Head of Lower School

Head of Lower School

The Beacon is a large independent prep school for boys aged between 4 and 13, and our Lower School Section comprises over 145 boys in 8 classes across Y3 and Y4. The school has superb facilities and resources that support a forward-looking educational environment.

You would act as a teacher and be an active member of our school’s Senior Management Team (‘SMT’). You would be tasked with leadership responsibility for day-to-day teaching and learning across the entire Lower School section, managing and developing the team of staff and ensuring the smooth and successful running of the Section. You would play a key part in school life and an instrumental role in looking after the boys, engaging with parents and promoting our school.  Since this role plays a pivotal part in the management of a large Section of our school, the opportunity would appeal to someone with aspirations for career development towards the highest levels of school leadership.

To give you a flavour of life at The Beacon please take a look around our website www.beaconschool.co.uk.  You will find our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy on the Vacancies page and other useful policies on the website too.  

The Beacon is a remarkable school and we seek remarkable people. We look forward to hearing from you.

Principal responsibilities 

· Responsible to the Headmaster for the day to day internal management, organisation, operation and administration of the Lower School Section of the School; 

· Provide a safe, stimulating and well behaved Section of the school in which boys’ happiness, welfare and all round development can be nurtured; 

· Responsible for a sound foundation for the boys’ relevant Key Stage of education and progression on to Middle School; monitoring carefully; regularly liaising with Heads of Section and Departments within the school to ensure continuity between Lower School and the other areas of the school; 

· Ensure a wide range of age appropriate activities for young boys giving them confidence in their ability to take on new challenges;

· Identify any children with particular educational or emotional needs and, where necessary, to seek specialist support (from Learning Support or School Pastoral Team) to best make provision for them; 

· Attendance at SMT meetings and other meetings/events as required by the Headmaster;

· Co-ordinate preparation for inspections;

· Lead the staff team for the whole Section and chair Sectional staff meetings; 

· Teach - carrying out teaching responsibilities as expected of all School teaching staff as so assigned by The Headmaster and in accordance with the timetable.

STAFF

· Accountable for the quality of teaching and learning for the Section  – on-going review and monitoring of the work of the Teaching Staff and, as appropriate, the Teaching Assistants in the Section; carrying our lessons observations and book trawls and providing regular and constructive feedback and suitable training;

· Ensure the efficient management of available resources; prepared to assist with cover arrangements and recruitment;

· Manage the professional development and arrangements for Lower School staff training (including Inductions, Probations and Professional Development Reviews);

· Participate in recruitment of staff as required.

COMMUNICATIONS

· Ensure positive communication with parents is maintained by the whole Section, through meetings, reports, parents’ evenings, letters and other suitable opportunities. 

LEARNING & PROGRESS

· Ensure that schemes of work are regularly updated and policy documents are reviewed;

· Oversee the delivery of the curriculum;

· Track and regularly review individual boys’ progress and involve the Learning Support Centre where appropriate;

· Keep abreast of current educational thought and legislation; 

· To organise assemblies and  rotas (including delivering assemblies as Head of Section); 

· To create ideas for and organise educational and recreational outings.

OTHER:

· Be an active member of the school’s SMT;

· To attend relevant training and all INSETs;

· Ensure the efficient management of the annual budget for Lower School;

· Work closely with the Headmaster and Head of HR on HR/staff related matters; 

· Ensure the health and safety of pupils, visitors and work colleagues in accordance with school policy and legislation;

· Contribute to the overall life of the whole school; 

· Contribute to the School’s Marketing and Development strategy and to participate in Open Days, Speech Days, conferences, shows and exhibitions etc. 

In all areas of school life, staff are expected to lead by example and demonstrate and uphold the values and principles that we wish the boys to learn.