Vice Principal - Guidance & Wellbeing

Sha Tin College is seeking to appoint a Vice Principal - Guidance & Wellbeing to ensure that Guidance and Wellbeing are at the centre of the College’s aims and objectives as well as its practices and procedures. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team of Sha Tin College the Vice Principal - Guidance & Wellbeing is responsible for the strategic leadership of this area in line with our mission and values.  This position is to commence in August 2021

The Vice Principal - Guidance & Wellbeing:

•    articulates a vision for student support

•    is the designated Child Protection Officer (CPO) holding key safeguarding responsibility

•    oversees procedures and systems relating to proactive guidance and wellbeing

•    is responsible for leading and line-managing staff with specific student support responsibilities and ensuring appropriate training for staff whenever required, including child protection training

•    is responsible for ensuring appropriate communication with students, staff, parents and other members of the community regarding well-being issues, including new staff induction processes

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

•    Ensure the strategic direction for Guidance and Wellbeing is in alignment with the ESF and STC mission and vision and is coherently implemented

•    Contribute to and lead on designated aspects of the STC Strategic Development Plan

•    Work with the SLT to ensure that development and action planning for Guidance and Wellbeing sits coherently with the STC Strategic Development Plan

•    Coordinate innovations relating to Guidance and Wellbeing at STC

SAFEGUARDING

•    Be the designated Child Protection Officer (CPO) ensuring all areas of this role are prioritised effectively whenever child protection situations arise

•    Ensure staff are appropriately trained and effectively understand their duties in regard to the ESF Child Protection Policy

•    Advise the Principal and relevant senior colleagues of specific student health, safeguarding and child protection issues, and liaise closely with such colleagues in  emergency situations

•    Liaise confidentially with outside agencies in accordance with ESF guidelines

STUDENT SUPPORT 

Student Support Systems

•    Oversee the coherence and effectiveness of student support systems, ensuring collaboration between all teams with student support responsibilities, specifically:

○    Year-Group Teams

○    Health Professionals Team

○    Counselling Team

○    House Teams

•    Ensure that Year-Group teams and House teams are effectively supporting the social and development needs of students

•    Work with the Health Professional and Counselling teams to ensure that students receive any necessary medical/psychological care

•    Oversee the development of the After Schools Activities (ASA) programme as a means to promote student wellbeing

•    Liaise with external agencies regarding student welfare as needed

Student Voice, Agency and Student Leadership

•    Promote a school culture that ensures every student feels they have a voice

•    Oversee the leadership of the House system

•    Oversee student leadership groups specifically the Student Council, Environment & Sustainability Council and oversee colleagues who hold specific responsibility for student leadership groups

Guidance and Wellbeing Curriculum and Tutoring

•    Develop and oversee the Wellbeing Curriculum and liaise with the Heads of Section to ensure it effectively supports student well  being 

•    Ensure the Science of Wellbeing programme is effectively documented, has appropriate content and is regularly reviewed 

•    Ensure we have effective systems for monitoring, evaluating and guiding tutor teams

Admissions and Transitions

•    Oversee Student Admissions

○    Work with the Admissions Manager to ensure effective admissions procedures in accordance with ESF policy and guidelines

○    Liaise with the Heads of Section regarding admission procedures for students 

○    Liaise with the Heads of Section/Year regarding student induction 

•    Oversee Student Transition

○    Liaise with the Head of Middle School and faculty members with responsibility for transition to coordinate Years 6 to 7 transition and induction processes in close collaboration with the relevant Primary Schools and in accordance with ESF guidelines

○    Liaise with the Heads of Section to ensure effective student transition throughout the school

STUDENT SUPPORT – Staff Teams

•    Collaborate closely with the Heads of Section and fellow Vice Principals to respond to any student tracking concerns which may emerge

•    Meet regularly with Heads of Section and overall Guidance and Wellbeing Team meetings ensuring colleagues are fully aligned with the STC vision for well-being 

•    Liaise with Heads of Section/Year to ensure guidance and wellbeing issues are appropriately addressed and to ensure proactive tutoring and support

•    Line-manage Health Professionals and Counselling Team

•    Liaise with fellow Vice Principals regarding the provision of Professional Learning opportunities relating to guidance and well-being

•    Lead on new staff induction ensuring all new teaching staff are well supported throughout the transition process

•    Liaise with teachers on practicum placements to STC ensuring they are well supported and working in line with STC policies and procedures

•    Alert the Principal to any staff well-being issues

•    Assist the Principal with the recruitment of new staff as required

COMMUNICATION

•    Ensure that proactive guidance procedures are effectively communicated with students, staff and parents

•    Ensure that students, staff and parents fully understand the scope of the Wellbeing Curriculum

•    Ensure that positive well-being initiatives are actively celebrated with the community, and that concerns or complaints are promptly heard and effectively addressed

•    Ensure appropriate communication with groups of parents, students and staff whenever patterns of welfare concern emerge 

•    Promote the work of the Guidance and Wellbeing Team and programme through our newsletters and other communication tools

Please contact Lorna Gomes at lorna@shatincollege.edu.hk should you require further information about the position.