Head of School (Secondary)

The Caldecott Foundation; Smeeth; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Caldecott Foundation in the United Kingdom is seeking a Head of School (Secondary) to lead the secondary provision and drive high standards across teaching and learning, in line with the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document. The post leads a senior leadership team and ensures the effective running of the secondary school.

You will oversee curriculum delivery, monitor pupil progress, support transitions from primary to secondary, and engage with the local community, residential homes

Responsibilities

• Leading Secondary provision
• Monitoring and evaluating the curriculum intent implementation and impact
• Liaison with the local community, residential homes and other agencies
• Monitoring and evaluating standards of teaching and learning
• Organising and managing day-to-day procedures to enable the smooth running of the secondary school
• To co-ordinate and evaluate teaching and learning within Secondary provision and to liaise with other members of the Leadership Team where necessary, to ensure continuity and progression throughout the curriculum
• To make strategic evaluations of personnel issues as a supportive and well motivated team member
• Lead by example as a teacher and as a manager, achieving high standards of pupil progress, behaviour and motivation through effective teaching
• To monitor the quality of teaching and learning in Secondary provision, in line with the schools policy
• To review long term planning in Secondary provision to ensure coverage, progression and a range of learning experiences
• To oversee with the Head of Primary, effective transition arrangements to ensure continuity and progression for all pupils moving from Primary to Secondary
• Co-ordinate and oversee the organisation of educational visits in Secondary provision
• Plan, organise and chair Secondary provision meetings as appropriate in order to ensure school policies and practices are being implemented
• To lead change in an area of the schools self-evaluation development plan

Job description

Head of School (Secondary)

Salary: Leadership Pay Scale (L12 - L17)

Responsible to: The Headteacher

Responsible for: Secondary Teachers and Teaching Assistants

The essential quality of a school leader is to provide all teachers with an example which demonstrates the commitment required to achieve excellence and school improvement.

• Leading Secondary provision
• Monitoring and evaluating the curriculum intent implementation and impact.
• Liaison with the local community, residential homes and other agencies.
• Monitoring and evaluating standards of teaching and learning.
• Organising and managing day-to-day procedures to enable the smooth running of the secondary school.

The salary is reviewed annually and determined according to the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document. The duties are in accordance with this document.

Job Purpose:

• To co-ordinate and evaluate teaching and learning within Secondary provision and to liaise with other members of the Leadership Team where necessary, to ensure continuity and progression throughout the curriculum.
• To make strategic evaluations of personnel issues as a supportive and well motivated team member.

The main areas of responsibility and the assigned duties are specified below.

This is a senior post within the school’s Leadership Group. The post holder will ensure the smooth running of the secondary school and contribute to initiatives to improve/develop the school’s response to Government legislation and children’s services guidelines. The post holder is accountable to the Head teacher.

Teaching and Learning

1. Lead by example as a teacher and as a manager, achieving high standards of pupil progress, behaviour and motivation through effective teaching.
2. To be responsible to the Headteacher for co-ordinating the work of the Secondary School, supporting and advising where appropriate.
3. Support subject co-ordinators in the development and implementation of curricular initiatives.
4. To monitor the quality of teaching and learning in Secondary provision, in line with the schools policy. This may include lesson observations, monitoring of short and medium term planning and scrutiny of pupils work.
5. To review long term planning in Secondary provision to ensure coverage, progression and a range of learning experiences.
6. To oversee with the Head of Primary, effective transition arrangements to ensure continuity and progression for all pupils moving from Primary to Secondary.
7. To liaise with the Pastoral lead to support the pastoral care of pupils in Secondary provision.
8. Co-ordinate and oversee the organisation of educational visits in Secondary provision.
9. Ensure Secondary provision planning is effectively carried out and ensure pupils’ individual needs are being met.
10. To monitor the standards of behaviour and achievement within each year group across Secondary provision to ensure continuity and progression.
11. Set appropriate expectations for Secondary provision staff and pupils in relation to standards of pupils’ achievements and the quality of teaching and establishing clear targets for improving and sustaining pupils’ progress supporting the process of teaching and learning in accordance with agreed policies and guidelines.
12. Supporting Secondary provision staff to meet Performance Management targets.

Recording and Assessment

1. Have input into the target setting process for raising achievement for Secondary pupils and feedback to the Headteacher.
2. Monitor progress in Secondary provision and ensure appropriate action plans are being implemented.
3. Liaise with SENDCo to ensure individual needs are being met.

Leadership

1. Support the Headteacher in providing a clear vision and direction for the development of the school.
2. Take a leading role in specific project(s) to be decided with the Headteacher.
3. Contribute to Leadership Team decisions on all aspects of policy development and organisation by playing a significant role in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of the self-evaluation development plan.
4. Attend Leadership Team meetings as required, and report back to staff when necessary.
5. Be a strong advocate for change and champion school improvement.
6. Convey a positive "can do" attitude, motivate and inspire staff and present a 'united front' to secure successful outcomes of school initiatives.
7. Establish good relationships, encourage good working practices and support and lead teachers.
8. Plan, organise and chair Secondary provision meetings as appropriate in order to ensure school policies and practices are being implemented.
9. Liaise with teaching assistants timetabled within Secondary provision and outside agencies.

Standards and Quality Assurance

1. Support the aims and ethos of the school.
2. Liaise with the Governors, when appropriate, to facilitate their overview of school management.
3. Attend and participate in open/parent evenings.
4. Uphold the school's behaviour code and uniform regulations.
5. Participate in staff training.
6. Participate in Continuing Professional Development.
7. Attend team and staff meetings.
8. Develop links with Governors, LAs and neighbouring schools.

People and relationships

1. Sustain effective, positive relationships with all staff, pupils, parents and governors and the local community.
2. Encourage moral and spiritual growth and civic and social responsibility amongst pupils.
3. Manage innovation and change.
4. Work collaboratively.
5. Manage and develop effective working relationships with all staff in the school.

Human and material resources and their development and deployment

1. When required, lead the professional development of all staff through example, coaching, peer support and target setting.
2. Contribute to the audit of staff development and training needs and the provision of effective INSET.
3. Ensure support and training during the induction of new Secondary provision staff and for trainee teachers.
4. Support the establishment of priorities for expenditure across the whole school and within departments.
5. Ensure the maintenance in Secondary provision of a structured environment for effective teaching and learning, for good social development and for pupils' spiritual, moral, and cultural development.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

1. To lead change in an area of the schools self-evaluation development plan.

This job description is not a comprehensive definition of the post. Discussions will take place on a regular basis to clarify individual responsibilities within the general framework and character of the post as identified below. The conditions of employment of teachers in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Service Document apply to this post, whose holder is expected to carry out the professional duties of a teacher as circumstances may require, under the reasonable direction of the Headteacher.

General Expectations:

The duties may be varied to meet changed circumstances in a manner compatible with the post held, at the reasonable direction of the Head of School. This job description does not form part of the contract of employment. It describes the way in which the teacher is expected and required to perform and complete the particular duties as set out above.

Closing Date: Friday 27th November 2026

Interviews will be held after the Closing Date.