Closing date for applications is Wednesday 8th December 2021.

Interviews will take place from Monday 13th December 2021.

HEAD OF PRE-PREP

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATESRequired from April 2022

Worthy Park House, Kings Worthy, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 1AN

01962 888000 princesmeadschool.org.uk @princesmeadschool

The SchoolThe School

Prince’s Mead is a thriving independent preparatory day school for 270 boys and girls set in a beautiful site in Winchester, Hampshire. The school is a forward-thinking yet traditional school with a strong family ethos and an excellent reputation. Housed in an impressive Grade II Georgian home, with spectacular panoramic views over the Itchen Valley, the School offers an imaginative, all-round education.

A Distinctive ApproachA Distinctive Approach

Amid these exceptional surroundings, the energy and vibrancy of the School radiates from the unusually large classrooms, immaculate outdoor facilities and sizeable playing fields beyond.

The proximity to the city of Winchester and its cultural, historic and musical offerings, coupled with the freedom offered by the remarkable space of the School’s enviable setting, give staff an inspirational environment to deliver inspirational teaching.

At Prince’s Mead, all children are taught Music, Art, Modern Foreign Languages, Drama and PE by specialist teachers, enabling the class teacher to focus on all aspects of the children’s academic development, with strong pastoral support and close links with parents being required at all times.

The school has an outstanding track record in preparing its pupils for the top senior schools in the country including, for example: Millfield, Blundell’s, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Downe House, Godolphin, King Edward VI, Port Regis, St Mary’s Calne, St Swithun’s, and Wycombe Abbey This year, a record cohort of our Year 6 leavers were honoured with Academic, Art, Drama, Music, and Sports scholarships and exhibitions.

The FutureThe Future

A stunning new Dining Hall and classroom block opened in September 2019 has further enhanced the outstanding facilities and opportunities at Prince’s Mead.

The School is currently formulating the next phases of our development with its Vision 100 strategy; one which will cement our reputation as one of the leading prep schools in Hampshire and beyond.

Candidate SearchCandidate Search

Many teachers joining our school have a proven track record of outstanding teaching in previous roles. A number of our teaching staff have pursued different career paths in years gone by, and have made the move to teaching at a later point. We view this diversity and life experience as a strength.

The ability to inspire children, and the willingness to support the ambition, values and breadth of Prince’s Mead life, will be of central importance. Successful candidates will be self-reliant, resilient and adaptable.

Applications are welcome from those with appropriate independent or maintained sector experience.

The successful candidate will be someone who is vigilant in matters of safeguarding, ensuring that concerns are passed on promptly to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

The postholder would be required from April 2022.

Personal SpecificationPersonal Specification

The successful candidate

• must be a qualified teacher with leadership experience within a KS1 environment.

• must be a dynamic and energetic teacher; able to inspire young children, within a creative and supportive community.

• must have a willingness to engage in extra-curricular activities as well as the wider life of Prince’s Mead.

• must have the ability to work co-operatively as part of a team, being open to new ideas and initiatives and able to contribute to the development and enrichment of the curriculum.

• must believe in the worth of each individual child and meeting individual needs with skill and sensitivity.

• should possess effective communication skills to deal successfully with parents, colleagues and pupils.

Personal Qualities

• Excellent leadership, planning, administration, time management skills.

• The ability to work to deadlines.• First class written, oral and presentational skills.• Enjoy the parent-school interface.• An outstanding team player. • To undertake other duties appropriate to the

general purpose of the post that may from time to time be reasonably assigned.

Job DescriptionJob Description

This role is a Senior Leadership Team position and as such, will be expected to work hours required to fulfil the duties of the post, over and above the normal working week, which for the avoidance of doubt may include evenings, weekends and School holidays.

Reporting

The post holder will report to the Headmaster.

Leadership

• Lead the Pre-Prep and support the Headmaster as a member of the Senior Leadership Team in the overall organisation and development of the whole School.

• Ensure the Pre-Prep is a distinctive and successful part of the School.

• Advise the Headmaster on policy making and development planning.

• Assist the Headmaster, as part of the Senior Leadership Team, in planning and implementing both Pre-Prep and, where relevant, whole-school policies and undertake any other duties that the Headmaster may require.

• Take an active participatory role, and leading role where appropriate, in all whole-school teacher learning opportunities and training.

• Take a leading role in identifying opportunities for the development of the Pre-Prep facilities and resources.

• Pioneer initiatives and innovative pedagogy in the Pre-Prep, leading the development of outstanding, inventive learning and teaching, to maintain and further raise academic standards.

• Ensure high levels of pupil welfare, pastoral care and behaviour are in place in the Pre-Prep.

• Further awareness and implementation of new teaching and learning methodologies across the Pre-Prep and ensure that creative use is made of resources, including new technologies.

• Review and develop the Pre-Prep curriculum in the context of whole school priorities and initiatives, liaising with Prep School staff to ensure consistency of curriculum delivery across the whole School.

• Assist the Headmaster in the regular monitoring and review of all the School’s policies with particular attention given to those specific to the Pre-Prep.

• Ensure that the Pre-Prep satisfies all regulatory/mandatory requirements issued by the DfE and relevant to ISI inspection, including EYFS elements, this involves both updating of School policies and

the oversight of daily practice.• Ensure the School’s policies are adhered to

including any issues regarding Health and Safety.• As a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

assist the DSL within the Pre-Prep and contribute to the development of safeguarding procedures across the School.

• Attend Governing Body sub-committee meetings as appropriate to the role.

Management

• Ensure the smooth running of the PrePrep on a day-to-day basis and have oversight of special occasions and events.

• Line manage the Pre-Prep Teacher of Learning Support in the Pre-Prep to provide the best possible provision for pupils with a specific learning difficulty or additional learning requirements.

• Line manage all Teaching Assistants.• Work closely with other Heads of Department in the

Prep School, whose departments are particularly relevant in providing support to the Pre-Prep including, but not exclusively, Sport, PE, Music etc.

• Oversee the academic tracking and monitoring of pupils within the Pre-Prep.

• Oversee the Pre-Prep assessment and reporting framework alongside the organisation of parents’ evenings.

Other Information

• To contribute significantly to the wider school, with regards to the displays and to playing an active role in House Competitions.

• To participate in and contribute to the general management of the School by promoting the ethos of Prince’s Mead, as detailed in its aims and values, and the rules and guidelines.

Salary & Benefits

A package commensurate with experience will be awarded to the successful candidate. The school has its own generous salary scale and pensions scheme. If the candidate has children of Prep school age (Nursery - Year 6) fee remission is available.

School AimsSchool Aims

Prince’s Mead endeavours to lay the foundations for our pupils’ future success and prepare them for the senior school of their choice and life beyond. Children have one opportunity for the education that will form the basis of their lives and, at the same time, one childhood.

Vision

To be a thriving and successful 21st century school

Purpose

To provide the highest standard of education delivering academic rigour in an enriched environment, empowering each child to fulfil their potential.

Aims

• To foster a love of learning.

• To provide the highest standard of education to support children in realising their academic potential.

• To ensure that all our children are well cared for in a nurturing family environment, in which they feel happy and secure and can thrive.

• To provide a supportive community where boys and girls can enjoy the many varied opportunities open to them within an inspirational setting.

• To ensure children leave Prince’s Mead as confident, engaging, empathetic and thoughtful young people, ready for life’s adventures.

The Application ProcessThe Application Process

• Applicants are asked to provide the Headmaster with a letter of application (no more than two sides of A4). The letter of application should offer a personal insight into the skills and aspirations of the candidate.

• Applicants are required to complete the Application for Employment form available on the School website.

• The successful applicant will be required to undergo Enhanced Disclosure clearance (DBS) from the Criminal Records Bureau.

• If you are currently working with children on either a paid or voluntary basis, your current employer will be asked about disciplinary offences, including disciplinary offences relating to children or young persons (whether the disciplinary sanction is current or time expired), and whether you have been the subject of any child protection allegations or concerns and, if so, the outcome of any enquiry or disciplinary procedure. If you are not currently working with children, but have done so in the past, that previous employer will be asked about these issues. Where neither your current nor your previous employment has involved working with children, your current employer will still be asked about your suitability to work with children, although they may, where appropriate, answer ‘not applicable’ if your duties have not brought you into contact with children or young persons.

• You should be aware that provision of false information is an offence and could result in the application being rejected or in summary dismissal, if the applicant has been selected, and possible referral to the police and/or the Department for Education Children’s Safeguarding Operation Unit.

Invitation to InterviewInvitation to Interview

• If you are invited to interview, this will be conducted in person and the areas which it will explore will include suitability to work with children.

• References will be requested before interview unless there is a valid reason not to do so.

• All candidates invited to interview must bring documents confirming any professional qualifications that are necessary or relevant for the post (e.g. the original or certified copy of certificates, diplomas, etc). Where originals or certified copies are not available for the successful candidate, written confirmation of the relevant qualifications must be obtained from the awarding body.

• All candidates invited to interview must also bring with them three forms of identification. Either three from Group A or two from Group A and one from Group B:

• Group A

• A current driving licence together with paper licence,

• A passport,

• A full birth certificate,

• Marriage certificate (if applicable).

• Group B

• A utility bill or financial statement showing the candidate’s current name and address (dated within the last three months).

• Where appropriate, any documentation evidencing a change of name.

• Please note that originals of the above are necessary. Photographs or certified copies are not sufficient.