HEAD OF PASTORAL SUPPORT

HEAD OF PASTORAL SUPPORT
(Senior Assistant Principal)
Leadership and Federation Benefits.
£51,402 – £56,721 (L9 – L13)
Start date January 2022 but negotiable

We offer the successful candidate an opportunity to lead our skilled and committed pastoral team so that student behaviour and attitudes continue to be outstanding across the College. The postholder will have a very limited teaching commitment to ensure that they have the time to support students when they need it most. In addition, a team of six staff whose role is purely pastoral and an assistant manager who also teaches will support you. Linked to an experienced Vice Principal you will have the backing of the senior leadership team whenever it is needed.

The head of pastoral support is responsible for ensuring that standards of behaviour, safeguarding and pastoral care improve as the College continues to grow by 30 students to admit 240 students per year starting in September 2022. This growth is backed by a £5 million investment that will complement our existing award winning facilities in line with our ethos. Our approach is unique, our ethos is student centred, we trust our students and manage the College in that way; there are no locked doors, students can come in from 8:00am and stay until 5:00pm accessing all of the extensive facilities we offer. There are no long lists of rules, instead we set high expectations for students and staff, in the way we dress, queue at lunch time and get involved in our very broad range of activities. Strong enagement and good behaviour is underpinned by an extensive rewards and recognition system that encourages students to strive to do their best. As one student commented in a recent survey, ‘there are no rules at Catmose, until you do something wrong, then there are lots of rules’. The postholder will ensure that students who get things wrong receive the support they need so that they become positive members of our community. It is not uncommon as a result of our approach to be able to stand in the centre of our building surrounded by over 1000 people at work and still be able to hear a whisper. Please have a look at our website, particularly the pages around pastoral support, to get a stronger idea of our ethos and unique approach to pastoral care. https://www.catmosecollege.com/pastoral/

For the successful candidate there are exceptional opportunities for further professional development and promotion across the Federation. We have supported staff to gain a masters, become an Ofsted inspector or an accredited SENCO in recent years. The appointed candidate will be joining a strong and supportive team of specialist staff who take pride in achieving the best outcomes for all students and are very adept at managing students’ behaviour.

Leaders are able to enjoy many additional benefits that come as part of working within the Federation. These include, amongst others:

Staff at top of their scale may receive up to a 2% pay award annually for good performance.
Relocation support.
Access to a private health care scheme for you and your family.
Vast range of staff training including a partially funded Master’s scheme.
Primary, secondary and sixth-form teaching opportunities.
Staff laptops.
Priority admission for children of staff to the College and Primary.
Flexible working; part-time and a job share considered.
A broad range of opportunities to engage in extracurricular trips and activities.
A subsidised restaurant, refectory and orangery.
Complimentary lunch on staff training days.
Cycleshare scheme salary sacrifice for bike purchases.
Free parking.
Complimentary flu vaccination.
Holidays outside of the usual term-time pattern, including a two-week autumn break and an early summer.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome applications from candidates looking for a variety of flexible working arrangements including, but not limited to, part time working.

The Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students in our care and expects all staff to share this commitment. All staff are responsible for ensuring safeguarding, health and safety policies are implemented in line with Federation policy and current legislation. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer.

If this role interests you please contact Alex Emmerson, who is the link Vice Principal for the pastoral team, via email: aemmerson@catmosecollege.com. Alex will be able to answer any questions you might have whilst also giving you a greater insight into the role and our College to help decide if we would be a good fit for each other.

JOB PURPOSE

The head of pastoral support will lead the Client Services team and take responsibility for promoting positive student behaviour across the entire College as well as teaching within their specialist area. When a student struggles to meet our expectations around behaviour or another pastoral need, the head of pastoral support will work with students, parents and staff to ensure that they are successfully identified, appropriate support is put in place and these barriers are ultimately overcome. You will be responsible for ensuring that standards of behaviour, safeguarding and pastoral care are outstanding across the College.

DUTIES

The duties outlined in this job description may be modified by the Executive Principal, in consultation with the postholder to reflect or anticipate changes in the job, commensurate with the salary and job title. It is anticipated that the head of pastoral support will arrive shortly after 8:00am and be available to support after college duties until 5:00pm alongside other members of the leadership team. You are also expected to contribute to senior staff safeguarding duties and to attend additional meetings as required from time to time out of term time which will not routinely exceed five days per academic year.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, BEHAVIOUR AND WELFARE OF STUDENTS

To be a prominent and active presence across the College site throughout the day, always leading by example so that students understand our expectations and see staff adhering to the same expectations as they do.
To actively promote and demonstrate the behaviours and attitudes students require for success in later life as outlined in our routines for learning.
To work with team leaders and the senior leadership team to promote high standards of behaviour across the College.
To use the behaviour management monitoring system to identify patterns with students and groups of students and respond in a proactive manner.
To work with students and groups of students to ensure that barriers to learning and progress are overcome.
To prevent all forms of bullying, including online bullying and prejudice-based bullying. When bullying does occur ensure that it is dealt with quickly and effectively.
To deliver assemblies (at least once a term) which inform, develop and challenge students’ opinions and beliefs.
To deal effectively with health, welfare and safeguarding concerns, taking appropriate action to keep students safe. Help to ensure that the bullying, welfare, safeguarding and Prevent logs are kept up to date, are accurate and reflect the support we have put in place.
To work with outside agencies and parents to support students and their families.
To lead the reward and recognition of student achievements to foster a culture of success.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The head of pastoral support will be committed unwaveringly to setting high expectations for the conduct of students and members of the Client Services Team as outlined in our policies and procedures.
Managing the pastoral Client Services Advisor roles so that they are efficiently and effectively deployed and supported in promoting the ethos of the pastoral remit. This includes monitoring and reviewing their PRs.
Lead the stages system of pastoral monitoring.
Ensure all steps have been taken to avoid a child being permanently excluded:

- Documenting support.
- Parental involvement on a regular basis.
- Local authority and external agency involvement.
- SEN providers including the College SENCO.
- Management and allocation of key workers.
Ensure statutory requirements are in place when producing documentation for permanent exclusions.
Presenting the College case for permanent exclusion to governors’ panels.
Deciding and documenting relevant sanctions for students involved in serious incidents.
Quality assuring all Pastoral Support Plans and briefings to relevant staff.
Delivering staff training so that instances of poor behaviour in lessons are extremely rare.
Assist on transition from primary schools to the College, including the Year 7 transition compulsory electives.

Work with key stakeholders (students, parents, Federation staff, governors and members of the wider College community) to foster positive relationships.
To liaise with team leaders to provide pastoral support that is tailored to the needs of individual students across the College.
Focus on improving outcomes for all students, but especially those students in receipt of the Pupil Premium grant.
Update the Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare Scorecard each half term ready for presentation to governors.
To actively promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students and the Fundamental British Values.
Ensure equality of opportunity and diversity within the College community and prevent any form of direct or indirect discriminatory behaviour.
Stay up-to-date with the latest guidance around attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.
Promote a culture of vigilance, where student welfare is paramount and concerns are addressed swiftly.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

The head of pastoral support will be committed to both their own individual professional development and that of the wider school body.

FEDERATION

To familiarise yourself and comply with the Federation rules, policies and procedures in force including those contained in the Staff Handbook.
Support the vision and ethos of the Federation.
Uphold routines for learning and uniform.
Contribute to monitoring and evaluating the success of the Federation.
To proactively respond to issues identified in the Transformation Plan to bring about sustained improvement.
Contribute to the range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer to students.
Any other reasonable duties as requested by the Executive Principal.

This role is undertaken in conjunction with the role of teacher therefore please also refer to this job description.

FEDERATION

To familiarise yourself and comply with the Federation rules, policies and procedures in force including those contained in the Staff Handbook.
Support the vision and ethos of the Federation.
Actively uphold routines for learning and uniform.
Contribute to monitoring and evaluating the success of the Federation.
To proactively respond to issues identified in the Transformation Plan to bring about sustained improvement.
Contribute to the range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer to students.
Any other reasonable duties as requested by the Executive Principal.

SAFEGUARDING, HEALTH AND SAFETY

All staff are responsible for ensuring safeguarding, health and safety policies and procedures are enforced in line with Federation policy and current legislation.

This job description sets out the main duties associated with the stated purpose of the post. It is assumed that other duties of a similar nature undertaken within the role are not excluded because they are not itemised.

HEAD OF PASTORAL SUPPRT – PERSON SPECIFICATION

	Essential	Desirable	Evidence
	(It is expected that the successful candidate will demonstrate ALL of these qualities)	(It is expected that the successful candidate will demonstrate SOME of these qualities)
QUALIFICATIONS	At least a 2:1 honours degree Qualified Teaching Status	DSL training SENDCO qualification National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Behaviour and Culture National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Senior Leadership Master’s degree	Letter of application
EXPERIENCE	Experience as a teacher with strong outcomes for their students. Experience of leading other staff to demonstrate success with improving outcomes for students other than their own. The ability to use a wide range of behaviour management strategies to promote a positive learning environment. Experience of working with local authorities, social workers, educational psychologists and other external agencies to demonstrable impact. A strong understanding of pastoral law, including but not limited to keeping children safe in education and exclusions with demonstrable success of application.	A current leadership role as a Pastoral Leader with a proven track record of success of supporting students at risk of exclusion. Experience of leading an aspect of whole school development to demonstrable success. The ability to perform lesson observations, learning walks and other quality assurance measures and to reach accurate decisions. Experience of supporting students with disabilities and the legislation that underpins this, for example, mental health, ASD and ADHD. Mentoring and student counselling.	Letter of application Interview
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT	Has evidence of significant impact on the educational progress of students other than the teacher’s assigned classes or groups of students.	Has had significant responsibility including line management of a number of people.	Positive student and parental feedback
COLLEGE REVIEW	Evidence of using data to inform planning e.g. Sleuth records. Implement plans to a successful conclusion. Review plans to demonstrate reflection on success.	Has evidence of monitoring and intervening with teaching staff to improve performance.	Reduced number of letters over time for students with seven or more negative entries in a term.
LIAISON	Liaise with team leaders over the concerns regarding individual students. Establish excellent relationships with a range of stakeholders including senior leadership team, teachers, students and parents.		Improved or positive relationships between staff and challenging, or previously disaffected students.
PASTORAL INTERVENTION	Evidence of implementing individual pastoral programmes to measurable improvement in behaviour. Identify target students – maintaining records of intervention for each student. Support individual staff in the classroom when student progress is a concern – mainly in conjunction with the team leader. Support team leaders in classroom situations, help staff maintain a positive atmosphere for learning.	An awareness and experience of the role that external organisations can play in supporting individual students and families.

HOW TO APPLY

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM HERE

You should write a letter of application on no more than 2 sides of A4.
You should complete all sections of the application form.
On the form clearly state the names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of two professional referees; it is our usual practice to ask for references before shortlisting and always to ask for references before interviews.
It is a condition of employment that you have a successful DBS check made and can provide proof of identity and qualifications gained.

Please note that due to the high number of applications we receive for positions, your application is unlikely to be considered if you do not follow these requirements. CVs are not accepted.

Closing date is 9am on Tuesday 12 October 2021. Interviews will take place on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 October.

You should send your application to Stuart Williams, Executive Principal, Catmose College, Huntsmans Drive, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6RP. Applications can also be emailed to office@rutlandfederation.com.