Vice Principal - Pastoral in Ilford

The Lowry Academy ensures that every student is well educated, has the opportunity to reach their potential and is able to lead a happy and fulfilled life. Alongside a rigorous academic education, we prioritise students’ personal and social development so that they have the skills and attributes they need to open doors to the best universities, training opportunities and career pathways.

The Lowry Academy is part of United Learning, a large, and growing, group of schools aiming to offer a life-changing education to children and young people across England. United Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All positions are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online check.

Purpose of Post

To strategically lead on students’ behaviour, attitudes, and safeguarding. This role as a Vice Principal – Pastoral is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with the vision, experience and energy to shape a forward-thinking approach to strategically lead on students’ behaviour and attitudes. We have ambitious plans for the future of Lowry Academy and exceptional pastoral care is at the centre of this. Our intention is to build upon the strong foundations that are already in place to create a learning environment in which the wellbeing of our students underpins everything we do.

Responsibilities

• The post holder will report directly to the Principal and will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team working alongside the other Vice Principal and a team of Assistant Vice Principals.
• To demonstrate how you plan to bring about change and improvement over time, moving towards an agreed vision with clear success criteria and outcomes.
• To monitor and evaluate standards against the most recent OFSTED report and update the school’s self-evaluation relating to safety, behaviour, and attitudes.
• To lead and evaluate the work of the Assistant Principal – Attendance & Pupil Premium and the Whole School Behaviour Lead.
• To develop ways of supporting students in self-managing their own behaviour more effectively.
• To quality assure behaviour and attitudes throughout the school, identifying concerns, implementing appropriate strategies to address these, and evaluating their impact.
• To meet all legal requirements in relation to student behaviour.
• To implement the school’s Behaviour Policy consistently, accurately, and fairly.
• To review the effectiveness of the school’s Behaviour Policy regularly.
• To improve and sustain good rates of attendance across the school and all student groups.
• To be responsible for students requiring additional academic provision and intervention.
• To liaise with any providers of alternative provision.
• To represent the school at Behaviour and Attendance Partnership meetings and follow through actions which arise from this.
• To liaise with other senior leaders regarding managed moves/supported transfers to other schools.
• To lead on all admissions matters.
• To produce robust analysis on the impact of intervention.
• To prepare reports for the Principal, Senior Leadership Team and Governors relating to areas of leadership.
• To develop further partnerships with parents and liaise with other stakeholders in the community, those working to support the school and the Local Authority.
• To support the organisation of Parents’ Evenings raising awareness and improving attendance at Parents’ Evenings.
• To lead staff professional development and INSET related to students’ behaviour and attitudes.
• To liaise and meet outside agencies relevant to improving aspirations within the school.
• To lead assemblies which promote and focus on achievement through positive behaviour to school and their studies.
• To promote the school in the local and wider community.
• To be responsible for a delegated budget in relation to students’ behaviour and attitudes.
• Have a high, visible presence around the school.
• To undertake other duties and relevant tasks which may occasionally be required.

Roles and Essential Characteristics

• As strategic managers with whole-school responsibilities, Leadership Group members share the following roles including a contract which goes beyond the 1265 hours working time applicable to teachers.
• To support the Principal in transforming leadership at all levels of the organisation.
• To lead on aspects of school improvement and development planning.
• To work with all SLT in promoting the school’s vision and aims, developing and implementing policy, and monitoring and evaluating progress.
• To have major line management responsibilities, oversight of the work of other colleagues, and direct responsibility for specific objectives in the School Improvement Plan including carrying out Performance Management reviews.
• With the Principal, build leadership capacity within the senior and middle leadership teams and provide opportunities for them to flourish.
• To demonstrate commitment to raising student attainment and staff expectations in every aspect of school life, in particular to monitor and create an achievement culture to raise levels of achievement and attainment.
• To be a role model to all staff and students demonstrating positive leadership behaviours, confidentiality and discretion and demonstrate a commitment to teamwork and collegiality.
• To be highly visible: reinforcing standards of student and staff behaviour and the school’s core values and ethos (including supervision, duties and assemblies).
• To be a line manager who is approachable and who develops others by supporting and challenging them to be the best they can be, including through meeting formally regularly (at least once per fortnight) and sharing the record of those meetings with the Middle Leader and the Principal.
• To take the initiative and be accountable for your decisions and your areas of your responsibility and for those you line manage.
• To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of aspects of achievement and attainment of all groups of students and to develop strategic action plans that have measurable impact.
• To lead on aspects of school self-evaluation and preparation for inspection.
• To be an effective classroom practitioner undertaking an appropriate teaching load (performance should meet or exceed Threshold standards).
• Being of exemplary professional conduct and a role model for all staff and students: offering leadership, direction and support based upon effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• To present the school to parents and the community in a positive light in order to enhance its positive image.
• To report regularly to appropriate Governing Body committees and/or the full Governing Body on specific aspects of the School Improvement Plan.

Please note that this post will be developed to fit the skills of the successful candidate. It should be noted that the area of responsibility as Vice Principal – Pastoral is subject to change, according to the academy’s needs and the direction of the Principal.

The information contained above is to help staff understand and appreciate the work content of their post and role they are to play on the organisation. However, it should be noted that whilst every effort has been made to outline all the duties and responsibilities of a post, a document such as this does not permit every item to be specified in detail. Broad headings may therefore have been used: in which case all the usual associated duties are included in this job description.

Please note that this list of duties is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the Vice Principal will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role. This job description will be reviewed as and when necessary, in accordance with the needs of the academy.