Assistant Headteacher & DSL

The Assistant Headteacher will support the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher in:

Communicating the schools vision compellingly and supporting the headteachers strategic leadership
The day-to-day management of the school
Formulating the aims and objectives of the school
Establishing policies for achieving these aims and objectives
Managing staff and resources to that end
Monitoring progress towards meeting the schools aims and objectives

The Assistant Headteacher will also have a timetabled teaching commitment complying with the Teachers Standards and modelling best practice for others. They may also be required to undertake any of the duties delegated by the Headteacher.

School culture and behaviour

Create a culture where pupils experience a positive and enriching school life
Uphold educational standards in order to prepare pupils from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life
Ensure a culture of staff professionalism
Encourage high standards of behaviour from pupils built on rules and routines that are understood by staff and pupils and clearly demonstrated by all adults in school
Use consistent and fair approaches to managing behaviour in line with the schools behaviour policy
Encourage high levels of pupil attendance and help to uphold a school culture of safety enjoyment and engagement with learning to support attendance

Teaching curriculum and assessment

Establish and sustain high-quality teaching across subjects and phases based on evidence
Ensure the teaching of a broad structured and coherent curriculum
Establish curriculum leadership including subject leaders with relevant expertise and access to professional networks and communities
Use valid reliable and proportionate approaches to assessing pupils knowledge and understanding of the curriculum
Ensure the use of evidence-informed approaches to reading so all pupils are taught to read.

Additional and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Promote a culture and practices that allow all pupils to access the curriculum
Have ambitious expectations for all pupils with SEND
Make sure the school works effectively with parents carers and professionals to identify additional needs and provide support and adaptation where appropriate
Make sure the school fulfils statutory duties regarding the SEND Code of Practice.

Organisational management and school improvement

Establish and oversee systems processes and policies so the school can operate effectively and efficiently
Ensure staff and pupils safety and welfare through effective approaches to safeguarding as part of duty of care
Ensure rigorous approaches to identifying managing and mitigating risk
Ensure effective use of budgets and resources
Identify problems and barriers to school effectiveness and develop strategies for school improvement that are realistic timely and suited to the schools context
Make sure school improvement strategies are effectively implemented

Staff management and professional development

Performance-manage designated staff including carrying out appraisals and holding staff to account for their performance
Manage staff well with due attention to workload
Ensure staff have access to appropriate high-quality professional development opportunities
Keep up to date with developments in education
Seek training and continuing professional development to meet their own needs

Governance accountability and working in partnership

Work with the governing board as appropriate

Work successfully with other schools and organisations
Maintain working relationships with fellow professionals and colleagues to improve educational outcomes for all pupils.

Other areas of responsibility:

Assistant headteachers may be required to lead on a particular area of school leadership as outlined below. This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to change:

Designated Safeguarding Lead

The assistant headteacher will:

Maintain and review annually the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for the school.
Be the key advisor to staff regarding safeguarding including online safety supporting in recognising and acting on concerns.
Keep detailed confidential records of all concerns decisions actions and referrals.
Monitor patterns in safeguarding referrals and risk indicators. Where required report trends and compliance to the School SLT the Education Director and Governors.
Lead safeguarding audits and school self-evaluation feeding into the schools action plan.
Manage safeguarding referrals appropriately to external stakeholders including: Childrens Social Care PREVENT and the Police.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with key staff from Childrens Social Care the Police CAMHs and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
Deliver record and monitor annual safeguarding training for all school staff including updates to key pieces of legislation such as Keeping Children Safe in Education.
Actively participate in Safeguarding strategy meetings and Child Protection conferences which are held locally and nationally.
Promote a school-wide trauma-informed emotionally safe environment especially tailored to SEMH learners.
Advise on behaviour interventions and attendance strategies.

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
Pastoral
Lead on the whole-school assessment strategy

Qualifications & Training:

Qualified teacher status essential requirement under SEND Code of Conduct if duties include SENCO responsibilities
Degree
Professional development in preparation for a leadership role
Additional qualifications in trauma informed practice behaviour management or therapeutic interventions
DSL and Safeguarding Level 3 trained and updated safeguarding training at least every two years essential for those undertaking DSL responsibilities

Experience:

Senior leadership experience or equivalent ideally with a background in safeguarding social work education leadership or SEMH contexts.
Experience managing inclusion behaviour or attendance in special education contexts.
Experience of working with or preparing for Ofsted or other inspection frameworks.
Teaching experience
Involvement in school self-evaluation and development planning
Line management experience
Demonstrable experience of successful line management and staff development
National Award for SEN Co-ordination or a willingness to complete it within 3 years of appointment essential requirement under the SEND Code of Practice

Skills & Knowledge:

Understanding of high-quality teaching and the ability to model this for others and support others to improve
Understanding of school finances
Thorough knowledge of statutory frameworks such as Keeping Children Safe in Education.
Effective communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to communicate a vision and inspire others