Head of Year

The Academy is looking for a committed and passionate Head of Year to join our pastoral team.

About Us

We believe that a happy and settled staff body helps drive the very best performance from our students. We are committed to a high-quality professional development programme and can drawn on expertise from across the Harris Federation. As a HASU member of staff at any level you will receive the training and support that you need to carry out your role effectively and develop at a pace that suits you.

We are committed to ensuring that our staff have the right level of balance between work and home life. Our policies and procedures are aimed at allowing our teaching staff to spend as much time as possible planning and delivering lessons.

We work in an award-winning building with excellent facilities. Our thriving staff association ensures all new members of staff soon feel part of the HASU community.

We run a broad and diverse curriculum to a fully comprehensive intake of students.

Our focus on the core value of Integrity means that our behaviour is excellent, with staff supported by a strong and highly visible Academy Leadership Group. Detentions are run centrally, allowing teaching staff to do what they do best: plan and teach amazing lessons.

Attendance and engagement with learning is high, and centrally planned tutor time resources ensure that our tutors can engage with students whilst delivering high-quality experiences.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Our team of Heads of Year work, alongside their group of Form Tutors, to provide stability and implement the pastoral and wellbeing programme at HASU which plays such an important role in the underpinning of academic success and personal growth for young people.

The purpose of your role will be:

• To develop a culture that celebrates success and effort in equal measure, ensuring the highest standards of behaviour, achievement, progress and attitudes across a year group.
• To lead and manage the work of the year group tutors in promoting the best possible standards of learning, effort and achievement in students
• To monitor and evaluate the implementation of the PDC curriculum across a Year Group.
• To develop and enhance the teaching practice of tutors and to be a role model in this respect
• To monitor the progress of students with a commitment to raising standards as they move through a year group
• To support the Academy Behaviour Team and ensure consistent and fair application of the Academy Behaviour Policy as necessary
• To support the Academy Safeguarding Team and ensure student wellbeing is promoted and maintained at the highest level across the year group
• To monitor the attendance of students within a year group, taking appropriate action as necessary, including interventions, home visits and liaising with external agencies as required

For a full list of responsibilities, please download the Job Pack.

Qualifications & Experience

Successful candidates will recognise the impact that a stable life at school can have for children, especially those who face challenges beyond the Academy gates, and will be prepared to tackle the behavioural, attendance-related issues that can sometimes act as barriers to success. We also train all out Heads of Year to DDSL level so that they are aware of the way teams need to work together to support the welfare of students.

This role is student-centred and family-focused, and the successful candidate will need to show evidence of the ability to empathise with students and their needs, as well as a willingness to tackle head on the challenging conversations with families about the nature of life at secondary school. You will also need to understand specific strategies, interventions and Academy policies and the way they are used to meet student needs.

• The successful candidate will have:
• QTS (or equivalent)
• Degree or equivalent
• Extensive teaching experience
• Outstanding teaching practice
• Successful management experience (desirable)
• Experience in presenting to a wide audience
• Experience of implementing a range of strategies to raise student achievement, with evidence of success
• Contribution to impact on the quality of learning and teaching and curriculum
• Experience of developing and sustaining positive relationships with students, parents, staff and the Governing Body to build consensus support and capacity

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, electric car scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays) for staff who work across the full year, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.