Principal

Education Authority (Northern Ireland); Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Education Authority (Northern Ireland) is seeking a Special Principal with proven experience in strategic whole‑school leadership and a track record of improving outcomes in SEN contexts. Applicants should hold recognised NI teaching qualifications and a postgraduate education qualification, with significant leadership exposure at SMT/SLT level and experience in multi‑agency collaboration.

Candidates must demonstrate strong data management, financial acumen and the ability to develop

Qualifications

• Must hold teaching qualification recognised to teach in grant-aided NI schools.
• Experience of strategic whole-school leadership with measurable improvement.
• Principal or Vice-Principal experience or equivalent leadership role.
• Involvement with multi-agency stakeholders to support pupils with complex needs.
• Evidence of strategic planning and building a professional learning community.
• Commitment to own CPD and involvement in staff development; experience with financial/budget management.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Whole-school leadership

Staff development

Multi‑agency work

Communication

Change management

Data‑driven decisions

Education

NI teaching qualification

Postgraduate qualification in Education

Leadership qualification

Job description

Special Principal – Person Specification EssentialDesirable Qualifications

The criteria that will be applied at shortlisting is as follows:

Applicants Must At The Closing Date For Applications

• Hold a teaching qualification which meets the requirements for recognition to teach in grant‑aided schools in Northern Ireland. Preference may be given to those applicants who: 5) Have successfully completed an additional post graduate (or equivalent or higher) qualification in Education. Experience The criteria that will be applied at shortlisting is as follows (please note that experience must be accrued by the closing date for receipt of completed applications):
• Have a minimum of 7 years teaching experience in a paid capacity in primary/postprimary/special education and/or equivalent experience in an affiliated educational body, within the last 12 years, of which at least 5 years should have involved either teaching or management of a wide range of children and young people with special educational needs in a special school or in a mainstream school with special education provision or in support services related to special education.
• Currently hold or have held for a minimum of 3 years AND within the last 6 years:
• A post with experience of strategic whole school leadership at a minimum level of Leadership Team/SMT/SLT to include monitoring and evaluation resulting in measurable school improvement; and/or
• A post of Principal or Vice-Principal; and/or
• A post with leadership and management experience within an affiliated body with evidence of measurable improvement at a strategic level.

Promoted posts may be in an acting capacity.

• Evidence of successfully leading and managing an aspect of whole school improvement;
• Evidence of involvement in strategic planning at whole school level and/or organisational management;
• Evidence of building a professional learning community within a school or other organisation.

Preference may be given to those applicants who:

1) Demonstrate evidence of working with multi‑agency stakeholders to meet the needs of pupils with complex special educational needs;

• Can demonstrate evidence of involvement in staff development within school/s;
• Demonstrable evidence of commitment to own continuous personal development;
• Have experience of financial and/or budgetary management.

Essential Knowledge

The successful candidate must demonstrate extensive knowledge of:

• The Northern Ireland Curriculum in the context of a special school setting and current policies and procedures;
• Current educational developments and the ability to evaluate and respond to new educational challenges and manage change effectively;
• Effective classroom pedagogy and how to ensure high standards of teaching, learning and achievement throughout the school;
• Effective data management;
• Effective organisational management including the appropriate deployment of resources;
• Effective financial management;
• Sound financial governance.

Skills

The successful candidate must demonstrate highly developed skills in order to:

• Lead, motivate, manage, challenge and enthuse others;
• Create an ethos and articulate vision for the future of the school;
• Develop good relationships at all levels and promote a collaborative and team approach among staff, pupils, parents and governors;
• Lead strategically and develop self and others in order to achieve outcomes;
• Promote, achieve, monitor and evaluate high standards of teaching, learning and achievement throughout the school;
• Develop effective partnerships between the school and the local community;
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing;
• Organise and prioritise workload effectively;
• Deal with staffing matters in accordance with EA policies and procedures;
• Manage time effectively.

Personal Qualities

The Successful Candidate Must Demonstrate

• Vision;
• A sound value system;
• Enthusiasm and motivation;
• Assertiveness and confidence;
• A caring child centred approach;
• Integrity;
• Advocacy and empathy;
• Discretion;
• An ability to cope under pressure;
• Tact and diplomacy;
• Decisiveness;
• Adaptability.

The Board of Governors reserves the right to enhance the essential criteria if necessary in order to facilitate a manageable shortlist.

Applicants must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) upon taking up employment.

Please note the onus is on candidates to provide sufficient detailed information on their application forms in order to demonstrate how they meet each of the criteria. Failure to do so may result in a candidate not being shortlisted since selection panels cannot make assumptions in the absence of essential information.

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the