Institute for Teaching

July 2016

Re: Recruitment of Associate Dean (Design)

Dear candidate,

I am delighted that you are interested in learning more about the Institute for Teaching (IFT) and the role of Associate Dean (Design). IFT is a new not-for-profit higher education institution with a mission totrain develop expert teachers.

•We believe that filling schools with expert teachers is the best way to ensure that every child gets the knowledge, skills and character they need to choose who they want to be;

•We believe that becoming an expert teacher is impossible without high quality training throughout a teacher’s career;

•We are obsessed with the pedagogy of teacher education and have a clear model of what teachers should learn, and how they should learn it; and,

•We are eager to understand if our model is working and how it can be improved. To do this the IFT must be the home of debate about teacher education and accountable for the progress of its pupils.

TheAssociate Dean (Design) is a senior role within the programme team and so is central to its success. Working closely with the Dean, the post-holder will lead our partnership of schools to develop a world class initial teacher training programme, a Masters in Expert Teaching and a Teacher Educator programme. As such, the role represents an opportunity to shape the development of teacher education pedagogy in the UK and internationally.

In order to excel in the role the post-holder will need to be a global expert in teacher education pedagogy; havethe ability to draw perspectives and contributions from a range of disciplines; be a skilled leader with a track record of delivering results; be networked with the best teacher education experts around the world; and, hold themselves to account through their impact on pupils.

To apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

  1. A cover letter (no more than 2 sides) outlining how your knowledge, skills and experience meet the requirement of role
  2. Detailed CV (maximum 2 pages)

Applications should be submitted via the online recruitment portal: later than11am - Monday 08 August 2016. If you have any questions or queries about this role or wish to have a confidential conversation about the position, please get in touch.

Yours faithfully,

Matthew Hood

Chief Executive

Job Description

Reports to:Dean

Contract:Full time, 1 Year Fixed Term (Maternity Cover)

Salary: £52,000 - £58,000 plus 11% pension contribution

Line Management:Yes

Background

All education systems face two challenges: closing stubborn opportunity gaps between disadvantaged children and their wealthier peers, and ensuring that young people leave education with the knowledge, skills and character they need to choose who they want to be. Failure to address these challenges is morally indefensible and economically unsustainable.

Whilst the underlying causes of opportunity gaps are complex and require complex solutions, the highest performing systems are making progress by improving the quality of teaching, which we know has the biggest impact on pupil progress. Yet in England, poor training is contributing to a shortage of expert teachers, frustrating our ambition for educational equity.

Inspired in part by US models, we are opening a new higher education institute focused on addressing this challenge. We are currently in the process of recruiting the founding team.

What is the role?

This is a unique opportunity to join a high performing founding team committed to ensuring that all children get an excellent education.

The Associate Dean (Design) will:

  • Work closely with the Dean, expert teachers across our partnership and use a broad range of research and evaluation data to design the curriculum sequence, content and instructional strategies for:
  • a world class two year ITT programme that will secure high levels of proficiency for all alumni and lead to strong outcomes for their pupils.
  • a world class, practice-based Masters in Teaching programme that will guide strong practitioners to become transformational teachers who have not only a significant impact on their pupils but also on the quality of teaching across their school.
  • a world class Teacher Educator Programme that equips faculty members and fellows with the expert knowledge and skills needed to develop teachers at different stages in their career and with differing levels of proficiency.
  • Oversee the training and development of faculty members in the effective use of a suite of instructional strategies.
  • Keep abreast of latest research and global developments in teacher education and lead the dissemination of research across the Institute, so that all aspects of its programmes are research informed.
  • Oversee rigorous monitoring of the quality of training across all IFT programmes and support the self-evaluation and impact evaluation of not only our programmes as a whole but of their individual components.
  • Work closely with the Associate Dean (Programme Delivery) to hold all trainers, both centre and school-based, to account for the quality of their training and the progress of their trainees/teachers.
  • Contribute to the strategic decision-making and day-to-day operation of the faculty as a member of its senior team.
  • Represent IFT at conferences and other such events, and through media engagement
  • Deputise for the Dean where appropriate.

What’s the context?

IFT is a rapidly growing start up. This means that:

  • You’ll feel an ownership over our vision and mission;
  • The team will start small and grow quickly;
  • There will be few established processes and norms;
  • There will be frequent change;
  • There will be a need for constant prioritisation as resources will be limited;
  • There will be an expectation of flexibility - this is not a nine-to-five job and everyone will need to pitch in; and,
  • You’ll have an understanding of all aspects of our work in the early stages and as we grow you’ll need to make the shift to increased specialisation.

What is the commitment?

  • Some evening and weekend work to support and facilitate the programme.
  • Some travel to within England (particularly the South Coast, North West and West Midlands).
  • Significant initial commitment during our start up phase.

Who will you be working for?

You will report to the Dean who is not yet in post but will be before interview.

Who will you be working with?

You will be working closely with the entire senior leadership team; the Ark Teacher Training programme team and the Schools Advisory Board - made up of seven high performing schools who sign off for strategic direction of curriculum, quality assurance and annual improvement objectives and support the design, delivery and evaluation of programmes.

Who will be working for you?

The post does not currently have any line management responsibility although as an early stage organisation this is subject to change.

What are the benefits?

  • Flexible working: IFT offer a ‘core hours’ policy requiring staff to available between 10:00 and 16:00, with flexibility on working hours around this.
  • Pension: Whilst incubated within Ark, IFT offer an 11% pension employer contribution.
  • Annual Leave: 25 days per year (in addition to bank holidays) rising by 1 day per year after 2 years in service up to a maximum of 30 days. In addition, the office closes from 25 December to 2 January.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills & Networks

  • Proven record in delivering outstanding achievement for pupils, particularly for pupils with low prior attainment in challenging schools.
  • Global expert in teacher education pedagogy (both initial teacher education and post-qualification teacher education) and broader knowledge of world-class adult education in a range of professions.
  • Skilled in the effective of the design, delivery and quality assurance of world-class training programmes and an in depth understanding development journey of a teacher, and what can help and hinder their progression.
  • Able to analyse teaching skills/lesson moments, breaking them down into their smallest constituent parts.
  • Ability to digest significant volumes of research, distil critical findings and disseminate in a meaningful way to a wide range of audiences.
  • Skilled in effective recruitment, management, training and delegation to a team.
  • Skilled in effective organisational/project set up and programme and project management.
  • Has strong global network of teaching and teacher education experts.

Values

Strong belief in, and enthusiasm for, the vision and mission of IFT and consistently demonstrates our values:

  • Curiosity
  • Learn rapidly and eagerly
  • Seek to understand your impact
  • Get beyond symptoms and identify root causes
  • Rigour
  • Accomplish large amounts of high quality work
  • Articulate what you are and are not trying to do
  • Discover practical solutions to hard problems
  • Collaboration
  • Skillfully give, receive and use feedback
  • Make time to help colleagues
  • Demonstrate consistently strong performance so colleagues can rely on you
  • Bravery
  • Make wise decisions despite ambiguity
  • Challenge prevailing assumptions when warranted and suggest better approaches
  • Question actions inconsistent with our values
  • Kindness
  • Be known for your courtesy and candor
  • Be true to your word
  • Treat people with respect independent of their status or disagreement with you

Education and background

  • Degree
  • Teaching qualification
  • Right to work in the UK
  • This post is subject to an enhanced police check of previous criminal convictions with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Recruitment process

Safe Recruitment Procedure

IFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. In order to meet this responsibility, it follows a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Disclosure

This post is classified as having substantial access to children, and appointment is subject to an enhanced police check of previous criminal convictions (DBS). Applicants are required, before appointment, to disclose any conviction, caution or binding over including ‘spent convictions’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar individuals from employment – this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred.

Probation

All new staff will be subject to a probation period of six months. The probation period is a trial period, to enable the assessment of an employee’s suitability for the job for which they have been employed.

Shortlisting, interviews and reference checking

Only those candidates meeting the right criteria will be taken forward from application to a shortlist. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed. References from the previous and current employer may be taken up for shortlisted candidate

The application process has four stages:

  1. Submit your supporting statement and CV via our online portal: 11am on Monday 08 August 2016
  2. Round one Interview – this will be with the Chief Executive, Dean and members of the board and will focus on your background, suitability for the role and fit with our team.
  3. Round two Interview – this will also be with the Chief Executive, Dean and members of the board and will include a range of activities that will test different aspects of the person specification as well as further discussions about your background.
  4. Disclosure and References – all disclosure processes must be complete before the post can be confirmed.

Questions or further information

If you require more information about the Institute for Teaching please visit our website If you would like an informal discussion about this role please contact the CEO, Matthew Hood at ation or call +44 7766 104869.