Principal - Re-advertisement

Essential Qualifications

• Hold a teaching qualification which meets the requirements for recognition to teach in grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland.

Experience

• Have a minimum of 7 years post-qualification teaching experience in primary education within the last 12 years;
• Currently hold or have held for a minimum of 4 years AND within the last 9 years:

• A post with experience of strategic leadership or coordination of a whole school area at a minimum level of Subject Co-ordinator/Head of Key Stage/SMT/SLT to include monitoring and evaluation resulting in measurable school improvement; and/or
• A post of Principal or Vice-Principal.

From Your Experience

• Demonstrate evidence of how your leadership has led to school improvement;
• Evidence of having held a leadership role in strategic planning and/or organisational management.

Preference may be given to those applicants who:

• Can demonstrate evidence of involvement in staff development within school/s;
• Have experience of financial and/or budgetary management within school/s.

Knowledge

• The Northern Ireland Primary Curriculum and current policies and procedures;
• Current educational developments and the ability to evaluate and respond to new educational challenges and manage change effectively;
• Effective classroom pedagogy and how to ensure high standards of teaching, learning and achievement throughout the school;
• Effective data management;
• Effective organisational management including the appropriate deployment of resources;
• Effective financial management;
• Sound financial governance.

Skills

• Lead, motivate, manage, challenge and enthuse others;
• Create an ethos and articulate vision for the future of the school;
• Develop good relationships at all levels and promote a collaborative and team approach among staff, pupils, parents and governors;
• Lead strategically and develop self and others in order to achieve outcomes;
• Promote, achieve, monitor and evaluate high standards of teaching, learning and achievement throughout the school;
• Develop effective partnerships between the school and the local community;
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing;
• Organise and prioritise workload effectively;
• Deal with staffing matters in accordance with EA policies and procedures;
• Manage time effectively.

Personal Qualities

• Vision;
• A sound value system;
• Enthusiasm and motivation;
• Assertiveness and confidence;
• A caring child-centred approach;
• Integrity;
• Advocacy and empathy;
• Discretion;
• An ability to cope under pressure;
• Tact and diplomacy;
• Decisiveness;
• Adaptability.

The Board of Governors reserves the right to enhance the essential criteria if necessary in order to facilitate a manageable shortlist. Applicants must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) upon taking up employment. Please note the onus is on candidates to provide sufficient detailed information on their application forms in order to demonstrate how they meet each of the criteria. Failure to do so may result in a candidate not being shortlisted since selection panels cannot make assumptions in the absence of essential information.

Disclosure of Criminal Background

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’. In the event that you are recommended for appointment to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage. Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.

Applicant Guidance

To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here. To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here. The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

This is a teaching Principal post and the school currently has a financial allocation to allow for Principal Release of 2 days per week, which may be increased to 3 days per week.

Professional Duties of a Principal

Teaching Principal responsibilities and relevant regulations: Teachers’ (Terms and Conditions of Employment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 Schedule 1 Regulation 4 General Functions. A Principal shall be required to carry out their professional duties in accordance with the school’s policy and objectives as determined by the employing authority and, in the case of a controlled school, the Board of Governors, and shall obey reasonable directions of the employing authority and, in the case of a controlled school, the Board of Governors. Subject to paragraph 1 the Principal shall be responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school. In carrying out duties the Principal shall consult, where appropriate, with the employing authority, the staff of the school and, in the case of a controlled school, the Board of Governors.

Professional Duties

• Formulating the overall aims and objectives of the school and policies for their implementation;
• Participating in the selection and appointment of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the school;
• Deploying and managing all teaching and non-teaching staff of the school and allocating duties in a manner consistent with their terms and conditions of employment, maintaining a reasonable balance;
• Maintaining relationships with organisations representing staff;
• Determining, organising and implementing an appropriate curriculum for the school;
• Keeping under review the work and organisation of the school;
• Evaluating the standards of teaching and learning in the school, and ensuring proper standards of professional performance are established and maintained;
• Providing information about the work and performance of staff where relevant to future employment;
• Participating in staff development and performance review; ensuring input for staff development needs under the employing authority policies;
• Ensuring staff have access to appropriate advice and training;
• Ensuring the progress of pupils is monitored and recorded;
• Determining and implementing a policy for pastoral care of pupils;
• Promoting discipline and good conduct in line with the employing authority policies;
• Providing information to parents about the curriculum and pupil progress;
• Promoting relationships with external bodies approved by the employing authority;
• Advising and assisting the Board of Governors and reporting as required;
• Liaising with the employing authority and reporting as required;
• Maintaining liaison with other schools and further education institutions;
• Allocating and accounting for financial and material resources under the principal’s control;
• Ensuring security and supervision of school buildings and contents, with timely reporting of maintenance needs;
• Participating in staff development and performance review for principals and identifying areas for further training;
• Arranging for a Vice-Principal or other suitable person to assume responsibilities in the principal’s absence;
• Participating, as appropriate, in teaching duties and providing cover as needed;
• Taking an approved break between 12 noon and 2:00 pm;
• Participating in Performance Review and Staff Development for Principals.

Management of Staff

In addition to the above, duties amended to include delegation considerations and ensuring staff receive necessary information to carry out their duties.

Training and Development of Staff

Ensuring newly-qualified teachers and those returning to teaching have access to adequate support in their first years of service, taking account of EA arrangements.

A successful candidate will be able to demonstrate relevant experience, knowledge and skills in the following key areas:

Shaping the Future

• Keep abreast of and anticipate educational trends;
• Think strategically to build and communicate a shared vision;
• Create an ethos and provide direction, which promotes high expectations, 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 an open, fair, equitable culture and manage conflict effectively;
• Support and challenge performance to raise standards;
• Lead professional development for all staff within the school development plan to support effective teaching and learning.

Leading Learning and Teaching

• Cultivate enthusiasm for learning;
• Lead and manage the development of an effective learning and teaching culture;
• Lead and manage self-evaluation, analyze data, interpret outcomes and plan for improvement;
• Ensure effective NI Curriculum implementation and address pupil under-achievement.

Developing the School in the Community

• Lead and promote a positive image of the school;
• Maintain strong relationships with parents and the community;
• Ensure effective communication with the community;
• Act on community feedback and engage with relevant agencies to support pupil education.

Managing the Organisation

• Prioritise, plan and organise themselves and others;
• Think creatively to solve problems;
• Make informed decisions;
• Establish and maintain structures and systems;
• Lead and manage the School Development Plan;
• Delegate tasks and monitor their implementation;
• Manage resources efficiently: human, physical and financial.

Ensuring Accountability

• Foster a culture of accountability for school success;
• Integrate self-evaluation, inspection evidence and external evaluations to develop the school;
• Monitor and evaluate school outcomes, policies and procedures;
• Report to Governors on progress and development.

Conditions of Service

The Conditions of Service for this post will be in accordance with the Regulations of the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. The job description may be reviewed to reflect changing circumstances and is not rigidly fixed. Other duties of a similar nature may be assigned. In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations and equality of opportunity and to pay due regard to equality legislation at all times.