Head of Art

Introduction to Aldwickbury School

Set in 20 acres of beautiful Hertfordshire countryside, in the leafy town of Harpenden. Aldwickbury delivers a broad and challenging curriculum to boys from Reception to Year 8. Aldwickbury is a vibrant and dynamic community, respecting tradition and history while forward-thinking in its approach to education.

At the heart of the Aldwickbury community lies our belief that pastoral care should form the bedrock for academic success. Every boy is nurtured and encouraged to try their best and embrace the challenge and opportunities. Most importantly, we expect all boys to be kind.

The breadth of opportunities on offer at Aldwickbury is something we are incredibly proud of. The boys are challenged and engaged academically and benefit from a wide-ranging co-curricular programme that uses our extensive grounds and facilities. The School offers boys of all abilities a myriad of exciting opportunities to develop their confidence and unearth their talents in the arts, STEM, on stage, in music and on the sports field.

The journey through the school prepares the boys for senior school entry at 13+, when we believe they are genuinely ready for senior school education. Popular senior school destinations include St Albans, Bedford, Haileybury, St Columba's and Berkhamsted. Some boys choose to opt for boarding at prestigious schools further away from the local area.

The Art Department

Aldwickbury is incredibly proud of the Art department and the quality of the work the boys produce. The department is specialist in its field and, more importantly, our staff are truly passionate about enabling each boy to reach their full potential. The current curriculum truly inspires our boys. The school fully recognises the subject’s importance in making sure our boys engage in a curriculum that is forward-thinking and well-balanced. As a result, they leave Aldwickbury well-rounded boys. A number of the boys have gone on to achieve art scholarships and awards at our 13+ destinations schools.

Being non-selective, the school is proud of the achievements of those boys who require additional support, many of whom go on to achieve outstanding academic outcomes.

The Head of Art will oversee the Art curriculum from Year 3 to Year 8 and ensure that planning and preparation meets the individual needs of all boys. The Head of Art will report to the Headmaster and the Deputy Head on a day-to-day basis.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The basic outline of the post is given below; the list is not exhaustive but is intended to give applicants a good indication of the responsibilities of the Head of Art.

Management

• Ignite the passion and love of Art for boys in Year 3 – 8, through the creating of an inspirational and visually inspiring learning environment
• Build positive relationships with the boys and staff
• Lead in the delivery of a model curriculum for Years 3 – 8 that is fun, creative, engaging, inclusive and challenging
• Help support and guide the Pre prep staff with the content of their curriculum
• Deliver an Art curriculum to all age groups and abilities where teaching is differentiated according to the needs of all boys, and in line with the school’s ethos and values
• Establish and implement a process of assessment and evaluation of boys’ progress and attainment throughout the school
• Monitor, evaluate and consistently update schemes of work for the department as well as review policy documents
• Provide immediate oral/written feedback to boys about their learning so that they understand how to improve
• Keep abreast of developments and advances in the teaching of Art and facilitate continuous professional development within the department
• Monitor, develop and embed high quality teaching and learning within the department
• Identify and prepare boys for scholarship assessments in liaison with senior schools, supporting and guiding them with the development and presentation of a scholarship portfolio
• Encourage boys to enter external competitions, festivals, or exhibitions
• Ensure that the work displayed by the department is current and well-presented and organise in-school exhibitions for all areas of the school
• Maintain and help staff with art displays around the school
• Organise visits/ residentials to galleries and exhibitions and ensure that boys benefit from visits by professional artists
• Develop cross-curricular links wherever possible and links with local state and independent schools
• Work in conjunction with the marketing department to showcase the boys’ work via the school’s website and social media channels
• Ensure boys produce art using a wide range of methods, including ceramics, and making effective use of IT
• Order, maintain and update resources for art, overseeing the departmental budget, including the auditing of departmental resources on an annual basis
• Ensure that the resources are organised and available in order to promote a purposeful environment for learning and for teaching to take place
• Monitor the equipment used in the department and ensure that health and safety guidelines are followed

Teaching and Learning

• Teach Art to boys in Years 3 - 8 and ensure that planning and preparation meet their individual needs
• Plan, prepare and deliver exciting and appropriate lessons
• Create and maintain a stimulating learning environment
• Track the boys' progress and assess their various needs using appropriate data and information
• Work in conjunction with the Deputy Head/Director of Studies to ensure that feedback through assessment
• highlights value-added, strengths, and clear academic targets. Ensure that this is communicated to the boys as well as to their parents
• Assess, record and report on the boys' achievements and progress within the expectations of the school
• Celebrate boys’ work through displays throughout the department and across the School and via the school’s Promoting Positive Behaviour policy
• To teach and manage Art lessons according to the Schools' 'Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy'
• Complete the reporting cycle for all boys being taught, including interims, reports and attendance at Parents' Evenings as required
• Attend Heads of Department meetings and contribute to other staff meetings

Responsibilities

• Be responsible for safeguarding the boys in your care, reporting any concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Have good pastoral instincts in and outside the classroom to reinforce the School's values
• All staff are involved in our tutorial systems either as a Year 5 Form Teacher or Tutor (Years 6 to 8), taking responsibility for the pastoral care and academic progress of a small group of boys
• Provide regular input to the IT platforms used by the School
• Have involvement in the broader life of the School according to the skills and interests of the candidate
• Attend parents' evenings and other whole school events
• Take a share of the general supervisory duties throughout the week including sitting with the boys at lunchtime
• Have involvement in the wider co-curricular life/ activities of the School and, where occasionally required, be available to work on weekends
• Other responsibilities could be incorporated into the job description depending upon the successful candidate's interests.