st george s school, harpenden - amazon s3 · st george’s school, harpenden page 4 'the ethos...

Levavi Oculus: Aim Higher

St George’s School, Harpenden

Headteacher Application Brochure



Headteacher A group 7 school offering a competitive renumeration package including a

4 bedroomed detached house within easy walking distance of the school

Exceptional leaders are invited to apply to lead this outstanding School at an exciting time in its devel-

opment. St George’s is a mixed all ability 11-18 academy with 10% of students on roll who board.

Starting in September 2017 or later by negotiation it is expected that the successful candidate will pos-

sess demonstrable strategic leadership skills and will support the broad Christian ethos of the School.

He or she will have the ability to lead and inspire a dedicated and talented staff team to meet the aca-

demic and pastoral needs of a wide range of students achieving well-above average academic results.

For a confidential conversation about the post with the Chair of Governors email your details to

[email protected] and he will get in touch with you.

Arrangements to visit the school can be made by contacting

Mrs Pamela Bainbridge on 01582 716256

Closing date for applications: Noon on Monday 6th March 2017

Interview Dates: 16th and 17th March

Sun Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 4TD

Telephone: 01582 716256

To find out more and download an application form go here:

www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk/contact-us/vacancies

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk/contact-us/vacancies



Chairman of Governors Office

Sun Lane Harpenden

AL5 4TD

3rd February 2017 Dear Candidate Thank you for considering applying to be the Headteacher at our School. The post will become vacant in September 2017, following the resignation of Raymond McGovern to take on the challenge of a new headship. We are looking to appoint a Headteacher who will lead our school with both a vision for the future and enthusiasm for the traditions and ethos that have ensured the success of our very distinctive school over the last century. The School has always benefited from having Headteachers who have motivated Senior Leadership Teams, teachers and excellent support staff, both academic and administrative, to “Aim Higher”. We are looking for a leader who will work closely with the Directors of our Foundation, governors and staff to ensure that we offer the highest quality of education to each and every pupil equal to their individual abilities; who will care for and develop our boarding community; who will have first class academic skills as well as warmth and empathy and who will continue our custom of offering young people the confidence and ability to make their way in these uncertain and changing times. In turn we will offer the successful candidate an unprecedented opportunity to see education at its best and to develop their professional abilities to the utmost. St. George's School is rightly proud of its academic tradition. We have first class sports facilities (currently 3 former students play for England’s national rugby team) and a wonderful music department. Academic achievement is a priority but we look to encourage each student to participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. We wish to help all our pupils fulfil their potential and to gain an understanding of the value of giving and how that will enrich their lives as well as the lives of those they help. Our school was founded in 1907 when Cecil Grant decided to relocate the co-educational boarding school he had founded in Keswick to Harpenden. We remember his name with great pride, which is felt by all those fortunate to be members of our much extended community. Every Head has been committed to safeguarding and developing our values and ethos. Through sheer hard work and wisdom, St. George’s has become one of the most successful all ability Schools in the country. The Governors believe that there is more that can be achieved and if you are interested in picking up that challenge and fulfilling your potential as a school leader please complete your online application at www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk/contact-us/vacancies Yours sincerely Kevin Parsons Chairman of Governors

http://www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk/contact-us/vacancies



'The ethos and relationships are everything'. '

This school has got the magic formula'.

The school motto is Aim Higher and this is what we aspire to do every day. St George ’s is an exceptional school located in the Hertfordshire town of Harpenden. St George’s is a high achieving, non-selective academy which offers a high quality broad education experience, in a well ordered, supportive environment. The school offers both day and boarding education to students aged 11-18. St George’s exists solely and entirely to provide a safe learning environment in which our students can flourish academically, socially and personally. The heart and pulse of school life is underpinned by the school ’s Christian values. We are a non-denominational Christian school with its own chapel. This is used every day for chapel assemblies and on Sundays for school services, which pupils attend at least three times per term. Pupils consistently demonstrate exceptionally high levels of motivation to learn, to extend their learning and participate in the wide range of opportunities available through the extensive and comprehensive extra-curricular programme, although the term ‘extra-curricular’ barely does justice to what is offered. The school is organised into four Houses: Goddard; Grant; Monk and Watts. The House system is exceptionally important in the life of our school community. All students and staff (other than the senior leadership team) are members of a House. There is a real sense of belonging and loyalty associated with being part of a House, which in many respects is like your school family. The House system also provides an opportunity for healthy competition and for pupils to develop their skills and interests, in a range of areas including sport, performance, music and intellectually. Staff and pupils alike are hardworking, dedicated and fiercely loyal to the school. Parents are exceptionally supportive of the school’s ethos, values and vision. Parents engage practically, as well as well as philosophically: there is an active and vibrant PSA which organises social and fundraising events and works in partnership with the school to make St George’s the wonderful school it is. In the community the school has an excellent reputation and this is mainly thanks to our students who take great pride in being part of St George’s, exhibiting excellent manners and behaving impeccably. The Governing Body, which is made up of a range of skilled, passionate and dedicated people are exceptionally experienced and highly effective. Their unifying mission is quite clearly to ensure that St George’s continues to provide a high quality educational experience to the pupils, which is not just limited to headline academic results; developing educationally well-rounded, physically and emotionally healthy young people is what matters. Staff appointed to the school need to share this passion and drive to make St George ’s exceptional in every way. The school is supported by the founder Cecil Grant’s Trust Fund and its alumni in the Georgian Association. It has a thriving Parent Staff Association and is a member of the Harpenden Secondary Education Trust and the St. Albans Association of Secondary Headteachers.



Key Facts and Statistics

Latest Academic Achievements

Type of School Academy. Non-selective, Co-Educational State Boarding and Day School

Location Harpenden, Hertfordshire

Age Range 11-18

Number of Students 1,328 including 120 Boarders and 381 Sixth Form

School Established 1907 by Reverend Cecil Grant

OFSTED Outstanding, in all Categories (2014)

Student Attendance 94%

Students with SEN EHC: 7 Statemented: 10 SEN Support: 116

% of Students Eligible for Pupil Premium

3.46%

% of Students with EAL 4.44%

GSCE Results A*-C in English and Maths: 91% A*-B: 77% 5 or more GCSE’s A*-C: 94%

Progress 8 0.43

A Level Results

A*- B: 78% A*- C: 84% A*- E: 99%



Living and Working in Harpenden

Harpenden, a pleasant, leafy town, situated in the County of Hertfordshire, is only 30 minutes from Central London and within easy reach of main motorways and airports. Although it is close to the major towns of St Albans and Luton, it is surrounded by villages. Trains run from Harpenden Station, to Central London and as far south as Brighton, and north to Luton and Bedford. It has excellent bus services running to major Hertfordshire towns. Although the M1 is a short drive away, the town is not affected by traffic noises. Proud of its history, the town maintains a pleas-ant, village atmosphere and a strong, vibrant community.

Harpenden has three national supermarkets and a wide variety of shops, coffee shops and restaurants, many of which are independently-run. The town has an abundance of open parkland and commons, most notably Harpenden Common and Rothamsted Park amongst them. It boasts a number of sports clubs, including Rugby, Football, Cricket, Golf, Lawn Tennis and Bowls. There is also a leisure centre with a swimming pool.

With high-achieving schools, both at primary and secondary phase, a lower-than-national average crime rate, excellent transport links, a wide variety of leisure and retail facilities, Harpenden really does ‘have it all’ and is a great place to raise a family.



Application Process

Applicants can apply online, using the Headteacher Application Form.

All completed applications should be emailed to: [email protected]. Alternatively, postal applications should be marked Confidential Headteacher Application and returned to: Pamela Bainbridge, St George’s School, Sun Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 4TD All applications must include a statement, outlining the applicant’s relevant experience and personal attributes. The statement must be specific to St George’s School and address the Person Specifica-tion at Page 12 of this brochure. Please include evidence of how you have translated your vision for education into reality in your current role and how you would lead St George ’s to continuing success. This should not be more than two pages of A4 in Arial font pitch 10. If you would like a confidential conversation about the post with the Chair of Governors, email your details to [email protected] and he will get in touch with you.

Informal Tours of School

Tours can take place between 09:30 am and 11:30 am on 27th, 28th February and 1st March 2017. They must be pre-booked with Pamela Bainbridge by telephone: 01582 716256.

Closing date for Applications

Noon on Monday 6th March 2017

Shortlisting

A Panel of Governors will complete initial shortlisting by 8th March 2017.

Expenses

Candidates asked to attend for an Interview will be able to claim for travel costs.





Headteacher Job Description

Job Purpose The Headteacher has full responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of this school, which

includes the boarding provision, and is responsible for providing vision, leadership and direction for the school and

ensuring that it is managed and organised to meet its aims and targets. The Headteacher will provide professional

leadership for the School that secures its continued success, ensuring high quality education that realises the po-

tential of all pupils. However, as an employee of the Governing Body, he or she is fully accountable to the School’s

Governing Body.

To gain success the Headteacher will:

Effectively manage outstanding teaching and learning

Promote excellence, equality and high expectation for all pupils

Promote Boarding and its cultural contribution to the School

Provide vision, leadership and direction

Evaluate School performance and identify priorities for continuous improvement

Manage the School’s budget in order to achieve the School’s aims

Carry out day-to-day management, organisation and administration

Secure the commitment of the wider community

Demonstrate an ability to so engage parents and the wider community such that any fundraising necessary to maintain/expand our facilities is successful

Create a safe and productive learning environment which is engaging and fulfilling for all pupils

Work effectively with the School’s Governing Body and Foundation

Support the work of the School’s Chapel to include attending Sunday Services.

Main Duties Shaping the future

The Headteacher, working with the Governing Body and others, is expected to create a shared vision and strategic

plan, which inspires and motivates pupils, staff and all other members of the community and leads the School to

become a system leader and a world class school. The Headteacher will:

ensure that the vision for the School is clearly articulated, shared, understood and acted upon effectively by all

lead by example, providing inspiration and motivation for pupils, staff, governors and parents to create a shared culture and positive climate

develop strategies, underpinned by sound financial planning, for inclusion in the school action plan

develop and enhance the educational partnership currently existing between the School, parents, Governing Body, The Harpenden Secondary Schools Trust, linked partner primary schools, the LA, the local community and other agencies.

ensure that strategic planning takes account of the needs, diversity, values and experiences of the School

community at large and in particular that the needs of all pupils form the basis of educational planning



Leading teaching and learning

The Headteacher, supported by the Governing Body, has a central responsibility for enabling pupils to ‘Aim Higher’

and achieve their potential. The Headteacher will:

create and maintain an environment which promotes and secures creative, responsive and effective approach-

es to learning and teaching, high expectations, excellent standards of achievement and good behaviour

determine, organise and provide equal access to a diverse, flexible and relevant curriculum which values and

challenges all children, including those with Special Educational Needs and English as an additional language,

and to ensure that appropriate provision is made for more able pupils

establish and maintain effective systems of planning, assessment for learning, recording and reporting, using

data and benchmarks to monitor progress of every child’s learning

monitor and evaluate curricular provision, regularly review classroom practice and to evaluate the standards of

achievement and the quality of teaching and learning in order to set and meet challenging, achievable targets

for improvement

manage regular reviews of all aspects of the curriculum, to initiate, encourage and implement new and effective

ideas, taking a strategic role in the development of emerging technologies to enhance and extend the learning

experience of all pupils

establish and monitor curriculum continuity and progression between the Key Stages of the curriculum and Val-

ue Added, from partner primary schools to Higher Education

acknowledge excellence and, where necessary, challenge poor performance across the School

Developing Self and working with others

The Headteacher of the School will build a community dedicated to the lifelong developmentof the whole person

and will:

create a positive and collaborative learning culture within the School by treating people fairly, equitably and

with dignity and respect

plan, allocate, support and evaluate work undertaken by groups, teams and individuals, ensuring that there is a

clear delegation of tasks and devolution of responsibilities

implement and sustain systems for the effective management of all staff performance, incorporating targets for

future development

motivate and enable staff to develop expertise in their respective roles through a wide range of high quality in-

duction and continuing professional development opportunities in the context of the School’s agreed improve-

ment priorities

maintain and develop the senior management team and wider management structure; promote a culture of

effective communication, involvement and development for all

review their own professional practice regularly, set targets and take responsibility for their own proffesional

development

give and receive effective feedback and act to improve personal performance

seek the support from others including colleagues, governors and other stakeholders

manage their own workload and that of others to allow for an appropriate work/life balance



Managing the Organisation To provide effective organisation and management and seek ways of improving organisational structures and

functions based on rigorous self-evaluation of the School in order to maintain and improve the efficient, effective

and safe learning environment. The Headteacher will:

create an organisational structure which reflects the School’s values, enabling the management systems,

structures and processes to work effectively in line with the School’s ethos and legal requirements

produce and implement clear, evidence-based improvement plans and policies for the development of the

School and its facilities

work with governors and senior colleagues to recruit, retain and deploy staff appropriately, managing their

workload to achieve the vision and goals of the School

set appropriate priorities for expenditure, allocate funds and ensure effective administration and control of

financial matters, in partnership with the School’s Operations and Finance Team and Governing Body

promote and manage the boarding provision of the School in partnership with the Director of Boarding

manage and organise the school’s accommodation effectively and efficiently to ensure that it meets the needs

of the curriculum and health and safety regulations

promote an attractive and safe environment which stimulates learning and enhances the fabric of the School

think creatively to anticipate and solve problems

work effectively with the School’s Foundation Company and other supporters of the school to ensure that the

resources they provide to the school are most effectively applied.

Securing Accountability The Headteacher is accountable to the Governing Body for the School, its environment and all its work including

the wider accountabilities in relation to pupils, parents, carers, and other relevant groups. The Headteacher is

also accountable for ensuring that pupils benefit from a high quality education, enjoy learning and are able to do

so through a variety of experiences, promoting collective responsibility within the whole School community. The

Headteacher will:

ensure that parents and students are well informed about the curriculum, attainment and progress

engage the School community in systematic and rigorous self-evaluation that achieves positive outcomes

and challenges underperformance

present a coherent and accurate account of the School’s performance in a form appropriate to a range of au-

diences, including governors, the local community, OFSTED and others, to enable them to discharge their

duties and responsibilities

ensure individual staff accountabilities are clearly defined, understood and agreed and are subject to regular

review and evaluation

develop the School’s ethos in partnership with the School’s foundation company which enables everyone to

work collaboratively, share knowledge and understanding, celebrate success and accept responsibility for the

outcomes

Ensure that students are able to understand and contribute to achievable and challenging targets to make at

least good progress and are given strategies to achieve this

Demonstrate political insight and anticipation of trends in education and communicate these to the school’s

stakeholders



Strengthening Community

The Headteacher will work collaboratively at both strategic and operational levels with all those connected with the

School community, particularly the local primary schools and the Harpenden Secondary Schools Trust. The

Headteacher will:

promote and support the positive benefits of living within a culturally and ethnically diverse society, building a

School culture and curriculum that takes account of the richness and diversity of the School’s communities

work with other secondary and primary schools in the Harpenden area and the Harpenden Secondary Schools

Trust in the development of collaborative strategies and the forthcoming secondary school to be built in

Harpenden.

create and promote positive strategies for challenging racial and other prejudice

ensure that learning experiences for pupils are linked into opportunities provided in the wider community

collaborate with other agencies in providing for the academic, moral, social, emotional and cultural well-being of

pupils and their families, and work with the relevant agencies to protect children

create and maintain a positive and effective relationship linking home and School in a supportive, working part-

nership to encourage and improve pupils’ achievement and personal development

regularly participate in Chapel services throughout the week

Improving the Life Chances of Children and Young People

Working with the Governing Body to develop a staff who have the necessary skills and knowledge to promote

equality, respect diversity and challenge stereotypes to promote the rights of children and young people. The

Headteacher will ensure that staff:

listen, question and respond to what is being communicated by children, young people and those caring for

them

recognise when a child or young person may not be achieving their developmental potential or their health may

be impaired and be able to identify sources of help for them and their families



KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Proven experience of successful school leadership including substantial experience in a

secondary school at a senior level

Proven experience of sustained ‘outstanding’ teaching in a secondary school serving pupils with a

wide range of abilities

Comprehensive knowledge of curriculum, organisational and other national developments and

initiatives in education

A proven track record of leading and managing others in a range of roles

Experience of working with external agencies, other schools and community partners

An understanding of boarding provision

Experience of leading acts of worship in school

SKILLS QUALITIES & ABILITIES

Able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing to a wide range of audiences

Able to ‘Aim Higher’, inspire and lead staff and pupils to achieve the aims of the school

Able to think and plan strategically, including implementing, monitoring and evaluating school

improvement

Understanding of the legal and statutory responsibilities of Headship in an academy and state

boarding school

Understanding of the Financial and Budgetary responsibilities associated with a Group 7 size

school

Understanding of and support for the broad Christian ethos of the school

Ability to access, analyse and interpret information and to prioritise tasks effectively

Be skilled in the effective monitoring of performance of people and policies

Able to build and maintain good relationships

Able to remain positive and enthusiastic when working under pressure

Have high expectations of pupils’ learning and attainment

Understanding of the process of staff recruitment, safeguarding, appointment and induction

relating to Teaching, Support, Boarding and Administrative staff

Understanding of performance management in schools

Able to promote strong collaboration between home, school and the community

Understanding of the effective use of the latest technology to enhance teaching, learning,

leadership and management

Able to act as an outstanding ambassador for the School

OTHER

First or second class (hons) Degree

Qualified Teacher Status

Evidence of significant and continuing professional development

Positive and supportive references

Postgraduate qualification

Person Specification

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