Vice Principal in Londonderry

PROFESSIONAL DUTIES OF A VICE-PRINCIPAL

A person appointed Vice Principal in a school, in addition to carrying out the professional duties of a teacher, shall play a major role under the overall direction of the principal in:

• formulating the aims and objectives of the school;
• establishing the policies through which they will be achieved;
• managing staff and resources to that end;
• monitoring progress towards their achievement;
• undertaking any professional duties of the principal delegated to him/her by the principal;
• undertaking to the extent required by the principal or the relevant body or employing authority the professional duties of the principal in the event of his/her absence from the school;
• entitlement to a break of at least 30 minutes between the hours of 12 noon and 2pm.

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 and ensure that children have the best opportunity to reach their potential (with a particular interest in the Gifted/Talented).
• Act as line manager for classroom assistants.
• 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.
• Assisting with lunch time cover.
• Undertaking such other duties as the Principal may require.

This job description may be amended at any time after discussion with the Principal.

Professional Development and Leadership Attributes

• 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 place.