Reporting to:                       Vice Principal
Contract:                              Permanent
Working Pattern:               Full Time
Salary:                                  Pay Scale: L8-L12  

The right kind of leadership is important at Ark Boulton. Our motto ‘It takes a whole community to bring up a child’ represents the collaborative spirit within which we work. It influences the way we support each other, our parents, students and other stakeholders, and the importance we place on our leaders to strengthen those relationships.

As a leader within our school community we encourage you grow and develop with the support of one of the finest School Networks in the country. A leader within our school is given the room to grow and develop in an encouraging, challenging and rewarding environment. They are our role-models and exemplify the virtues we strive to instil in our students, which include courage, self-discipline, commitment and honesty.

Become a member of our school family and embrace multiple opportunities for personal and professional development, not just within the school, but from the internationally renowned Ark family of schools we are a part of. As a result, our staff can share best practice and receive training from some of the best educators in the country. Our leaders work closely with the rest of the senior leadership team on strategic developments that make a lasting difference. They are encouraged and supported to transform blue sky thinking into impactful changes grounded in practice and research.

Our strapline ‘growing together, reaching higher’ applies as much to our staff as our students. We recognise that the health and wellbeing of our staff will affect that of our students. For this reason, we have invested in developing our wellbeing room and other initiatives to care for our whole school community. If you are someone who understands the difference a great education can make to pupils lives, have a passion and belief in the potential of every student, and are excited at the prospect of growing as an educator, we look forward to hearing from you.


The Role

As Assistant Principal, you will have the opportunity to lead on areas such as ethos, systems and procedures, curriculum development, timetabling, progress and standards, behaviour management, safeguarding and welfare, external relations, community links, staff development, training and induction.  As a member of the senior leadership team, you will also be centrally involved in the overall leadership and management of the academy, and will help to establish a school culture that is both nurturing and rigorous.  

To help you gain experience in all aspects of school leadership and prepare for Headship, the exact role and specific responsibilities of the Assistant Principal will be agreed annually and will change regularly.  

Key responsibilities

Leadership and Management
·        Contribute to the leadership of the academy and its staff in order to achieve high standards of behaviour and attainment
·        Support coordination of vision and strategy for the academy
·        Support where required, the leadership of effective external relationships with community and other stakeholders
·        In partnership with the principal and rest of the leadership team, ensure the safeguarding of all pupils and the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff is promoted and maintained at all times
·        To fully support whole school aims, objectives and policy decisions, contribute to their establishment and initiation and sustain their implementation and review
·        Facilitate projects, programmes or systems as directed by the Principal
·        Help implement systems that work effectively in combination with whole academy systems and administration 
·        Line manage particular staff, including target setting, coaching and monitoring, ensuring that policies and procedures are adhered to
·        In the absence of the Principal and Vice Principals, to step-up and undertake the professional duties of the Principal as reasonably delegated  

School Ethos and Culture
·        Support the Principal in fostering a strong sense of academy community and ethos among both staff and students
·        Promote consistent implementation of behaviour policy and system of rewards and sanctions, characterised by orderly behaviour, caring and respectful relationships, and no shouting
·        Act as a positive role model to staff and students  

Upper School Role specific detail
·        To lead the development of a values led, collaborative culture within a year group whilst supporting across the key stage.
·        To develop and implement a rigorous Going for Gold quality assurance cycle which facilitates improved outcomes for students in all subjects in the key stage.
·        To work with other leaders across the academy in developing and implementing a rigorous formative assessment cycle (in line with Going for Gold) which supports students in learning more and remembering more.
·        To develop a sustainable intervention model which supports students in closing gas in their knowledge and skills.
·        To work alongside other leaders in securing a digital strategy which augments the learning that takes place within the classroom.
·        To support the Upper School leadership team in the GCSE examination process to ensure that the examination season runs seamlessly.
·        To be able to share practice and thereby demonstrate the capacity and experience to influence other leaders.
·        To use coaching techniques to provide ongoing feedback to teachers during Family Time.
·        To employ a research led approach to decision-making informed by own study and reflection.  This is to be evidenced through a commitment to study for external qualifications.

Teaching and Learning
·        Support the training and development of teaching staff so as to improve the quality of teaching and raise the level of challenge in lessons
·        Teach outstanding lessons that motivate, inspire and improve student attainment
·        Use regular assessments to monitor progress and set targets, and respond accordingly to the results of such monitoring
·        Ensure that all pupils achieve at chronological age level or, if well below level, make significant and continuing progress towards achieving at level
·        Maintain regular and productive communication with parents, to report on progress, sanctions and rewards and all other communications

Other
·        Actively promote the safety and welfare of our children and young people
·        Ensure compliance with Arks data protection rules and procedures
·        Liaise with colleagues and external contacts at all levels of seniority with confidence, tact and diplomacy
·        Work with Ark Central and other academies in the Ark network, to establish good practice throughout the network, offering support where required  

This job description is not an exhaustive list and you will be expected to carry out any other reasonable tasks as directed by your line manager.  

Person Specification

Qualification Criteria
·        Qualified to teach and work in the UK
·        Qualified to degree level and above  

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
·        Demonstrate experience of having led a large department/faculty
·        Demonstrable experience of having significantly raised attainment
 ·        Experience and understanding how to improve and sustain an effective behaviour policy and/or teaching and learning in a challenging school
·        Understands what outstanding teaching practice looks like, how to diagnose and implement effective strategies to raise learning standards.
·        Experience of having led and managed a team of people
·        Experience of having worked to support the significant success of others
·        Experience of having worked to support at a regional level
·        Ability to use data to inform decision making and diagnose weaknesses that need addressing  

Behaviours
·        Genuine passion for and a belief in the potential of every student and alignment with Ark’s high aspirations and high expectations of self and others
·        A robust awareness of keeping children safe, noticing safeguarding and welfare concerns, and you understand how and when to take appropriate action
·        Deep commitment to Ark’s mission of providing an excellent education to every student, regardless of background
·        Management style that encourages participation, innovation and confidence
·        Strong organisational skills and ability to delegate
·        Resilience and motivation to lead the academy through day-to-day challenges
·        Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
·        Ability to manage and maintain effective working relationships with staff, parents and other external stakeholders

Other
·        Right to work in the UK
·        Commitment to equality of opportunity and the safeguarding and welfare of all students
·        Willingness to undertake training
·        This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check  

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in our academies.  In order to meet this responsibility, we follow a rigorous selection process. This process is outlined here, but can be provided in more detail if requested. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.