Diocesan Director of Education
The Bishop of Peterborough seeks to appoint a Diocesan Director of Education.
Salary £60,000
Closing date 12 noon on Friday 15th September 2017
Interview date Thursday 28th September 2017
Hours Full time
The post is based in Northampton with travel across the counties of Northamptonshire and Rutland as well as Peterborough city. The Diocese of Peterborough has 103 church schools and academies educating over 20,000 children.
We are looking for a dynamic, perceptive and strategic individual to lead the Education team.
The role requires the Director to:
· Provide strategic leadership for the Education team- to plan for the development and growth of church schools and academies
· Ensure that high quality statutory education which expresses the Christian ethos is central to the Church’s mission and ministry, living out the Church of England vision to be ‘Deeply Christian, serving the common good’.
· Work with the Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET) team, as a non-executive director, in addition to liaising with other multi academy trusts across the diocese
· Serve as part of the Bishop’s leadership team
For an informal conversation prior to application please ring 01604 887060 to arrange a conversation with Bishop John, Chair of the DBE, or Liz Youngman, Deputy DDE.
Please download an application form from the Peterborough Diocese website and email it to the DBE administrator by 12 noon on Friday 15th September.
There is a genuine occupational requirement for the individual to be a communicant member of the Church of England or of a church in full communion with it, or an equivalent member of a church that is a full member of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
The Diocese of Peterborough is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Staff are subject to an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.
A letter from the Bishop
Warm greetings as you explore the possibility of work in Peterborough Diocese. Dioceses vary in their culture and their approach to ministry and mission. I hope it will help if I spell out some of our commitments, expectations and aspirations. You can find more on our website; this simply paints the picture in broad brush strokes.
Roughly speaking the diocese covers Northamptonshire and Rutland as well as the City of Peterborough. The Archdeaconry of Northampton covers the boroughs of Northampton and Wellingborough, and the districts of Daventry and South Northants. The Archdeaconry of Oakham covers Peterborough, Rutland, the boroughs of Corby and Kettering, and the district of East Northants. The rural areas include many small villages with fine, and usually modestly proportioned, medieval churches.
There is a suffragan bishop, John Holbrook, Bishop of Brixworth since 2011, and two archdeacons: Gordon Steele of Oakham since 2012 and Richard Ormston of Northampton since 2014. I arrived in 2010 charged to reverse the serious decline in churchgoing and to instil a greater sense of diocesan identity and unity.
We believe in church growth. All our senior staff saw growth in their earlier parish ministries, and it is our expectation for every healthy church. Rather than a detailed diocesan strategy we are working in terms of a vision for each parish to develop and own a growth action plan. Interdependency and a shared belonging and commitment to mission are important, but each local unit should have its own aspiration to being a growing, viable, missional, serving and worshipping community.
Both bishops cover the whole diocese with distinct responsibilities rather than geographical areas. The Bishop of Peterborough takes responsibility for clergy in parish ministry, and for lay ministry. He also has responsibilities outside the diocese, notably chairing the Church of England’s Council for Christian Unity, and sitting in the House of Lords. The Bishop of Brixworth chairs the Diocesan Board of Education and is responsible for ordinands, curates, retired clergy, and sector chaplaincies.
The Cathedral (even though geographically it is at one end of a long and narrow diocese) is the spiritual home and a focus for many school visits. Both bishops visit schools and many headteachers have appreciated a Commissioning Service. There is a Bishop’s Prize for RE awarded in every school. I believe that our Church Schools and Academies are at the heart of our mission, being distinctive, inclusive, deeply Christian and promoting the common good. Amongst the commitments I expect from clergy serving in the diocese are;
• to enable the full participation of children and young people in the whole life of
the church, and to develop mission among the younger generations
• to be involved in both church and other local schools as far as possible,
actively seeking opportunities for mission and preferably offering a chaplaincy
role and leading collective worship rather than chairing the governing body.
We look forward to meeting and welcoming those who share our values and want to serve the Lord, the Church and the Gospel with us.
+Donald Bishop of Peterborough
The Peterborough Diocesan Board of Education
Christian Education
- excelling in quality
distinctive in sharing God’s love
The Diocese of Peterborough is home to about one million people and facing considerable population growth in the future. Our diocesan bishop is encouraging us to have a vision for church growth, both numerical and spiritual. Further information can be found on the website www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk
The Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) is unincorporated, working with the Diocesan Board of Finance which employs the Board’s staff. The DBE has charitable status as part of the DBF, linked by a uniting direction under 596(5) of the Charities Act 1993. The DBE is a statutory body governed by the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure, 1991. Committed to our mission to promote Christian education excelling in quality and distinctive in sharing God’s love, the Board and the Education Team always try to focus on the needs of the children whom we serve as we respond to the challenges and the opportunities of the rapidly changing context of education.
The Education Team are based at Bouverie Court, the Diocesan Conference, Training and Resource Centre in Northampton. The Team currently consists of:
Director of Education
Deputy Director of Education (0.8)
School Effectiveness Adviser (0.2)
RE and Collective Worship Adviser (0.2)
DBE Administrator (30 hours)
Schools’ Finance/Building Officer (part-time and based in Peterborough)
Support consultants (DSCs) working through our Service Level Agreement.
The service level agreement (SLA) achieves a very strong level of buy-in providing an important income stream for the Board. We serve 103 schools and academies serving over 20,000 children across three local authorities: Northamptonshire, Peterborough and Rutland. We have 14 VA Primary Schools, 41 VC Primary Schools and 48 academies. The academies include our three secondary schools.
Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET) is the diocesan MAT, providing a natural home for any Church school that wishes to join. There are currently 22 church academies within PDET. The Diocese is also the default sponsor for any Church school that is compelled to become an academy. We also work with a range of Multi Academy Trusts, some including non-church schools, to ensure a distinctive church school status is maintained in our schools.
We aim to live out the call to be distinctive and inclusive in our work with all our church schools. We promote the Church of England’s 2016 vision to be ‘Deeply Christian, serving the common good’ and endeavour to ensure ‘Life in all its fullness’ for all our children and young people.
Diocese of Peterborough
Diocesan Director of Education
JOB DESCRIPTION
PURPOSE OF THE APPOINTMENT
The Diocesan Director of Education has the management and strategic responsibility for the effective development and operation of the Diocesan Board of Education, meeting its statutory duties and supporting the needs of Church Schools/Academies in the Diocese.
ACCOUNTABILITY
The Director of Education is appointed by the Bishop of Peterborough and is accountable to the Board of Education and more specifically to the Chair of the Board of Education.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Internal
Members of the Education Team (Deputy Director, RE Adviser, Administrator, Bishop’s Vicar for Church Schools and Finance Officer), Deputy Diocesan Secretary (Treasurer to the Board), Diocesan Youth and Children’s Team, Safeguarding Officer, The Bishop of Peterborough and his Senior Staff Team, the Diocesan Board of Education, a team of Diocesan Support Consultants and Bishop’s Visitors.
External
The Church of England Education Office (CEEO), the Archbishops’ Council Division of Education, the Department for Education, Regional Schools’ Commissioners, Northamptonshire County Council, Peterborough City Council, Rutland County Council and a number of Multi Academy Trusts.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Act as Team Leader for the Education Team in the Diocese.
2. Be the Principal Adviser to the Diocesan Board of Education, its Chair, and the Bishop, offering professional guidance on the formulation of policy for, and strategic development of, education in the Diocese.
3. Promote the distinctive work of Church schools and academies, across the diocese, as an integral part of the Church’s mission and ministry.
4. Act as Secretary to the Board of Education for the purposes of the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 1991.
5. Lead active liaison between all agencies concerned with education including the Department for Education, local authorities, the CEEO, other Anglican Dioceses and, where appropriate, other denominations.
6. Lead, manage and oversee educational work in the Diocese including budgetary preparation, financial control and monitoring of the work of the Board, its committees, staff and consultants.
7. Serve as a non-executive Director of Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (Multi-Academy Trust).
8. Oversee the building repair, improvement and development programme for aided schools.
9. Maintain oversight of legal and other issues relating to land and property owned or held under Trust by the Board.
10. Participate and advise governors in the selection and appointment of church school/academy headteachers.
11. Oversee the appointment of foundation governors, trustees /directors and headteachers of Church schools/academies. Ensure that trustees/directors, governors, headteachers and staff are offered training and support through appropriate service level agreements.
12. Ensure that admission policies are drawn up according to latest legislation and that correct consultation takes place. Advise on admission appeals.
13. Arrange for the Statutory Inspection of Anglican/Methodist Schools to be undertaken and ensure a supply of trained inspectors to carry out the task.
14. Maintain an overview of the provision of education in church schools/academies and engage with local and national authorities in responding to changes in the nature and structure of statutory education.
15. Be a member of the Bishop’s Leadership Team meeting four times per year.
16. As a Trustee of the Peterborough Diocese Church Schools Trust offer advice on the appointment of Directors and Members to Church of England Academy Trusts.
17. Participate in an annual performance review and undertake annual reviews for members of the staff team.
18. Undertake such other duties, in agreement with the Chair of the Board of Education, as are reasonable and commensurate with the purpose of the role of Diocesan Director of Education.
N.B. This Job Description states the duties and responsibilities at the date shown below. The Board of Education reserves the right to make reasonable changes to its content after consultation with the post holder.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
This role requires someone of substantial educational experience, entrepreneurial and managerial flair, and commitment to and understanding of the Church’s mission. It is a large and diverse role, and so the ability to think strategically, prioritise, and delegate will be essential. However, in an educational world that is intense and target driven it will also be important to have a sense of humour, proportion and be deeply undergirded by a love for children and young people energised by faith, and a passionate desire to resource and enthuse all those who work dedicatedly for their flourishing.
Knowledge and Experience
· Substantial experience of working successfully at a senior level in education. This should include senior management responsibility within a school/academy, college or a local authority.
· Excellent understanding and knowledge of the world of primary and secondary education, including the place and nature of Church of England schools/academies.
· An insight into and experience of school improvement in primary and secondary schools/academies.
· Understanding of the Academy programme.
· Wide experience of leading and managing staff and a commitment to their development both as individuals and as a team.
· A working knowledge of the law as it relates to education.
· Financial literacy, planning and management skills including income generation.
· Ability to draw up policy documents, reports and briefings.
Personal qualities and skills
· A Christian, who is fully committed to the aims of the Church of England.
· Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
· Ability to think strategically to provide vision and direction.
· Strong leadership skills with ability to take people with you.
· Politically astute with excellent networking skills.
· Ability to work collaboratively, motivate and facilitate others, both employed staff and volunteers.
· Ability to work under pressure and to balance conflicting priorities.
· IT literacy and competence.
· Able to arrange or provide own transport for regular meetings outside the office.
The Director of Education will be a practising Christian and a member of a Church recognised by Churches Together in England and will be fully committed to the aims and approach of the Church of England.
Date: 26th July 2017