Job Description

Head of Education

Responsible to: Chief Executive

Salary Scale: £44,223-£47,085 (HT/DHT 1-3)

Working Hours:35 hours per week

Location: Required to work at both the education and care campus. The post holder will be expected to travel to meet the demands and exigencies of the post.

Purpose of Post:

To assist the Chief Executive and the Trustees in the overall management of Seamab. To lead the development and delivery of Seamab’s Curriculum for Excellence. To work with the Head of Care and Learning Coordinator to develop and deliver creative learning opportunities for children in the care service. To work as part of the multi-disciplinary senior management team, contributing to the development of current and new services. To represent Seamab with external stakeholders to the highest professional standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:

As part of the senior management team, has a responsibility to work to achieve the vision for children at Seamab, aligned with the stated values and commitment. This includes promoting and implementing Seamab’s philosophy of learning and caring. They have a duty of care to the children and a responsibility for promoting best practice including safe care.

Responsibility for leadership and management of the curriculum and learning and teaching.

To meet these duties and responsibilities s/he is required to have a flexible working approach including occasional evening and weekend work.

Responsibilities in relation to children include:

  • providing a warm, nurturing service and engaging and working with children;
  • working with the senior management team to manage referrals and placements for children, including sustaining high levels of occupancy;
  • ensuring that children have individual assessments and education plans, which are fully implemented and reviewed in line with policy and practice;
  • promoting the participation of children in their education and in development of the education service;
  • responding to crisis and concerns including any child protection issues appropriately; and
  • ensuring that children in Seamab have access to high quality learning experiences.

Responsibilities in relation to learning and teaching include:

  • developing and delivering an appropriate and accessible curriculum;
  • ensuring that the curriculum reflects the design principles of challenge and enjoyment, breadth, progression, depth, personalisation and choice, coherence and relevance;
  • ensure the curriculum is relevant to the children at Seamab by developing active learning, the use of new technologies, outdoor classrooms, forest schools and appropriate innovative approaches;
  • lead and manage with the learning co-ordinator the contribution of visiting specialists to the curriculum;
  • lead and manage flexible and well planned learning experiences including the school timetable;
  • lead opportunities for children to make positive choices which support their achievement and attainment;
  • ensure children have personalised and rich learning experiences which meet their individual needs.

Responsibilities in relation to staffing include:

  • the management, supervision and appraisal of teachers, including meeting the requirements of professional update;
  • the management and supervision of the speech and language therapist and occupational therapist;
  • leading and managing team meetings and team development;
  • being part of Seamab’s Senior on Call Rota as required;
  • working with the senior management team to develop and deliver the Seamab whole team training programme;
  • developing and implementing positive and effective teamwork and multidisciplinary practice across Seamab;
  • managing the recruitment of staff; and
  • managing disciplinary, capability, grievance and absence issues as required.

Responsibilities in relation to quality assurance and improvement include:

  • implementing Seamab’s quality assurance and improvement framework;
  • monitoring the quality of services, including completion of regular analytical monitoring and review reports;
  • completing investigations and reports of any complaints;
  • developing and providing management information and reports to the senior management team and the Trustees;
  • leading and managing self-evaluation in the education team;
  • developing existing and new services in the context of national developments, policy and research;
  • completing annual reports on the education service for internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities in relation to the senior management team include:

  • contributing to the development and implementation of strategy and implementingoperational developments in the education service;
  • as a member of the senior management team, managing delegated budgets, contributing to budget reviews and other aspects of financial management;
  • contribute to the development of fundraising, funding applications and promotion of Seamab to funders;
  • ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation and guidance and responding appropriately to any issues;
  • developing and drafting policy and practice guidance as needed;
  • attending senior management team meetings and contributing to discussion and decision making;
  • working effectively with the senior management team, particularly in areas of multi-disciplinary working;
  • contributing to the development of new services, including planning, implementation and delivery; and
  • providing information and written reports to the senior management team, Trustees and other bodies as required.

Responsibilities in relation to working relationships:

  • promoting positive working relationships across Seamab, particularly as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
  • communicating effectively with all staff in Seamab in relation to policy and practice;
  • effectively representing Seamab with external stakeholders; and
  • contributing to the implementation of the external relationships strategy.

S/he will also be responsible for other duties as they are delegated by the Chief Executive or Trustees.

Equality and diversity

The postholder will promote and monitor equality and diversity policy and practice in all areas of work.

Other duties

To undertake any other duties which may reasonably be regarded as within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the post.

Page 1 of 3