Vice Principal Middle School [Pastoral]
UWC South East Asia, East Campus
Singapore
- Expired
- Job type:
- Full Time, Fixed Term
- Start date:
- August 2019
- Apply by:
- 9 January 2019
Job overview
UWCSEA has a vacancy for August 2019 at its East Campus for a Vice Principal (Pastoral) in our Middle School. This role is to work in tandem with our Middle School Principal and our curriculum lead Vice Principal as a leadership team for students in Grades 6 to 8 (11-14 age group) and our Faculty and support staff within the Middle School. The Middle School Leadership Team reports to the Head of East Campus.
The Middle School Vice Principal participates as a member of the East Leadership Team (ELT) which ensures connection, strategic direction and effective collaboration with the Primary and High School leadership teams, as well as with the boarding community. A teaching commitment in the Middle School will be a part of the role.
This is an exciting opportunity for an inspirational and committed professional to promote and support student wellbeing in the Middle School. The key responsibility is to create a Mission-aligned, caring, compassionate and purposeful environment for our learners. We seek always to invite participation from parents and to create a sense amongst the students that the pastoral team is a key contributor to our learning programme. Our Personal and Social Education curriculum is an integral instrument in this process and the successful candidate will assume oversight of this programme. Student welfare and behaviour is supported by a consistent approach from all adults and we deploy restorative practices to guide decisions and find solutions when relational issues arise.
The Middle School Team is a happy, motivated and closely-knit group, which operates as a professional learning community, strongly supported by the Professional Learning Committee and generous support for professional growth. Peer engagement is enabled by a commitment to a coaching philosophy and an explicit iteration of how effective
teams communicate and grow. There has been significant development over recent years of a culture of inquiry and support and the successful applicant will play an important part in the promotion of professional learning.
Person specification
- A degree and professional teaching qualification is essential; a higher degree desirable.
- Experience of middle/senior leadership, ideally in an international environment.
- Experience with Child Protection and Safeguarding practices.
- Fluency in English and excellent communication skills: written, spoken and in presentations.
- Outstanding interpersonal skills: a good listener with a collaborative management style.
- Rich knowledge of international personal and social education (PSE).
- Awareness of current issues and trends in education.
- An understanding of budgetary processes and financial management within a school.
- Understanding of the principles of organizational culture and behaviour, including team dynamics.
- Knowledge of the role of technology and e-safety within the school environment.
- Knowledge of instructional supervision, evaluation and development.
- Eagerness to participate in the five key elements of a UWCSEA education: Academic; Personal & Social
- Education; Service; Activities; Outdoor Education.
- Enthusiastic participation in Professional Learning, both that which is required by the College and that which is identified by the individual for professional growth.
- A yearly contribution (on average) of two sessions per week in each season to Activities and/or Service.
- Enthusiastic participation in the curricular Outdoor Education experiences of Middle School students and personal teaching classes; occasionally volunteer for holiday Outdoor Education trips.
- Enthusiastic about teaching within a multicultural environment. Flexibility of approach and a collaborative style are essential.
Responsibilities & Tasks
Leadership for Learning
- Playing a full and active part in the Middle School Leadership Team and the East Leadership Team.
- upporting the UWCSEA Mission in words and actions and helping to generate a positive, safe, happy and creative atmosphere amongst students and staff in Middle School.
- Contributing to the strategic development planning for the Middle School and monitoring effective implementation
- Ensuring that the three Heads of Grade and the student Mentors provide an effective, caring and stimulating environment where students are able to feel safe and secure and to learn.
- Overseeing the bi-weekly grade level Student Support Meetings.
- Ensuring that the College’s values, practices, procedures are realized within the pastoral curriculum.
- Engaging with parents on a one to one basis or in presentations as required.
- Participating in active research, innovation, rigorous implementation and monitoring to achieve Pastoral and LifeSkills curricula of the highest quality for the school.
- Oversight of Grade 6 and 7 Outdoor Education expeditions.
Staff Recruitment
- Working in conjunction with the Middle School Principal to identify vacancies and staffing needs within Middle School and participating in selection and the interview process as appropriate.
- Leading on Middle School orientation for new staff.
Professional development
- Leading the annual Professional Learning Programme (PLP) with the Middle School Leadership Team and
providing coaching for Heads of Grade. - Working with the Principal to ensure that there is continuous professional learning for teachers within the areas identified within the College, Campus and Middle School strategic plans.
- Organising and planning in-service training events within the relevant School and collaborating with other members of ELT for appropriate whole school development. Managing Heads of Grade
- Mentoring and monitoring the HoGs progress towards relevant targets at personal and school level.
- Encouraging the discovery and implementation of innovative practices by Heads of Grade, working alongside
the Director of Teaching and Learning. - Leading regular bi-weekly Student Support Meetings with Head of Grade, Counsellor and Learning Support & other Team meetings.
- Developing and liaising with Middle School student leaders.
- Monitoring student attendance.
Logistical
- Liaising with the Director of Timetable, as required, about the production of the Middle School timetable, in particular, as it affects the pastoral programme.
- Advising the Principal about the allocation of Mentors and Mentor performance.
- Contributing to the compilation of the Academic Calendar.
Some additional details of function
- Establishing close links with the Designated Safeguarding Lead, the Head of Student Support, the Head of Counselling, the Director of Residential Life (boarding) and local student support services.
- Contributing to the organization of Middle School celebrations, assemblies, trips and events as required.
- Advising Director of Admissions on matters that could affect student admissions, managing open day tours, student leavers and new student orientation.
- Attending Middle School parents’ forums to support the Principal and answer questions as required.
- Middle School representative for Health and Safety.
- All other tasks as reasonably directed by the Principal and Head of Campus.
We are committed to safeguarding our students. Anyone applying for a position at the College must be willing to undergo employment background checks and screening appropriate to the post.
The closing date for applications is 12:00 pm [Singapore Time], 9 January 2019.
For further details of the vacancy and to apply (you must complete the online application form on the UWCSEA page to be considered), please click here https://webapps.uwcsea.edu.sg/uwcms/pub/login.aspx
About UWC South East Asia, East Campus
About UWCSEA and the UWC movement
The pursuit of the UWC mission to unite people nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future is at the heart of the College. As the largest of the 17 UWC schools and colleges worldwide, UWCSEA in Singapore has over 5,600 day and boarding students enrolled across two campuses, aged 4 to 18 years. Our concept-based K-12 curriculum leads to the IB Diploma in the final two years of schooling.
Our vision is to be a leader in international education, with a worldwide reputation for providing a challenging, holistic values-based education with an emphasis upon academic achievement, service to others, teamwork and leadership.
In the pursuit of this vision, we provides teachers with a dynamic and challenging a professional life based upon our values. Our staff are innovative, experienced and deeply committed to student learning. The learning at UWCSEA extends throughout the College community as our staff are active and collaborative learners themselves.
UWCSEA guiding statements
We are a mission-driven organisation with a strong commitment to the educational principles of Kurt Hahn, our founder, and a passionate belief in the importance of education as a force for good in the world.
We believe that learning is a life-long process in which learners engage with and reflect upon information and experiences to construct new or modify existing understanding as well as develop and apply skills and qualities.
This definition of learning and our learning principles guide our educational practice across all five elements of the UWCSEA learning programme. Our commitment to a holistic education results in the provision of an extensive range of experiential and service-based programmes across five elements of this learning programmes: academics, activities, outdoor education, personal and social education and service.
UWCSEA's learning programme and curriculum
Our UWCSEA learning programme is based around five interlinking elements. The rigorous academics, combined with a unique outdoor education programme, extensive activities and meaningful service, are underpinned by a supportive pastoral care programme. Students participate in all five elements of the programme throughout their time at the College, and the elements will have varying importance at different times in their journey through UWCSEA.
The learning programme delivers UWCSEA's unique, concept-based curriculum which has been articulated for each element of the learning programme across K-12. This means that from K1 to Grade 12, each curriculum area (or subject) has standards, which identify key concepts that underpin that curriculum area. These standards are applied at all grade levels and build naturally in complexity through the Infant, Junior, Middle and High Schools, culminating in the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12.
In turn, each standard has conceptual understandings that describe what a student should understand as a result of studying a particular content area. They are statements of understanding that are appropriate to a student’s developmental stage, and build towards the standard.
Benchmarks are then attached to each conceptual understanding. The benchmarks describe what a student should know, understand or be able to do at each stage of their learning in each subject. These benchmarks are what our teachers assess to ensure that students are reaching the conceptual understanding and are working towards the standards.
In the High School, the standards, conceptual understandings and benchmarks specifically take into account the requirements of external examining bodies that set the (I)GCSE and IB Diploma examinations that students sit at the end of Grade 10 and Grade 12.
Educating for a better world
The academic curriculum aims to develop the specific conceptual understandings necessary to build Peace and a Sustainable Future. These are derived from UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development Goals for and through a collaboration with our educational partners the Ellen Macarthur Foundation. Along with the skills and qualities of our Learner Profile many of these concepts are reinforced through linkages to the other four elements of our Leaning Programme. You can find out more here.
Results
UWCSEA has outstanding IB Diploma results. In May 2019, our cohort of 561 students achieved an average IB Diploma score of 36.6—the worldwide average was 29.8 (in 2018). Each year a number of our students are admitted to highly selective universities in the US, the UK and many other countries. For further information please see the results section of our website.
Staff and structure
Each campus has its own Campus Leadership team and academic and administrative staff to support the delivery of UWCSEA’s world-class education. Each campus is divided into Schools (Primary, Middle and High). Each School is managed by a Principal, assisted by Vice Principals and Heads of Grade or Department.
The College President oversees both campuses, supported by senior educational leadership on each campus. The campuses have the same Board of Governors.
The Dover Campus has 3,000 day and boarding students (K-12) and employs 300 teaching and 200 support staff. The East Campus has 2,550 day and boarding students (K-12) and employs 240 teaching staff and 160 support staff.
The boarding houses on both campuses are supported by live-in teaching staff and offer a unique opportunity for a city-based residential boarding programme to students aged 14-18 years - 192 students on Dover and 160 students on East.
Our expectations
We welcome applications from educators who share our vision and values, and are willing to contribute to UWCSEA's unique learning community and to the UWC mission.
Teachers are expected to contribute wholeheartedly to the provision of all elements of this programme both inside and outside the formal academic curriculum. All teachers run activities or service projects in addition to their teaching, which can include supporting the College's range of sporting, dramatic and musical performances, as well as providing support for the extensive expeditions programme.
Safeguarding children
UWCSEA is committed to safeguarding our students and protecting them from harm. In keeping with the expectation that all staff and volunteers share this commitment, those applying for a position at the College must be willing to undergo employment background checks and screening appropriate to the post.
Professional life and development opportunities
UWCSEA aims to provide an exceptional professional experience to its teachers and to be an Employer of Choice. The UWCSEA benefits package includes a competitive salary, contribution towards housing, medical insurance, a service gratuity (set at 20 percent of gross salary at the end of each year), recruitment and repatriation flights and biennial leave passages.
We offer a wide range of professional development opportunities. Teachers are expected to commit to three professional development days scheduled each year, and are provided many additional opportunities for professional learning through our the extensive Professional Development Programme.
We have a highly experienced teaching faculty who provide excellent opportunities for peer-to-peer learning. Among the full-time teaching staff, we have large numbers of IB PYP Trainers, IB MYP workshop leaders, IB DP workshop leaders and IB DP Examiners or Moderators, allowing us to run in-house workshops and seminars.
Teachers attend workshops or seminars in the region, and at the College’s Centre for Professional Learning. This in-house Centre allows UWCSEA teachers to attend a range of educational conferences and other events that draw teachers from across the region, providing extensive opportunities for peer learning and networking. In the past, external experts who have visited to provide workshops or seminars on campus include Bambi Betts, Kath Murdoch, Dylan Wiliam, Lyn Sharratt and Sarah White.
Our teachers also regularly act as lecturers, seminar leaders and facilitators at educational conferences and workshops run by organisations such as EARCOS and ECIS.
Engage with us and learn more
UWCSEA Perspectives - the newsroom of UWCSEA
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