Appointment of the Headteacher

Blue Skies School

Welcome

Our sincere thanks for your interest in the position of Headteacher at Blue Skies School.

We are a small, compassionate school for children and young people with intellectually high functioning autism aged 11-25. We currently have capacity for 27 students each with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP).

Blue Skies is a unique school that was founded by Fran Higgins, a passionate and inspiring person, who believed she could make a difference in the lives of young people with autism. The school now continues in the family, with myself and my brother, Jo, as Proprietors. With the departure of our current Headteacher who is moving on to a new role, we find ourselves in the exciting position of welcoming a new Headteacher.

In our time as Proprietors, we have learnt and developed an incredible amount, seeing it through multiple Ofsted inspections and developing the school to build upon its strong foundations culminating in its current ‘Good’ outcome. Over the past few years the school has developed new systems for tracking and supporting students development and appointed an Advisory Board to support us our Proprietors; all with the aim of strengthening the outcomes for our young people.

The majority of students we welcome have experienced failed educational placements in mainstream settings and have often built up barriers that prevent them from learning or engaging within that school. We have had great success in breaking down these barriers, nurturing them and teaching in the way that they learn to enable them to achieve nationally recognised qualifications such as BTEC’s and GCSE’s. We have an excellent success rate in transitioning students into further education and some past students have subsequently made the move to higher education, which is testament to the love of learning that our team gives them.

We have a dedicated and hardworking team and the school is often described as a family; we think this a powerful statement considering the often complex social and emotional needs of our students. Our students are all individual and, being so small, we are in a position to be able to spend time with each and every student to gain an understanding of their needs and develop the curriculum to support these specific needs. This chance to be able to support vulnerable students in such a hands-on way is something that we feel both fortunate and proud to be able to do. We work hard to provide our students with great role models and help them to develop into confident, happy and engaged learners with bright futures.

We received a ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted in September 2023 and believe we have the potential to move to ‘Outstanding’. We are looking for an inspiring leader who shares our vision and has the ability to motivate and support both staff and students and has the experience, passion and drive to help us reach that goal.
I hope that you will find our school both intriguing and refreshing in the current educational climate and I hope that after looking through this pack you will want to join us on our journey.

Best wishes,

Lauren Higgins
Proprietor

About us

Blue Skies is an independent special school, based in Medway, which offers a unique service to children and young adults aged 11-25 on the autism spectrum. It is an extremely caring school with a holistic approach towards education, catering for students in Medway, Kent and the surrounding areas.

We believe it is important for students to achieve their full potential, to ensure this we offer a rich and stimulating curriculum, individually tailored to our student’s needs, supported by strong pastoral care, social and emotional support and various therapies. We reflect good practice in an environment that supports our student’s learning.

Our history
Blue Skies School was founded in April 2008 by Fran Higgins. Fran had extensive experience in special needs within the maintained sector and was instrumental in the inception and running of a nationally recognised centre for autism. Within the independent sector, Fran saw the opportunity to create a school which held the students and their needs at the forefront and gave them the best opportunity to succeed in life.

Blue Skies is a family run business, now owned by Fran’s children Lauren and Jo. They are very happy to continue the school in the vision in which it was created and are passionate about providing the best possible provision for the students of Blue Skies and their futures. Due to the nature of the business and its small size, past staff and students have described the school and its stakeholders as a ‘family’.

Our future
Currently there are 17 children on roll at Blue Skies, however, this can be increased. In addition, Blue Skies has begun exploring options for their 19-25 provision, which is very much in its infancy and provides an exciting opportunity for the school and local community.

In the future, Blue Skies would like to acquire an additional site to further develop this provision and extend the schools current offering. Forward thinking leadership will be critical to growing our school to make the very best use of resources and allow us to make a difference in as many young people’s lives as possible.

About the school site
Blue Skies School is located in Chatham with good links to local transport. The school is spread over four floors, with small classrooms designed for focused learning for the students. With an average class size of 6 children, the classes have the capacity to be arranged not only by age, but also through ability, offering the children a chance to engage and learn with peers across different age groups, encouraging peer to peer learning and relationship building.

On the lower ground floor of Blue Skies there is an open plan kitchen where the children experience cooking lessons and prepare a meal to enjoy together on a Friday, offering them the chance to develop teamwork skills, alongside important life skills. The rear of the school has a terraced area for the students to socialise, and at the bottom of the outdoor area there is a small garden which is maintained by staff and students. In addition to the garden, we also hold a local allotment which our sixth formers have been transforming.

Blue Skies have arrangements with local leisure centres and schools to make use of their sports facilities, which enable the students regular PE sessions. Our ‘Park Club’ at lunchtime is very popular, when weather allows, and makes use of nearby outdoor space. Blue Skies makes use of excellent relationships with local schools and colleges, enabling access to science laboratories and taster courses.

Our vision

Our students will leave Blue Skies with the skills and opportunities to live a happy and independent life.

Our mission

We believe it is important for students to achieve their full potential and progress to a future of their choice, to ensure this we offer a rich and stimulating curriculum, individually tailored to our student’s needs, supported by strong pastoral care, social and emotional support and various therapies. Our small adapted environment allows us to break down any barriers to learning and support individuals needs. We will ensure they are provided with the skills and qualifications necessary to achieve their goals and be celebrated along the way. We will reflect good practice in an environment that supports our student’s learning.

Our values

Our core values are central to all of our decision making and they run through our curriculum, policies, recruitment and all of our interactions with students and local community. We expect all of our staff to exhibit them at all times and we encourage all of our
students and their families to work within these values.

These core values are:

★ Compassion
★ Inclusion
★ Respect
★ Aspiration
★ Collaboration

The curriculum

Our students have complex needs. In addition to the academic curriculum, their individualised timetables provide opportunities for students to withdraw from some lessons to participate in therapy sessions with our school counsellor, mental health specialist, Speech and Language and Occupational therapists.

We know that students on the autistic spectrum are happiest and achieve most when routine is clear and when their learning opportunities build on their particular skills and talents. To this end, we tailor the curriculum to help students make progress in a way that best suits them.

The curriculum aims:

  • That students make great progress against personal targets.
  • That students acknowledge their achievements and have a sense of pride.
  • That students have opportunities to participate in a range of enrichment activities within and beyond the curriculum via working with professionals within the community for example: sports coaches, musicians, gardeners etc. and by visiting places of interest.
  • That students develop skills for independence and employment.
  • That students develop a greater awareness of their local community and make a positive contribution.
  • That students learn a range of skills for life beyond the school.

Curriculum basis
A range of subjects are offered at Blue Skies to ensure that students have the opportunities and skills necessary to progress in life. All students have access to National Curriculum programmes of study at relevant key stages, which are adapted accordingly in ways appropriate to their abilities.

We teach the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, alongside other academic and vocational subjects such ICT, Food Technology, PE, PSHE, Functional Skills, Life and Living Skills. Students may also be separately timetabled for social, life and communication sessions, work experience, college taster sessions and specific subjects of interest. Materials may be selected from earlier or later key stages, where necessary, to enable children to progress and demonstrate achievement.

Sixth Form
Within Blue Skies sixth form, students are offered the full range of opportunities and subjects that are offered throughout the school. In addition to these subjects, students have the opportunity to choose different subjects such as vocational qualifications and A Levels. Materials may be selected from earlier or later key stages, where necessary, to enable children to progress and demonstrate achievement.

In addition to the qualifications offered, Blue Skies has a comprehensive offering of functional skills, independence skills and skills for working life to support our aim of enabling our students to live happy and fruitful lives. There is a community inclusion focus in the timetable, which gives students the opportunity to be supported in the community to learn skills such as shopping and how to travel on public transport.

Through our close partnership with Mid Kent College, students also have the opportunity to access a carousel of taster sessions. To best support them for the future, students are provided with ongoing careers advice and make numerous visits to various local colleges, universities and careers fairs throughout the year.

In the sixth form, students are offered the opportunity to complete supported work experience placements in a number of different local businesses, including supermarkets, accountants, stables, offices, retail outlets, schools and cafes.

Key information

Type of school Independent Day Special Educational Needs school
Denomination Non-Denominational
Age range 11-25
Specialism Autism
Year school established 2008
Co-education or single sex Co-educational
Number of students 17
Average class size 6
Number of teaching staff 3
Number of newly qualified teachers
% English as an additional language 0%
Ofsted Judgement Good 2023

Our location

Blue Skies School is located in Chatham, a large suburb in the Medway Towns. Bordering Rochester and Gillingham, Chatham is a fascinating maritime destination that holds an abundance of history.

Chatham’s history extends back more than 400 years. The Historic Chatham Dockyard is one of Britain’s leading maritime heritage locations including a fantastic array of attractions and known as the world’s most complete dockyard from the Age of Sail.

The town offers excellent transport links with Chatham train station, being just a 10-minute walk away. The station provides high speed links into London. Both Rochester and Gillingham train stations are also within proximity as well as a local bus station, with bus stops immediately outside of the school which service the local area. Additionally, the A2 main road and M2 motorway are easily accessible.

Medway is where Charles Dickens’ spent a large portion of his life; and the place where Dickens found inspiration for some of his work’s greatest characters and settings with many of its local places popping up in his books with characterful streets, shops and ancient buildings.

Both the Central Theatres and The Brook sit at the heart of Chatham and offer a wide array of national touring shows and amateur productions. The Brook Theatre is home to a thriving arts centre that offers a professional theatre experience, along with community led productions and performances.

The role

Headteacher (AQ2919)

Apply now

Position: Headteacher (Permanent)

Main purpose: To provide professional leadership, vision and direction for Blue Skies School in order to secure its success and improvement, ensuring a high quality education for all its students and good standards of learning and achievement. The Headteacher is responsible to the Proprietors and Advisory Board of Blue Skies School for the leadership, internal organisation, management and control of the school. It will be for the successful candidate to lead our forward looking school to enable the children to achieve their full potential in partnership with the community.

To promote and safeguard the welfare of all children and young people within the School, by ensuring that the School’s policies and procedures relating to safeguarding children and child protection are fully implemented and followed by all staff; resources are allocated to allow staff to discharge their responsibilities; and that staff, students, parents and others feel able to raise concerns and that these are addressed sensitively and effectively.

Strategic direction and development of the school

  • Develop and uphold the aims and objectives of Blue Skies School.
  • Continue to implement and develop the School Development Plan, setting strategic targets and performance indicators.
  • Continue to make Blue Skies School a model of sound pastoral care by using proactive techniques to maintain high attendance rates and low exclusion rates.
  • Lead and inspire the staff by his/her example and encourage them to achieve the highest personal and professional standards at all times.
  • Provide inspiring and purposeful leadership for the staff and students.
  • Work in partnership with the Proprietors, staff, parents, LEA’s, therapists in generating the values, which will underpin the school.
  • Establish and maintain the school’s culture together with the proprietors and through consultation with the school community.
  • Ensure that policies and practices take account of national, local and school data including inspection and research findings and the outcomes of school self-review.
  • Monitor and evaluate the performance of the school, respond and report to the Proprietors as required.
  • Monitor, evaluate and review the effects of the school’s policies, priorities and targets and take action if necessary.
  • Ensure that all those involved in the school are committed to its aims, motivated to achieve them, and involved in meeting long, medium and short term objectives and targets which secure the success of the students and the school.
  • Support the Proprietors in identifying opportunities within the school for developments, including the expansion of the post 19 provision, and supporting a climate of entrepreneurial activity within Blue Skies School.
  • Ensure the number on roll of Blue Skies is increased, through networking, community relations and marketing.
  • Develop a reflective school culture and be open to change and challenge.
  • Serve in the best interests of the school’s students.

Teaching and learning

  • Monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and standards of achievement of all students in school through appropriate methods.
  • Maintain an environment that promotes and secures outstanding teaching, effective learning, high standards of achievement and good behaviour.
  • Maintain an effective partnership with parents to support and improve students’ achievement and personal development.
  • Ensure that students develop study skills in order to learn more effectively and with increasing independence.
  • Determine, organise and implement a curriculum for the personal, social and moral development of students.
  • Determine and implement positive strategies and programmes, which ensure good student behaviour and discipline and give support and clear guidance on inclusions and exclusions.
  • Provide all students with a personalised curriculum which meets their needs and which includes particular support for those with specific learning difficulties or those who may be particularly gifted.
  • Create a culture to allow students to be actively involved in the school decision-making process and for their views on the learning process to be listened to and respected.
  • Develop and maintain effective links with the community including business and industry, to extend the curriculum and enhance teaching and learning.
  • Promote extra-curricular activities in accordance with the educational aims of the school.
  • Ensure that each student is appropriately assessed at each stage of development and that progress is constantly monitored, recorded and evaluated.
  • Ensure that learning and achievement is systematically recorded and is used to plan individual objectives and contribute to the objectives of Blue Skies School as a whole.
  • Ensure the health and care needs of each student are assessed and met through effective systems and appropriately trained and qualified staff.

Liaison with parents/carers

  • Keep in close contact with parents’ and carers and be available to meet with them where appropriate to discuss their child’s progress and welfare.
  • Ensure daily contact through use of contact books or other reporting methods.
  • Organise and lead individual Annual Reviews meetings with parents and all relevant professionals from health, social care and the LEA.

Curriculum

  • Determine, organise, implement and monitor the curriculum to ensure that it:
    • Meets statutory requirements
    • Is relevant to the needs of all students
    • Leads to an improved educational provision
    • Is forward thinking in preparing students for adulthood
    • Provides scope for developing technologies
  • Ensure that teachers use personalised learning for all students to allow them to achieve their full potential.
  • Use an innovative and creative approach to curriculum design.
  • Identify and inspire outstanding learning and teaching.
  • Have an understanding of effective inclusion strategies.
  • Maintain and develop effective links with the community, to extend the curriculum and enhance teaching and learning.
  • Provide opportunities for students to enhance their learning by participating in enterprise activities, educational visits, work experience and other extracurricular activities.

Leadership and management

  • Uphold public trust in school leadership and maintain high standards of ethics, behaviour and professional conduct.
  • Build positive and respectful relationships across the school community.
  • Ensure staff and students safety and welfare through effective approaches to safeguarding, as part of a duty of care.
  • Lead in the recruitment and selection of teaching and non-teaching staff.
  • Keep up to date with current legislation and developments in education including inspection frameworks.
  • Plan, allocate, support and evaluate work undertaken by groups, teams and individuals, ensuring clear delegation of tasks and devolution of responsibilities in a manner consistent with conditions of employment.
  • Implement and sustain effective systems for management of staff performance, incorporating appraisal and target setting.
  • Lead, coordinate and monitor the continuing professional development of staff, including the induction of newly qualified teachers, based on assessment of needs in relation to the standards for qualified teacher status (QTS), the career entry profile and standards for induction.
  • Ensure that professional development opportunities draw on both experts within and beyond the school.
  • Develop professional working relationships with Proprietors, staff, students, parents/carers, therapists, the community and the LEAs.
  • Ensure that a suitable person assumes responsibility for the discharge of Headteachers function at any time when absent from school.
  • Maintain regular half termly reports and meetings with the Proprietors and Advisory Board.
  • Lead school improvement.

Efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources

  • Ensure that Blue Skies School is adequately and appropriately staffed, and ensure the recruitment and retention of high-calibre staff adhering to safer recruitment principles.
  • Encourage team development, culture and ethos which enables the team to work collaboratively and accept responsibility for shared outcomes across the full age range.
  • Manage the deployment of all staff; delegating duties as appropriate to his/her senior colleagues with due attention to workload.
  • Work with colleagues to deploy and develop all staff effectively in order to maintain and improve the quality of education provided.
  • Ensure all employees (teachers and support staff) at Blue Skies School receive appropriate information and training to enable them to carry out their professional duties.
  • Oversee and report regularly on performance management within Blue Skies, making certain that adequate training and development opportunities are made available to all employees, as well as appropriate action where performance is unsatisfactory,
  • Assess teachers to determine their progress in line with an agreed Performance Management Policy.

The management of resources

  • Lead strategic and financial planning to ensure the sustainability of the school.
  • Ensure maintenance and development of the premises and grounds to ensure maximum practical use by students throughout the day.
  • Have due regard at all times for the health and safety of all users and ensure that appropriate health and safety responsibilities are understood by all.
  • Manage and organise the accommodation efficiently and effectively to ensure it meets the needs of the curriculum and health and safety regulations.
  • Make arrangements for security and effective supervision of the school building, its contents and the grounds.
  • Manage, monitor and review the range, quality and use of all available resources in order to improve the quality of education, improve students’ achievements, ensure efficiency and secure value for money.

Accountability

  • Continue to develop an organisation in which all the staff recognise that they are accountable for the success of the school.
  • Present a coherent and accurate account of the school’s performance in a form appropriate to the range of audiences, including Proprietors, Advisory Board, the LEAs, the local community, OFSTED, and others to enable them to play their part effectively.
  • Ensure that parents/carers and students are well informed about the curriculum, attainment and progress and about the contribution they can make in supporting their child’s learning and achieving the school’s targets for improvement.
  • To carry out any such duties as may be reasonably requested by the Proprietors.

External liaison

  • Maintain and develop positive and active relationships with other schools, businesses and agencies in the area.
  • Maintain and develop links with social services, the local police, faith groups and organisations involved in working with young people and the local community at large.
  • Take responsibility for and manage communication and meetings with parents, including routine termly progress reviews, annual review meetings and any other exceptional meetings.
  • Organise parental events, e.g. summer party, curriculum information, open days and other events.

Safeguarding

  • Ensure policies and procedures adopted by the school are fully implemented and followed by all staff.
  • Ensure sufficient resources and time are allocated to enable the designated person and other staff to discharge their responsibilities, including taking part in strategy discussions and other inter-agency meetings, and contributing to the assessment of students.
  • Ensure a culture that allows staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice in regard to children, and such concerns are addressed sensitively and effectively in a timely manner in accordance with agreed whistleblowing practices.

Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment

  • This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people as required under the Education Act 2002 and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

This job description forms part of the contract of employment of the person appointed to this port. It reflects the position at the present time only and may be reviewed in negotiating with the employee in the future.

Please note that this is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the headteacher will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role.

Person Specification

The following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Qualifications

  • Qualified teacher status
  • National professional qualification for headship or equivalent (Desirable)
  • Additional qualifications within a relevant field of study (Desirable)
  • Evidence of ongoing professional development

Experience

  • A track record of successful teaching experience
  • Successful experience of working in a senior leadership team (as Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher or Assistant Headteacher) (Desirable)
  • Experience of working with children with special needs within a mainstream or specialist setting
  • Experience of working in an all through provision and/or secondary and post 16 setting (Desirable)
  • Experience of setting, managing and monitoring a budget
  • Experience of monitoring and evaluating classroom practice and teaching and learning
  • Experience of Ofsted inspection and school self-evaluation processes
  • Experience of working with children with autism
  • Experience of managing and delivering a highly personalised and differentiated curriculum (Desirable)
  • Experience of working with a range of associated professionals and external agencies.
  • Experience writing, evaluating and implementing whole school policies.
  • Successful experience leading whole school initiatives that raise standards of achievement.

Knowledge and skills

  • An understanding of child protection and safeguarding issues and legislation and of the relevant school policies and procedures
  • Understanding of high-quality teaching based on evidence, and the ability to model this for others and support others to improve
  • A knowledge of the National Curriculum and relevant external accreditation and how this can be applied to work for students with autism
  • A knowledge and understanding of measures to assess student progress including baseline assessments, Individual Education Plans and other assessment programmes for children with special needs
  • Interpersonal and communication skills to enable successful team working and the development of teaching, support staff and other professionals
  • An understanding of and commitment to the value of inclusive practice for the development of children with learning difficulties within and beyond the classroom
  • An understanding of the the voluntary, independent or non-maintained sectors X
    An ability to communicate a vision, inspire and motivate others to transform the provision (Desirable)
  • A knowledge of current educational legislation, policy and guidance
  • The skills to be able to analyse complex issues relating to student’s attainment, welfare and progress and develop effective and creative responses
  • A knowledge of the Independent School Standards (Desirable)
  • A knowledge and understanding of the Headteachers standards 2020 and a commitment to upholding these
  • An understanding of school finances and financial management

Personal qualities and abilities

  • To build and lead high performing, multi-professional teams and to be an effective team member and co-worker
  • Evidence of ability to gain and maintain the confidence and respect of colleagues, parents, stakeholders, Proprietors and external partners
  • To communicate with a range of audiences verbally and in writing to promote the school within the community and to enthuse others to contribute to the development of the school
  • An ability to work effectively under pressure, plan, prioritise and meet deadlines
  • To understand personal strengths and areas for development in self and others and how this knowledge may impact on practice
  • To represent, market and be an advocate for the school to external stakeholders
  • To lead strategic and financial planning to ensure the sustainability of the school
  • To lead, inspire, challenge, motivate and empower others to implement to school vision over the short, medium and long term
  • A commitment and ‘general interest’ to the pastoral welfare of the whole school community
  • To lead school improvement and motivate staff to achieve outstanding results
  • A commitment to safeguarding and equality, ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways that exploit the position
  • A commitment to maintaining confidentiality at all times

Equal opportunities

  • A proven commitment to the principles and the practice of the promotion of equality of access and opportunity for all children and adults irrespective of ability, race, gender, gender orientation, religion or class and to the removal of barriers to achieving equal access and to maximising potential

Notes:
This Person Spec is not exhaustive and may be amended at any time.

Terms of appointment

Reporting to: The Proprietors and Advisory Board
Hours: 38 hours per week
Salary: L10 – L18 dependant on experience
Contract type: Full-time, Permanent

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to the School, an executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.

The closing date for applications is Monday 4 November 2024.

Applications should consist of:

  • Applications should consist of a CV and covering statement (of no more than 1,000 words) outlining key matching experience and rationale for applying for the post.
  • Shortlisted candidates will be required to complete the school application form in line with safer recruitment practices.

Should you wish to discuss the roles in strict confidence, please contact Hayley Mintern on hayley.mintern@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7596 954 387 or Phil Gifford on phil.gifford@andersonquigley.com.