JOB DESCRIPTION

Role: Principal
Contract: Permanent (6-month probationary period), 35 days annual leave, TPS, employee benefits platform, cycle to work scheme
Reporting to: Chief Executive
Salary type: Competitive salary

Summary

The heart of the role of Principal at Aldridge Education can be found in these five key responsibilities cited by research from the Wallace Foundation:

• Shaping a vision of academic success for all students, one based on high standards.
• Creating a climate hospitable to education in order that safety, a co-operative spirit and other foundations of fruitful interaction prevail.
• Cultivating leadership in others so that teachers and other adults assume their parts in realising the school vision.
• Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at their best and students to learn at their utmost.
• Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement.

Specific responsibilities

Instructional leadership

• Using the Aldridge school improvement model and focusing on our four key levers (curriculum culture, coaching and data- driven instruction)
• Provide exemplary leadership to all school community members to achieve outstanding performance and sector- best next steps/destinations.
• Demonstrate a relentless commitment to improve the minds and lives of students in and out of school.
• Develop and communicate strategic school systems, culture, and vision, and build a plan to achieve that vision.
• Implement effective assessment systems and use data to inform decisions, use of resources and priorities.
• Lead all aspects of curriculum development and assessment and ensure consistency and quality in delivery and alignment with evidenced best practice and Aldridge Standards.
• Ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of all students and leads to strong outcomes through a relentless focus on local context and need, reviewing the curriculum at regular intervals and ensuring that it maintains its relevance and stays fit for purpose, amending and enhancing as required.

Quality delivery of teaching and learning

• Build an open door, learning culture where professional development is an entitlement, coaching is a daily part of school life and staff are proud to learn together.
• Oversee the professional development programme, teacher training, recruitment, appraisal and all performance-related matters, staff wellbeing and workload matters and staff communications.
• Work in partnership with the HR team to address all people-related matters, ensuring that all employment law, Trust policy and best practice advice is always followed.
• Ensure the consistent quality of well-managed and rigorous daily lessons alongside reasonable and effective daily homework.
• Ensure that the thorough use of data – both micro and macro – leads to regular and productive tutoring to close gaps that have not been closed through classroom interventions and reteach. Through partnership with Virtual Aldridge and other internal means, ensure that resources are used to allow learning gaps to close at the earliest possible time in a child’s education.
• Provide opportunities for students to learn independently above and beyond minimum expectations set by teachers through the use of high- quality, individualised learning platforms available to all students.
• Measure the impact of in-class and beyond-class interventions and ensure that resources are always being used in the highest impact areas and can be evidenced accordingly.
• Build a culture with all staff that promotes collective teacher efficacy and high student expectations leading to an evidenced collective belief from students and staff that excellence is distinctly achievable.
• Take time to understand the needs of the hardest to reach/those with particular needs and their obstacles to successful learning; directing resource appropriately to meet these needs and set the conditions for successful learning to take place for all.

School culture

• Determine and establish a vision for school culture, encouraging ownership across the staff community and building upon equitable values.
• Work with staff to identify key routines and create minute by minute plans for these; ensure rollout is strong and application is consistent.
• Through practice labs, monitoring and coaching, foster consistency in academic and behavioral expectations.
• Collaborate with school staff to support student personal development including morality, British values and the rule of law, a wide range of enrichment opportunities and Futures exposure that meets Gatsby benchmarks as a minimum.
• Ensure that traditions and rituals that support the school’s moral purpose and identity are built and maintained, cohort by cohort, year to year;
• Build and advocate for a wide programme of enrichment opportunities outside of statutory timetabled hours.
• Communicate regularly with families, ensuring they are kept involved with and held accountable for their children’s performance, and correspond about school policies, trips, and events.
• Build authentic community relationships starting with families but extending to local business, other charities etc.
• Use these to maximise opportunities to self-review, to understand the needs and views of the locality and to build wide-ranging opportunities for students.
• Respond to family concerns promptly and effectively.
• Build strong, positive, collegiate partnerships with senior Trust officers, local governors and trustees with an absolute commitment to the aims and direction of Aldridge Education. Hold an understanding that the leadership of the school is a delegated right and responsibility from the CEO and trustees and is being done for, in the name of and with Aldridge Education.

School management

• Ensure that the school runs smoothly daily with a robust and appropriate timetable; appropriate levels of supervision; due regard to all statutory guidance, rules and law; and treating all members of the community with equity and respect.
• Make safeguarding an absolute priority at all times, ensuring that all requirements of Keeping Children Safe in Education, the Trust’s safeguarding policy and all other statutory guidance are adhered to by all at all times, and that a culture of safeguarding permeates all that happens in the school.
• Ensure that all areas of the Ofsted framework are consistently at least ‘Good’ as identified by the Ofsted key judgements criteria found in the Section 8 and Section 5 handbooks.
• Work in partnership with central senior leaders to ensure that all areas of school and Trust practice is exemplary. Identify with central leaders what the key needs and priorities of the school are and engage with them as they address these needs, implement change, oversee local projects and support the local team.
• Work with the Trust Head of Finance and local finance leads to draft a budget – which rightly addresses priorities, drives excellence, and is accurate and achievable – for review by the COO and CEO prior to scrutiny by the Trust Board.
• Ensure that the budget set by trustees is met, holding ultimate responsibility for this at a local level and for full compliance with the Trust’s finance handbook and other statutory financial regulations.
• Uphold all appropriate policies, ensuring that local policies are kept updated, fit for purpose, known and used by all.
• Ensure that the school website is compliant, clear and useful at all times and for all.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Qualifications 

• Educated to degree level.
• Post-graduate qualification in education or leadership. (Desirable)
• NPQH (Desirable)

Experience

• Expert classroom practitioner with outstanding outcomes for own students.
• Proven track record as a senior leader.
• Successful leader of learning as a head of department or AST.
• Senior leader of teaching and learning at whole school or equivalent.
• Experience as a successful coach and leader of professional development.
• Track record of successful recruitment.
• Experience of building strong culture in an organisation and gaining followship.
• Track record of successful financial management. (Desirable)
• Strong pastoral track record. (Desirable)

Other skills and qualities

• ‘Warm firm’, equitable approach that hears the views of all and maintains the standard of excellence.
• Absolute commitment to Trust operating norms and the Trust mission.
• Able to build strong professional relationships with colleagues at all levels; building credibility and earning thoughtful followship.
• A disposition for learning, willing to listen and self-aware; not taking self too seriously and considering the differing views of others.
• Excellent communication skills: accurate, concise, warm, coherent and clear (both written and oral)
• Strong organisational skills and time management, able to adjust and flex and mindful of highest priorities at any point in time.

Download the job description here

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title: Vice Principal responsible for Culture (including inclusion, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding)
Reporting to: Principal
Academy: Dukes Aldridge Academy
Contract basis: Full time, permanent
Salary band: L17-L23, inner London

Overall purpose of the role

• As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Vice Principal will share responsibility for the ethos, management and strategic leadership of the academy. They will also play an active role in developing, sustaining and modelling the skills, attributes and behaviours of a high-performing leadership team.
• To lead the development of an inclusive culture at Duke’s which expects the best for all and from all, recognising that all can be supported to thrive.
• Strategic leadership of safeguarding, pastoral teams and attendance, ensuring excellence of team work, of expectations and of outcomes member of staff is engaging with the academy’s coaching programme.
• Ensure the smooth operational running of the school on a daily basis, build strong relationships with all stakeholders and lead well, including deputising for the Principal as required.
• Carry out the professional duties of a school teacher, as set out in the current School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).

Key duties

General responsibilities

• Share responsibility for the ethos, management and strategic leadership of the academy, playing an active role in developing, sustaining and modelling the skills, attributes and behaviours of a high-performing leadership team.
• Work with the Principal on key strategic tools including the school’s risk register, action plan, QA schedules, Reviewing Together days etc – both in terms of creation, implementation and review.
• Support the Principal in building strong engagement across the whole staff body, creating and maintaining a strong sense of team and a belief that, working together, Duke’s can be a school where everyone thrives and everyone succeeds.
• Demonstrate the ability both to maintain the management of the school to a high standard on a daily basis, and to lead the school through improvement work – with a strong awareness of the EEF work on implementing change successfully.
• Lead on key aspects of the school’s action plan, in agreement with the Principal.
• Challenge underperformance at all levels and ensure effective support and challenge is in place to build and maintain high standards.
• Develop excellence in all Aldridge Playbook levers through engagement with training and other opportunities. Ensure work done in these areas is exemplary.
• Have a laser focus on outcomes, as part of the wider team, and ensure that all work is undertaken to give students the greatest chance to thrive and succeed.
• Undertake all responsibilities to the highest level, aware that in everything you do as a senior leader, you are watched and copied.
• Act as mentor to other leaders and as Team Leader for the appraisal process.
• Line manage a range of middle/senior leaders as directed by the Principal.
• Undertake all daily duties, tasks and responsibilities required by the Principal.
• Carry a teaching load as appropriate to the role, ensuring your classroom is open to all, and exemplifies the very best responsive teaching, leading to strong outcomes for learners.
• Take part in running coaching, leading professional development and other training activity.
• Play a role as part of Aldridge Education beyond your own school (as appropriate) and find professional reward and satisfaction in extending your impact and expertise through participation with Trust-level activity.
• Work closely with all stakeholder groups, building strong and positive relationships with all groups that support community engagement and the strongest standards in all areas.
• Ensure strong processes and systems in all areas of school life – making sure that by working smartly, staff workload and wellbeing is carefully considered alongside the upholding of standards of excellence in all areas.
• Ensure that your key priorities are highly visible around the school so that a visitor immediately knows what matters to you as a senior leadership team. Make sure that what really matters to you is visible to your community on the walls and in the corridors constantly, including through a heavy display focus.

Inclusion

• Build a culture of inclusion across all areas of school practice, both aligning with Trust inclusion priorities and contributing to them through the excellence of your work.
• Ensure that the communication and stakeholder engagement with this approach is strong so that there are shared understandings and an agreement of what great inclusion leads to in terms of thriving and outcomes.
• Work collaboratively to learn the best from all involved and ensure that all plans are thoroughly grounded in strong research with an excellent evidence base.
• Use the Risk Index as a key tool in the work and engage with the Trust’s data team to consider how to use what we know to gain the greatest impact for our most vulnerable learners
• Focus in on groups doing less well than others including around suspensions, attendance and outcomes. Drill down to individual students and understand their barriers to success, working to iterate and increase the numbers of students who flourish until success is the norm for all.
• Work with key school partners to ensure that inclusion is in the DNA of all parts of school life.
• Be thoughtful about all lost learning, including that lost in school and work with the staff team to explore and address this intentionally.

Attendance

• Line manage the attendance work across the whole school, ensuring that this is a priority area for all.
• Act as line manager to key attendance staff and Team Leader as appropriate for appraisal.
• Ensure that the attendance policy is fully enacted day by day and that triggers are met according to the policy and schedule.
• Ensure that systems such as A* Attendance are used robustly to accelerate improvements in attendance.
• Ensure there is a vibrant and highly-valued attendance reward system that can be seen to significantly impact student attendance.
• Work with HR to support staff attendance so that the same high standards are available for both students and staff.
• Work with parents and the community to actively promote the gains of high attendance.
• Focus in on year 11 students with low attendance and put active interventions in place to support them in achieving pass grades in their courses.
• Keep very close to attendance data on a daily, weekly, termly and annual basis. Understand the gaps and work intentionally to close these rapidly.

Safeguarding

• Promote and build a culture of safeguarding across the school.
• Champion the work of the safeguarding team.
• Line manage the DSL and act as Team Leader.
• Carry the role of Prevent Lead for the school.
• Ensure that all safeguarding-required training is done swiftly by all required members of the Duke’s community. This includes Esafety and Health & Safety training, along with Prevent and KCSIE.
• Ensure that a team approach to safeguarding brings together key personnel from the staff body and builds a shared accountability for keeping students safe.
• Keep Level 3 DSL training up to date and act as a DDSL, ensuring that the whole DSL team is well-trained and works cohesively.
• Under the direction of the Principal, take senior ownership for all safeguarding matters within the school.
• Ensure that CPOMs is used accurately and comprehensively, along with any other platforms and systems within the safeguarding realm of school activity.

Behaviour

• Ensure that the behaviour policy is localised appropriately for Duke’s and fully adhered to across the school community.
• Under the direction of the Principal, ensure that the behaviour standards and processes are known by all.
• Expect a culture of 100% and provide real time feedback, coaching, reset and support where this is not achieved.
• Encourage high standards of behaviour from students, built on rules and routines that are understood by staff and students alike and clearly demonstrated by all adults in the academy every day.
• Ensure the approach to behaviour is consistent and fair across the whole academy on a daily basis.
• Ensure the key school routines have equity-led minute by minute plans and that these are known, practised and upheld by all.
• Ensure there is a strong monitoring process in place to see any gaps and support these in being addressed.
• Keep very close to behaviour data on a daily, weekly, termly and annual basis. Understand the gaps and work to close these rapidly.
• Be curious about the groups where behaviour is least successful and intentionally understand why and what might be done to change this position.
• Line manage the Assistant Principal for behaviour and act as Team Leader for appraisal.
• Ensure that there is a robust, valued and high-profile rewards system that really understands what motivates students and which demonstrably has significant impact.
• Ensure that sanctions processes are appropriate and that they are adhered to by all.
• Consider how to maintain high standards whilst relying increasingly less on exclusionary activities and spaces and more on meeting needs and inspiring students to engage.
• Ensure that Bromcom behaviour modules are used accurately, comprehensively and in line with Trust agreed working practices.

Other responsibilities

• Maintain a flexible and adaptable approach to ensure that Trust practice is always excellent, that Trust activity is not at risk and that there is no reputational risk to the Trust.
• Operating at all times within the stated policies and practices of Aldridge Education and its schools.
• Maintain confidentiality where required at all times.

Abide by and practise the Aldridge Education Operating norms:

We are Aldridge
The standard is excellence
We behave with integrity
We’re in the work together
We champion equality
We lead by example
We use time well

Equal opportunities

• To know and adhere to the Aldridge Education equal opportunities policy and equalities legislation and implement in relation to job responsibilities in employment and service delivery.

Health and safety

• To take reasonable care for his/her own health and safety and any other person(s) who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work, in accordance with the Health & Safety legislation.
• To co-operate with Aldridge Education insofar as is necessary to enable it to comply with its duties under relevant health and safety legislation.

Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults

• To be aware of and work in accordance with the Aldridge Education safeguarding child protection policies and procedures in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and to raise any concerns relating to such procedures which may be noted during the course of duty.
• The post holder will be required to have a valid Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and be part of the DBS Update Service.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Training, qualifications and school experience

Applicants will demonstrate in the letter of application and application form that they have followed the following training, qualifications, and school experience.

• Qualified teacher status.
• Higher Degree/further qualification. (Desirable)
• Relevant in-service training during the last two years. 
• At least three years’ experience in SLT. (Desirable)
• Assistant Headteacher position with varied specific responsibility.
• Evidence of personal impact on individuals and teams that has resulted in improved performance and outcomes.
• Successful experience of managing whole school change to bring about clear evidence of school improvement for all or groups of students.
• A track record of successful whole school strategic planning across both the short term and the long term which has led to improved outcomes.
• Proven track record of developing and producing lead documents focused on planning, monitoring and evaluating key areas within the school.
• Experience of successfully dealing with sensitive, difficult circumstances and conversations.
• Evidence of successfully leading and managing staff outside of your specific subject area, e.g., depts, and year groups.
• Experience of successfully presenting initiatives at whole school level to both staff, parents, governors and the local community.
• Secure knowledge of statutory requirements relating to the curriculum and assessment.
• Evidence of appropriate safeguarding training at senior leadership level.
• Experience of managing aspects of the school budget. (Desirable)
• Experience of working constructively with parents.
• Experience of monitoring staff performance.
• A demonstrable commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• A commitment to staff professional development and wellbeing.

Personal and professional qualities and attributes

In their letter of application as well as interview, candidates will need to demonstrate the following:

• Being a strong leader.
• Having the capacity to drive change to bring about school improvement.
• Being outcome focused.
• Being a decision maker.
• Having the ability to build teams and positively influence and persuade colleagues.
• Possessing good communication skills (written and verbally).
• A commitment to inclusion.
• Being approachable and empathetic.
• Having honesty and integrity.
• Having a sense of humour.
• Being solution focused.
• Resilient.

Professional knowledge and understanding

In their letter of application as well as interview, candidates will need to demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding:

• Holding a strong moral purpose for all students to do their very best.
• An awareness of the wider community and its perceived challenges. (Desirable)
• The drive and passion to be an outstanding teacher and leader.
• What constitutes responsive teaching.
• The energy and drive for continual improvement.
• Expecting high standards and aspirations for staff and students at all times.
• A sound educational philosophy in line with the Trust’s ethos and values.
• Empathy.
• Up-to-date knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice and matters relating to SEND reform. (Desirable)
• Up-to-date knowledge of national educational discussions, policies and priorities.

Download the job description here

JOB DESCRIPTION

Academy: Dukes Aldridge Academy
Job Title: Assistant Principal and SENDCo
Reporting to: Vice Principal
Contract Basis: Full time, permanent
Salary band: L9-L16, inner London

Overall purpose of the role

This Assistant Principal will ensure that the Special Education Needs (SEN) provision is effectively and efficiently lead and managed across the academy. The SENDCo will manage the day-to-day operational and strategic aspects of policy and the department to level the playing field for students with SEN. All legal and statutory requirements are met for students with SEN.

The postholder will join the senior leadership team of the academy and will contribute to the strategic and operational leadership of the school as part of that team. They will support the Principal in the smooth-running of the school on a daily basis and play an active part in school leadership and development, engaging in the full range of school activity as expected of all SLT members.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic, operational and legal direction and development of SEN provision
• Coordinate student assessments and access arrangements
• Leading and managing staff within SEN
• Efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources within department
• Monitoring the impact of the work of the SEN department and adjusting as necessary
• Meeting all statutory and legal obligations for children with a SEN
• Building and delivering targeted and co-ordinated approaches to the delivery of professional development for all staff so that teaching and interactions are inclusive and support students to thrive
• Create a team of highly trained and effective teaching assistants that are motivated and know how to work with students to support them to be successful and independent
• Be responsible for the Ofsted aspects for excellent SEND provision and ensure that the school meets all aspects of this expectation

School-wide culture of meeting need

• Work in close partnership with key staff to ensure that the work of the SEND team is aligned and integrated into the wider development of inclusion across the school.
• Build strong working partnership with the Community Engagement Officer, DSL, pastoral team, attendance team and others to ensure that all development work is joined-up and achieves greater impact due to working together to identify and meet need.
• Develop the SEND areas of the school to be welcoming hubs that offer an exemplar of great inclusive provision. Look after this space to a high standard, use display and resources well and ensure that it is a prized space within the school. This space should be an exemplar that encourages further development of the estate.
• With the Vice Principal and other key staff, look closely at data and spot gaps for SEND students relating to attendance, suspensions and outcomes. Work intentionally to understand these gaps and to close them rapidly.
• Use the Trust’s Risk Index alongside other school SEND data, NGRT data and GL Progress Test data to inform a culture of leaving less children behind, working in partnership to ensure that gaps are closed for all students including those who may feature in multiple ‘categories’ of work (eg EAL and SEND)

Outcomes

• Monitor internal school data and external testing to check the progress of students at K and EHCP.
• Use GL PT test to actively review provision for students at Key Stage 3 and show curiosity about underperformance, visiting classrooms, undertaking book looks, student voice and other key activity to understand the learning experience for SEND learners.
• Take part in options process with key SEND students as appropriate and help to build aspirational and attainable curriculum options.
• Use mock and other data to track Key Stage 4 students through their courses and ensure that they are on track to hit target grades. Work with key staff to plan and execute intervention required to help them meet targets.
• Work with key staff to support destinations work for students at Key Stage 4, working proactively to ensure that all gain a sector-best destination for their chosen next steps.

Strategic direction and development of the SEN provision

• Ensure effective systems of communication, including feedback about students’ learning to inform future planning
• Keep the SEN register up to date, and all staff informed of any changes. Review the register termly and ensure all staff are clear on the adaptations needed for students that they teach
• Monitoring the quality of SEN support by establishing and maintaining effective systems to identify and meet the needs of students, whilst ensuring that the systems are coordinated, evaluated and regularly reviewed
• Ensure that the objectives of the SEN policy are reflected in the academy improvement plan and risk register.
• Liaise with and coordinate the contribution of external agencies, ensuring comprehensive intervention and targeted support to the meet the needs of students
• Build a robust system for staff to pass concerns on at the earliest opportunity. Ensure that concerns are addressed in a timely way
• Up-to-date knowledge of national and local initiatives which may impact upon policy and practice.

Assessments and access arrangements

• Provide the admissions team and the senior seadership team with advice on suitability of prospective students through scrutiny of evidence provided and/or assessment.
• Coordinate access arrangements for baseline and external examinations.
• Coordinate and ensure high standards of assessment, evidence gathering and compliance for access arrangements for public examinations.
• Liaise with the examinations officer to ensure up-to-date information and records for access arrangements.
• Communicate information on access arrangements to staff.
• Conduct screening assessment on all students on entry and as required.
• Analyse and communicate assessment data for teaching, learning and access arrangement purposes, including through the Universal Graduated Response.
• Ensure that suitable arrangements are in place according to need for students with access arrangements.

Lead and manage staff

• Lead and manage all staff within the SEN department.
• Advise the Principal and SLT on all staffing matters within the department.
• Appraise all staff within the department in line with the trust’s appraisal policy.
• Encourage all staff to recognise and fulfil their statutory responsibilities.
• Identify the training needs of staff in the department and wider staff body, plan, organise/coordinate/deliver training during INSET.
• Manage the provision of in-class support by SEN learning support assistants and teaching assistants.
• Manage interventions through satellite provision to ensure that learning needs for SEN students are fully met.
• Manage and direct the SEN team in collaboration with the reading lead to ensure that reading ages of the weakest students are rapidly improved.
• Provide regular information to the principal, SLT and governing body on the evaluation of the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEN, to inform decision-making and policy review.
• Attend and contribute to the school panels to support complex needs for students.

Efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources

• Provide advice to the principal and SLT relating to resource requirements, the deployment of staff and timetabling in relation to the support of SEN.
• Communicate effectively with staff to ensure appropriate deployment of learning resources including technologies.
• Maintain resources and explore opportunities to develop and incorporate new resources from the wide range available within and externally to both schools.

Relationships

• You are responsible to the principal as delegated.

Other responsibilities

• Operating at all times within the stated policies and practices of Dukes Aldridge Academy and the wider Trust.
• Share and be fully aligned with the vision and operating norms of Dukes Aldridge Academy, and of Aldridge Education.
• Value, support and champion all school improvement levers: the practices and strategies, which drive our continued progress and school culture.
• Support colleagues and be generous with sharing knowledge and skills, which will develop others.
• Champion the success of your team and encourage them to be the best that they can be.

Abiding by and practicing the Aldridge Education Operating norms:

We are Aldridge Education
The standard is excellence
Our people matter
We’re in the work together
Character is key
We lead by example
Every moment matters

Equal opportunities

• To know and adhere to the Dukes Aldridge Academy equal opportunities policy and equalities legislation and implement in relation to job responsibilities in employment and service delivery.

Health and safety

• To take reasonable care for his/her own health and safety and any other person(s) who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work, in accordance with the Health & Safety legislation.
• To co-operate with the Dukes Aldridge Academy insofar as is necessary to enable it to comply with its duties under relevant health and safety legislation.

Safeguarding of Children Young People and Vulnerable Adults

To be aware of and work in accordance with the Dukes Aldridge Academy safeguarding child protection policies and procedures in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and to raise any concerns relating to such procedures which may be noted during the course of duty.

The post holder will be required to have a valid Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and be re-checked every 3 years as per procedure.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are considered essential unless otherwise noted.

Education

• First degree
• Qualified Teacher Status
• National Award for SENCOs or equivalent (NPQ) (Desirable)

Knowledge, experience and skills

• Experience of Special Education Needs within secondary education.
• Experience identifying, monitoring and providing effective support for students with SEN.
• Understanding of the 11-16 educational contexts, national priorities and standards.
• Good working knowledge of relevant legislation, particularly the SEN Code of Practice.
• Excellent communication, organisation and interpersonal skills with the ability to make points clearly, to listen, understand and respond in a variety of situations.
• Ability to train staff in aspects of SEN.
• Proficient in IT – including the use of management information systems, and data analysis.
• The ability to work with a range of students at all levels.
• Experience of working with a range of stakeholders, both within and outside of the schools. (Desirable)
• Evidence of successful leadership (middle or senior) with genuine impact for students.
• Evidence of leading whole-school initiatives with strong outcomes.

Personal qualities

• Strong self-awareness of self as a leader, understanding yourself and your leadership style and qualities.
• Able to build strong relationships with a full range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Genuine passion and a belief in the potential of every student.
• Commitment to Aldridge Education’s mission of providing an excellent education to every student.
• High level of self-awareness and self-management in challenging situations.
• Resilient, motivated and committed to achieving excellence.
• Commitment to regular and on-going professional development.
• Lead by example to all staff and students.

Download the job description here