Head of Year (Non-Teaching)

Gospel Oak School, Tipton, West Midlands, DY4 0BZ

10 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2024

• Closing date

  9 July 2024 at 10am

• Date listed

  17 June 2024

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £25,820.80 - £27,668.99 Annually (Actual) NJC Scale 6 Point 18-22

Head of Year (Non-Teaching) job summary

Gospel Oak School are seeking to appoint a strong and experienced Head of Year to join our excellent Student Support team. You will organise and manage a year group of approximately 240 students, liaising with parents/carers as well as external agencies on all aspects of pastoral care and be fully supportive of the inclusive ethos of the school.

The successful candidate will:

• highly motivated and enthusiastic
• have high expectations of students and what they can achieve
• have clear pastoral experience
• have a strong understanding of strategies which address barriers to learning
• a committed team player
• able to develop and drive new initiatives and innovate practice

You will be joining a group of 13 successful schools serving approximately 7000 children from nursery through to 18 years of age as part of the Central Regions Schools Trust, founded by the RSA. The school is highly aspirational, boasting fantastic facilities for both students and staff.

Job Description

As a Head of Year, you will encourage, guide & support pupils wellbeing and academic achievement at school, ensuring that students achieve the best possible outcomes. To liaise with families and other stakeholders to facilitate this.

The Head of Year must be able to

• To assist the Year Team Leader in ensuring student progress and achievement in accordance with the aims of the school and policies determined by the Principal, Local Governing Board and Central Region Schools Trust.
• To embody the values, vision and ethos of Gospel Oak School and assist in delivering policy which will ensure high quality provision and successful outcomes.
• To help monitor students’ behaviour ensuring that follow-up procedures are adhered to, and that appropriate action is taken as and where necessary.
• To assist the Year Team Leader in supporting student welfare and development.
• To assist in the implementation of school policies and procedures to promote successful student engagement and progress.
• To serve as a member of Gospel Oak School and to act as a role model of professional conduct and presence with colleagues, students, school representatives, parents, and the wider community.
• To participate in duties before, during and after school, together with colleagues, according to the agreed rotas

General duties will include:

• To ensure that all students uphold the Gospel Oak School Code of Conduct.
• To be the first port of call for parents, in liaison with the Form Tutor, in relation to student attendance and behaviour encompassing any issues surrounding poor attendance, behaviour or timekeeping.
• To ensure that parents and students understand and subscribe to the values and ethos of the school in relation to attendance and the Gospel Oak School Code of Conduct, stressing the importance of high standards at all times.
• To encourage parents to have high aspirations for their children and of themselves and to have high expectations of them through excellent pastoral care and guidance.

Specific duties will include:

• To assist the Year Team Leader in promoting positive behaviour and conflict resolution.
• To assist in the implementation of the schools Behaviour for Learning Policy so that effective learning can take place.
• To actively promote and support the schools rewards system.
• To manage attendance, behaviour and welfare efficiently to ensure that systems are followed to inform target setting for students and to prioritise work in the area.
• In conjunction with the Year Team Leader, ensure whole school attendance matches or exceeds the national average with improving student punctuality year on year.
• To monitor attendance patterns on a daily/weekly/termly basis and report them to the Year Team Leader.
• To support necessary measures to improve student attendance including holding attendance reviews and rewarding good attendance through assemblies and other measures.
• Communicate with staff, students and parents on the issues surrounding behaviour, punctuality, and attendance.
• Encourage both students and parents to strive for 100% attendance with excellent timekeeping both in school and at any external placements.
• To make home visits regarding attendance issues.

Liaison will be required as follows:

• To assist the Year Team Leader in ensuring effective communication, as appropriate, with parents/carers of students in their Year Group and that all such communication is recorded via the Pastoral Admin Support.
• To participate in regular meetings with colleagues to collaboratively plan priorities. Agreeing targets for raising standards, improving achievement and sharing good practice.
• To attend meetings with parents and external agencies when required, to report incidents of absence/lateness, in collaboration with the Year Team Leader.
• Ensure that appropriate, frequent and consistent contact with parents is maintained on all aspects of progress in attendance punctuality and learning.
• To instigate first day absence phone calls to parents.
• To attend and contribute to team meetings.
• To liaise with Year Team Leaders, Senior Leaders, SENDCo and other agencies to identify students at risk of disaffection and to devise, implement and evaluate individual Student Support Plans (SSPs).
• To support students with behavioural difficulties and to liaise with learning support staff to support staff to support the entry, exit and re-integration of students who require specialist provision (where applicable).
• To promote the speedy and effective transfer of information between previous schools and the school at each key stage/phase of education.
• Liaising with LACES re LAC and organising PEP for LAC.
• To liaise with school nurse and medical needs team re vaccinations and individual needs.
• Ensuring all care plans are in place and up-to-date.
• To network with colleagues in other schools and the Central Region Schools Trust to share best practice.
• To assist partner organisations to share information where appropriate.

Interventions responsibilities will include:

• To liaise with the Year Team Leader in analysing and evaluating pastoral data so that appropriate interventions can be made with identified students.
• To implement agreed strategies to improve attitude, behaviour and engagement in learning.
• To implement initiatives to promote and support good health and wellbeing with the student body.
• To enable students to overcome individual barriers to learning.
• To develop a 1:1 mentoring relationship with students identified as needing support and to devise, implement and evaluate individual Student Support Plans (SSPs).
• To build up detailed knowledge of the support services available, serving as the initial point of contact for students and accessing specialist support as appropriate.
• With school staff and external agencies as appropriate, to participate in the comprehensive assessment of students to identify those in need of extra help overcome barriers to learning.
• To inspire and support, often vulnerable and/or excluded individuals, to access learning opportunities.
• Organising Pupil Premium (LAC) based on agreed Personal Education Plans.

Safeguarding responsibilities will include:

• To play a full part in safeguarding students and contributing to their personal development and well-being through being a trained member of the safeguarding team at the school.
• Organising whole school intervention as appropriate and acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
• To liaise with Senior Leaders and Inclusion re referrals to Children’s Services – attending Child Protection Conference and Core Group meetings as appropriate.
• To ensure that all students have a safe environment in which they can learn, following up any concerns highlighted.
• To be aware of systems which support safeguarding and following the procedures as highlighted in the Safeguarding Policy.
• To identify children who may benefit from early help as soon as possible.
• To always consider what is in the best interests of the child.
• To protect children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
• To take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
• Ensure full compliance with statutory guidance related to the Single Central Record.

You will be required to manage referrals as follows:

• Act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies.

Other duties and responsibilities include:

• To carry out any other reasonable duties as directed by the or Year Team Leader, member of the Leadership Team or Principal.
• To participate in relevant Continuous Professional Development and Learning (CPDL) which results in high quality pastoral and welfare support.
• To play a full part in the life of the school community, to support its distinctive ethos and to encourage other staff and students to follow this example.
• To undertake a specific whole school pastoral role (see additional duties).
• To engage actively in the appraisal process.
• To work as a member of a designated team and to contribute positively to effective working relations within the school.
• Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task to be undertaken may not be identified.
• Employees are expected to adhere to the Central Region Schools Trust agreed Code of Conduct.
• The school will endeavour to make any necessary reasonable adjustments to the job and the working environment to enable access to employment opportunities for disabled job applicants or continued employment for any employee who develops a disabling condition.
• Be alert to the specific needs of children in need including those children with special educational needs and young carers and ensure the relevant staff members are made aware of this.
• Be able to keep detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and referrals.
• Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses.
• Encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, and the procedures which are in place to protect them.
• Make sure staff are aware of training opportunities and the latest local issues on safeguarding.
• Keep informed of the process for providing early help and intervention, for example through locally agreed common and shared assessment processes such as early help assessments.
• Have a working knowledge of child protection case conference and a child protection review conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so.
• Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the child protection policy and procedures, especially new and part time staff.
• Ensure our related policies are known and used appropriately.
• Ensure our child protection policy is reviewed annually and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly, and work with governing bodies or proprietors regarding this.
• Ensure the child protection policy is available publicly and parents know referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made and the role of Gospel Oak School in this.

We may require individuals to act as specialist in certain areas

• Attendance
• Deputy DSL/ Safeguarding
• Family Support/ Liaison
• LAC
• Student Intervention/ Isolation Room

Next steps

If you are excited by this role and believe you have the vision and values to fulfil this challenge, then please contact the HR department on GOSHR@gospeloakschool.co.uk or by calling us on 0121 556 1351.

A visit to the School and an informal chat with the Principal is welcomed and encouraged prior to making your application.

Closing Date: Tuesday 9th July 2024 @ 10am

Want to know more about Gospel Oak School?

Please visit our website www.gospeloakschool.co.uk, the Central Region Schools Trust website www.centralregionschoolstrust.co.uk and don’t forget to take a look at our promotional video.

The Central Region Schools Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All our posts are subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure, 2 work references and other employment checks.

Commitment to safeguarding

Central Region Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All our posts are subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure, 2 work references and other employment checks.

Applying for the job

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Using the application form

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

About Gospel Oak School

• School type: Academy, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary
• School size: 1223 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
• School website: Gospel Oak School website (opens in new tab)
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/gospel-oak-school (opens in new tab)

Gospel Oak School, formerly the RSA Academy serves the borough of Sandwell, but due to its geographical position students join us from Wolverhampton and Walsall. In 2017 the school joined the Central RSA Academies Trust and has been working closely and collaboratively across the trust to offer greater opportunities for all. Over the last 5 years the trust has grown in size and strength, from September 2021 the trust is now an academy approved sponsor in its own right and the RSA will no longer sponsor the trust, although we will continue to work closely with the RSA. This changing relationship has provided the trust and the school to rebrand ourselves, the trust will now be known as Central Region Schools Trust and the school; Gospel Oak School.

The rebrand for the school has allowed us to reflect on the true heritage of the local community. The school is based in Gospel Oak and as a community we are very proud of our Black Country heritage, it is for this reason our new branding reflects the colours of the Black Country along with symbolic representation of the area, with the narrowboat which reflects the locality of the Gospel Oak canal basin, the oak tree for when the parish was so large the parishioners prayed under it once a month and the Black Country links to industry within the area.

School location

Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed

Find more school jobs in West Midlands