HEADTEACHERInformation for Applicants

Proud to be a member of

Our ValuesWe feel good about ourselves.

We are all brilliant at something.

There’s only one of me, and I am special.

I’m happy for others when they do something well.

I want to learn something new every day.

I love a challenge! Learning is exciting and fun.

There is always a way to solve a problem. I just might not have thought of it yet.

I care about other people and my school. Everyone deserves a chance.

School is a fair and safe place to be.

We can make the school a better place, if we work together.

Telling the truth means we can trust each other.

We are part of the school, Fowey, Cornwall, England, Europe and the world.

2 Fowey Primary School

Dear applicant,

The governors of Fowey Primary School and the board of Peninsula Learning Trust are looking to appoint an inspirational and caring headteacher for our lovely school. We are seeking a special person who can work with the whole school team to promote a love of learning to all our children and to ensure that they "dream big”, push themselves to the limit and fulfil their potential.

Our strengths include:

An inclusive and nurturing learning environment where children are celebrated as unique individuals;

The exemplary behaviour and learning attitudes of all of our children;

Delegated leadership roles that have achieved real success in previous and current priority areas;

The commitment, enthusiasm and morale of the whole team;

Communications and relationships with parents, governors and outside agencies, enabling the school to continually develop and improve.

We were last inspected by Ofsted in October 2012 and received a very favourable report. The outstanding behaviour and attitudes of our pupils was praised by the inspectors. Our aim is to ensure every child makes excellent academic progress and develops key life skills, so they leave us feeling safe, confident, happy and ready for their next stage in education.

In 2016 the school joined the Peninsula Learning Trust, a group of schools clustered around St Austell Bay and the surrounding area in beautiful South Cornwall. The Trust has two simple objectives:

To improve every school to become outstanding, through sharing school improvement activity, challenging each other to do even better and offering support;

To help headteachers and governors focus on the progress of children.

We are looking to appoint an outstanding primary practitioner with a passion for learning who can work with the whole team to equip every child with the skills and behaviours that they will need in tomorrow’s world. You will be motivational, approachable, creative and a reflective thinker.

If this sounds like you and you are excited by the opportunity to lead our school, join the Peninsula Learning Trust and be part of the local community in Fowey, then we look forward to receiving your application.

Chris Williams Austin McNamaraChair of Local Governing Body Interim Chief Executive OfficerFowey Primary School Peninsula Learning Trust

http://www.fowey-ji.cornwall.sch.uk

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The Peninsula Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust currently comprising one secondary and seven primary schools. It operates within a discrete geographical area to ensure that the Directors understand the context of each school and that staff from our schools are close enough to work together collaboratively.

The Trust is a community of like-minded schools that work together to ensure outstanding outcomes for all children. It recognises that every school is unique and will find its own way to success but that all schools also benefit from sharing knowledge and challenging each other to do better. Schools are for children and we want every school to aim at securing outstanding outcomes for those children.

We believe that headteachers should lead learning and teaching and we are committed to securing highly effective, responsive and approachable ‘back office’ functions so that they are able to do so without distraction.

All the schools in the Trust have chosen to be together because they can see the advantages in doing so. There is no one school which is dominant and all are equal partners, with every headteacher being a member of the Executive Leadership Team. It is a primary/secondary partnership but it is not based on catchment areas and the children from the Trust primary schools go to a variety of secondary schools and the children at the secondary school come from a wide variety of primary schools.

Futher information about Peninsula Learning Trust can be found at www.peninsulatrust.org .

4 Fowey Primary School

FoweyFowey is a bustling small port which still has a busy commercial life in addition to providing attractive moorings for leisure boats. Its harbour is flanked by fourteenth century blockhouses, one in Fowey and one on the opposite side of the river in Polruan, from which chains were once suspended to close the harbour mouth. During the Second World War, Fowey was the centre for air-sea rescue and also one of the places from which the D-Day invasions were launched.

St Catherine's Point is on the Fowey side of the harbour entrance. In medieval times St Catherine's chapel stood on the cliff top, displaying a light and functioning as a lighthouse. The fort below, St Catherine's Castle, was built in the reign of Henry VIII to defend the harbour entrance. The local church is dedicated to St Finnbarr who is said to have passed through Fowey early in the 6th century. The church was destroyed by French marauders in the 15th century and was later rebuilt by the Earl of Warwick. Place House is the

tower, standing behind the church. It has been the home of the Treffry family since the 13th century.

On Fore Street the Old House of Foye is a medieval house built in 1430. It is one of the oldest buildings in Fowey and is now a shop. The walls, beamed interior and fireplace are scarcely altered from the original. During the summer months, Fowey Town Hall houses a museum and a small aquarium. The port has an interesting history and was the major port on the south coast of Cornwall during the fourteenth century. More recently, it was the main centre for the export of china clay. Many properties in Fowey and the surrounding area were owned by the Rashleigh family. The town boasts many craft shops, galleries and restaurants.

Daphne du Maurier is perhaps the most famous former resident of the town and the Du Maurier Festival is now held here each May. The Daphne du Maurier Literary Centre is next to the church and contains information about all of Fowey’s literary connections. It is open daily throughout the year.

Not far away, in a lay-by on the left side of the A3082 road into Fowey is the Tristan Stone, a sixth century inscribed monolith believed to be the burial stone of Tristan, son of King Mark of Cornwall. The stone dates back to the 6th century. Restormel Castle at nearby Lostwithiel is also worth a visit.

Nearby beaches include Crinnis, Par Sands, Polkerris and many, many more. A ferry can be taken to the nearby fishing town of Mevagissey.

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Job Description

Headteacher – Fowey Primary SchoolGroup Size 2 ISR L12-L18 (depending on skills and experience)

PurposeTo be the heart and soul of this wonderful community school. To provide strong leadership to the school so that it provides an excellent education to all its children. To be an advocate for the children and the wider school community.

Responsible toThe children, parents and wider local community, the local governing body, the Peninsula Learning Trust directors.

Responsible for Leading, developing and improving the school so that all children experience high quality teaching and

achieve high standards in all aspects of their learning; Working with the PLT directors, executive leadership group and local governing body to maintain a firm

ethos that will ensure continuing success; Ensuring full adherence to all current statutory requirements, local and national policies and guidance on

safeguarding and promotion of children’s wellbeing; Carrying out all duties in line with the conditions of employment for headteachers, the national standards

of excellence for headteachers and the policies and procedures of Peninsula Learning Trust (PLT).

Strategic DirectionThe headteacher will create and develop the school’s ethos, providing educational vision and direction to secure:

A positive, stimulating learning environment and high standards of pupil achievement;

Outstanding teaching and learning; A working environment that values all staff;

Successful Ofsted judgements; High standards in pupils’ moral, cultural,

social and physical development, preparing them for life in modern Britain.

Drawing on experience and best practice, the headteacher will work with PLT, the local governing body and senior leaders to build a strong strategic direction and a focussed and aspirational development plan that:

Identifies priorities and targets that support high standards, enabling pupils to make progress and maximise achievement;

Supports continuous improvement in the school environment and in teachers’ effectiveness;

Ensures that the management, finances, organisation and administration of the school supports its vision and aims;

Encourages all those involved in the school to be committed to its aims, to be motivated to achieve them and involved in establishing the objectives and targets that will secure success;

Contributes positively to school collaboration;

Monitors, evaluates and reviews the effectiveness of the school’s policies, priorities and targets.

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LeadershipThe headteacher will:

Lead by example – with integrity, creativity, resilience and clarity – drawing on their own knowledge, expertise and skills, and that of those around them;

Be highly visible and approachable to all members of the community;

Demonstrate those leadership behaviours that positively impact on relationships and attitudes towards pupils, staff, parents, governors and members of the community;

Hold and articulate clear values and moral purpose;

Be an active and collaborative leader within Peninsula Learning Trust;

Develop, inspire and lead a highly effective team with enthusiasm and a continuous drive towards excellence;

Identify and nurture talent to enable effective leadership development and succession planning;

Maximise the contribution of staff and ensure that positive working relationships are in place throughout the school;

Implement and sustain effective systems for the management of staff performance;

Develop successful links with local schools and academies, and identify and exploit opportunities to strengthen the school’s reputation for excellence and best practice.

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Learning and teachingThe headteacher will:

Create and maintain an environment that promotes and secures outstanding teaching, effective learning, high standards of achievement and behaviour and a passion for learning;

Work with others to develop a rich curriculum that engages all children and sustains effective teaching and learning throughout the school;

Routinely assess, monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching;

Spend time in classrooms to model good practice;

Monitor and evaluate the standards of learning and achievement of all pupils, in order to set challenging and realistic targets for achievement;

Use benchmarks and evidence-based best practice to set targets for service delivery and improvement;

Develop and maintain effective links with wider educational institutions and the local

community, to extend and enhance the curriculum with economic, social, moral and cultural experiences;

Establish effective partnerships with parents and carers that support and encourage pupil achievement, personal development and the closing of attainment gaps in specific groups;

Recruit staff of the highest quality, complying at all times with best and safer recruitment practices;

Create an effective staff structure to facilitate the development of a high quality education;

Establish appropriate parameters for expenditure and the allocation of funds, and set and review budgets to maximise the impact on pupils’ learning and achievement;

Organise the school environment efficiently and effectively to ensure the needs of the curriculum and statutory requirements are met at all times;

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Analyse data in order to formulate education objectives, benchmarking the school’s performance;

Provide information, objective advice and support to the PLT directors and local governing body to ensure they meet their responsibilities for securing excellence in teaching and learning and the highest standards of achievement, efficiency and value for money;

Guarantee the compilation, maintenance and auditing of accurate and up-to-date records to satisfy legal, operational and

strategic governance requirements, including those relating to safeguarding;

Ensure individual staff accountabilities are clearly defined, understood and are agreed, and are subject to rigorous review and evaluation;

Make certain that pupils and parents/carers are well informed about the curriculum, attainment and progress and about the contribution they make to the school’s achievements.

Person Specification

Key Competencies, Qualifications, Experience and Personal Qualities Essential (E) Desirable (D)

Application (A) Interview (I)

Professional qualifications and CPD1 Honours degree or equivalent E A2 Qualified teacher status E A3 Relevant higher degree or equivalent D A4 Achieved or working towards NPQH D A

5 Evidence of continuous professional development relating to school leadership, curriculum development and teaching & learning E A

Shaping the future6 Substantial, successful teaching experience in a primary setting E A/I

7 Successful recent strategic leadership experience, gained as a senior leader of an outstanding primary school D A/I

8 Successful experience of raising standards for all, with measurable outcomes E A/I

9 Proven track record in leading staff including building and developing a successful team, delegating effectively and managing change E A/I

10 Experience of working in collaboration with governors, stakeholders, other educational bodies and the wider community to develop positive relationships E A/I

11 Experience of effective leadership in collaborative work with parents and families E A/I

12 In-depth knowledge and understanding of the wider educational agenda including current national policies and issues E A/I

13 Proven track record of financial management to meet educational priorities and achieve value for money E A/I

14 Evidence of highly developed skills in performance management E A/I

15 In-depth knowledge and experience of child protection, safer recruitment and safeguarding procedures E A/I

16 A commitment to and evidence of promoting diversity and equal opportunities within E A/I

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the curriculum and in employment practices

17 Successful experience of the statutory processes to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities E A/I

18 Good ICT skills E ALeading teaching and learning

19 Proven track record of ensuring the highest possible standards in teaching and learning, with the ability to model excellent classroom practice E A/I

20 Sustained experience of managing, monitoring and evaluating pupil progress to translate information into assessment for learning and effective interventions E A/I

21 Successful experience of positive behaviour management E A/I22 Successful experience of outstanding curriculum development E A/I23 A track record in narrowing the gaps in attainment for specific groups E A/I24 Positive involvement in staff recruitment, appointment, induction and retention D A/I

25 Experience of delivering excellence through a broad and balanced curriculum within a primary setting E A/I

Personal qualities

26 Passionate about creating a rich, inclusive learning environment where every member of the school community is known and valued E A/I

27 Able to demonstrate creative and innovative thinking, with evidence of recent success E A/I

28 High expectations and personal integrity with the ability to promote and sustain the values, culture and ethos of the school and Peninsula Learning Trust E I

29 Articulate and approachable, with excellent communication skills E I

30 Able to inspire, motivate, encourage and support staff by creating a culture of aspiration and high expectations E I

31 Able to prioritise and demonstrate personal organisation, time management and strong leadership skills, especially under pressure E I

32 An outstanding reflective practitioner who demonstrates evidence of learning from experience E I

Application Process

Completed applications should be submitted by email to recruitment@peninsulatrust.org by no later than midnight on Tuesday 7th March 2017.

If you would like to visit the school before you decide to apply, you are very welcome to do so on Thursday 2nd March at either 9.00am or 1.30pm. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please contact Alice Rowse by telephone on 01726 874337 or by email at recruitment@peninsulatrust.orgYou can also contact Austin McNamara (Interim CEO, Peninsula Learning Trust) on 07795594479 for an informal discussion.

If you decide to proceed with an application, please complete the application form and write a letter of application of not more than two sides of A4 that includes the following:

Your vision for a primary school under your leadership; How you will lead to ensure that vision is realised; How your experience has prepared you for the role; Anything else you feel is relevant to your application.

Candidates shortlisted for interview will be asked to undertake a series of selection tasks and activities over one or two days (depending on the number of shortlisted candidates). The proposed dates for our interview process are Thursday 16th and Friday 17th March 2017.

10 Fowey Primary School

It is our normal policy to take up two references for headteacher appointments. In the case of applicants who are currently employed as a headteacher, we expect these to be from:

The local authority or academy trust where you are currently employed; Your chair of governors.

For applicants who are not currently employed as a headteacher, we expect referees to be: The headteacher in your current or most recent school; Another referee who can attest to your professional skills and personal qualities.

Peninsula Learning Trust schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all staff to share this commitment. We implement the safer recruitment process and the successful candidate will be expected to undergo employment checks including an enhanced DBS check.

Peninsula Learning Trust is an equal opportunities employer; we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or age.

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