APPOINTMENT OF A

PRIMARY EDUCATION LEAD

(TEMPORARY CONTRACT)

May 2017

The Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff

to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening

appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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Dear Applicant

Primary Education Lead

Thank you for your interest in the role of Primary Education Lead at the Diocese of St

Albans Multi-Academy Trust.

Following the broad principles used to establish Church of England schools in the

1800s, the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust remains committed to, where

possible, providing a locally based high quality education that enables schools to meet

the needs of their local community, whilst benefitting from a regional network of

support. Academies that are part of the Trust will retain their name, school uniform,

local customs and, through the Academy Council, will participate in local governance

decisions following a delegated scheme of earned autonomy.

The Trust is looking to recruit an outstanding colleague with experience in primary

leadership to support the Chief Education Officer in ensuring the highest possible

standard of learning across the Trust. Appointment to this post will provide significant

personal and professional development opportunities.

Should you require any further information or clarification please don’t hesitate to

contact my colleague, Charlotte Johnson (Chief Education Officer) who will be pleased

to talk to you.

Yours faithfully

David Morton

CEO, Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust

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The Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust

The Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust has been established to provide for three

different types of Church of England school within the Diocese of St Albans:

• schools requiring rapid improvement having been placed in Special Measures and

subject to a directive Academy Order

• good or outstanding church schools where no natural cluster of local Church of

England provision exists

• new schools within new housing provision where the Diocese of St Albans is the

identified sponsor

The Trust will consider applications from other schools supportive of the Trust’s ethos on a

case-by-case basis. This will include non-church schools wishing to join with protected non

church school status.

Following the principles used to establish Church of England schools in the 1800s, the

Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust will remain committed to, where possible,

providing a locally-based, high quality education that enables schools to meet the needs of

their local community, whilst benefitting from a regional network of support. Academies that

are part of the Trust will retain their name, school uniform and local customs, and the local

governing body will, through a delegated scheme of earned autonomy, retain local control of

schools where appropriate.

As a Church of England Multi-Academy Trust, our commitment to a locally-based education

will be delivered through an approach consistent with the faith and practice of the Church of

England. All academies in the Trust will be expected to deliver the curriculum within a

programme of Christian values and virtues in an overarching ethos that sees each individual

child as being of worth and having the capacity to grow into a fully rounded person.

Community is another important concept and individual academies within the Trust will have

access to events and training available to all schools and academies within the St Albans

diocesan schools network that will ultimately include local, school-led, Church of England

Multi-Academy trusts, stand-alone academies, federations and CE maintained schools.

Academies within the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust will remain part of the St

Albans diocesan network of schools. Currently this consists of 136 schools comprising

maintained schools, stand-alone academies, CE federations and a free school, representing

all phases. 92.6% of all provision and 94.5% of primary schools within the network are

currently graded Good or Outstanding. Performance is high and all schools within the

network have easy access to examples of outstanding provision and peer-to-peer support.

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Schools joining the Trust will benefit from education delivered within a Christian ethos

committed to enabling schools to meet the needs of their local community, and will have

access to:

• specialist school improvement support - School Improvement Partners and Advisers

• 20 educational consultants based in four regional clusters

• school leadership support and development

• emergent leadership development programmes

• established partnerships with leading school improvement providers such as Herts for

Learning

• a training and development programme delivered by the Diocesan Board of Education

• personalised training delivered through the Diocesan Board of Education’s Service

Level Agreement

• national training networks such as the National Society’s Foundation for Educational

Leadership

• in-house business management and financial management services

• a developing range of centralised policies

Current Development Plans

The Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust is a newly established Trust, having received

approval from the Regional Schools Commissioner on 20 July 2016, progressing through the

approval process in under six months.

It is planned that the Trust will admit up to six schools during 2017, with entry being phased

on 1 March, 1 April and 1 September 2017. The Trust currently has three academies (two

primary and one secondary) and a further three primaries will be admitted by 1st September

2017. HR and legal services have been commissioned on an interim basis. The Trust

benefits from an experienced Chief Operating Officer and highly effective administrative

support.

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Primary Education Lead

Contract: Fixed term 12 months (up to 18 months max)

Working arrangements: Part-time (3 days per week)

Salary: L14

The Trust will consider self-employed candidates (daily

rate £350)

Responsible to: Chief Education Officer

The post of Primary Education Lead is an essential role to support the Chief Education

Officer (CEdO) in ensuring the highest possible standard of teaching and learning across

primary academies within the Trust.

It is essential that anyone appointed has a thorough understanding of school improvement

and effectiveness within the primary age range. Any successful candidate must have the

capacity to work independently and have the ability to communicate effectively to a wide

range of audiences.

The Primary Education Lead should understand and be able to support our academies in

being distinctively Christian, community-focussed academies that serve the common good.

Should you require any further information or clarification, please contact Sharon Reid,

Finance & Administrative Officer on 01525 8401893 or s.reid@stalbansdmat.co.uk who will

arrange for you to speak to Charlotte Johnson, Chief Education Officer at the Diocese of St

Albans Multi-Academy Trust.

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Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust

Primary Lead: Job Description

Purpose

The post holder will work with the Chief Education Officer (CEdO) on shaping and delivering

the organisation’s objectives, driving a culture of continuous improvement in all educational

areas and leading a successful and growing organisation. The post holder will proactively

promote and demonstrate the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust’s (DSAMAT) vision.

In fulfilling this role the post holder will:

• Challenge and support primary academies within the Trust to improve outcomes

for all children

• Work with academies to embed the Trust data system

• Ensure all academies are safeguarding compliant

• Understand and support the Christian ethos of academies within the Trust

• Challenge and support the development of the leaders within primary academies

Responsible to

The Chief Education Officer of the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust.

Key Connections

Internal: Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust Board, Chief Executive Officer and

Chief Operating Officer of the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust

External: Department for Education (DfE), relevant Local Authorities, service providers for

the Trust, and other dioceses

Responsibilities:

(b) Principal duties

• Ensure the highest possible standard of learning across the Trust in liaison with

the Heateacher and other Senior Leadership colleagues through the

development of coaching and mentoring of staff

• Work closely with the CEdO, in determining and developing policies, procedures

and practice, promoting collective responsibility for their implementation to

ensure high achievement through effective teaching and learning and whole-

school improvement

• Alongside the CEdO analyse national, local and school data, research and

inspection findings to inform curriculum area policies and practices, expectations

and teaching methodologies

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• Use local and national data and other information as a basis for improving

teaching and learning

• Take a lead role to improve the effectiveness of assessment practice in primary

academies, analysing statistical information to evaluate the effectiveness of

teaching and learning

• Research and evaluate innovative curricular practices and draw on research

outcomes and other sources of external evidence to inform own practice and that

of colleagues

• Update primary academies on national agenda

• Work with academies to evaluate the teaching and learning, and assessment

• Work with CEdO to ensure that performance management is effective in all

primary schools

• Organise/facilitate training in academies to meet local needs

(c) Other duties and responsibilities

• Ensure that high standards of professional behaviour and performance are

achieved, using systems of external accreditation and evaluation wherever

possible

• Contribute actively to the development of quality improvement programmes

across the Trust

• Undertake such other duties as reasonably correspond to the general character

of the post and commensurate with being a member of the Trust SLT

• Deputise for the CEdO locally, regionally and nationally, as required

Safeguarding

The safety and well-being of our children is central to our ethos and we expect all staff and

volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to provide

references, undertake an enhanced check through the Disclosure and Barring Service, and

comply with the Safeguarding Policy and child protection practices of DSAMAT.

Equalities

DSAMAT has a strong commitment to achieving equality of opportunity in its academies and

in the employment of people. The post will ensure that DSAMAT meets its statutory

obligations in relation to all aspects of equalities legislation.

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Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust

Academies Director: Person Specification

Educational and professional qualifications

Essential

• Degree or equivalent

• Qualified teacher status

• Evidence of continuous professional development

Desirable

• Master’s degree and/or relevant professional qualifications

Experience and knowledge

Essential

• Proven track record as a senior leader in a primary setting

• Successful school improvement experience, including establishing a performance

culture (improvement planning, target setting and performance management)

which leads to improved outcomes for pupils

• Proven success as an educational leader, with experience of working through

influence and partnership with external partners to achieve common goals

• Proven success in delivering external school to school or advisory support

• Experience and knowledge of the safeguarding agenda and its application in the

educational setting

• Detailed knowledge of key legislation and national policy relating to education

• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the primary phase and current national

and local agendas relating to teaching and learning in Early Years Foundation

Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2

• Understanding of new national curriculum and age related expectations

• Understanding of academies

• Understanding of working with primaries in different contexts

• Experience of designing and leading training to primary practitioners / Head

teachers

• Understand the journey that schools have to make towards being ‘Good’ and

‘Outstanding’

Desirable

• Experience of leading/working in an Academy

• Experience of working within a Multi-Academy Trust

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Skills and abilities

Essential

• Ability to lead and develop the professional development of leaders in schools

using coaching

• Ability to help academies raise standards

• Ability to help secure higher standards in ways complimentary to the Church of

England ethos of academies in the Trust

• An awareness of and sensitivity to Christian values

• Commitment to raising standards and optimising the opportunities that

Academies can offer to students and the community

• Excellent communication skills and proven experience of building and

maintaining effective relationships with a range of stakeholders

Attitudes and personal qualities

Essential

• Wholehearted commitment to maintaining and developing the ethos of the

Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust

• Honesty, personal integrity and ethical decision making; taking responsibility for

actions and consequences

• Emotional intelligence and resilience especially in the face of difficulty and

challenges

• Ability to secure and maintain good working relationships with colleagues and

make an excellent contribution to team working, to build and maintain good

relationships with others

• Ability to think creatively and to anticipate and solve problems

• Ability to challenge constructively the work of self and others to continually

improve own and team performance

• Commitment to the personal and professional development of self and others,

including the ability to give and receive effective feedback

Desirable

• An understanding and/or first-hand experience of the Church of England and its

ethos

Other

• Visible presence at the Trust’s Academies

• ICT-literacy and willingness to embrace new technologies

• Full clean driving licence holder with access to the use of a vehicle

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Terms and Conditions

Term: The appointment (start date to be agreed) will be based upon a probationary period of

six months during which it may be terminated by either party by one week’s notice, and

thereafter by three months’ notice on either side.

Salary: L14. The Trust will consider self-employed candidates (daily rate £350).

Pension: Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme

Hours: This is a part-time position, 3 days per week (flexible). Time off in lieu is given for

hours worked outside normal working hours. No overtime is paid.

Holidays: Annual leave entitlement is 22 working days (pro rata), plus statutory Bank

Holidays, the working days falling between Christmas and New Year Bank Holiday and one

day in November or December for Christmas shopping.

Expenses: Approved expenses are paid in full through the DSAMAT budget at agreed rates.

Office facilities: The Trust’s main central office is in Ampthill. The role of Primary Education

Lead involves significant travel between the primary schools within the Trust (currently in

Caldecote, Nr Biggleswade; Cheshunt; and Houghton Regis).

Right to work: The successful applicant will need to provide proof of right to work in the UK

before taking up the post.

Additional Employment: Written agreement is required for any interest, directorship or

employment to be held in addition to this employment.

With the exception of the Redundancy Payments Modification Order which applies, for the

purposes of occupational entitlements, for example to sick pay or maternity pay, the Trust

does not recognise continuous or aggregated service with other academy trusts or with local

authorities.

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How to apply for this position

To apply for this post, please send completed application form together with a covering letter

(nor more than 2 sides A4) to Mr David Morton, CEO c/o First Floor, 14 Doolittle Mill,

Froghall Road, Ampthill, Beds MK45 2ND or by e-mail to s.reid@stalbansdmat.co.uk.

References will be taken up before interview. Please indicate if anyone may not be

approached at this stage.

Start date: 1st September 2017

Closing date: Midday on Tuesday 23rd May 2017

Interviews: Wednesday 24th May 2017 (PM)

Further Information

Information about the Diocese of St Albans can be found on

http://www.stalbans.anglican.org/.

Information about the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust can be found on

http://www.stalbansdmat.co.uk