Vice Principal

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Senior Leadership Team

Post:Vice Principal

Contract:Permanent, commencing September 2016

Reporting to:Principal

Working closely with:SLT, Governors, Registrar, Middle Leadership Team, all faculty teams.

Salary Starting salary between £50-58,000 dependant on experience

Hours:Majority of hours to be within school hours (8.15-6.15pm). There will be a requirement for involvement in some evenings, weekends, in school holiday periods and to be available periodically at weekends and holidays for ‘on call’ rota.

Attends Governing Body Artistic, Academic & Pastoral Committee, Health & Safety Committee & Full Board Meeting

Purpose of Job: / The prime responsibility of this post is to assist the Principal with day to day operational leadership and management of the whole school community. Central to this role is a whole school focus with main responsibility for the Academic, Boarding and Pastoral teams.
The leadership and management of the school at all levels are marked by a strong spirit of teamwork. Although thetasks and responsibilities outlined below define the particularities of the role, the Principal is keen to appoint a candidate with a commitment to collective leadership, astrong student-centred approach to their work, and the readiness to be flexible in discharging tasks andaccepting responsibility. The role may take on a particular emphasis depending on the strengths of the successful candidate.
About the school:Based in a new, purpose built, state of the art dance complex on the edge of Birmingham City centre, the new appointee will lead the school’s academic, health, wellbeing and boarding work. Working with a highly skilled team of teachers, pastoral staff and health professionals, this post presents a unique opportunity to work with up to 200 of the most gifted and talented young dancers from the UK and beyond.
The school was judged Excellent by ISI and Outstanding by Ofsted in 2015.
The successful candidate will combine their enthusiasm and interest in supporting students to achieve their very best in a vocational dance setting, with a strong and consistent approach to organisation, administration, leadership and management, which in turn will ensure Elmhurst continues to grow as a as a market leader in the field of dance training, education and student health and wellbeing services.
Elmhurst has strong leadership, clear vision and high aspirations for the future and the new Vice Principal must share these goals.
The school has close links with the world-renowned Birmingham Royal Ballet company.
Main Duties and Responsibilities: / Accountabilities:
The Vice Principal will deputise for the Principal in his/her absence, and be the key lead on day-to-day running of the school. The Vice Principal will be a key member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team and will be responsible to the Principal who is appointed by the Board of Governors to have executive responsibility for the whole school including dance, academic, boarding, health and wellbeing and administration.
Corporate Responsibilities:
Student Achievement and Well-Being is at the heart of all we do:
  • Whole school leadership by example: Setting the highest expectations for student achievement
  • Reinforcing daily routines and expectations of staff and students
  • Loyalty and confidentiality to the SLT
  • Commitment to team work and collegiality
  • Holding oneself and others to account in terms of student achievement: Follow up and follow through
Leadership:
Operational
  • Be responsible for the day to day leadership and management of the whole school.
  • Lead on contact with parents on whole school issues, or where issues arise across more than one faculty area.
  • Supporting the schools ethos ‘The Elmhurst Way’, including leading assemblies on a regular basis.
  • To achieve whole school Key Performance Measures and deadlines agreed with the Principal.
  • Provide support for Designated Senior Lead on child protection matters as appropriate.
Strategic
  • Delivering the whole school vision working in partnership with the Principal, SLT, Governors and key stakeholders.
  • Contribute to the writing of the Self Evaluation Form.
  • To lead on the design of the curriculum (pastoral & academic) to input into the whole school timetable for students and staff.
  • To lead the supported self-review for current and future practice.
  • To organise and lead appropriate whole school events.
  • Support the Principal in ensuring the school meets inspection requirements.
Oversight of Key School Functions:
Through line management relationships exercise oversight of:
  • The Academic team; including SEN and EAL
  • The Boarding team
  • The Health & Wellbeing Team which includes Medical, Physiotherapy, Nutrition & Psychology.
  • Student Attendance (whole school)
  • Strategy for whole school staff Induction & CPD.
Personnel and Staffing:
  • Develop an effective whole school staff induction & CPD programme.
  • Manage staff in line with the schools HR processes and practice including the review of performance and the culture and ethos of the ‘Elmhurst Way’.

Main Duties and Responsibilities: / Governance & Leadership Meetings:
  • Attend and report to all Board meetings (and subcommittee meetings), as required.
  • Support the school meeting cycle including; Senior & Middle Leadership meetings, Artistic, Academic & Boarding Faculty meetings, Health & Wellbeing meetings and Staff briefing.
Pastoral & Boarding:
  • To work with colleagues to enhance the students’ boarding experience.
  • To ensure that boarding provision meets and exceeds the national minimum boarding standards.
  • To help develop the school vision of becoming a world class centre for student health and wellbeing for young people in a vocational dance setting.
  • To identify and use the schools multi-agency resources to promote the wellbeing and progress of all pupils.
  • To ensure positive discipline approaches are embedded, consistent and developed across the whole school using SIMS/merits and consequences.
  • To further develop the strategy for Transition from Year 6 into 7, in year admissions and those students who leave the school to attend other schools.
  • To further develop pastoral services for Sixth Form students.
Teaching & Assessment for Learning:
  • To develop and sustain the existing excellent teaching practice to ensure that all students fulfil and exceed their full potential.
  • To develop a dynamic and creativecurriculum to engage all students.
  • To work with all teams to further develop outstanding classroom practice and reporting on progress to students and parents.
  • To be involved in regular teaching reviews to incorporate outstanding practice, opportunities for development and training.
  • To rigorously monitor subject provision, achievement and attainment.
  • To ensure that new technologies are embedded into Learning at Elmhurst.
Advocacy and Relationship Building:
  • Represent the school and act as a positive advocate for its work with all external agencies.
  • Build, develop and sustain positive working relationships with various organisations and individuals that will help to facilitate the realisation of the school’s mission and vision.
  • Lead on key relationships with Universities to support whole school and faculty level projects.
  • Liaise with Social Services where appropriate in support of the DSL.
  • Support the development of the relationship between Elmhurst and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Deputising for the Principal

  • To accept responsibility for: the discharge of the Principal’s properly delegated functions at any time when the Principal is away from the school providing leadership which supports, challenges and develops all staff within the ethos of the school.

Other duties

  • To undertake such other duties as the Principal may determine to ensure the continued mission, viability, and progress of the school
  • In common with other senior leaders and managers to support colleagues in student incident management, including being on call at evenings and weekends.

Administrative Support:

  • There will be administrative support for this post.

Elmhurst Management Network

  • Other leadership roles in the school support the work of the Principal and Vice Principal.
  • Current leadership roles include - Artistic Director, Director of Finance, Director of School Operations, Designated Safeguarding Lead / Head of Student Health and Wellbeing Services, Head of Learning, Head of Data and Assessment, Head of Senior School Pastoral Care, Head of Lower School Pastoral Care.

Teaching duties:

There will be some opportunity for classroom teaching in negotiation with the Principal, should this be deemed appropriate by the Principal and the preferred candidate.

In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, it is possible that there will be specific duties, tasks orresponsibilities which may from time to time be required in line with school development priorities. If so, they will be entirely by negotiation, andwill, it is hoped, be entirely manageable. The job description is non-contractual, which means thatshould the needs of the school change in the future, the Principal may require reasonable variationsconsistent with the job title.It is also intended that in future years the holder of this post will develop their portfolio ofresponsibilities in order to have the fullest and most rounded experience, as preparation for futurePrincipalship should that be their aspiration.

Key Performance Measures:

The Vice Principal will support the Principal in meeting the school’s key performance indicators.

These include:

School resources deployed effectively

High levels of student recruitment & retention

Excellent attendance levels

Thorough Performance Management Reviews to support and challenge staff

Exam Results demonstrate students make excellent/outstanding progress

The majority of graduates secure dance related employment within the first six months of graduation

Student Health & Wellbeing indicators are positive e.g. injury reduction

National Minimum Boarding Standards are met and exceeded

100% of good-outstanding lessons

Stakeholder feedback is positive and responded to

Low number of and effective handling of Safeguarding referrals

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – SCHOOL POLICY

Elmhurst is committed to a continuing Staff Development Programme. Each year, all staff receive in-service training at the school and, for this purpose, they are required to take part in up to the equivalent of 5 days of INSET sessions which usually take place outside of students’ term dates. Through the Performance Management and annual Review Meetings, teachers are encouraged to attend relevant courses to enhance and update their professional skills.

START DATE

The successful candidate will take up the post in September 2016.

Person Specification: The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Essential
These are qualities without which the Applicant could not be appointed / Desirable
These are extra qualities which can be used to choose between applicants who meet all of the essential criteria / Method of
assessment
Qualifications / Teaching Qualification
Recognised Degree Level Qualification
Good general education appropriate to the post. / NPQSL
NPQML
NPQH
BSA qualifications / Certificates
Leadership Qualities:
Working through Others: /
  • Unconditional positive regard for students and colleagues: Belief in others’ ability to change
  • Determination and resilience; ‘Never give up, never give in’
  • Ability to analyse relevant data, act strategically and effect change
  • Ability to delegate and empower others effectively
  • Being proactive rather than reactive
  • Ability to use initiative: solutions focussed
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence
  • Organised
/ Interview
Application
Stakeholder Focus / Demonstrable understanding of Elmhurst as an organisation, school vision and needs.
Evidence of responding quickly to stakeholder needs and resolving concerns.
The ability to use data to inform strategic plans to meet performance targets and deliver the whole school vision.
Evidence of recent successful multi-agency working. / Evidence of the ability to build brand awareness. / Application form
Interview
Professional References
Knowledge & Experience / Evidence of proven track record within school leadership role.
Evidence of leading and managing others.
Evidence of managing change and /or projects with short timescales.
Evidence and experience of responding positively to change.
Experience of working in a complex environment.
Experience of Pastoral Care
Experience of leading and managing a curriculum, and observing lessons. / Experience of Boarding environment
Experience of working with health professionals, external & multi agencies.
Evidence of project management.
Evidence of identifying staff training needs.
Ability to quality assure work so that it is consistent and of a high standard.
Experience of working with external & multi agencies.
Willingness to extend international links to raise the profile and impact on student recruitment.
Experience of child protection work.
Input into writing the school’s self evaluation. / Application Form
Interview
Professional references
Skills / Evidence of clear focused communication & active listening skills.
Excellent command of English Language for writing reports and communications.
The ability to analyse data to improve
Analytical Skills: Be able to provide and analyse reports.
Pragmatic approach to problem solving.
Ability to build personal relationships.
Evidence of leading and organising events which support organisational aims. / Prior use of SIMS or similar management system
Excellent ICT skills.
Coaching to improve performance of staff/students
A good understanding of HR processes for leading and managing others. / Application Form
Interview
Professional references
Innovation / Evidence of introducing new working methodologies leading to measurable outcomes and improvements. / Evidence of following through Vision into practice.
Evidence of strategic planning. / Interview
Application From
Professional References
Personal competencies and qualities / High level of personal integrity
Dynamic and charismatic
Highly organised
Methodical
Well presented & personable
Genuine enthusiasm and the ability to work well within a wider staff team. / Interest in Performing Arts / Application Form
Interview
Professional references

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

In common with all employees of the school, the post-holder will:

  • Share the motivation to work with children and young people.
  • Have the ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY STATEMENT

Elmhurst School is striving to be an equal opportunities employer.

In line with the current legislation, as an employer of staff, we aim to ensure that all job applicants, staff and volunteers do not suffer unfair discrimination because of their race; colour; nationality; ethnic origin or religious belief; social class or caste; age; disability; sexual orientation; marital status; family situation; or gender.

We aim to ensure that all people with whom we work are valued for their contribution and are given the opportunity to realise their full potential within the organisation.

Elmhurst School believes that following a policy of equality of opportunity will benefit not only the individual but will also benefit and enrich the whole organisation.

DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE

This post is classed as having a high degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. An enhanced disclosure will be sought through the Disclosure and Barring Service as part of our pre-employment checks.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The jobholder is required to contribute to and support the overall aims and ethos of the school. All staff are required to participate in training and other learning activities, and in performance management and development as required by the schools’ policies and practices.

The duties and responsibilities listed above are provisional. Further details may be supplied when the person is appointed. The post holder is expected to accept any reasonable alterations that may from time to time benecessary.