Knowsley Park School

Knowsley Park Lane

Prescot

Merseyside L34 3NB

Tel. 0151 477 8680

Lead Practitioner - Humanities

Leadership Pay Range L1–L5

£38,215 - £42,175 per annum

Required – January 2016

CONTENTS PAGE

• Letter from the Headteacher

• Advert

• Knowsley Park School

• Department Details

• Job Description

• Person Specification

• Other Details for Applicants

October 2015

POST- Lead Practitioner – Humanities

Thank you for expressing an interest in this post. I hope the enclosed information will encourage you to apply for the position.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 16 October at 12noon and we plan to hold interviews shortly afterwards.

Please ensure that we are able to contact your referees by phone.

Yours sincerely

Mrs J Walker

Headteacher

ADVERT

KNOWSLEY PARK SCHOOL

KNOWSLEY PARK LANE

PRESCOT L34 3NB

Headteacher: Mrs J Walker

Telephone: 0151 477 8680

E-mail:

School website:

The Governing Body of Knowsley Park School wish to appoint

Lead Practitioner - Humanities

Leadership Pay Range L1-5

£38,215 – £42,175 per annum

Full Time, to commence January 2016

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Knowsley Park School is seeking to appoint a Lead Practitioner of Humanities to support the improvement in our Humanities Department. This is a fantastic opportunity for an outstanding teacher to join our Humanities team.

Knowsley Park School is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school situated in Prescot, Merseyside. We are housed in a new, purpose-built site opened in 2009.

The school is currently consulting on becoming a Convertor Academy, joining the outstanding Multi Academy Trust – “The Heath Family”. The mission and vision of The Heath Family Multi Academy Trust is focused on raising the standards of aspiration and achievement for all students, encompassing innovative approaches to curriculum, teaching and learning and by being part of a local and regional strategy to increase choice and diversity in education.

The school has continued to improve the outcomes for your people with 5 A*-C results above national average with a quickly improving 5 A*-C including Maths and English results.

We are seeking to appoint a colleague who is:

  • An outstanding classroom practitioner with a proven track record of examination results
  • Keen and able to support colleagues to improve their own classroom practice

Our newly appointed colleague will work with a team of Lead Practitioners, supporting the development of Teaching and Learning across the school, working in partnership with our linked primary schools.

If you would like any further information about the post please visit our website, or contact Mrs K Brackley (PA to the Headteacher) on Telephone: 0151 477 8680 or via E-mail: Please complete a letter of interest togetherwith a job application form. Please forward to the following email account –

Knowsley Park School is committed to safeguarding, to promoting the welfare of children and adhering to the Equality Act 2010.The successful candidate will be required to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. To comply with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 all prospective employees will be required to supply evidence of eligibility to work in the UK.

Closing date: Friday,16 October 2015 at 12noon

Interviews will take place the following week

LETTER FROM THE HEAD TEACHER

Dear Colleague,

Thank you for your interest in the position of Lead Practitioner – Humanities which will be a key appointment in the further development of Knowsley Park School.

Knowsley Park is a traditional school in a 21st Century building. We cater for pupils aged 11 to 16, supporting and challenging them to maximise their potential; to be confident individuals, seizing challenges as they meet them, and to be responsible citizens, making a positive contribution to their own and the wider community.

As a school we place great importance on ensuring children feel safe and happy in school. We have five “Houses” in school, supported by a very experienced Pastoral Team, who ensure children can make progress in their learning, be free from bullying and feel confident to enjoy and experience the many additional activities the school has to offer.

We are an ambitious school, and since opening in September 2009, we have worked extremely hard to secure improvements in attainment year on year. Currently 87% of our pupils achieve 5 A*-C grades at GCSE with well over half achieving that in English and maths.

The school has always recognised that all pupils including the most academically gifted must be challenged and supported to make the most of their talents. The school is committed to continue its extensive programme of support including pupils attending Lancaster and Oxford Universities for day, residential and summer school events and targeted academic intervention to ensure that academically gifted pupils will continue to achieve their potential at Knowsley Park.

At Post 16, our pupils access a range of courses and apprenticeships. We have a preferred partnership with Carmel College, allowing our pupils to access this outstanding provision. We also link with other Post 16 providers such as Knowsley and Riverside Colleges who offer an extensive range of courses at different levels.

As a school, we are lucky enough to benefit from an Endowment Trust, linked to the establishment of a school in Prescot in 1544. Pupils and staff can apply for financial support for activities to support learning and excellence. We also have a school house, “Tan Y Graig” in Wales where children can learn in an inspirational environment.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs J Walker

Headteacher

Job Description

NAME:

TITLE: Lead Practitioner Humanities

RESPONSIBLE TO: Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning

Salary Range: L1 - 5

Operational Level

  • Manage the Humanities learning environment to ensure effective learning takes place
  • Monitor pupils’ learning and standards of achievement and record and report upon pupil progress, including details on attendance, attitudes to learning, behaviour and additional needs.
  • Contribute to the development and writing of teaching and assessment materials for all years
  • Plan appropriate learning for all pupils in their classes, monitoring progress and intervening when there is underperformance
  • Work with TAs and other appropriate colleagues who support pupils in their classes and beyond
  • Assess pupil work in line with school and departmental policy, ensuring pupils know their grades and understand what they must do in order to make effective progress
  • Support the examination process by identifying appropriate time and level of entry for pupils taught
  • Attend appropriate meetings, both within the school and as appropriate to your role
  • Contribute to the departmental SEF and the subsequent development plan.
  • Actively support whole school initiatives and policies eg SMSC
  • Identify personal performance targets in line with the school’s Appraisal Policy.
  • Constantly strive to improve own performance and identify areas for self improvement, attending appropriate training
  • Maintain an appropriate work/life balance, ensuring effective classroom performance
  • Assist with the development and use of IEPs
  • Establish good working relationships with pupils and colleagues, acting as a role model, setting high expectations
  • Comply with and have due regard for all school policies, completing risk assessments as appropriate and necessary
  • Actively promote the ethos of the school.

As a Lead Practitioner

CORE RESPONSIBILITY

  • To play a key role in raising standards of teaching and learning in the Geography and History departments and across the school, contributing to improved pupil progress.
  • To maintain a high profile within the school as a model of excellent practice, maintaining a clear focus on outstanding delivery to pupils
  • To lead on the development and monitoring of written feedback across the school
  • To lead on the development of whole school work scrutiny procedures
  • To support the development of literacy and numeracy across the school

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Whole School

To work with the team of Lead Practitioners to lead the development of teaching and learning across the school,including leading whole school professional development activities

To support underperforming teachers to enable them to improve their practice

To contribute to the professional development of all colleagues using a broad range of strategies appropriate to their needs (e.g. coaching, mentoring)

To take a lead role, working closely with the senior leadership team and other leading practitioners, in developing, implementing and evaluating policies and practice that lead to school improvement.

To support curriculum development by identifying educational research and applying it to enhance existing practices, and use assessment and analysis of results to identify targeted areas for action planning.

To lead colleagues on appropriate action research, ensuring that learning and teaching is a key priority and is constantly reviewed, evaluated and meets the personalised agenda

To take a lead role in pupil support, providing those in specifically identified groups such as under-achievers, disaffected, and gifted & talented, with workshops and strategies for success.

To network with other professionals particularly in feeder schools to enhance learning opportunities for staff and to support transition

In negotiation with SLT, to develop whole school responsibilities dependent on personal skills and interest

Humanities Department

  • To analyse the Humanities Department performance with HOD and develop strategies to improve attainment and progress in both key stages, developing and informing intervention strategies so that all groups of pupils, including pupil premium, make good progress
  • To develop and maintain systems for tracking progress across all year groups and use this as a tool to improve progress and attainment
  • To support the HOF in reviewing and amending schemes of work and ensuring staff understand and can deliver content effectively
  • To support the Head of Humanities to set up systems for the monitoring and development of performance eg written feedback, quality of teaching
  • To develop high quality Humanities teaching materials
  • To be responsible for development and implementation of literacy and numeracy strategies within the Humanities department.
  • To lead on the induction, support and CPD of all newly qualified teachers of Humanities and long term supply teachers and liaise with all relevant external organisations

This is not a comprehensive list of all tasks and areas of responsibility which may be required of the post holder. This job description can be changed in consultation with you, to reflect school priorities and future developments.

Person Specification

Lead Practitioner - Humanities

Essential / Desirable / APPLICATION/INTERVIEW/ PRESENTATION/ REFERENCES
Qualifications:
Qualified teacher status / E / A
Degree or equivalent in subject / E / A
Knowledge:
Use of assessment and attainment information to improve practice and raise standards / E / I,P,R
Use of strategies to promote good learning relationships and high attainment in an inclusive environment / E / I,R
Vision for the developments of teaching and learning / E / A,I,P,R
Strategies to enhance teaching and learning / E / A,I,P,R
Use of intervention strategies to address identified issues for development / E / A,I,P,R
Excellent subject knowledge / E / A
Skills and Experience:
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills / E / I,R
The ability to lead and foster positive professional relationships and work effectively with teaching staff of varying experience / E / R
Developing high quality learning strategies and monitoring pupil progress to raise attainment / E / A,I,R
Evidence of high achievement in teaching across the Key Stages / E / R
Working effectively as a middle manager or currently leading a key responsibility/development within a team / D / A,R
Working effectively as a personal tutor / D / A,R
Experience of contribution to the professional development/mentoring of colleagues / D / A,R
Effective use of Assessment for Learning to engage pupils as partners in their learning / E / A,I,R
Ability to plan and resource effective interventions to meet curricular objectives / E / A,I,R
Development of partnerships with other schools, business and community / D / A,I,R
Teaching and Learning
Evidence of a commitment to own professional development / D / A,R
Outstanding classroom practitioner / E / A,I,R
Proven ability to raise standards in classrooms other than their own / E / A,I,R
Experience of leading teaching and learning initiatives beyond their own classroom / E / A,I,R
Excellent understanding of the components which comprise outstanding teaching and learning / E / A,I,P,R
Experience of giving effective feedback to colleagues about professional performance / E / A,R
Experience of coaching and mentoring colleagues / D / A,I
Experience of conducting lesson observations / D / A, I,P,R