BLUECOAT ACADEMY

VICE PRINCIPAL

JOB DESCRIPTION

Bluecoat Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave in such a way that supports this commitment.

The quality of learning for students depends on the quality of teaching and the Academy is seeking inspirational staff with energy and motivation who will instil in students a love for the subjects taught and a desire to continue their learning into later life thereby preparing them for their futures.

VICE PRINCIPAL

INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

LEADERSHIP POINTS 24 to 28

Responsible to: Principal

Current Postholder: / Vacancy
Job Description Issue Date:

ACADEMY OVERVIEW

Bluecoat is a highly successful, oversubscribed, 11-19 Academy. Our results have climbed year on year since 2009 and this year 95% of our students achieved 5 A*-C with 72% including English and maths. With almost 2000 students (including over 350 in the Sixth Form) across two sites in the City of Nottingham, Bluecoat is a large, exciting and challenging place to work. Our Sixth Form is expanding with results improving annually. Last year we were the only non-fee paying school or academy in Nottingham to achieve 100% pass rate at A2 level. Teaching and learning lie at the heart of the Academy with considerable time and energy devoted to supporting our staff in becoming outstanding teachers. The Academy took the decision less than a year ago to reduce all teaching staff timetables by two periods to ensure that there was ample time to devote to producing world class teaching resources. In addition to giving our staff time, we have also invested heavily in bespoke training which all middle and senior managers receive. Our Academy is the lead for training local middle managers on the National College of School Leadership’s ‘leading from the middle’ course.

We work closely with both Nottingham Trent and Nottingham University to support our NQT teachers. Our provision for NQTs was recently rated as outstanding in all categories by the regional assessor. One of our SLT has recently been selected to be an NCSL SLE (Specialist Leader in Education) providing support and advice for others regionally. Many of our staff have or are undertaking MAs in School Leadership. Ofsted rated us as good with many outstanding features. We recently played host to the National College of School Leadership’s Annual Governors Conference. We are the only Nottingham School ever to have done so. We believe in innovation, risk taking and welcome new ideas. We play a full part in the City’s Educational Improvement Partnership working with over 20 primary schools and secondary schools. We understand the importance of preparing our young people for a global society. Our international visits include Post 16 visits to South Africa, visits to The Dominican Republic, Auschwitz, the Atlas Mountains Trek, our Italian exchange and visits to Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland and New York.

Underpinning all of this is our Christian belief. We work closely with the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham as Bluecoat is a Church of England Academy. At its heart is the belief that all students are unique and valued by God. Our mission statement: ‘Believe; in yourself, in others, in God’, sums up what we stand for. We are truly inclusive and pride ourselves on the wide range of students that attend our Academy. With over 50% of our students coming from ethnic minorities and over 25% of our students being on free school meals we have a truly diverse intake. We have received national recognition for the work we do with students who have special educational needs.

Over the next three years we expect Bluecoat Academy to be judged by Ofsted as outstanding. Our aim is to provide an excellent education for young people in the City of Nottingham, to be recognised nationally and internationally as we develop our innovative approach to inclusive, enriching and balanced cross curricular teaching, preparing young people for lifelong learning based firmly on our Christian principles.

INTRODUCTION TO THE POST

We are pleased to be able to advertise the post of Vice Principal to start in January 2013. This is an exciting new post within Bluecoat Academy which is intended to build capacity for future growth, innovation and development. We are committed at Bluecoat to creating an environment where outstanding learning and teaching takes place within a nurturing and supportive Christian ethos. We have rigorous academic standards but these are underpinned by a commitment to inclusive education, providing each student with life opportunities to develop skills and character qualities so that they emerge into the world as rounded, creative, autonomous young people able to fit into an ever changing workplace.

This post comes at a time when the Academy is looking to extend its ambitions to support young peoples’ learning beyond the immediate limits of Nottingham City. We are looking to form progressive partnership working with local industry, other schools and academies, national and international learning communities and organisations.

We are looking for a senior leader who is dynamic, ambitious, strategic in their thinking and has proven experience leading innovation and change. We are seeking a candidate that can demonstrate how they have helped their academy or school improve standards and how they have led change at local or national level.

The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) is a large and talented group of staff who lead the Academy across both sites. Currently the Principal, Vice Principals Standards and Achievement and Business and Finance make up the Core Leadership Team with the Full Leadership Team including Assistant Principals. There is also an extended SLT which includes our Directors of Learning. (Please see appendix 2)

The salary for the Vice Principalis set at LG Points 24-28.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The senior leadership team is an effective and mutually supportive group of senior professionals who enjoy working together to provide excellent leadership in raising achievement, academy improvement and the creation of a thriving and distinctive Academy community based upon our central mission statement and aims.

At the Academy we expect senior staff to be fully committed to:

(i)comprehensive, community education within an urban, multi-cultural environment;

(ii)the Christian values and framework of the Academy;

(iii)working as a mutually supportive team, sharing responsibility, successes and challenges;

(iv)exercising positive leadership and creating a shared vision of the purpose and future development of the Academy that reflects our Mission Statement and aims;

(v)maintaining high personal and professional standards in all aspects of Academy life;

(vi)a consultative and participative approach to leadership and management;

(vii)being forward looking and anticipating change;

(viii)our own professional and leadership development.

Main Responsibilities

Part 1

You are required to carry out the duties of a Academy teacher as set out in the relevant School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Service Order.

Part 2

1. As Vice Principal you are responsible for supporting the Principal in:

(i)Researching and developing innovative styles and approaches to learning for all our students and supporting the Academy in adopting these approaches

(ii)Reviewing and developing strategies to improve our accommodation and equipment to respond to 21st century learning

(iii)Seeking funding streams and external partners to support innovative learning

(iv)Leading and managing the development of the whole Academy teaching and learning, MER, Ofsted training and preparation;

(v)Leading the operation and quality of both Campuses, including where appropriate, day-to-day organisation, personnel, student behaviour and welfare, curriculum, teaching and learning, achievement, finance and resources;

(vi)The implementation of whole Academy policy and practice;

(vii)Contributing to whole Academy and wider community development;

(viii)Undertaking professional duties and administrative tasks as reasonably delegated by the Principal;

(ix)Deputising for the Principal as appropriate;

(x)Participating in whole Academy planning and policy making;

Leading significant monitoring, review and evaluation roles;

(xi)Leading significant Academy development and improvement projects;

(xii)Attending and leading senior staff and other Academy committees and meetings;

(xiii)Attending and contributing to meetings of the Governors' committees and full Governors meetings, for example through the preparation of papers and presentation of issues for consideration.

2. Having a shared responsibility as defined within the SLT for:

(i)staff support in matters of student behaviour and discipline;

(ii)participating in and supporting staff duty rotas;

(iii)taking Acts of Worship and assemblies;

(iv)organising and contributing to community events and activities, including the Bluecoat Parent, Teacher and Association.

3.Having responsibility for and supporting, as line manager:

(i)identified staff with promoted posts;

Accountabilities

The VicePrincipal is accountable to the Principal who in turn is accountable to the Governing Body of the Academy

Teaching Commitment

The Principaland Vice Principal are all expected to make a contribution to the teaching

programme. The VicePrincipal will have a teaching or similar commitment of about 5

periods in a 23 period week.

No Smoking Policy

There is a no-smoking policy throughout the Academy premises. This applies to everyone

associated with or using the Academy.

Equal Opportunities Policy

The Academy operates an equal opportunities policy in all aspects of its work and

appointments procedures.

Dress Code

The post holder will be expected to maintain high standards of personal dress appropriate

to the professional nature of the post, working with children and adults, and the Christian

values of the Academy.

THE PERSON

The following table outlines the essential and desirable skills and qualities required for the post. Please highlight where your experience matches the job description and person specification on the skills audit. You may wish to use the bullet points as a guide.

Experience and Qualities Required

/ Essential / Desirable / Proposed Selection Method
Experience
  1. relevant academic and teaching qualifications
  2. well qualified and experienced teacher with a record of successful educational leadership atsenior leadership level, for at least two years within comprehensive schools or academies.
  3. be working towards or have achieved the NPQH or other relevant educational management qualification
  4. led measurable improvement projects within or outside their school or academy
  5. acting as an SLE or equivalent
/ 
 /  / C, A
C, A, B,
C
C, A
A, C
Knowledge and Understanding
  1. an understanding of current educational developments and a clear grasp of issues relating to education in general includingthe use of assessment packages (e.g. SIMS, Raise online, ALIS)
  2. leadership and management of collaborative activities between academies/school and other organisations
/  / C, A, B
A, B, C
Skills and Abilities – Interpersonal
  1. an ability to work in collaborative partnership with the full range of people, other school/academies and organisations associated with the Academy - staff, parents, governors, community, business, Diocese and LA;
  2. an ability to lead, manage and support teams
  3. well developed social and communication skills
  4. tact, sensitivity, integrity, good judgement, and a sense of humour
  5. the ability to use ICT in educational leadership and management
/ 



 / A, B, C
A, B
A, B,
A, B,
B,C
Skills, Abilities and Interests – Other
  1. confidence, independence and flexibility
  2. a commitment to and ability to leadAcademy improvement and manage change
  3. an ability to lead and manage the curriculum and teaching and learning
  4. an interest in e-learning
/ 

 / A, B, C
B,C
A, B, C
A, B, C
Equal Opportunities
  1. a commitment to equal opportunities;
/  / A,C
Values
  1. a commitment to inclusive comprehensive education;
  2. an empathy for children from a wide variety of social and cultural backgrounds
  3. be committed to and in strong support of the important Christian values of this established Academy and its religious foundation
  4. be committed to the Christian faith and actively involved in a Christian community, ideally, but not necessarily within the Church of England
  5. be committed to federated approaches to Academy organisation and collaborative work with other educational, business and community organisations
  6. a commitment to and ability to lead Academy improvement and manage change
  7. a willingness to work hard, with enthusiasm and vision
  8. a willingness to commit to the post for at least four years
/ 



 / • / A, B, C,
A
A, B, C
A
A, B, C
A, B, C
A
Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
  1. Bluecoat Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave in such a way that supports this commitment.
/  / A, B
General Policies Procedures and Practices
  1. To comply with all Academy policies, procedures and practices and to be responsible for keeping up to date with any changes to these.
/  / A, B

The Salary

The salary for the Vice Principal is set at LG Points 24-28.

AInterview

B Presentation

CLetter of Application

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Bluecoat Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave in such a way that supports this commitment.

Appointment to this post will be subject to the following pre-employment checks:

•Health

•Identity

•Relevant work qualifications

•Right to work in the UK

•Professional Registration (for qualified teaching staff)

•Criminal Records Bureau (for all staff and volunteers)

•References

A start date for successful job applicants will not be confirmed until clearance from all the above checks has been obtained.

Please note that the CRB check will reveal ALL convictions, reprimands, cautions and bindovers even if considered as spent within the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. There is a CRB Code of Practice which governs this process. A copy of the Code of Practice is available at