Head of Subject - Art

Harris Church of England Academy; Bilton; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris Church of England Academy is seeking a senior leader to drive strategic direction and development of the subject area, ensuring high achievement through effective teaching and learning. You will lead department staff, monitor progress with data, and contribute to whole academy strategy and policies, reporting to the Assistant Headteacher/Deputy Headteacher.

You will foster a culture of continuous professional development, align the department action plan with the academy’s aims, and

Responsibilities

• Provide aspirational and effective learning experiences for students, in which lessons are consistently of at least “good” quality.
• Lead the subject staff in teaching of the subject and provide a role model for high quality teaching and learning.
• Keep abreast of new developments in content and teaching style.
• Monitor and evaluate the department's examination specification and schemes of work.
• Engage all subject staff in the creation and improvement of schemes of work.
• Ensure that examinations or other suitable methods of assessment are devised and applied at appropriate times.
• Initiate and organise curricular and educational enhancement activities related to the subject.
• Provide regular feedback and INSET to all subject staff on teaching and learning.
• Monitor progress and evaluate effects of improvement strategies, and report to SLT.

Job description

KEY PURPOSE

• Responsibility for teaching and learning, achievement and attainment within the department.
• Organisation of the delivery of the subject in the academy.
• To contribute to the development and maintenance of whole academy strategy, policies and ethos.

All teachers are subject to the Conditions of Employment set out annually in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document. These detail the professional and particular duties required of teachers, together with requirements for Management time, Working time and Guaranteed planning and preparation time. The academy complies with these requirements in order to make reasonable demands of teachers.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

The appointee will be line managed by the Assistant Headteacher/Deputy Headteacher.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic direction and development of the subject:

• To develop and implement policies and practices which reflect the academy’s commitment to high achievement through effective teaching and learning.
• To demonstrate an enthusiasm for the subject which motivates and supports other subject staff and encourages a shared understanding of the contribution the subject can make to all aspects of students’ lives.
• To display a developing and professional knowledge base together with the ability to identify the key implications for subject development.
• To use relevant academy, local and national data to inform targets for development and further improvement for individuals and groups of students.
• To establish clear targets for achievement in the subject and evaluate progress through the use of appropriate assessments and records and regular analysis of this data.
• To establish and implement a variety of systems and processes which provide good information gathering about students’ prior learning, their progress and achievements and the quality of teaching and learning in the subject.
• To involve all departmental colleagues in the creation and execution of the termly departmental action plan. This will identify clear targets, time-scales and success criteria for its development and/or maintenance in line with the whole academy evaluation form (AEF).
• To regularly review and evaluate the progress towards the targets set in the Department Action Plan and provide regular progress updates to the SLT line manager to ensure that they are fully aware of all successes, issues and concerns.
• To ensure, where appropriate, representation of the department at Middle Leaders meetings. If not attending the Middle Leaders meetings, to keep abreast of debate and contribute through a representative colleague.
• To hold regular departmental meetings; keeping subject staff up-to-date with decisions and proposals made by different groups to seek departmental views of these.

Teaching and learning

• Provide aspirational and effective learning experiences for students, in which lessons are consistently of at least “good” quality.
• To lead the subject staff in the teaching of the subject, and provide a role model for high quality teaching and learning in the subject.
• To keep abreast of new developments in content and teaching style.
• To monitor and evaluate the department’s examination specification and schemes of work.
• To engage all subject staff in the creation, consistent implementation and improvement of the schemes of work.
• To ensure that all subject staff follow the agreed syllabus/specification.
• To ensure that examinations or other suitable methods of assessment are devised and applied at appropriate times
• To ensure that all tests, examinations and assessments are based on the department's specification and marked according to a scheme common to the whole year group (except where some sets are following accelerated courses).
• To initiate and, where appropriate, organise curricular and educational enhancement activities related to the subject.
• To provide regular feedback and INSET to all subject staff on teaching and learning which recognises good practice and supports their progress.
• To use a variety of methods to monitor and evaluate the teaching and learning offered by the subject staff, and take appropriate action to improve further the quality of teaching and learning.
• To provide quality assurance monitoring and intervention with all subject staff.
• To monitor progress and evaluate the effects of any improvement strategies on teaching and learning by working alongside subject staff, analysing work and outcomes.
• To provide regular feedback to the SLT line manager to help the academy evaluate its practice.
• To assist the SLT line manager in the regular review of the standards of leadership, teaching and learning in the subject area
• To ensure that subject staff are aware of the implications of equality of opportunity which the subject raises.

Leading and managing staff

• To give necessary help and guidance to department staff.
• To help in the selection of teaching staff for the department.
• To be responsible for inducting NQTs and new staff.
• To ensure that all subject staff understand, and are actively implementing, the key aspects of the academy’s behaviour and inclusion policies.
• To assist members of the department in discipline matters.
• To secure, maintain and integrate the collaborative effort of the subject staff so that involvement, commitment and team spirit are promoted.
• To ensure that subject staff are familiar with and follow all academy and departmental policies e.g. reports, disciplinary procedures, setting and marking of work.
• To manage the support staff in the department.
• To alert the line manager of any complaints regarding subject staff and discuss strategies for the support of teachers as required.
• To implement and promote the use of performance management to develop the personal and professional effectiveness of subject staff.
• To act as a performance management team leader for identified teachers.
• To ensure the performance management arrangements are effectively discharged by the other team leaders in the department.
• To ensure that all subject staff have high quality professional development opportunities.
• To monitor and evaluate the contribution and impact of other staff to academy improvement.
• Take initial responsibility for the pastoral care and welfare of all departmental staff.

Resource Management

• To maintain efficient and effective management and organisation of learning resources, by developing or identifying new resources including ICT applications to the subject.
• To administer efficiently and effectively the resources and capitation of the department.
• To ensure that the teaching area allocated to the department is kept in good order.
• To ensure colleagues create a stimulating learning environment for the teaching and learning of the subject.
• To be aware of and respond appropriately to any health and safety issues raised by materials, practice or accommodation related to the subject.
• To discuss departmental timetable schedules with all members of the department and to ensure a fair and realistic distribution of teaching load in accordance with information issued by SLT.
• To plan the deployment of staff expertise to achieve the targets in the AEF.