JOB DESCRIPTION
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
GEOGRAPHY
Job Title:Head of Department - Geography
Reporting To:Assistant Principal / Vice Principal
Reporting Lines:TBC
Salary:Teachers Main Scale plus TLR £2,667
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Role Purpose:
●To provide strong leadership that results in a Geography Department which provides first class teaching and learning opportunities for students and staff.
●To instigate and develop an innovative approach to Geography that will stimulate all students to achieve their potential.
●To work with other Heads of Department to provide an integrated coherent approach to teaching and learning.
●To provide specialist subject expertise for the Senior Leadership Team and Departmental staff.
●To support the Community Cohesion focus within the Academy.
●To ensure and maintain a positive, calm learning environment through endorsing appropriate behaviour of students in line with the Academy values of Ready, Respectful and Safe;
●To ensure that Turner Schools are places where children thrive and knowledge matters by upholding and modelling the Trust’s values in all aspects of the role.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Management
●To develop and implement the Academy’s strategy for RE so that it integrates with the major objectives of the school development plan and takes the curriculum forward to meet the targets set by the Secretary of State and Governing Body.
●In conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team set strategic targets for teaching and learning in Geography.
●To develop and implement partnerships to support the Geography curriculum and other activities such that wider expertise enriches the holistic learning experiences of the students and the wider community.
Curriculum Management to include:
●Designing a broad curriculum in Geography that meets the aims of the Academy and the needs of all students.
●Making sure that innovative and appropriate approaches to learning are made available to students with specific learning needs, for example: those with a low skill base, hearing or visual impairment and the very able.
●Evaluating National and International initiatives to promote learning and incorporating appropriate elements into the Academy’s strategy for Geography.
●Working with other Departmental heads to agree schemes of work so that the content of courses is complementary and so provides students with a broader understanding of Geography and its links with other fields of study.
●Ensuring that the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum are met.
●Ensuring Community Cohesion aims are reflected in Geography teaching and learning experiences, so that curriculum aims, cross-curriculum dimensions and PLTS work together within Geography to provide compelling learning experiences supporting community cohesion.
●Ensuring that the business enterprise culture pervades the entire Geography curriculum.
●Evaluating the design and delivery of the curriculum for Geography; continuously striving to improve all aspects.
●Monitoring and evaluating the Geography curriculum in ‘value for money’ terms.
●Setting targets for student achievement in Geography.
●Monitoring and evaluating progress towards meeting student achievement targets.
●Ensuring that there is an effective assessment, recording and reporting system of student progress.
●Regularly monitoring of the external and internal environment so that appropriate ICT initiatives continue to influence and improve learning for students and staff.
Financial Management
●Setting long term and short term budgets for resourcing the Geography Department appropriately and effectively.
●Monitoring actual spend against forecast.
●Making sure that ‘Best Value’ principles are applied to all appropriate purchasing decisions.
●Evaluating use of financial resources to ensure that desired outcomes are met.
●Advising the Director of Finance and Operations of potential additional funding for Geography and assisting with the bidding process.
●Exploiting business opportunities to improve the resources of the Geography Department.
People Management
●Adopting a strong, caring and flexible leadership style so as to influence and motivate staff and students to achieve their objectives and those of the Academy.
●Creating an environment of open-mindedness, fairness and harmony between groups and individuals.
●Working proactively with the Senior Leadership Team to create an open, valuable working relationship that thrives on using the knowledge and expertise of individuals and groups to produce optimal outcomes.
●Advising the Senior Leadership Team about the recruitment and retention of high-calibre staff.
●Implementing ‘Best Practice’ Academy performance management processes so as to provide a positive framework for staff development and achievement.
●Assisting the Senior Leadership Team to ensure that a significant staff development programme is designed and implemented. This will be structured and relevant, taking into account the development priorities of the Academy and those of individual members of staff. It will be visibly linked to the outcomes of the performance management process.
●Evaluating the staff development programme and liaising with the Senior Leadership Team to modify as appropriate.
●In conjunction with all staff, organising activities/processes that encourage team development (including parents and commercial partners).
●Ensuring that all staff, including short and long term temporary staff, receive Departmental induction and fully understand all relevant policies and their implementation.
●Making sure that effective, caring policies concerning a broad range of Student and Staff welfare matters are implemented.
●Providing overt support to staff to enable them to effectively implement the policies of the Academy and Geography Department.
●Monitoring and evaluating attendance and absence management policies for Geography staff and students.
●Ensuring that the policies and processes in-place for assessing students and for setting, monitoring and evaluating attainment goals for students are implemented by all Departmental staff.
●Creating an environment where there is visible acknowledgement that everyone’s contribution is valued.
Developing and maintaining strong community and commercial links
●Developing initiatives to outreach to the community.
●Assisting the Senior Leadership Team to create and implement ways of actively involving parents in the learning process.
●Instigating, developing and maintaining links with local business so as to enhance the learning experience of both the Academy community and the commercial partners.
●Networking with secondary schools in Folkestone to share best practice.
●Facilitating a broad range of activities in conjunction with staff, students and the wider community so as to deepen and broaden learners’ experience in the fields of Geography based subjects.
Facilities management includes:
●Ensuring that physical resources to deliver the curriculum are acquired prior to the opening of the Academy and are maintained effectively thereafter.
●Making sure that the accommodation is used in the most effective way to meet the needs of all students and of the curriculum.
●Ensuring that the interior and exterior of the building are maintained to a high standard that reflects the ethos of the Academy.
●Managing the security and Health & Safety aspects including legal obligations.
General Administration
●Ensuring that all administrative systems are based on the optimum use of information technology.
●Designing and implementing management information systems that meet laid down criteria and that specify a structured timetable for information delivery.
●Providing appropriate, accurate and timely management information to enable continuous evaluation of performance.
●Checking that information required by various external bodies is produced within the given time scale and is of excellent quality.
●Designing and implementing Departmental procedures that complement Academy procedures and ensure all stakeholders (students, parents, community members, all staff, and visitors) are treated as valuable customers of the Academy.
Accountability
Key Performance Indicators:
●Percentage of students gaining GCSE Geography Grades measured against targets.
●Percentage of students gaining GCSE Geography Grades measured against targets.
●‘Added value’ from entry to KS3 TA and GCSE exam results.
●Percentage improvement in Average Points total per student at Year 13 (Sixth Form opening in September 2011).
●Percentage of 16-19 students completing course with satisfactory outcomes.
●Departmental Staff retention record.
●Proportion of Geography lessons formally observed to be good/outstanding.
●The appearance of the environment.
●Actual budget spend against forecast.
●Extent of industry/commercial/community involvement against targets set in the Departmental plan.
Personal Qualities and Attributes:
This position requires the following personal qualities and attributes:
●Ability to contribute towards the Academy’s and the Trust’s vision and ethos. This position must enjoy completing their work in a professional and positive manner, relish solving problems and take pride in helping people;
●Ability to demonstrate academic ambition for all students; a genuine passion and belief in the potential of every student;
●Determination to improve standards and outcomes in non-selective education on the south-east Kent coast;
●Interest in playing a part, through education, in the re-generation of Folkestone;
●High ethical standards;
●Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills;
●Motivation to improve standards and achieve excellence;
●Ability to demonstrate honesty and integrity;
●Excellent organisational skills;
●Ability to work collaboratively with partner schools in the Trust and beyond;
●Ability to communicate effectively, professionally and in a friendly manner with staff, pupils/students and parents and external agencies;
●To be an ambassador for the Academy in dealing with external persons, and to be an admired and respected member of the team by internal staff and pupils/students;
●To enjoy helping others and be able to resolve any issues in a professional, calm and measured manner;
●To be highly motivated and to have a flexible approach towards work and working hours;
●Experience of working with children with social, emotional and behavioural needs and knowledge of and experience of working with external agencies and voluntary groups is desirable.
Qualification Criteria:
●A strong academic track record to degree level and above;
●To hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS);
●Evidence of ongoing Continuous Professional Development.
Other Duties:
●To comply with individual responsibilities, in accordance with the role, for health and safety within the workplace;
●Share the Trust’s and the Academy’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all young people through having knowledge of Government guidelines and safeguarding policies as appropriate within the Academy;
●Ensure that all duties and services provided are in accordance with all Turner Schools policies and the Academy’s procedures in line with staff code of conduct/professional expectations;
●To undertake training as necessary;
●To actively engage in the performance management process;
●To be willing and enthusiastic in engaging with continuous professional development;
●To undertake any other duty as specified by the Senior Leadership Team not listed above;
●To be a key part of the life of the Academy community, to support both the values, vision and ethos of the Academy and the Trust, and encourage students to follow this example.
All job descriptions may, following consultation with you, be subject to change to reflect or anticipate changes in the job, which are commensurate with the salary and job title.
Employees are expected to comply with any reasonable request from the Senior Leadership Team to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description. Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.
Turner Schools will endeavour to make any necessary reasonable adjustments to the job and the working environment to enable access to employment opportunities for disabled job applicants or continued employment for any employee who develops a disabling condition.
Acceptance:
I confirm that I have received and understand the job description, which is a supplement to the subject specific teaching job description, both of which may be changed to reflect or anticipate changes in the job, which are commensurate with the salary and job title:
Name………………………………………………………………………….
Signed………………………………………………………………………….
Dated…………………………………………………………………………..
Line Manager………………………………………………………………
Signed…………………………………………………………………………
Dated………………………………………………………………………….
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