Maple Primary School
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Maple Primary School Headteacher Candidate Pack October 2021
Transcript of Maple Primary School
Maple Primary School
Headteacher Candidate Pack
October 2021
Maple Primary School
Welcome from the Chair of Governors Page 3
Our School Page 4
Specialist Provision for Deaf Children (SPD) Page 5
Vision, Ethos and Values Page 6
Key Facts and Statistics Page 7
Our New Headteacher Page 8
What we can offer you Page 9
Job Description Page 10 - 14
Person Specification Page 16 - 20
Important dates and the Application Process Page 22 - 23
Contents
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Maple Primary School
Welcome from the Chair of Governors
Dear Applicant
Thank you for your interest in the Headteacher role at Maple Primary School. I hope you
find this information pack a useful introduction to our school. We are delighted that you
see Maple Primary School as a school where you can make an impact.
The vacancy has arisen as a result of the retirement of our current Head after 20 years of
successful leadership at the school.
Maple Primary School is a maintained school in the centre of St Albans. We have a
strong family community at the school within which the children of the school flourish.
The Governors are proud to be part of an ‘outstanding ‘school. We believe that a key partof this success is the strong links and relationships that have been developed betweenstaff, pupils, parents and the broader school community.The successful candidate will have the drive, enthusiasm and relevant experience to
share and further shape our vision and ethos and move our school to the next stage of
its development.
The closing date for applications is Monday 15th November. Shortlisting will be taking
place on Wednesday 17th November. For further information about our school, please
visit our website.
If you wish to discuss the role and arrange a visit to the school, please contact me at
[email protected] to arrange a time.
We wish you the best with your application and look forward to meeting you.
Yours faithfully
Nic Wong
Chair of Governors
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Maple Primary School
Maple is a county, co-educational school for children between the ages of four and eleven years. Itopened in 1969 on the present site in Hall Place Gardens, St Albans and takes its name from SirJohn Blundell Maple, MP, who was a freeman of the city in 1894.
We have seven mainstream classrooms and a smaller classroom for teaching deaf children. Thereis a large hall equipped for PE, assemblies, drama and music and a separate dining room. Theschool also has a library which was funded by the PTA and a small room for instrumental classes.Outside we have access to a large playing field, two playgrounds, a conservation area, and anoutdoor learning and play area for the Reception Class.
At Maple our aim is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, focusing equally on academicachievement, mental and physical wellbeing. We promote an inclusive environment where werecognise and value equality and diversity so that all children can flourish and achieve to theirpotential. We want our pupils to feel safe, secure and happy, to have wonderful learningexperiences within and beyond the classroom.
Maple is proud of it’s strong music tradition, offering music lessons including guitar, violin, celloand recorders as well as encouraging singing in choirs and musical ensembles.
We offer a wealth of extra-curricular activities including a choice of traditional sports, cheerleading,street dancing, fencing, gymnastics, chess and magic club to name just a few.
We are fortunate to have a very active Parent Teacher Association promoting a real sense ofcommunity as well as encouraging fund raising to provide additional resources for the children.
I hope that you enjoy reading our candidate pack, visiting our the website and we encourage you tocome and see us so you can find out more about what a wonderful place Maple Primary School is.
Our school
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Maple Primary School
Maple School is one of only two primary schools in Hertfordshire which have specialfacilities and trained staff for deaf children. Maple’s SPD has places for up to 10 deafpupils, throughout the Infants (Foundation Stage and Key Stage One) and Juniors (KeyStage Two).
Children are placed in the Maple SPD according to their overall needs, not just theirhearing loss and are assessed by the Hearing Impaired Advisory Service. The childrenhave statements of Special Educational Need or Educational Health and Care Plans whichare reviewed annually, or more often as necessary. Parents, children and staff are all fullyinvolved in this process.
Deaf children placed in the Base are full members of their mainstream class and thespecialist teachers and staff in the Deaf Base work closely with class teachers to ensurechildren have full access to the learning environment and National Curriculum.
Mainstream pupils also spend some time in the Base , to develop pupils’ understanding ofdeaf issues and deaf culture.
Specialist Provision for Deaf Children (SPD)
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Maple Primary School
To provide a broad and balanced
curriculum which motivates our
children by providing them with enjoyable
and challenging opportunities to fulfil
their individual academic, creative
and physical potential.
To provide an inclusive and stimulating
environment where our children feel
secure and confident.
To foster a sense of friendship and community
through effective home/school partnership in which our children are valued, encouraged and
supported.
To develop consideration and
tolerance, sensitivity and
honesty, courtesy and mutual respect, independence and enquiring minds in
all our children.
To work together to nurture a sense of well-
being and an awareness of the
academic, physical, social, cultural,
emotional and spiritual needs of others.
To enable our children to acquire knowledge and
skills within a framework of positive attitudes and
high expectations.
Our core aim is to create a happy school where every member feels valued and able to
achieve excellence.
Aims and Vision
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Maple Primary School
Type of school: Community
Ofsted rating: Outstanding
Age range: 4-11
Number of children: 250
% of children with SEND: 4.9% ECHP 9.3% SEN support
% of children in receipt of Pupil Premium: 3.2%
% of children entitled to Free School Meals: 2.4%
% of children with English as an additional language: 27.8%
Key facts and statistics
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Maple Primary School
We are looking to appoint a Headteacher who will bring:
• Proven leadership skills along with the energy, creativity and vision to drive innovationand progress whilst maintaining high standards and existing practices that are workingeffectively.
• A willingness to embrace diversity, identify pupil achievement gaps and ensure theprovision of an inclusive learning environment so all pupils are catered for and canachieve their best.
• A commitment to all aspects of school life so our children can develop the necessaryskills, resilience and independence to move on successfully into the future.
• A visible, measured and collaborative approach and enthusiasm to proactively engageand forge close relationships with pupils, staff, parents, governors and the wider schoolcommunity.
Our new HeadteacherIn recruiting a new Headteacher we are looking for someone who shares our ethos andvision and has the passion to work together collaboratively to nurture a sense of well-beingand an awareness of the academic, physical, social, cultural, emotional and spiritual needsof others.
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Maple Primary School
• Happy and respectful pupils who demonstrate high standards of behaviour andwho value and respect each others differences.
• A dedicated, stable and inclusive staff team who have a vested interest in thehappiness and wellbeing of the children and their families.
• Supportive parents who have established a successful school Parent Teachers’Association (PTA) and provide the school with some excellent resources.
• Governors who are committed to maintaining and raising the standards andhelping the school continue to move forward in the current education climate.
• An eco-friendly school with a cohesive community spirit that offers a broadcurriculum and enriching extracurricular activities to fulfil the pupils individual,academic, creative and physical potential.
• A positive school environment, where your career development will be championed.
We can offer you
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Maple Primary School
Main Purpose of Role
Overall responsibility for providing leadership to the school to secure itssuccess and continuous improvement, ensuring high quality education for allits pupils and improved standards of teaching and learning in line withstatutory requirements.
These standards reflect the national standards of excellence forheadteachers 2020.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-standards-of-excellence-for-headteachers/headteachers-standards-2020
Section 1: Ethics and professional conduct
Headteachers are expected to demonstrate consistently high standards ofprincipled and professional conduct. They are expected to meet the teachers’standards and be responsible for providing the conditions in which teacherscan fulfil them.
Headteachers should uphold and demonstrate the Seven Principles of Public Life at all times;
• selflessness• integrity• objectivity• accountability• openness• honesty• leadership
Job description
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Maple Primary School
Headteachers uphold public trust in school leadership to maintain high standards ofethics and behaviour both within and outside school:
build relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observe properboundaries appropriate to their professional position
show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others, recognising differences andrespecting cultural diversity within contemporary Britain
uphold fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individualliberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
ensure that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit their position,pupils’ vulnerability or might lead pupils to break the law
As leaders of their school community and profession, headteachers:
serve in the best interests of the school’s pupils
uphold their obligation to give account and accept responsibility
know, understand, and act within the statutory frameworks which set out theirprofessional duties and responsibilities
take responsibility for their own continued professional development, engagingcritically with educational research
make a positive contribution to the wider education system
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Maple Primary School
Section 2: Headteachers’ standards
1. School culture
establish and sustain the school’s ethos and strategic direction in partnership withthose responsible for governance and through consultation with the schoolcommunity
create a culture where pupils experience a positive and enriching school life
uphold ambitious educational standards which prepare pupils from allbackgrounds for their next phase of education and life
promote positive and respectful relationships across the school community and asafe, orderly and inclusive environment
ensure a culture of high staff professionalism
2. Teaching
establish and sustain high-quality, expert teaching across all subjects and phases
ensure teaching is underpinned by high levels of subject expertise and approacheswhich respect the distinct nature of subject disciplines or specialist domains
ensure effective use is made of formative assessment
3. Curriculum and assessment
ensure a broad, structured and coherent curriculum entitlement which sets out theknowledge, skills and values that will be taught
establish effective curricular leadership, developing subject leaders with high levelsof relevant expertise with access to professional networks and communities
ensure that all pupils are taught to read through the provision of evidence-informedapproaches to reading, particularly the use of systematic synthetic phonics inschools that teach early reading
ensure valid, reliable and proportionate approaches are used when assessingpupils’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum
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Maple Primary School
4. Behaviour
• establish and sustain high expectations of behaviour for all pupils, built uponrelationships, rules and routines, which are understood clearly by all staff and pupils
• ensure high standards of pupil behaviour and courteous conduct in accordance withthe school’s behaviour policy
• implement consistent, fair and respectful approaches to managing behaviour
• ensure that adults within the school model and teach the behaviour of a good citizen
5. Additional and special educational needs and disabilities
• ensure the school holds ambitious expectations for all pupils with additional andspecial educational needs and disabilities
• establish and sustain culture and practices that enable pupils to access thecurriculum and learn effectively
• ensure the school works effectively in partnership with parents, carers andprofessionals, to identify the additional needs and special educational needs anddisabilities of pupils, providing support and adaptation where appropriate
• ensure the school fulfils its statutory duties with regard to the SEND code of practice
6. Professional development
• ensure staff have access to professional development opportunities, aligned tobalance the priorities of whole-school improvement, team and individual needs
• prioritise the professional development of staff, which is consistent with theapproaches laid out in the standard for teachers’ professional development
• ensure that professional development opportunities draw on expert provision frombeyond the school
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Maple Primary School7. Organisational management
• ensure the protection and safety of pupils and staff through effective approaches tosafeguarding
• prioritise and allocate financial resources appropriately, ensuring efficiency, effectiveness andprobity in the use of public funds
• ensure staff are deployed and managed well with due attention paid to workload
• establish and oversee systems, processes and policies that enable the school to operateeffectively and efficiently
• ensure rigorous approaches to identifying, managing and mitigating risk
8. Continuous school improvement
• make use of effective processes of evaluation to identify and analyse problems and barrierswhich limit school effectiveness, and identify priority areas for improvement
• develop appropriate evidence-informed strategies for improvement as part of well-targetedplans which are realistic, timely, appropriately sequenced and suited to the school’s context
• ensure careful and effective implementation of improvement strategies, which lead tosustained school improvement over time
9. Working in partnership
• forge constructive relationships beyond the school, working in partnership with parents, carersand the local community
• commit their school to work successfully with other schools and organisations in a climate ofmutual challenge and support
• establish and maintain working relationships with fellow professionals and colleagues acrossother public services to improve educational outcomes for all pupils
10. Governance and accountability
• understand and welcome the role of effective governance, upholding their obligation to giveaccount and accept responsibility
• establish and sustain professional working relationship with those responsible for governance
• ensure that staff know and understand their professional responsibilities and are held toaccount
• ensure the school effectively and efficiently operates within the required regulatoryframeworks and meets all statutory duties
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We are the Champions!
Maple Primary School
A candidate will only be considered for shortlisting and move forward in the remaining
person specification criteria if they meet the first 7 of the Qualifications, Knowledge and
Experience and Professional Development sections. It is important to provide examples
using the STAR acronym (situation, task, action, result) relating to the person
specification criteria
Ensure to evidence additional aspects such as training, qualifications together with your
background and experience within the personal statement.
Criteria
Es
se
nti
al o
r
De
sir
ab
le
Determination FromA
pp
lic
ati
on
Inte
rvie
w
Ta
sk
s
Re
fere
nc
es
Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience
Qualified Teacher Status E ✓
Degree or Equivalent E ✓
Commitment to and experience of working
with Early Years Foundation Stage, KS1 and
KS2 pupils and staff
E ✓
Recent successful leadership as a Head,
Deputy, Assistant Head or School
Improvement Lead
E ✓
Demonstrates a thorough understanding of
Child Protection and Safeguarding E ✓
Person Specification
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Maple Primary School
Criteria
Es
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De
sir
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Determination From
Ap
pli
ca
tio
n
Inte
rvie
w
Ta
sk
s
Re
fere
nc
es
Professional Development
Evidence of appropriate recent professional
career development for the role of HeadteacherE ✓
Evidence of recent leadership and
management operational training and
development
E ✓
Has successfully undertaken approved safer
recruitment trainingD ✓
Leadership Skills
Ability to articulate a clear vision for the future
of Maple Primary School.✓
Proven record of inspiring, enabling and
motivating others to succeed in an inclusive
environment
✓ ✓
Able to delegate and effectively achieve
outcomes and provide development
opportunities for staff
✓ ✓
Demonstrates excellent communication skills,
including written and verbal communication✓ ✓ ✓
Ability to build effective relationships with staff,
parents, governors and the wider school
community
✓ ✓ ✓
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Maple Primary School
Criteria
Es
se
nti
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r
De
sir
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Determination From
Ap
pli
ca
tio
n
Inte
rvie
w
Ta
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s
Re
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Whole School Leadership and Management Experience
Have taken an active involvement in effective
school self-evaluation and development
planning
E ✓ ✓
Able to listen and engage with stakeholders
including parents in a range of ways on a daily
basis or as a lead on specific projects
E ✓
Experience of working with stakeholders
including governors, school improvement
partners and external agencies / companiesE
✓ ✓
Evidence of clear commitment to safeguarding
and promoting health and safety and the
wellbeing of children
E ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Absolute commitment to inclusion E ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Knowledge and experience of working with
children with SEN (e.g. autism) across the
primary and nursery phases
E ✓ ✓ ✓
An ability to understand the needs of children
with challenging behaviours and develop
strategies to successfully manage this
E ✓ ✓ ✓
Successful track record of developing the
performance of staff through effective
performance management
E ✓ ✓
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Maple Primary School
Criteria
Es
se
nti
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r
De
sir
ab
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Determination From
Ap
pli
ca
tio
n
Inte
rvie
w
Ta
sk
s
Re
fere
nc
es
Whole School Leadership and Management Experience Cont…./
Supportive and encouraging of continued
professional development (CPD) and wellbeing
of staff and their own CPD and wellbeing.
✓ ✓
Experience of implementing a strategic plan
across the whole school, identifying priorities
and evaluating the impact
✓ ✓
Experience of leading change effectively and
successfully✓ ✓
Knowledge and understanding of strategic
financial planning and budgetary management
and their contribution to school development
and pupil outcomes
✓ ✓ ✓
Have had responsibility for whole school policy
development and implementation ✓ ✓
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Maple Primary School
Criteria
Es
se
nti
al o
r
De
sir
ab
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Determination From
Ap
pli
ca
tio
n
Inte
rvie
w
Ta
sk
s
Re
fere
nc
es
Personal Qualities
A genuine passion for educating young
children, coupled with the ability and
enthusiasm, to see every child fulfil their
potential
E ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Visible and approachable, empathetic and
enjoys engaging and inspiring children, staff
parents and the wider communityE
✓ ✓ ✓
Demonstrates an ability to challenge people
and resolve performance and relationship
issues
E ✓ ✓ ✓
Adaptable leadership style, being ‘hands on’
when required balanced with knowing when to
delegate
E ✓ ✓
Demonstrates an ability to lead by example
with integrity and demonstrates resilience.E ✓ ✓
Able to take a dynamic approach to the
changing needs of the school population and
forge close links with local schools and the
wider community.
E ✓ ✓ ✓
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Maple Primary School
Pay Range L8 – 21 £51,314 – 69,509
Start Date 1st September 2022
Closing Date Monday 15th November, 9am
Shortlisting Date Wednesday 17th November
Interview Date Friday 26th November
Information for Candidates
Maple Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of childrenand expects all staff and visitors to share this commitment. Appointment to this post issubject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) as well as other pre-appointment checks outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2021).
To help us meet our high standards and aspirations of a fully diverse and inclusiveworkplace, we strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds to applyand to join us.
Visits to the school
If you wish to discuss the role and arrange a visit to the school, please contact Chair of Governors, Nic Wong at [email protected] to arrange a time.
School website Maple Primary School
Teach in Herts website Teach in Herts
Applications to be sent to: [email protected]
Interview Date Friday 26th November
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Maple Primary School
Application Process
Application Form
Applicants must use the standard
application form provided (CVs are not
accepted). Please complete all aspects
of the form fully. Include your full work
history with no unexplained gaps since
leaving school education. Include all
the training you have completed,
particularly those in recent years which
have helped to prepare you for
headship.
Person Specification and Personal Statement
When writing your personal statement it is important you address each of the
requirements in the person specification. Ensure to evidence additional aspects
such as training and qualifications together with your background and
experience.
References
Please make sure your referees are aware of your application and that they are
able to provide a swift turn around. Preferred referees are your last two
employers and you should provide their official organisation email address for us
to contact. One referee will be your last Headteacher or Chair of Governors.
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Maple Primary School
Hall Place Gardens,St Albans, Herts,
AL1 3SWTelephone/Fax: 01727 859053
Email: [email protected] Primary School
"An Outstanding school" - Ofsted
