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PENDLE VALE COLLEGE

HEADTEACHER

CANDIDATE INFORMATION

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CONTENTS

1. Welcome from the Chair of Governors 2. Message from the existing Headteacher 3. About Us 4. Job Description 5. Person Specification 6. Location 7. Application Process

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Welcome from the Chair of Governors A Welcome from the Chair of Governors On behalf of the Governing Body of Pendle Vale College I would like to begin by thanking you for your interest in applying for the permanent position of Headteacher at Pendle Vale College. Pendle Vale College is 11 to 16 secondary school serving the Community in the Pendle Area. Our vision is one that places learning at the heart of all we do and where success and achievement are central to our philosophy. We are seeking to appoint an experienced colleague who shares our ambition to ensure that every young person at Pendle Vale College achieves their personal best. The facilities at Pendle Vale College are second to none, the building is modern and innovative in design and is an exciting environment in which to learn, enabling our learners to flourish into citizens equipped for the demands of 21st Century life. The school is a very popular choice with all year groups currently being oversubscribed. Staff and pupils work together to produce excellent levels of progress and we are currently the best performing school locally on Progress 8 and as a school we are highly regarded at County level. The post has become available due to the retirement of the present Headteacher and we are very conscious that we cannot assume that we will automatically maintain our excellent results in the face of the educational changes taking place. Therefore, for the right candidate, this post will be an extremely rewarding role. It provides the opportunity to bring your knowledge, experience and creativity to the fore to ensure that our school continues to thrive and achieve its full potential in the coming years. If you wish to discuss the profile of the school with the Local Authority School Advisor, please contact the school for this to be facilitated. We have provided further information in this booklet which will hopefully give you more of a feel for what Pendle Vale is about. If you like what you read, we very much look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your interest in Pendle Vale College. Kindest Regards

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal Chair of Governors

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A message from the current Headteacher I was appointed Acting Headteacher at Pendle Vale College in January 2007, one term after the school came into existence following the closure of three secondary schools in Pendle and the opening of two Building Schools for the Future funded new builds, Pendle Vale College in Nelson and Marsden Heights Community College in Brierfield. I subsequently became the substantive Headteacher in June of the same year. The journey over the last 12 years plus has been an extremely exhilarating and challenging one in terms of creating an exciting and dynamic teaching and learning environment and in developing an ethos and culture of very high expectations of all, with great ambition and raised aspirations, impactive and individualised support and care centred around the needs of every child, utilising incredibly committed, motivated and highly skilled adults. Our success over the recent years has been the result of a very clear vision and purpose of direction for the College, where we have stuck rigidly, and determinedly, to our core beliefs and principles as to what we understand and know is the best for our community of adults and young people. I have been blessed to have a very able, loyal and incredibly hard working staff team of teaching and non-teaching staff who have become masters in their craft, in many cases, and who have focussed single-mindedly on doing their very best for the young people in our care. Staff have left, most to promoted posts, and others have arrived and benefitted from high quality induction and support that has led to strengthening in all areas of the College. As a school we have ensured that we are fully aware and appraised of where the latest educational thinking is and been promptly responsive to important statutory requirements be, they around issues of teaching, curriculum or the requirements of our regulatory bodies. The successful candidate appointed to grasp the baton when I leave at the end of this academic year will, I can say with a great deal of confidence, inherit a school in a very good state, having had another outstanding, unvalidated, Progress 8 score of +0.32 for 2019 with the prospect of another high performance with our current Year 11 cohort based on our assessment. The legacy I leave is important to me and I believe under the right leadership that there is, absolutely, scope for further improvement that will ensure that in years to come that Pendle Vale College justifiably obtains the badge of Outstanding that it deserves. I am more than happy to elaborate on my comments on the visits that will be offered as well as indicating where I would have been looking to move forward with the College if I had not been entering the world of retirement in September next year. I wish you well. Steve Wilson

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Pendle Vale’s Vision Pendle Vale College is a College which places learning at the heart of all we do and where success and achievement are central to our philosophy Pendle Vale College will: Have the highest standards of Learning and Teaching Celebrate, promote and reward success Expect the highest standards and effort from all Promote Inclusion and a shared supportive ethos Support collaboration and community working and partnership Encourage respect and tolerance Provide a rich and diverse curriculum Be caring and supportive Raise the levels of ambition and aspiration for leaders, staff, students and parents.

Our Strapline is: ‘THINK PENDLE VALE, THINK ACHIEVEMENT’

About Us Headlines Students at Pendle Vale are a pleasure to work with and are being inspired and motivated to value their learning and push themselves to be the best they can be each and every day. We are the highest performing, non-selective school in Burnley & Pendle and have been for the last 4 years based on Progress 8 Measures. Across the board subject areas are performing at and in some cases above national levels. Staff are ensuring that there is the highest possible level of Quality First Teaching which is leading to Quality First Learning. We are a very popular school, highly respected and regarded in the local community and therefore annually heavily oversubscribed. We teach an academically challenging, flexible and enriching curriculum, to support high levels of attainment, high aspirations and preparation for future life for all of our young people. Pendle Vale College is sited in one of the most modern, innovative and best equipped Colleges in the country.

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Our College is made up of a team of highly committed, motivated, dedicated and professional colleagues who each individually make a significant and positive difference to the lives of our students. Colleagues here at Pendle Vale benefit hugely from working in an environment that is challenging and rewarding this is supported by a very strong, clear and very effective Behaviour for Learning Framework. Our Facts 79% of our students are of Asian Heritage. 15.8% students are eligible for FSM 1.7% students have a SEN Education, Health and Care Plan 7.1% are receiving SEN Support 12.8% EAL 95% Attendance We have very little ‘in year mobility” Our overall progress scored for 2017/18 was +0.30 and for 2019 the validated figure

is +0.39 Ofsted Ofsted last visited us in December 2016 when we were judged to be Good in all categories. A copy of this Ofsted Report can be found on our College website. Our Journey Pendle Vale opened its doors for the first time in September 2006. Two years later in 2008 we moved into our £32 million purpose-built learning environment and became Lancashire’s first co-located mainstream school, with our partner special school Pendle Community High School and College. The two staff teams work together to maximise inclusive opportunities for all pupils and students. The facilities at Pendle Vale College are second to none, including state of the art classrooms fully integrated with Apple Technology, a sporting centre of excellence with a huge sports hall, multi-gym and all-weather pitches. We have first class creative and performing arts provision, including music studios, dance and drama suites. The building is modern and innovative in design and is an exciting environment in which to learn, enabling our learners to flourish into citizens equipped for the demands of 21st century life. We’ve come a long way since 2006. Our story is one of continued and improving success and pride in the progress that has been made with our students and our reputation for high standards. We pride ourselves on being a strong, vibrant, and confident community. Don’t

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just take our word for it, arrange a visit and see for yourself. Be part of our journey….

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Job Description

Job title: Headteacher of Pendle Vale College

Salary: LPR28 (£77,613) to LPR 35 (£91,223) Full Time Permanent

Reporting to Chair of Governors

This job description reflects the National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers (2015). These standards are built upon The Teaching Standards (2011) which apply to all teachers, including Headteachers. The appointment is subject to the current conditions of employment of Headteachers, contained in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions document and other current educational and employment legislation, including that of the Department for Education In carrying out his/her duties, the Headteacher shall consult, where appropriate, with the Local Authority, the governing body, the staff of the school, its pupils and the parents of its pupils. The Core Purpose of the Headteacher The core purpose of the Headteacher is to provide professional leadership and management for the school. This will promote a secure foundation from which to achieve high standards in all areas of the school’s work. To gain this success the Headteacher must establish high quality education by effectively managing teaching and learning and using personalised learning to realise the potential of all pupils. The Headteacher should establish a culture that promotes excellence, equality and high expectations of all pupils. The Headteacher is the leading professional in the school. Accountable to the governing body, the Headteacher provides vision, leadership and direction for the school and ensures that it is managed and organised to meet its aims and targets. The Headteacher, working with others, is responsible for evaluating the school’s performance to identify the priorities for continuous improvement and raising standards; ensuring equality of opportunity for all; developing policies and practices; ensuring that resources are efficiently and effectively used to achieve the school’s aims and objectives and for the day-to-day management, organisation and administration of the school. The Headteacher, working with and through others, secures the commitment of the wider community to the school by developing and maintaining effective partnerships with, for example, schools, other services and agencies for children, the Local Authority, higher education institutions and employers. Through such partnerships and other activities, Headteachers play a key role in contributing to the development of the education system as a whole and collaborate with others to raise standards locally. Drawing on the support provided by members of the school community, the Headteacher is responsible for creating a productive learning environment which is engaging and fulfilling for all pupils. The Four Domains of Headship Qualities and knowledge.

Hold and articulate clear values and moral purpose focused on providing a world-class education for the pupils they serve. Demonstrate optimistic personal behaviour, positive relationships and

attitudes towards their pupils and staff, and towards parents, governors and members of the local community.

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Lead by example – with integrity, creativity, resilience, and clarity – drawing on their own scholarship, expertise and skills, and that of those around them. Sustain wide, current knowledge and understanding of education and school

systems locally, nationally and globally, and pursue continuous professional development. Work with political and financial astuteness, within a clear set of principles

centred on the school's vision, ably translating local and national policy into the school's context. Communicate compellingly the school's vision and drive the strategic

leadership, empowering all pupils and staff to excel. Pupils and staff. Demand ambitious standards of achievement and attendance for all pupils,

overcoming disadvantage and advancing equality, instilling a strong sense of accountability in staff for the impact of their work on pupils' outcomes. Secure excellent teaching through an analytical understanding of how pupils

learn and of the core features of successful classroom practice and curriculum design, leading to rich curriculum opportunities and pupils' well-being. Establish an educational culture of "open classrooms" as a basis for sharing

best practice within and between schools, drawing on and conducting relevant research and robust data analysis. Create an ethos within which all staff are motivated and supported to

develop their own skills and subject knowledge, and to support each other. Identify emerging talents, coaching current and aspiring leaders in a climate

where excellence is the standard, leading to clear succession planning Hold all staff to account for their professional conduct and practice

Systems and process. Ensure that the school's systems, organisation and processes are well considered, efficient and fit for purpose, upholding the principles of transparency, integrity and probity. Provide a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all pupils and staff,

focused on safeguarding pupils and developing their exemplary behaviour in school and in the wider society. Establish rigorous, fair and transparent systems and measures for managing

the performance of all staff, addressing any under-performance, supporting staff to improve and valuing excellent practice. Welcome strong governance and actively support the governing body to

understand its role and deliver its functions effectively – in particular its functions to set school strategy and hold the Headteacher to account for pupil, staff and financial performance Exercise strategic, curriculum-led financial planning to ensure the equitable

deployment of budgets and resources, in the best interests of pupils' achievements and the school's sustainability. Distribute leadership throughout the organisation, forging teams of

colleagues who have distinct roles and responsibilities and hold each other to account for their decision making.

The self-improving school system

Create outward-facing schools which work with other schools, organisations and the local community– in a climate of mutual challenge – to champion best practice and secure excellent achievements for all pupils. Develop effective relationships with fellow professionals, colleagues in other

public services, parents/carers to improve academic and social outcomes for all pupils.

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Challenge educational orthodoxies in the best interests of achieving excellence, harnessing the findings of well evidenced research to frame self-regulating and self-improving schools. Shape the current and future quality of the teaching profession through high

quality training and sustained professional development of all staff. Model entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to school improvement,

leadership and governance, confident of the vital contribution of internal and external accountability. Inspire and influence others- within and beyond schools- to believe in the

fundamental importance of education in young people's lives and to promote the value of education.

Notes: The applicant will be required to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. The

Headteacher is expected to demonstrate this commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and is expected to hold all staff and volunteers accountable for their contribution to the safeguarding regulations.

This job description forms part of the contract of employment of the person appointed to the post. It reflects the position at the present time only and may be reviewed in negotiation with the employee in the future. The appointment is subject to the current conditions of employment in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document as they relate to Headteachers.

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Person Specification

Essential/ Desirable

Source*

Qualifications Qualified teacher status E A Degree E A Professional Development Evidence of regular, recent and appropriate professional development for the role of Headteacher.

E A

Has successfully undertaken the Secretary of State's (NCSL, CWDC or local authority) approved "safer recruitment" training or has a commitment to do so before taking up post/ within 12 months of taking up the post

E A/I

Has successfully undertaken appropriate Safeguarding training E A School leadership and management experience A proven track record of successful leadership as a Headteacher in a secondary school

D A/I/R

A proven track record of successful senior leadership in a secondary school E A/I/R Active involvement in financial management of a secondary school E A/I/R Knowledge and understanding of strategic financial planning and budget management in relation to school improvement/pupil achievement

E A/I

A proven track record of successfully leading the development of staff E A/I/R Evidence of successfully improving classroom practice E A/I/R Experience and knowledge of teaching Experience of teaching in more than one secondary school D A To have a working and current knowledge/understanding of Key Stages 3 & 4 E A/I A proven track record of having effectively used data, assessment and target setting to raise standards/address weaknesses

E A/I/R

Successful experience of meeting the needs of all pupils through high quality teaching and support strategies

E A/I/R

Professional Attributes Demonstrate an understanding of the needs of the pupils in our school and how these could be met

E A/I

To be pupil-centred and able to demonstrate an understanding of the role pupils can play in school improvement

E A/I

Able to demonstrate a clear rationale for behaviour management and a proven track record of the effective implementation of a range of behaviour management strategies

E A/I/R

Excellent written and oral communication skills (assessed at all stages of the process)

E A/I/R

Show a good commitment to sustained attendance at work E A/I/R Professional Skills, Qualities and Knowledge The ability to demonstrate experience, knowledge and understanding of the Core Purpose and four Domains of the National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers 2015, as set out in the accompanying Job Description.

E A/I/R

Personal Qualities Able to create a clear vision for school improvement that builds upon existing strengths in our school

E A/I

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Able to inspire, challenge, motivate and empower teams and individuals to achieve high goals

E A/I/R

Able to demonstrate the capacity to be a strong and visible leader E A/I/R Approachable and person-centred, valuing the views of pupils and staff E A/I/R Able to build and maintain quality relationships through outstanding interpersonal skills

E A/I/R

Inspiring trust and confidence across the school and community E A/I/R Able to manage and resolve conflict E A/I/R Able to prioritise, plan and organise themselves and others E A/I/R Demonstrates a capacity for sustained hard work with drive, passion and resilience

E A/I/R

Confidential References and Reports Positive recommendation from all referees, including current employer E Application Form and Supporting Statement The form must be fully completed and legible. E The supporting statement should be clear, concise and related to the specific post (no longer than 3 sides of A4 in length in Calibri point 11)

E

Note: Candidates failing to meet any of the essential criteria will automatically be excluded *A=application form & supporting statement, I=interview, R=reference

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Location & Surrounding Areas Pendle Vale College has a good location, situated just five minutes from the M65. Easily accessible from larger towns and cities of Manchester, Preston, Bradford and Huddersfield, it is also in close proximity to the smaller rural communities for Pendle, Colne and Skipton. Nelson is under an hour away from the Lake District, North Yorkshire Moors and the Fylde Coast.

Application Process You are more than welcome to visit the school. To visit the school please contact Martin Blair at martin.blair@hays.com or on 07736791138 Visits: Monday 2 March 2020 at 1.30pm Wednesday 4 March 2020 at 4.00pm Wednesday 11 March 2020 at 8.00am Applications should be emailed to Martin Blair, Hays Recruitment at martin.blair@hays.com Closing Date for Applications: Monday 16 March 2020 at 9.00am Interview Dates: Thursday 26 & Friday 27 March 2020.