Overview 

We are looking to appoint a visionary and outstanding leader to shape and develop the academic life of our school while making a significant contribution to our vibrant community. This presents an exciting opportunity to help to shape the future development of a truly unique school. The St James Schools are a world leader in holistic and mindful education. 

At St James, we take pride in providing a caring atmosphere for students of all abilities to thrive. Many of our students go on to attend prestigious universities. We also strive to keep our class sizes low in a bid to provide the support structure many students require.  

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Deputy Head will be a qualified, committed and inspiring teacher who is prepared to lead and drive the academic vision of the school. This role includes a teaching component, requiring the delivery of their specialist subject to all year groups within the school. In addition to enthusiasm for academic endeavour the successful candidate will be able to: 

• Implement the school’s agreed policies. 
• Effectively coordinate cover for any staff that are absent. 
• Monitor standards of teaching and learning within departments to ensure the highest quality of academic provision and learning for all pupils. 
• Cultivate and develop departmental self-review, to ensure excellent progress in standards of teaching and learning. 
• Keep up to date with educational reform and policy by ensuring an awareness of education initiatives and their usefulness. 
• Inform and liaise with the Head and where necessary present information regarding new developments to staff and Heads of Departments. 
• Help lead and attend all staff meetings, Head of Department meetings, Senior Leadership/ Management team meetings and Summit Review meetings. 
• Oversee the formulation of school and departmental development plans (reviews and updates). 
• Chair Curriculum Development meetings and discuss any proposals resulting from these meetings with the Head. 
• Update the curriculum policy annually. 
• Promote the general care of the school by demonstrating awareness of what is needed and responding as necessary. 
• Take assembly in the absence of the Head, shared with the Assistant Heads. 
• Teach a 0.4 timetable in their specialist subject. 
• Support effective communication by forwarding minutes and conclusions of meetings and any other documentation or memos to relevant staff. 
• Be responsible for monitoring whole school academic improvement. 
• Be responsible for the development of assessment, recording, reporting and target setting, including updating the Assessment Policy. 
• Be responsible for baseline-testing, liaising with Data Manager; this includes value added data.
• Monitor standards of teaching and learning within departments, and to ensure that schemes of work and department handbooks are updated by Heads of Department. 
• Plan and implement initiatives for the development of teaching and learning. 
• Work with the Head of Computing and Digital Strategy to develop the IT provision. 
• Formally meet HoDs on a regular basis to monitor standards within departments. 
• Implement an ongoing programme of observation to ensure high standards of teaching and learning and to promote the sharing of best practice. 
• Ensure that the academic needs of individual pupils referred by Form Teachers or Heads of Departments are met. To then develop a plan of action for a particular pupil. 
• Review and update the Homework Policy. 
• Review the timetable, in conjunction with the Timetable Coordinator, in order to ensure that it enables the best quality teaching and learning to take place. 
• Review academic staff requirements with the Timetable Coordinator and Head. 
• Organise and/or deliver INSETs of an academic nature for staff where relevant. 
• Attend INSET training and external courses to ensure continuing professional development. 
• Line manage Heads of Department. Promote
• development and training opportunities for all departments. 
• Take an appropriate part in the school’s appraisal process. 
• Line manager the Timetable Coordinator. 
• Show initiative in accepting responsibility including contribution to the evolving schemes of work. 
• Monitor and record students’ progress in accordance with departmental and school policies. 
• Be responsible for the implementation of the Academic Enrichment and High Potential Learners Policy; keeping an oversight of the work and progress of pupils. 
• Make themselves available to assist students outside of lesson time and be willing to contribute to academic enrichment programmes etc. 
• Review and analyse own teaching performance, working closely with the other members of the department. 
• Evaluate results in public examinations and feed back to the Head. 
• Be involved in and organise extra-curricular or after school activities. 
• Ensure effective teaching, professional vision and knowledge. 
• Manage other teaching staff as and when appropriate. 
• Line manage the Exams Officer and take responsibility for the provision of candidates taking public exams. 

You may also be required to undertake such other comparable duties as the Head requires from time to time. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful applicant will have the following qualifications/attributes: 

• A relevant degree. 
• QTS or PGCE or equivalent. 
• Ability to teach specialist subject to A-Level standard and also cater for competitive courses. 
• Evidence of excellent public examination results. 
• Ability to communicate an infectious enthusiasm for the subject. 
• Ability to articulate and effectively communicate an academic vision for the whole school. 
• Ability to oversee the design, delivery and assessment of effective schemes of work, including overseeing the creation of relevant teaching and assessment resources. 
• Excellent understanding of public examination syllabi and assessment objectives. 
• Ability to use and promote a variety of teaching and learning styles and reach students of all abilities. 
• Commitment to teaching and learning and a willingness to embrace innovation. 
• Ability to work as part of a team and lead and manage colleagues. 
• Positive working relationships with colleagues, parents and pupils. 
• Ability to form and maintain appropriate boundaries with children and young people. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.  
• Excellent in the use of IT.
• Excellent organisational skills and a desire to extend teaching and learning beyond the classroom. 
• Ability to take responsibility and show initiative. 
• Effective time management skills. 
• Excellent health and attendance record. 
• Commitment to the school ethos and the whole school initiatives.