Deputy Head in London

The post holder will be part of the Gloucester House multidisciplinary team and lead the school part of the service alongside the Headteacher. The Deputy Headteacher will be operationally responsible to the Headteacher. Gloucester House is led by a clinical Head of Service.

The Deputy Headteacher works in collaboration with the Headteacher and The Head of Service leading the organisation and management of day to day issues to ensure the effective, efficient and safe delivery of services at Gloucester House. The Deputy Headteacher contributes to the leadership, management and strategic direction of Gloucester House and the staff team therein. This role will work closely with the Headteacher and Leadership team to ensure high quality education for all its pupils with the overall therapeutic integrated approach within Gloucester House.

The Deputy Headteacher will contribute to the development and delivery of the educational component of an integrated educational and CAMHS provision for children and young people between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 3. The Deputy Headteacher will support the Headteacher in the co-ordination of the educational aims and provision of good quality learning, teaching and standards for children at Gloucester House.

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible, alongside the Head of Service and Headteacher, for day to day management of staff, pupils, visitors and overall health & safety in the wider context of Gloucester House and Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust Policies and Procedures.
• To lead (alongside the SLT) in the monitoring, evaluation and review of development planning documents, health & safety and risk assessments.
• Ensure Health and Safety procedures are adhered to for all children and staff at Gloucester House including off site visits.
• To Lead and work alongside others using Team Teach as part of Health & Safety and Care and Control Policies at Gloucester House.
• To contribute to ensuring coherent assessment, recording & reporting systems alongside clinical colleagues in the wider context of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust Policies and Procedures.
• To deliver effective operational management of Gloucester House alongside other SLT members.
• To contribute to our commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity within the staff team and within the children and families.
• To contribute to the Senior Leadership Team, and strategic work at Gloucester House, analysing and planning for its future needs and developments within a local, national and international context.

About us

Gloucester House forms part of the Tavistock Clinic and is managed by the North London NHS Foundation Trust. It is a specialist school and CAMHS team which provides education and clinical services for up to 21 pupils aged 5-14 years who have social, emotional and mental health needs, often alongside other learning difficulties such as specific language or literacy difficulties and sometimes more general learning difficulties. Many of our pupils are neurodiverse.

Baseline records show that all pupils are underachieving when they start at Gloucester House. Many of the pupils who attend are from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, some of whom have experienced trauma or other adverse experiences in their early lives. The pupils come from both inner and outer London boroughs. Gloucester House aims to provide a safe and nurturing environment through an effectively integrated educational and therapeutic approach to promote the holistic development of the children and young people.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: DFE recognised qualified teacher, Evidence of recent relevant Continuing Professional Development, NPQH and/or other postgraduate leadership qualification or equivalent experience.
• Desirable: Have gained appropriate advanced or further professional qualifications or have carried out research/study in a relevant area.

Experience

• Essential: Recent successful teaching experience at primary level and/or early secondary, Recent management and leadership experience in either a Primary or Special Education, Successful experience in some aspect of special educational provision for children who have been affected by social, emotional, mental health and behavioural difficulties, Experience and ability to co-ordinate and convene a range of meetings internally and externally, Successful management of school self-evaluation, development planning and the OFSTED process.
• Desirable: Experience and proven record of management at a middle level in a multi-professional setting, Working with & engaging the involvement of external partners, Experience and ability to work closely with parents and carers in an integrated therapeutic and educational setting.

Skills

• Essential: Ability to manage a complex workload, which includes monitoring and planning for the pupils' range of needs, Ability to develop others potential whilst developing accountability in a sensitive way, Successful management through monitoring and evaluation, Mature ability to communicate effectively and authoritatively, Understanding of, sympathy with and commitment to, therapeutic treatment and processes in education.

Knowledge

• Essential: Knowledge of safeguarding children and young people procedures, Knowledge of how to implement strategies for school improvement, Understanding of good teaching practice in primary years and the conditions required to raise levels of achievement, Cultural sensitivity, demonstrate equality, diversity and inclusion awareness.
• Desirable: Well-grounded knowledge of child development and special needs issues and recognition of their relevance and application in a special educational environment.

Personal Attributes

• Essential: Self-aware, self-motivated and reflective, Proactive, positive, and enthusiastic attitude.

Other

• Essential: Keyboard / IMT skills.