Job Description – Deputy Head – Pupil progress and Wellbeing

Post: Deputy Head – Pupil progress and Wellbeing

Responsible to: Headteacher

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious teacher and school leader, preferably with a specialism in one of the core subjects, to develop their career, through this newly created post; working as part our senior leadership team to implement and develop strategy which supports our successful transition from independent to free school status; having a significant impact on both pupil and school outcomes. This crucial role is part of the school’s strategic aim of achieving the best for all its pupils within the existing and new cohorts and for promoting excellence. Specific responsibilities will be decided based on the strengths and experience of the successful applicant and the requirements of the school. These will be incorporated into the final job description for the post.

Job Purpose

As part of our continued drive to improve the attainment and achievement of learners across the school, the Deputy Head – Pupil progress and Wellbeing will work with the Deputy Headteacher Curriculum, Learning and Teaching (DH-CLT) and other members of the Extended Leadership Team to ensure systems and processes are in place to accurately track pupil attainment and progress, identify any gaps between expected and likely outcomes of individuals and groups of students, including those who are identified as disadvantaged; to develop intervention strategies which address underachievement; to work directly with House Heads and tutors to focus and monitor the progress and support of all groups of pupils; and to work with the Deputy Head – Curriculum, Learning and Teaching to embed teaching and learning approaches which secure outstanding progress for students across the school.

Key responsibilities

  • To assist and support the Headteacher in raising the standards of achievement and attainment of all groups of students across the school, with a key focus on monitoring and maximising pupil progress and well being.
  • Work with the Faculty Heads, Subject Leaders and Heads of House to devise intervention strategies which support and challenge underachieving students across all abilities to succeed and achieve their personal best and to assess the impact of such action.
  • To lead the implementation of whole school systems and approaches to individual pupil monitoring and tracking and the approach to pupil mentoring/tutoring.
  • Contribute to the development and embedding of a shared understanding of what constitutes outstanding learning and teaching.

Learning and Teaching

  • Meticulously plan and teach engaging and challenging lessons which are carefully differentiated every day.
  • Analyse progress and other performance data and identify ‘gap’ and intervention strategies that classroom teachers can use to secure at least good progress for all students.
  • Develop learning and a diverse range of enrichment opportunities outside the classroom in line with the ethos and SIP for pupils at every stage of their experience, monitoring the engagement of pupils in the wider life of the school and helping to realise the holistic vision.
  • Coordinate the systems for the support and intervention that each student requires in order to succeed across the phases.

Leadership

  • Develop and keep under review systems that promote positive behaviour for learning for all students and ensure staff maintain the highest of expectations of pupil behaviour.
  • Analyse progress and attainment data and other designated performance data after internal data trawls for each identified cohort of students and individual students.
  • Recommend any appropriate data-informed changes to curriculum design and student intervention in response to the data trawls.
  • Help to ensure that the data generated by assessments are accurate and facilitate accurate and meaningful intervention with students who are making insufficient progress
  • Ensure that students develop an understanding of their current attainment and progress and are able to articulate what they need to do to improve.
  • Work with Heads of House, Faculty Heads, and Subject Leaders to lead and motivate colleagues and effectively challenge and support colleagues to professionally develop their strategies to enhance the motivation, progress and attainment of all pupils.
  • Work in partnership with students and parents/carers to promote outstanding progress and attainment and ensure there is a shared understanding of what pupils need to do to succeed.
  • Target and provide support for any student at risk of being NEET at the end of KS4.
  • Be responsible for ensuring that those students identified as LAC, in receipt of the Pupil Premium, (or other targeted funding streams) experience an educational programme that is personalised to their particular needs, as identified through a robust assessment system. (This includes liaising with the DH- CLT re. the support of pupils with an Education, Care and Health plan).
  • Take an active part, in liaison with the DH Curriculum, Learning and Teaching, in the strategic work on interventions to raise student achievement & attainment and evaluate the impact of any interventions.
  • Actively drive the school’s work in closing the achievement gap between targeted groups of students and others whilst driving increased outcomes for all students.

This job description is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It may be subject to modification at any time after consultation with the post holder.

Essential / Desired
Training / Qualifications / Experience /
  • Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
  • A degree or equivalent qualification
  • Senior leadership experience with evidence of making significant whole school improvement in pupil outcomes.
  • Secondary school experience and awareness of primary school developments.
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  • Experience in a similar role in a maintained school under Ofsted criteria
  • Experienced and successful Teacher of Core Subject (English, Maths, Science)
  • Recent participation in relevant CPD activities and commitment to lifelong learning.

Professional Knowledge & Understanding /
  • Knowledge and experience of strategies for raising achievement of all students
  • Understanding of effective Learning, Teaching & Assessment strategies
  • Evidence of the ability to use data to drive improvement/performance
  • Knowledge and experience of delivering outstanding welfare and wellbeing systems for pupils.
  • To be a caring and committed professional who has the highest expectations of all students
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  • Excellent understanding of current curriculum developments
  • Extensive experience of the effective use of strategies for raising achievement of all students
  • Understanding and evidence of importance of dealing with the holistic needs of children to maxims their life chances.

Abilities / Skills / Qualities /
  • To be an excellent classroom practitioner
  • Knowledge and sustained evidence of effective leadership and management strategies
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to relate to all sectors of the school community
  • To be able to prioritise, plan and organise themselves and others
  • The ability to develop effective relationships (pupils, parents, staff, others)
  • The ability to enthuse, inspire, support and motivate others
  • The ability to understand, manipulate and apply data
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  • Excellent ICT skills and use of MIS
  • The ability to monitor, evaluate and challenge using a range of evidence and to intervene to facilitate change
  • The experience of leading others in effective system change
  • Demonstrable evidence of regularly working across pupils, parents and staff in different key stages.
  • Understanding and some experience of working across key points of transition eg Years 6/7, Years 11/12

Other Requirements /
  • To be able to successfully collaborate with colleagues across different departments and in different phases of education
  • Evidence of successful work with outside agencies (Safeguarding boards, Local Authority, Educational Psychologist) for benefit of pupils
  • Recognition of the importance of the role of the tutor and to developing the wider character of students.
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  • To be committed to full involvement in the extra-curricular activities of the school