Vice Principal in Belfast

Overview

The successful candidate will work within the agreed Terms and Conditions of Service for Vice-Principals. The Vice-Principal will be required to deputise for the Principal when necessary and take an active part in all aspects of school life. In addition to a full-time teaching commitment and membership of the School Leadership Team, the Vice-Principal's duties will include:

• Leading learning through example by high standards of teaching and learning.
• Assisting the Principal in all areas of leading learning and teaching, school administration, management and organisation.
• Assisting the Principal in leading School Development Planning, School Evaluation, Self-Evaluations and Staff Development (INSET).
• Curriculum Co-ordination including overseeing the development and delivery of the curriculum across the Key Stages.
• Assisting the Principal in co-ordinating curriculum development including planning, benchmarking, target setting, PRSD monitoring the quality of provision within the school.
• Assessment coordinator for the school.
• Assisting the Principal in the promotion of positive behaviour and assertive discipline.
• Chair of the Safeguarding Team Designated Teacher and ensure that children have the best opportunity to reach their potential.
• Assisting the Principal with financial administration including budget planning and projections, allocations and monitoring spend and reconciliations.
• Responsibility for timetables and rotas.
• Maintaining, developing and promoting formal and informal links with parents including membership of the school PTFA committee.
• Assist the Principal in organising major school events.
• Responsibility for extra-curricular activities.
• Undertaking such other duties as the Principal may require.

This job description may be amended at any time after discussion with the Principal. A successful candidate will be able to demonstrate relevant experience, knowledge and skills associated with the following key areas:

• Shaping the Future: Keep abreast of and anticipate educational trends; Think strategically to build and communicate a shared coherent vision; Create an ethos and provide direction which promotes a culture of high expectation, successful learning and achievement; Inspire, challenge, motivate and empower others to carry the vision and ethos forward; Model the values and ethos of the school.
• Leading and Managing Staff: Provide high quality leadership to secure improvement; Collaborate and network with others within and beyond the school; Foster a culture of shared/distributed leadership; Develop, empower and sustain individuals and teams; Support the development of an open, fair, equitable culture and manage conflict effectively; Support and challenge performance in order to raise standards; Work with others to lead professional development for all staff within the context of the school's development plan in order to support effective teaching and learning.
• Leading Learning and Teaching: Cultivate enthusiasm for and commitment to the learning process; Lead and manage the development of an effective learning and teaching culture; Lead and manage the self-evaluation process; work with staff and others to analyse a range of data, interpret outcomes and plan for improvement; Ensure effective implementation of the NI Curriculum, share good practice and work with others to challenge and address pupil under-achievement.
• Developing the School in the Community: Lead and manage the development and promotion of a positive image of the school within the local community and beyond; Develop and maintain strong and effective relationships with parents and the local and wider community; Ensure effective channels of communication are in place between the school and the local and wider community; Listen to, reflect and act on community feedback; Recognise and lead others to ensure that strategic planning takes account of the richness and diversity of the school's communities and community feedback; Work closely with other relevant statutory and voluntary agencies to enhance the education of all pupils.
• Managing the Organisation: Prioritise, plan and organise themselves and others; Think creatively to anticipate and solve problems; Make sound decisions based on a range of informed judgments; Establish and maintain appropriate structures and systems; Lead and manage the development and implementation of the School Development Plan; Delegate tasks and monitor their implementation; Manage resources efficiently and effectively: human, physical and financial.
• Ensuring Accountability: Create and develop a culture in which all Governors and staff recognise that they are accountable for the success of the school; Combine the outcomes of regular self-evaluation, ETI inspection evidence and other external evaluations in order to develop the school; Lead and manage the process of monitoring and evaluating effectively school outcomes, policies and procedures; Work with the leadership team and others to recognise and disseminate effective practice and challenge and address unacceptable performance; Work closely with and provide effective reports to Governors on the school's progress and development.

The conditions of service for this post will be in accordance with the Regulations of the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works.