Haberdashers' Elstree Schools Director of Innovation

Overview

This is a groundbreaking time in the history of Haberdashers’, from September 2023, a newly appointed Executive Principal will oversee the longer-term strategic direction of the schools, working closely with the two Heads and senior leadership teams to share a joint vision. Collaboration and innovation will underpin the 2030 Habs Elstree Joint Strategy.

This is a key strategic role that will make an important contribution to the schools’ strategic development. This individual must be adept at forging strong and dynamic collaborative relationships. As a member of the Joint Schools’ Executive team, you will be invested in the schools’ pedagogy and committed to the highest standards of learning.

Welcome

Our horizons are wide; we are a diverse community that nurtures a global perspective and a deep sense of responsibility for the world in which our pupils will lead and succeed. Our broad curriculum and co-curricular provision prepare pupils for success, wherever their passion may take them.

Our vision for 2023 and beyond is to work together, offering the best of single-sex education in a co-educational environment. We will provide an unmatched comprehensive program of co-curriculum activities with a focus on developing life skills.

This is an exciting time in the history of Habs. We are looking for an individual who shares our sense of energy and drive and possesses a willingness to adapt and embrace change. The Director of Innovation will play a pivotal role in forming a major part of the 2030 Habs Elstree Joint Strategy through the ‘Haberdashers’ Elstree Innovation Centre’. This new hub will develop ambitious, imaginative, and relevant research-informed projects to promote outstanding teaching and learning within the Elstree schools and to connect to other schools and higher education institutions nationally and around the world.

The development of leadership potential and humanity are goals to which we all aspire. I hope you will share our sense of this energy and drive.

Gus Lock
Executive Principal

About Haberdashers Elstree Schools

The Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools (Habs Girls and Habs Boys) are part of the Haberdashers’ Company and, as such, form part of a wider family of schools in both the independent and state sectors across England and Wales. Between them, these schools operate across the grammar, academy and independent sectors, educating children at primary, prep and secondary ages, with both boarding and day provision. There is active sharing of best practices at multiple levels between all four main ‘hubs’. The Company is a recognised voice on the national educational stage. More directly, the Haberdashers’ Company is highly engaged in the work of the Elstree Schools in various ways, including deputations, providing Governors, charitable funding, and cross-hub events in music, sport and other co-curricular activities. Ongoing work aims to deliver “The Haberdashers’ Advantage programme”, leveraging the extensive Haberdashers’ community across all the schools to benefit students with mentoring, admissions advice, charitable support, character development opportunities and cross-hub experiences.

Today the Schools educates approximately 1,250 girls and 1,450 boys from the age of 4 to 18, including over 500 in the Sixth Form. Admission to the Schools is through competitive selective assessment. In 2022, both schools were rated “Excellent” in all areas by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

The schools occupy a superb 100 acres of green belt countryside, all within easy reach of North London. There has been an extensive, ongoing programme of development since the schools moved to the present site in 1961 and 1974 respectively, including state-of-the-art teaching facilities, sports facilities, performance spaces and Forest School for our youngest students. The schools operate an extensive coach network for use by students and staff, ranging from Harpenden in the north, St John’s Wood in the south, Hertford in the east and Rickmansworth in the west.

One of the distinctive features of the schools is their co-location, offering a unique learning experience – single-sex education for students whilst reaping the benefits of collaboration and joint activities. In the Sixth Form, the schools run The Habs Diploma, a joint enrichment programme to supplement the curriculum. In September 2022, Habs Nexus was introduced, providing co-educational teaching across the subject range at A Level: every student undertakes at least one subject in a co-educational class.

The schools’ outstanding results at all levels reflect the hard work and commitment of their students and the staff who support them. The majority of students go on to study at leading universities and medical schools, including Oxbridge and Ivy League universities in the USA each year. However, education at Habs is about more than just academic success. The students are bright, articulate, open, interested and extremely rewarding to teach. They have a great sense of humour and are both highly motivated and well-mannered.

Pastoral care is exceptional, designed to help students make decisions and care about others within the framework of a very diverse community. A programme of PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education lessons) covers important issues of self-development and allows pupils to reflect on their responsibilities to each other and the wider community. Cocurricular activities abound, with many pupils assuming responsibility for the running and organisation of events and societies. Music, drama and sport are strong, as are Model United Nations, the European Youth Parliament and debating. There is also a thriving Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and Joint CCF, along with a strong and active Community Service programme. The students regularly reach the finals of national competitions, such as Olympiads, robotics, chess, bridge and debating. There is also a remarkable commitment to partnership and charity work, reflecting the rich and harmonious ethnic and religious diversity of the school. A Church of England School by tradition, other religious communities flourish with voluntary assemblies for the many different faith groups represented in the school.

The teaching staff members are united by a caring approach, passion for their subjects and the aspiration to be dynamic, modern and reflective practitioners. The schools fully support the continuing professional development of their staff. Alongside external INSET courses, a full and varied in-house programme is offered. A well-established performance-related pay programme is closely linked to the professional development programme. The schools support staff in gaining relevant qualifications such as ISQAM, QTS, PhD, as resources allow. In recent years the schools have successfully launched their own, bespoke Graduate Teacher Training Programme and become the North London Hub for the National Modern Languages SCITT.

The schools award several scholarships on entry, but the majority of funding goes into providing bursaries for cases of financial need. A highly successful joint Development Foundation exists to broaden participation in the school’s life and encourage philanthropic giving.

For more detailed information about the schools and their history, you can visit the school websites: www.habsboys.org.uk and www.habsgirls.org.uk.

Our shared mission and purpose

Our Purpose: To empower young people to make a profound impact in the world.
Vision: To be at the forefront of British education.
Mission: Two leading schools on one coeducational campus for highly ambitious and curious students; offering the best education that is fun, exciting, and intellectually challenging; developing their independence, resilience, and moral compass to create positive change.

Our values

Our strategy

Our Strategy 2020-2030 by Haberdashers’ Elstree School

The role

Director of Innovation (AQ2125)

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The Director of Innovation will take the lead in commissioning, initiating and supporting a wide range of projects designed to promote the development of world-class teaching and learning across both schools. They will be responsible for developing and running a Habs Elstree Innovation Centre and effectively managing projects under its care. They will report directly to the Executive Principal and be a member of the Executive Committee across the two schools, playing an important role in the development and delivery of the joint schools’ strategy. In addition to maintaining close working relationships with the Heads and Academic Deputies in both schools, they will forge strong connections with our local partner schools, other Haberdashers’ Schools and beyond, to link the work at Elstree with the most exciting developments in education globally.

They will have the opportunity to build a team to take ownership of individual projects within the overall area of innovation.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of this post are likely to include, but are not restricted to:

Strategic Leadership

To lead and shape a vision for innovation in education across both schools and beyond.
As part of the Executive Committee, to develop, support and oversee the joint schools’ strategy.
To work with the academic leadership in both schools to deliver meaningful change that positions Habs at the forefront of British education.
To support the Joint Schools’ Executive team in staying updated with the latest development in teaching, learning and assessment.

A Culture of Research and Development

To foster a culture of curiosity, courageous exploration and ambitious innovation across the Elstree community and within the Haberdashers’ family of schools and beyond, inspiring teaching staff to engage with research and innovation.
To conduct literature reviews to support our work in education development, synthesising high-quality research for teachers to access.
To identify potential areas for pedagogical research within the schools, building a clear research evidence base.
To cultivate a collaborative culture across the two schools and beyond, sharing best practices and creating learning opportunities.
To organise major events for the promotion, celebration and dissemination of findings from all projects.

Innovation Projects

To curate a suite of major projects to run through the centre, all designed to enhance the futures of students across the Haberdashers’ family of schools. These are likely to include: digital educational strategy; teacher training programmes; options for the future Sixth Form curriculum, including the Habs Diploma; delivery and assessment of character development and life skills education.
To provide strategic oversight of the Digital Strategy project team, developing research groups across the Elstree campus and with other Haberdasher Schools.
To oversee teams delivering projects through the centre and provide a clear strategic structure for the work of the various project teams.
To promote cultural diversity, international perspectives and a broad understanding of the world so that staff are aware of different approaches and perspectives to education.
To develop an impact evaluation strategy for our major projects and to report regularly to the Executive Committee and Governors.

Habs Elstree Innovation Centre

To oversee the development and creation of the new Innovation Centre, ensuring it is fully equipped and appropriately future-proofed.
To promote the work of the Innovation Centre as a beacon of excellence on a national and international level.
To work closely with the Director of Partnerships in maximising the use of the Centre for staff training and Partnership teaching development.
To establish robust connections with educational research centres at other schools and research departments at universities worldwide.
To work collaboratively and meaningfully engage with the Haberdashers’ Company on its cross-Hub support programmes and co-curricular activities.
To identify best practices across the Haberdashers’ Family of Schools, the UK education system and worldwide and disseminate findings throughout the Elstree Schools and beyond.
To create a full programme of large-scale educational conferences, webinars and workshops hosted online and at the Elstree Campus.
To set and manage budgets for the Centre and innovation projects as appropriate.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the successful candidate will be expected to lead by example, demonstrating the schools’ values in all that they do. They will also teach a portion of a timetable (no specific subject specialism is sought), contribute to and support our vibrant co-curricular programme.

About you

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

An outstanding academic record, with a relevant degree.
Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is desirable but not essential.
Track record in educational leadership.
A record of continuous professional development.

Skills

Excellent communication and listening skills.
Powers of diplomacy and persuasion.
The ability to think strategically and contribute towards the schools’ development.
Strong organisational and administrative skills with a keen eye for detail.
Experience and use technology within education, with a curiosity for exploring further developments including the impact of AI on the educational landscape.
Proficiency in using IT systems.
High professional standards.

Knowledge and Experience

A track record of outstanding leadership and management in large, high-achieving, academically focused schools.
A proven track record and commitment to achieving the highest academic standards.
A holistic view of education that encompasses academic, pastoral and co-curricular elements.
Leadership of strategic planning and change management; ideally, experience in implementing new initiatives and new management structures as a senior leader.
Significant evidence of appropriate continuing professional development and knowledge of current education policy and trends.
An understanding of the future challenges facing the independent sector, an understanding of the wider educational and social landscape in which young people are growing up, and the role schools play in developing appropriate skills and capabilities for the future.
International experience or demonstrated international perspectives on education and society.
Experience in evaluating the outcomes of strategic processes.
A willingness to embrace those communities linked to the Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools and the wider community of the Haberdashers’ Company.

Personal Qualities

Natural leadership qualities, combining humility with a sense of credibility and presence.
A commitment to educational excellence, ambitious for themselves and the Schools.
The ability to think strategically, plan appropriately, and monitor the execution of change programmes whilst having a focus on operational delivery and day-to-day performance.
Innovative and intellectually curious, eager to explore new areas of research.
Capacity for hard work and handling stressful situations with energy, enthusiasm and a positive outlook.
The ability to motivate, inspire, empower others, and develop and sustain relationships.
The wisdom, ability and commitment to resolve complex problems, demonstrating good judgement in difficult and ambiguous situations.
The judgement to know when and what to delegate.
Capacity to initiate and manage change with flair and creativity.
A self-starter who can deal with some level of ambiguity.
Experience of working in a complex structure involving a strong Governing Body/Trustees and collaboration between affiliated entities.
The presence and confidence to be able to work effectively and comfortably with the Executive Principal, the Heads of the schools and their Senior Leadership Teams, the COO and his staff, the Board of Governors, and with the Haberdashers’ Company as trustee of the charity of which the School is a part.
A strong moral compass and a commitment to promoting the pastoral and spiritual welfare of all pupils, within the context of a thriving multi-cultural community.
Values diversity and inclusion of all as a defining personal characteristic.
A thorough understanding of senior leaders’ responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and a clear commitment to delivering best practices in the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

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Salary and Benefits

The schools offer their own generous salary scale. The salary for the successful candidate will depend on their qualifications and experience and will be discussed at the interview.

Currently, the schools offer a wide range of benefits to teaching staff, including:

A strong commitment to professional development, with a substantial budget for whole-school training and individual courses. Support is provided for sabbaticals, post-graduate degrees, and other relevant qualifications.
Membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS).
Group Life Assurance (4 x salary).
Fee Remission of 50% for each eligible child at the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools who is offered a place.
Reimbursement of relocation expenses.
Free sports clothing for those participating in games.
Free lunches, other meals, and refreshments.
Free parking on the School campus.
Free coach travel on the service provided by the School (subject to availability).
Free use of a laptop computer or tablet device.
Tax-free bicycles for work through the Cycle to Work Scheme.
Free use of the state-of-the-art Medburn Centre, including a fitness suite, swimming pool, and squash courts.

Safeguarding

Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS record check.

The Habs Safeguarding policy

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to public advertisements.

The closing date for applications is noon, Monday 18 September 2023.

Applications should include:

A completed application form and career overview or CV.
A cover letter outlining how you meet the “What will you bring to the role?” criteria of the person specification, including your experience of leading innovation in education.

Please include details of two referees in either your CV or cover letter. Note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent, and only should you be successful in the recruitment process.

If you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, please contact Hayley Mintern.

The recruitment timetable is set out below. Please inform Anderson Quigley if any dates are problematic, we will do our best to accommodate flexibility.

Closing Date: Monday 18 September

Preliminary Interviews: 18 – 22 September

Informal Sessions with Habs for the shortlisted candidates: Late September

Panel Interviews: Monday 9 October

Appointment of the Director of Innovation