Subject Leader of Art
Tanfield School, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 8AY11 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 January 2025
Closing date
20 September 2024 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
6 September 2024
Job details
Job role
- Head of department or curriculum
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Subject
- Art and design
Working pattern
- Full time: 1265
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- MPS/UPR
Additional allowances
TLR2b
What skills and experience we're looking for
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
You will be an excellent teacher of Art and have excellent communication skills with the ability to motivate staff and students. You will have the potential to move to Senior Leadership.
VISION AND CULTURE
We are passionate about excellence in education, giving students the very best start in life with a firm belief that excellent teaching transforms lives. Our core belief is that for all students to have high aspirations they must believe in themselves, be actively engaged in their learning and see the connection between what they learn today and who they want to become tomorrow. We teach a highly challenging academic curriculum for all students. We are unapologetically ambitious for every child, no matter what their background, prior attainment or needs. Everything we do at Tanfield is driven by this, so that our students can leave Tanfield with the best set of qualifications possible and as well-rounded young people, thereby helping to maximise their life chances.
This vision is outlined in our Mission Statement, 3 values and 3 drivers:
At Tanfield School we have many minds but one mission: to get students to attend the best university, or real alternative, succeed in their dream job and thrive in all aspects of their life.
Our core values of hard work, trust and fairness permeate all that we do. From the moment a student arrives at Tanfield, we ask them to live these values:
Hard work
We never give up. We remain positive so that we have the strength to persevere with even the hardest work. We do what it takes for as long as it takes.
Trust
We are honest. We do what we say we’ll do and do not make excuses. We are loyal and have the courage to do the right thing.
Fairness
We play by the rules. We are respectful, polite, kind and courteous at all times. We don’t take advantage of others and helping a member of our team is helping ourselves.
We also focus on three key drivers: Mastery, which is the drive to get better at things that matter; Autonomy, or the drive to direct our own lives; and Purpose, which is the drive to connect to a cause larger than ourselves (Dan Pink, ‘Drive‘).
We clearly communicate our mission, values and drivers throughout every day so that the whole school community knows the purpose of everything that we do.
Teaching and Learning
Our Teaching and Learning strategy is heavily influenced by Doug Lemov and his ‘Teach Like A Champion’ book and we believe passionately in relentlessly implementing any strategy that will eliminate disadvantaged student attainment gaps. We do not believe in learning styles. We believe in teaching to the top and scaffolding downwards for all students, with a highly challenging academic curriculum. Some examples of recent books that inspire us/are aligned to our vision: ‘Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teachers: The Michaela Way’ (Birbalsingh) ‘Teach Like A Champion’ (Lemov) ‘Reading Reconsidered’ (Lemov) ‘Why Students Don’t Like School?: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom’ (Willingham) ‘Seven Myths About Education’ (Chrisodoulou) ‘Drive’ (Dan Pink).
We do not make exceptions. When we say we have high standards, we mean it. Our students walk in silence between lessons, with pencil cases (with full equipment), ready to immediately start working as soon as they enter a classroom in silence. This supports our teachers making very strong starts to lessons. We hold parents to account as well and insist that they support their children by supporting our rules. This creates a very orderly school where children are safe. It requires staff who will ‘sweat the small stuff’.
Work life balance, not burnout
We know that teaching is the most rewarding, exhilarating but exhausting profession. So we are guided by a philosophy of simplicity that aims for maximum impact on student learning with minimal overload on workload for staff. We reduce burnout by applying this effort-to-impact ratio to everything we do. For example: Units of work and lessons have been fully prepared and resourced already, meaning that you are not ‘re-inventing the wheel’ every night planning lessons and resources from scratch. Lessons will be enhanced by individuals. Teachers do not produce end of year written reports – just termly data inputs. Homework is streamlined into note taking, drilling and self-quizzing, reducing marking workload and ensuring very high homework completion. Strict discipline and robust no-nonsense behaviour systems allow staff to teach without being ground down in low level disruption. All students have full equipment in their pencil cases all of the time – you will not have the hassle of having to hand out pens, pencils etc at the start of each lesson because students don’t have their equipment with them. Staff will never be blamed for poor student behaviour because their lessons are not engaging enough – you will always be fully backed and supported - behaviour is the collective responsibility of the school, with the Headteacher ultimately accountable. Highly visible and supportive SLT visit classrooms to check that every student is meeting your expectations. We do not grade lessons/teachers with ‘high stakes’ lesson observations – we believe in a growth mindset approach, where teachers continually improve over time through continuous coaching/feedback loops.
Level 5 Leadership
As a team we also believe in aspiring to ‘Level 5’ leadership, as outlined by Jim Collins in ‘Good to Great’, the key traits of which are outlined below: Paradoxical mix of personal humility and professional will. They are ambitious first and foremost for the organisation, not themselves They set up their successors for even greater success whereas egocentric leaders often set up their successors for failure. They display a compelling modesty, are self-effacing and understated as opposed to comparison company leaders being egocentric which contributed to the demise or mediocrity of the company. Fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results – they are resolved to do whatever it takes to make the organisation great, no matter how big or hard the decisions. Display a workmanlike diligence – more plough horse than show horse. They look out the window to attribute success to factors other than themselves – when things go poorly they blame themselves taking full responsibility.
OUR FUTURE AMBITIONS
We are all exceptionally proud of how far we have come since our last inspection. However, we want to, and know we can, achieve so much more, best summed up by the philosophy of Dave Brailsford, from Team Sky, who stated ‘We are always striving for improvement, for those 1% gains, in absolutely every single thing we do’. We want to be the best school in County Durham and in the top 1% of schools in the country in the next two years.
NEXT STEPS
Tanfield School offers an excellent opportunity for an ambitious, talented individual looking to develop their career. We would be delighted to show you around our School in order to fully appreciate our excellent learning environment.
Learn more:
www.tanfieldschool.co.uk
Or call the school on 01207 232881 and speak to Steven Clough, Headteacher, to discuss the role further.
An Application Pack (including Job Description and Person Specification) is available to download from www.tanfieldschool.co.uk.
CVs are not accepted.
Closing date for applications: Friday 20th September 2024 12 noon
Interviews will take place: TBC
Tanfield School is committed to safeguarding children and the appointment will be subject to receipt of an Enhanced DBS clearance, safer recruitment procedures, satisfactory references and completion of a six-month probationary period.
Eden Learning Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We want to develop a more diverse workforce and we positively welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Applicants with disabilities will be invited for interview if the essential job criteria are met.
Qualifications
Qualified Teacher Status
Good honours degree
Teaching and learning experience
Values driven
Strong teaching ability backed up by good and outstanding outcomes
Data driven planning to target instruction
A proven track record of measurable impact as an individual teacher and leader
Varied, innovative teaching style that challenges and supports the learner
Confident user of formative assessment techniques
Knowledge and skills
Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge students
Demonstrate excellent subject and curriculum knowledge
Intelligently sequenced planning
Ability to use data to identify strengths and address under-achievement
Manage behaviour effectively to ensure an effective and safe learning environment
Understanding of what makes Tanfield school different
Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills
Understanding of a knowledge rich curriculum
Character
A strong moral purpose and drive for improvement
Motivated, enthusiastic and flexible
Mission aligned
Good sense of humour
Strong attention to detail and clarity
Ability to receive and act on feedback
Excellent interpersonal skills
A desire to develop yourself
Ability to work under pressure
Commitment to the full life of the school
Excellent record of attendance
What the school offers its staff
With great students who behave impeccably, an outstanding team of staff, Tanfield School offers an excellent opportunity for an ambitious, talented individual looking to develop their career.
The post is part of the Middle Leadership Team and would be excellent preparation for an Assistant Headteacher role.
You would be joining a very strong and supportive staff team who are determined to drive further improvements at Tanfield School.
Very effective staff training and support and outstanding CPD.
As a rapidly improving School, you would be joining us at a very exciting time and become part of a vibrant learning community that will offer you fantastic opportunities for CPD, career development, future promotions and for you to be able to make your mark.
Our tight, robust and no-nonsense behaviour systems ensure you can really teach.
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
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs are not accepted.
About Tanfield School
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- View all Secondaryjobs
- School size
- 710 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
- School website
- Tanfield School website (opens in new tab)
- Email address
- vacancies@tanfieldschool.co.uk
- Phone number
- 01207 232881
You would be joining a very strong staff team who are determined to drive further improvements at Tanfield. Our School is a vibrant and exciting place to work. I feel privileged to be the Headteacher of Tanfield school. The day I started in July 2017 was the proudest day of my career so far. I’m lucky to lead such fantastic students and staff and I truly believe their potential is limitless.
You may have read our previous Ofsted report. Since then, we have had a significant change in our staffing. Students who had joined Tanfield from other schools, who caused significant behaviour issues, have graduated from the school. We are rapidly improving. In 2022, our progress 8 score was the 3rd best in County Durham at 0.4. We were the 8th most improved school in the country between 2019 and 2022. In 2023, our results continued to improve. Our progress 8 score of +0.66 put us second in County Durham, the third best in the north east. Early indications are that 2024 results are better than this. Whilst we are pleased with the results we are striving to be in the top 1% of schools in the country within the next two years.
Arranging a visit to Tanfield School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email vacancies@tanfieldschool.co.uk.
School location
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