff
23. 5 Proven ability to manage change, and conflict, empower others and construct solutions
24. Personal qualities
25. 1 Demonstrate personal enthusiasm for and commitment to the learning process
26. 2 Calm and organised approach to work under pressure and ability to inspire confidence in others. Ability to work under pressure and to recognise and manage stres
27. 3 Thinking strategically, contributing to the whole school vision and inspiring others to carry the school vision forward
28. 4 High levels of resilience and determination
29. 5 Ability to work with the Headteacher and other senior leaders to motivate and create a shared culture and positive climate

• A commitment to support you in developing new skills through a wide range of professional development opportunities and experiences
• The opportunity to make a huge contribution to the education and lives of children who

• A dedicated leadership team committed to supporting our staff

Commitment to safeguarding

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.