Leader of History (Maternity Cover until June 2019 initially)

Leader of History

We are seeking to appoint a Leader of History who will play a key role in driving progress through excellence in teaching and learning. They will be able to show the motivation, leadership and commitment required to achieve ambitious targets for our pupils and for the school as a whole. This is an opportunity for an excellent teacher who would like to utilise and further develop their leadership skills working within a strong and supportive Humanities team.

The Trust reserves the right to interview and appoint a suitable candidate before the closing date.

In choosing a successful candidate, the panel will be seeking an outstanding classroom teacher with the ability to embrace and deliver the vision of the Compass Schools Trust, with the aim of establishing the Compass School in Southwark as one of the most sought-after schools in the Borough. They will have a clear vision for the department and be ambitious in their plans for raising the profile and status of History amongst the whole school community.

Accountability

The Leader of History will be directly responsible for teaching and learning within the subject and will be line-managed by the Head of Humanities. They will have a specific responsibility for achievement, curriculum development, pedagogy and the effectiveness of teaching and learning across the subject.

Leader responsibilities

• Provide strong leadership in History and directly line manage staff as required.
• Monitor pupils’ outcomes robustly and act swiftly to address underachievement.
• Lead and develop high quality pedagogy throughout the department.
• Communicate to the departmental team what constitutes ‘outstanding’ teaching and learning.
• Identify high quality assessment for learning practice and ensure this is consistently implemented.
• Write the History development plan, identifying and prioritising needs within the department.
• Coach all colleagues in your subject area to support their development.

As a leader within Humanities:

• Support the development of new and innovative working practices, using evidence-based research where appropriate to support new ideas.
• Deliver INSET within Humanities.
• Build effective working relationships and share good practice.
• Support the quality assurance of teaching and learning across the area.

Compass Team responsibilities

We expect all members of the Compass School staff team to work together to:

• Work towards and support the school vision and objectives outlined in the school development plan.
• Actively foster the ethos and values of the school.
• Build an expectation of high achievement for all.
• Support the pastoral care of students.
• Help to create the best environment to promote and secure the achievement of students and staff.
• Have a sense of Corporate Responsibility for the outcomes of students at Compass School Southwark.
• Build an exceptional understanding of what outstanding provision looks like in their subject.
• Comply with and support at all times the school’s policies and procedures on safeguarding of students.
• Contribute to the school’s programme of enrichment activities.
• Worth with the school’s Health & Safety Policy to ensure a safe working environment for all.
• Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance and conduct.
• Uphold and enhance the school’s reputation by ensure positive, courteous relations with students, parents, colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Engage actively in CPD for self and colleagues.
• Be willing to go above and beyond expected levels of commitment to ensure the success of the school.
• Manage budget in line with areas of responsibility.
• Be proactive in ensuring appropriate allocation of resources, and evaluate against outcomes.
• Undertake other reasonable duties related to the role as required from time to time.

Leadership

• Lead by example, providing inspiration and motivation, and embody for the staff, students, governors, parents and the wider community, the vision, purpose and leadership of the school.
• Take part in activities to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning within the school, proactively engaging with peer observations and focus upon the raising and maintaining of standards and expectations.
• Provide leadership that secures the delivery of high standards and attainment for all students and be responsible for the organisation, management and control of your classes and wider department team.
• Monitor, evaluate and intervene to ensure all students are working towards making expected progress.
• Encourage interaction and teamwork within the department, sharing ideas and new initiatives identifying new ways of teaching your subject area and contributing to wider CPD opportunities.
• Challenge staff under-performance at all levels and ensure corrective action and follow up.
• Plan, chair and organise meetings as appropriate and as scheduled.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties and specific school-wide tasks as directed by the Principal.

Teaching and Learning

• Lead by example as a teacher, achieving high standards of pupil attainment and progress, behaviour and motivation through effective teaching.
• Provide highly effective teaching and learning opportunities within your subject area.
• Create a learning environment that is positive, affirming and supportive.
• Keep up to date with creative and innovative practices in teaching and learning, and use as appropriate.
• Lead the department, standards, target setting, assessment and reporting.
• Ensure that the students enjoy a safe and healthy environment in which standards of behaviour support learning and the social development of students.
• Develop successful and inclusive approaches to teaching, including supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities and of the more able.
• Achieve a harmonious and supportive community through effective relationships with staff and students.
• Provide regular, written feedback in the form of a learning dialogue to students and ensure that they are given opportunities to react and respond to this feedback.

Communication and Partnership

• Communicate Compass Schools Trust values, aims, policies and plans to staff, students and parents.
• Create, maintain and enhance effective working relationships with staff.
• Maintain an effective system of record keeping, reporting and communication with parents and students to ensure that the aims relating to each student’s progress are achieved.
• Help to ensure that good communications are maintained throughout the school.
• Present a coherent and accurate account of the performance of the subject in a form to be agreed with the Principal.
• Ensure that parents and students are well informed about curriculum, attainment and progress and are able to understand targets for improvement.
• Look for and use opportunities to support the development of the whole child through spiritual, moral, social and cultural activities.
• Develop and encourage good relations between the school and the local and wider community.
• Work closely with other schools, locally, nationally and internationally.