Head of Year
Upper Shirley High School, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 7QU14 days remaining to apply
Start date details
January or April 2027
Closing date
9 October 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
25 September 2026
Job details
Job role
- Head of year or phase
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- MPS/UPS 2.14 £8,912
What skills and experience we're looking for
Job purpose:
To lead the development of the year group in line with the strategic priorities of the school. To set and maintain high standards of academic excellence and behaviour with the year team.
Strategic direction and development:
- To support and promote school improvement
- To ensure all students within the year group demonstrate the USH Values
- To articulate the USH vision to all stakeholders
- To lead and support the development of a team of tutors to be able to deliver transformational pastoral care.
Key Duties:
- To be the identified lead for the Year Group and take overall responsibility for the coordination of student pastoral care
- Be responsible for the welfare of students within the year group. This includes: following up incidents; maintaining detailed records and student files, particularly in the use of the MIS system; having meetings with parents during or after school as required, sometimes with other senior staff members; arranging consequences where appropriate; and communicating with parents
- To carry out data analysis to allow effective intervention to support students with their academic progress and behaviour.
- To lead learning walks, lesson observations, student panels, attendance discussions, phone calls and meetings with parents.
- Meet fortnightly with the Attendance Officer, identifying students whose attendance and punctuality to school is a concern and implement specific interventions where appropriate
- To line manage a team of tutors and a Pastoral Support Worker.
- Liaise with the Guidance and Learning Support team where appropriate to identify appropriate support.
- Liaise and meet with external agencies as appropriate to support all vulnerable students
- Liaise with tutors to ensure effective tutoring to support the students in the year group
- Monitor and evaluate the standards of achievement and progress of the Year group by using student data and information, meeting with the Data Lead and contributing to Leadership discussions
- Create new timetables for new students or adapt timetables for other students where appropriate
- Organise and lead meetings with tutors and parents, regarding students of concern, vulnerable students and any students who are under-performing
- Identify the success of USH students and promote this to the wider USH community
- Support the students and tutors by promoting House competition, leading assemblies and monitoring tutor groups where appropriate
- Monitor tutor time and take action where appropriate to ensure highly effective tutoring
- Lead and coordinate Parents Evening, using strategies to engage as many parents as possible
Support for Students:
- To develop an understanding of the needs of identified students
- To support the behavioural and emotional needs of the students in line with school policies
- To promote inclusion and acceptance of all students
- To provide feedback to students in relation to progress, achievement and behaviour
- To assist in educational visits for students with additional needs and other school events where appropriate
- To work as part of a team in relation to individual students, liaising, advising and consulting where appropriate
- To be aware of school policies and procedures, including those relating to confidentiality and Child Protection and highlight and discuss any safeguarding concerns at the weekly meetings, taking key action where required
What the school offers its staff
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic teacher to join our exceptional pastoral team. Our vision is for USH to be a happy place where all students are challenged to achieve. This role is fundamental to making this vision a reality. We welcome applications from candidates of all subject disciplines.
Each of our 5 Heads of Year lead a team of 8 tutors and are supported by our Pastoral Support Worker team, Heads of House and a dedicated Senior Leadership Team link. Our Inclusion team work closely with each year group, providing daily support and medium-term interventions to ensure all students are on successful pathways.
This role is ideal for someone ready to step into middle leadership, as well as for experienced middle leaders looking to broaden their leadership skills. Colleagues with more experience will be supported to pursue an NPQSL (with access to internal coaching) or to take part in the locally run Southampton Aspiring Senior Leaders Programme.
USH is a heavily oversubscribed community school with just over 1050 students and 140 staff. We are incredibly proud of our family ethos and our success in delivering values-led education. Our students are vibrant, aspirational and well-behaved. We are known for our excellent career progression routes and we attract professionals who are willing to contribute to our sustained success.
USH is a Leading-Edge School, consistently ranked high in Hampshire schools for overall achievement. USH is pleased to be an SSAT Pastoral Leadership Delivery Partner. The school was delighted to be awarded SSAT accreditation for Engaging with Evidence and Research in 2026 and for Transforming in Professional Learning in 2025.
If you are motivated to make a difference to the lives of young people and have a commitment to excellence, then this could be the job for you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the role or would like to come into school to see the USH family in action.
The successful candidates will:
- Be highly motivated and demonstrate an ability to learn
- Be able to support the development of schemes of work within the department
- Be prepared to lead extra-curricular and educational visits
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Upper Shirley High School
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- Size
- 1062 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Email address
- recruitment@ushschool.org
- Phone number
- 02380325333
USH is a heavily oversubscribed community school with just over 1050 students and 140 staff. We are incredibly proud of our family ethos and our success in delivering values-led education. Our students are vibrant, aspirational and well-behaved. We are known for our excellent career progression routes and we attract professionals who are willing to contribute to our sustained success.
USH is a Leading-Edge School, consistently ranked high in Hampshire schools for overall achievement. USH is pleased to be an SSAT Leadership Delivery Partner. The school was delighted to be awarded SSAT accreditation for Engaging with Evidence and Research in 2026 and for Transforming in Professional Learning in 2025.
If you are motivated to make a difference to the lives of young people and have a commitment to excellence, then this could be the job for you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the role or would like to come into school to see the USH family in action.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE We positively encourage prospective candidates to enquire about our school prior to applying. Please contact our recruitment team via email or telephone 02380 325333. Full details and application forms can be downloaded from our website: http://uppershirleyhigh.org/staff_vacancies.
Please return your completed applications to recruitment@ushschool.org.
To give your application the best chance at being short-listed, where at interview you can demonstrate suitability for the role, please ensure you read the person specification and job description and give examples in your application. Should you be new to the education sector or do not have direct examples related to the person specification, do please provide examples from a similar experience.
Please submit your application as soon as possible as we may invite candidates to interview before the closing date.
SAFEGUARDING All schools within the Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.
THE JEFFERYS EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP The Jefferys Education Partnership is part of an umbrella Trust called the Hamwic Education Trust. At the Hamwic Education Trust we offer unique opportunities for those individuals that excel in education. We aim to deliver an outstanding education to our pupils and to do so we must employ outstanding people. We offer a training pathway for all employees including teachers, support staff and our middle and senior leaders. Our staff have opportunities to work on cross phase projects and to work in other schools within the Trust in order to gain invaluable experience and enhance their skills.
Arranging a visit to Upper Shirley High School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email recruitment@ushschool.org.
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