Elsley Primary School, Headteacher

Candidate Information Pack February 2014

Elsley Primary School Tokyngton Avenue

Wembley, HA9 6HT Telephone: 020 8902 8003

Email: admin@elsley.brent.sch.uk Website: www.elsley.brent.sch.uk Headteacher: Ms Nicola Arundell

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in applying for the role of Headteacher at Elsley Primary School.

Elsley Primary School is a two form entry school with a nursery annexe situated in the London

Borough of Brent. Our last Ofsted inspection in 2012 judged our school to be ‘Good’ in all aspects.

Our school regularly features in the top of the league tables for the value added measure. Our

staffs are committed and caring and regularly run extra-curricular activities to give the children an

all-round educational experience.

We have received a number of awards from external agencies to acknowledge the school’s good

practice, including Healthy Schools, ICT Mark and Artsmark. Staff and pupils continue to work

towards achieving new goals and are currently working towards the Unicef Rights Respecting

Schools Award Level 1 which we hope to achieve this year.

Our school is central to the local community and we not only educate local children but also

provide support and training for parents through our Family Support Worker and committed

members of staff. We have an active Parent Staff Association, who organise our annual Summer

Fayre, Christmas discos and various fundraising events to support the school, including the

development of our playgrounds. We have an enthusiastic School Council who provide input and

feedback about the school curriculum, environment and day-to-day running of the school.

We are looking for a Headteacher who is committed to maintaining our achievements thus far and

pushing us to achieve ‘Outstanding’ status whilst maintaining standards and supporting our

inclusive ethos. We have been in talks with the local authority about increasing the school from a

two form to a four form of entry. We would like a Headteacher who can be a strong advocate for

the school and guide us through this potential change.

The Governors believe that Elsley is firmly on the path to becoming an outstanding school and that

the rich diversity of our school community is an asset which can help us achieve this. If you

believe that you are the person to take us forward then please do apply.

Please visit school website for more information about our wonderful school on

www.elsley.brent.sch.uk

We warmly invite you to visit our school so that you can appreciate the unique qualities we offer.

Please contact the school office on 020 8902 8003 to arrange an appointment. The closing date

for applications is 17 March 2014 and interviews are scheduled to take place on 26 and 27 March

2014. We look forward to receiving your application.

Kind regards,

Haresh Hirani Chair of Governors

Brent – The place to be, the borough to work for Brent is a place of contrasts and a destination for

thousands of British and international visitors every year.

Home of the iconic Wembley Stadium, the world famous

Wembley Arena and the spectacular Swaminarayan Hindu

Temple, it provides a stage for cultural, sporting and

religious events of national and international importance,

including most recently the Olympics 2012.

Brent is served by some of the best road and rail transport

links in London. We have award winning parks,

outstanding schools, a great night life and a reputation for

fostering and celebrating community cohesion. Our

population is young, dynamic and growing. Our long history

of ethnic and cultural diversity has created a place that is

truly unique and valued by those who live and work here.

The borough spans two distinct areas: the densely

populated inner city, and leafy outer London suburbia and

all together is the most culturally and ethnically diverse

local authority area in the country.

At the same time, poverty and social exclusion are

significant issues for residents in the borough. However,

the council has placed over 4000 residents into jobs

through innovative employment programmes since 2002,

helping to compensate for the effects of the recession and

an increase in people claiming housing and council tax

benefits since the start of the economic downturn.

We believe that everyone in Brent should be able to

participate in and benefit from growth in the local economy.

To support this we want to ensure that our residents have

the right skills and opportunities to enable them to prosper.

The council plays a key role in developing and promoting the borough and as part of the

development of the Wembley Park area we have moved into our new ‘state of the art’ Civic

Centre, opposite Wembley Stadium.

Over recent years Brent Council has undergone major transformation, and this continues

with a programme of unprecedented structural and organisational change designed to meet

the financial challenges facing the public sector. The council’s Improvement and Efficiency

Strategy sets out proposals to deliver high quality services while driving efficiency and

cutting waste and bureaucracy. It is committed to driving forward service excellence, urban

regeneration and community cohesion whilst recognising that we cannot ignore the financial

reality of providing public services in this challenging financial climate.

Anyone joining the London Borough of Brent is coming into a confident, ambitious borough

with big plans. There is a huge opportunity to contribute to change in a way that genuinely

helps us to become more efficient, streamlined and customer-focused.

Brent Civic Centre

Our new Civic Centre is on Engineers Way (opposite Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena) in the heart of the Wembley regeneration area.

It provides residents with easy access to a variety of public services in one place and increased and improved facilities for the whole community to enjoy, as well as generating efficiency savings that can be ploughed back into local services. It functions as a community hub where residents can meet, eat and shop, as well as a building from which efficient and high quality council services are provided.

Brent Civic Centre is the greenest UK public office

Our state-of-the-art Civic Centre has received BREEAM 'Outstanding' rating from the Building Research Establishment, the world's foremost environmental assessment award for building projects. With a score of 92.55 per cent, the Civic Centre is officially the greenest public office building in the country and the fourth greenest building worldwide out of only ten that have received BREEAM Outstanding rating. The building will achieve a 33 per cent reduction in carbon emission with energy consumption, 100 per cent more efficient than similar buildings. In addition to the modern open plan offices for the council and partner employees, the building house Brent's flagship library, community facilities, a wonderful covered winter garden and an open terrace space with spectacular views of the stadium and surrounding area.

Transport Links This site is geographically central and links the diverse north and south of the borough as well as being accessible through excellent transport services. Three stations serve the area:

Wembley Park (Metropolitan and Jubilee lines) Wembley Stadium (Chiltern Railways) Wembley Central (Bakerloo line, London Overground and Southern Railway)

As well as various bus routes:

92 and 206 on Engineers Way 83, 182 and 223 on Empire Way 297 at Wembley Park station 224 terminating at Wembley Stadium station.

Job Description

Job Title

Headteacher

Organisation

Elsley Primary School

Grade

Leadership L18 - L24

Job description

1. Purpose of the

post

To provide professional leadership and vision for a school,

which secures its success and improvement, ensuring high

quality education for all its pupils and improved standards of

learning and achievement.

The professional duties of the headteacher are set out in the

School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document and key

areas of headship are contained in the DFE national

standards for headteachers.

2. Policy,

framework and

requirements

A headteacher shall carry out his/her professional duties in

accordance with and subject to:

the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document

the provisions of the Education Acts;

any orders and regulations having effect there under;

the instrument of government of the school of which s/he is headteacher;

where the school is a voluntary, foundation or foundation special school, any trust deed applying in relation thereto;

A headteacher shall carry out such duties in accordance with

and subject to the following:

in the case of a school which has a delegated budget:

any rules, regulations or policies laid down by the governing body under their powers; and

any rules, regulations or policies laid down by the authority with respect to matters for which the governing body is not so responsible;

in any other case, any rules, regulations or policies laid down by his/her employers; and

theterms of his/hers appointment.

3. General

functions

A headteacher shall be responsible for the internal

organisation, management and control of the school.

4. Consultation In carrying out his/her duties a headteacher shall consult,

where this is appropriate, with the authority, the governing

body, the staff of the school, the parents of its pupils and the

pupils themselves.

5. Professional

duties

The professional duties of a headteacher shall include:

School aims: - formulating the overall aims and objectives of the

school and policies for their implementation;

Strategic direction and development of the school: - leading by example, providing educational vision and

direction to secure the commitment of staff, parents and pupils;

Appointment of staff: - participating in the selection and appointment of the

teaching and non-teaching staff of the school;

Management of staff: - deploying and managing all teaching and non-teaching

staff of the school and allocating particular duties to them (including such duties of the headteacher as may properly be delegated to a deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher or other member of the staff) in a manner consistent with their conditions of employment, maintaining a reasonable balance for each teacher between work carried out in school and work carried out elsewhere;

- considering in particular in relation to such allocation of duties how far the duties of the headteacher may be delegated to any deputy headteacher or assistant headteacher;

- ensuring that the duty of providing cover for absent teachers is shared equitably among all teachers in the school (including the headteacher), taking account of their teaching and other duties;

- ensuring that teachers at the school receive information they need in order to carry out their professional duties effectively;

- enabling advanced skills teachers to fulfil their outreach duties by taking reasonable steps to arrange or permit such work –

(a) in the case of such teachers at the school, at the

school or elsewhere; and

(b) in the case of such teachers from other schools

working with teachers from the school, at the school or

elsewhere;

- reporting to the chair of governors annually on the professional development of all teachers at the school;

- advising the governing body on the adoption of effective procedures to deal with incompetent teachers; and

- keeping the governing body informed of the general operation of such procedures;

- providing information, references and testimonials about the work and performance of staff employed at the school, with due regard to the principles of Equal Opportunities, where such information is relevant to their future employment;

Liaison with staff unions and associations: - maintaining relationships with organisations

representing teachers and other persons on the staff of the school;

Curriculum: - determining, organising and implementing an

appropriate curriculum for the school, having regard to the needs, experience, interests, aptitudes and stage of development of the pupils and the resources available to the school;

- securing that all pupils in attendance at the school take part in daily collective worship;

Review: - keeping under review the work and organisation of the

school;

Standards of teaching and learning: - evaluating the standards of teaching and learning in

the school, and ensuring that proper standards of professional performance are established and maintained;

Appraisal, training, development and induction of staff: - supervising and participating in arrangements for the

appraisal of the performance of teachers in the school;

participating in arrangements made for the appraisal of his/her performance as headteacher, and that of other headteachers who are the responsibility of the same appraising body in accordance with such regulations; participating in the identification of areas in which s/he would benefit from further training and undergoing such training;

- ensuring that all staff in the school have access to advice and training appropriate to their needs, in accordance with the policies of the maintaining authority and governing body;

- ensuring that newly-qualified teachers and those returning to teaching after a break in service have access to adequate support in their first year of service or resumed service;

- being responsible for the supervision and training of teachers during their induction periods in accordance with the Induction Regulations, and making a recommendation at the end of such induction periods as to whether such teachers have met the prescribed induction standards as required by those Regulations;

- ensuring that teachers serving induction periods under the Induction Regulations do not teach for more than 90% of the time a teacher at that school who does not receive a management allowance would be expected to teach;

Threshold assessment: - assessing (subject to approval by an assessor)

whether a teacher at the school who applies for a threshold assessment has passed the threshold;

- explaining to a teacher who makes an application for a threshold assessment the reasons for the outcome of his/her application and giving him/her advice about the aspects of his performance which would benefit from further development;

where requested by him/her to do so providing assistance to an assessor in relation to threshold assessments at the school;

Advanced skills teacher assessment: - where requested, the application for a certificate of

eligibility for appointment to an advanced skills teacher’s post of a teacher at the school or a teacher who was last employed at the school;

- where requested, providing assistance to an assessor in relation to advanced skills teacher assessments at the school;

Management information: - providing information about the work and performance

of the staff employed at the school where this is relevant to their future employment;

Pupil progress: - ensuring that the progress of the pupils of the school is

monitored and recorded;

Pastoral care: - determining and ensuring the implementation of a

policy for the pastoral care of the pupils;

Inclusion and Special Needs: - taking corrective action to reduce and remove

inequalities which are identified; - ensuring that the requirements of the Code of Practice

are met;

Discipline: - determining, in accordance with any written statement

of general principles provided for him/her by the governing body, measures to be taken with a view to promoting, among the pupils, self-discipline and proper regard for authority, encouraging good behaviour on the part of the pupils, securing that the standard of behaviour of the pupils is acceptable and otherwise regulating the conduct of the pupils; making such measures generally known within the school, and ensuring that they are implemented; and

- ensuring the maintenance of good order and discipline at all times during the school day (including the midday break) when pupils are present on the school premises and whenever the pupils are engaged in authorised school activities, whether on the school premises or elsewhere;

Relations with parents: - making arrangements for parents to be given regular

information about the school curriculum, the progress of their children and other matters affecting the school, so as to promote common understanding of its aims;

- creating and maintaining an effective partnership with parents to support and improve pupils’ achievement and personal development;

Relations with other bodies: - promoting effective relationships with persons and

bodies outside the school;

Relations with the governing body:

- advising and assisting the governing body of the school in the exercise of their functions, including (without prejudice to any rights s/he may have as a governor of the school) attending meetings of the governing body and making such reports to them in connection with the discharge of his functions as they may properly require either on a regular basis or from time to time;

Relations with the authority: - providing for liaison and co-operation with the officers

of the maintaining authority; making such reports to the authority in connection with the discharge of his functions as they may properly require, either on a regular basis or from time to time;

Relations with other educational establishments: - maintaining liaison with other schools and further

education establishments with which the school has a relationship;

Resources: - allocating, controlling and accounting for those

financial and material resources of the school which are under the control of the headteacher;

Premises: - making arrangements, if so required by the

maintaining authority or the governing body of a community, voluntary, foundation or community or foundation special school (as appropriate), for the security and effective supervision of the school buildings and their contents and of the school grounds; and ensuring (if so required) that any lack of maintenance is promptly reported to the maintaining authority or, if appropriate, the governing body;

Absence: - arranging for a deputy headteacher or other suitable

person to assume responsibility for the discharge of his/her functions as headteacher at any time when s/ he is absent from the school;

Teaching: - participating, to such extent as may be appropriate

having regard to his/her other duties, in the teaching of pupils at the school, including the provision of cover for

absent teachers.

Safeguarding children - safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

and young persons s/he is responsible for or comes into contact with.

Selection criteria

Sh

ort

listin

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Inte

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Asse

ssm

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1. Qualifications Qualified teacher status

NPQH or evidence of further study

2. Experience Successful experience as a headteacher or deputy in a primary school

Successful teaching experience of the age range and range of needs served by the school

3. Strategic direction and development of the school

Ability to provide clear educational vision and direction and lead by example

Ability to formulate aims, policies and plans and monitor, evaluate and review the impact of these

Ability to work in partnership with the governing body

Knowledge of current educational developments and statutory requirements

Ability to work in partnership with other schools to share strengths and support development

4. Leading and managing staff

Ability to lead, manage and motivate whole school community

Ability to plan, allocate, delegate support and evaluate work undertaken by groups, teams and individuals

Ability to coach and mentor staff to improve performance

Ability to consult and negotiate effectively with different stakeholders involved with the school, including pupils

Person Specification

Job Knowledge, Skills & Experience: Specify the qualifications, experience, skills and abilities required.

Please note. Shortlisting will be on the basis of the criteria indicated in the ‘Application Form’ column. All criteria are essential.

Method of Assessment

5. Standards Evidence of having raised standards.

Ability to collect, analyse and use data on pupils’ progress and performance to raise standards.

Ability to set and achieve challenging targets for the school, departments, teachers and pupils

6. Teaching and learning

Understanding of the principles of effective teaching and learning and the ability to promote a culture of learning throughout the school.

Understanding of the principles of good curriculum provision.

Successful experience of reviewing and developing the curriculum.

Understanding of the role of assessment in children’s learning.

Successful experience of monitoring, evaluating and improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Successful experience of promoting the personal, social, moral, cultural and spiritual development of pupils.

7. Ethos and inclusion

Ability to create and maintain an environment which promotes good behaviour and discipline.

Understanding of the factors which create barriers to learning and ability to implement appropriate strategies for reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion.

8. Relationship with parents and the wider community

Successful experience of creating and maintaining effective partnerships with parents and the community, to support pupils’ learning.

9. Deployment of staff and resources

Ability to interpret, monitor and manage a budget.

Ability to manage, monitor and review the use of all available resources, ensuring value for money.

Experience of recruiting, selecting and deploying staff.

10. Suitability to work with children

Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people

Emotional resilience in working with challenging behaviours

Appropriate attitudes to use of authority and maintaining discipline

11. Other skills and abilities

Ability to manage time well and work under pressure to deadlines.

Effective ICT skills.

Effective interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.

Ability to write clearly and accurately and communicate effectively with an appropriate sense of audience.

Resilience, flexibility and ability to retain a sense of perspective.

Important Information about this role:

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Check Successful applicants are required to obtain an Enhanced and Barred DBS check considered satisfactory by Elsley Primary School. The London Borough of Brent is an Equal Opportunities employer and having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of your offences. We will not unfairly discriminate against you on the basis of conviction or other details revealed. However, we are also fully committed to protecting our vulnerable clients and will fully comply with the DBS code of practice. For a copy of the code, please visit http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/dbs or request a copy from Human Resources. Failure to disclose information or providing deliberate false information in order to gain employment may lead to your dismissal or a withdrawal of an offer of employment.

Rehabilitation of offenders Act This post is exempt from section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, as the duties give you access to persons who are under the age of 18. Applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions, which would be regarded as spent for other purposes.

Application information For your information, please note the following when completing your application:

Read the job description and person specification carefully

Complete a supporting statement online as part of the application form, making sure you address each of the criteria indicated in the person specification

Applicants may only be shortlisted if they indicate in their application that they meet the shortlisting criteria on the Person Specification. Your completed application form and attachments are the only basis for considering your initial suitability for the post. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide feedback to applicants who are not Shortlisted for interview.

Disabled Applicants Applicants who are disabled and are covered under the Disability Provision of Equality Act 2010 and meet the essential criteria for the role will be invited to the selection process.

Recruitment stages

Closing date: Monday 17 March 2014

Interviews: 26th and 27th March 2014

Copy: THE ELSLEY NEWSLETTER, JANUARY 2014

‘What you do today can improve all your tomorrows’.

NEW YEAR Wishing all our families a very happy, healthy and successful new year. Please note the relevant dates below for your diaries and calendars. You will receive further information about particular events nearer the time. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Year 1 trip to the Natural History Museum – Wednesday 29th January

School photographer for individual and family photos – Tuesday 4th February

Year 3 trip to St Albans – Wednesday 5th February

Year 5 trip to Affinity Centre – Friday 7th February

Reception class trip to Science Museum – Wednesday 12th February

Parent/teacher consultation meetings - Evening of Thursday 13th February and afternoons during the same week (further details to come).

Half Term Holiday - Monday 17th February - Friday 21st February (School closed)

Year 6 trip to the London Eye – Tuesday 25th February

Nursery and Reception parent Reading, Writing and Maths workshops – Tuesday 25th February (1.30pm – 3pm)

International Day and UNICEF day for change (non-uniform day) – Monday 3rd March

World Book Day – Thursday 6th March

Elsley X Factor – Tuesday 11th March

Science and Engineering Week – 17th – 21st March

Year 3 Class Assembly - 9.15am on Wednesday 19th March

Year 1 Class Assembly - 9.15am on Wednesday 26th March

Last day of term – Friday 4th April

First day of summer term – Tuesday 22nd April

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS There is a range of after school activity clubs running this term: Mondays – Ballet (Reception to Year 6) Martial Arts (Reception to Year 2) Tuesdays – Football (Years 5 and 6) Street Dance (Years 1 to 6) Wednesdays – Football (Years 3 and 4) Thursdays – Football (Years 1 and 2) Cheerleading (Years 3 to 6) Fridays – Martial Arts (Years 3 to 6) Every Day - PE/Sports Enrichment There are still spaces in some of the clubs. Please contact Ms Hamilton or the school office for further details. NURSERY APPLICATIONS Application forms for nursery starting in SEPTEMBER 2014 are available in the school office for children born between 1st September 2010 and 31stAugust 2011. CONTACT NUMBERS

Please make sure that you provide the school office with your most up to date contact and emergency contact details. PARENT CLASSES The following classes are running this term: Learning English With Your Child (Tuesdays 1.30 – 4.30pm) Healthy Mondays – January 20th – New Year, New You (2.30pm – with children joining parents after school) January 27th 9am – Health Fair with Health experts February 3rd – Badminton at Bridge Park Leisure Centre (time to be confirmed) February 10th – 2.30pm Women’s MOT and 3.30pm Healthy Cooking session ‘Feed Your Heart’ Contact Ms Ekango via the school office for more details about any of the classes. BREAKFAST/AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS Ms Ekango has collected in registration of parent interest about these. Please contact her via the school office if you have not yet registered but would like to do so. Further details about the clubs will be sent out soon. PAYMENTS TO SCHOOL Please do not give monies (for lunches, school trips etc) directly to the school office. They should be sent in with your child and given to the class teacher. Please send the correct amount of money as we are unable to give change. PUNCTUALITY Please remember school Starts at 8.55am for juniors and 9am for Infants. If your child is late, please always bring them to the school office and sign in the Late Book. If your child comes to school by themselves you will receive a text advising you that your child was late. LATE COLLECTION School finishes at 3.15pm. If you are going to be late please telephone the school office as soon as you are aware that you will be late. It is very important that your child is collected on time as we do not have facilities to look after children once school has ended. Unfortunately, if you are regularly late we may have to inform Social Services.

With best wishes, Nicola Arundell Headteacher

What the children

of Elsley would like

in their new

Headteacher

Intelligent Caring

Helpful

Energetic

Enthusiastic

Who works in our

classroom sometimes

and helps with our

learning

Strict

Active/sporty

Good sense of

humour

Hard working

Reads us

stories

Responsible

Gives us stickers for

good work or

certificates

Comes out to the

playground and

plays with us Someone who

listens to us

Someone who

is always here

Tells us about fun

things

More fun

trips

Someone who

sits with us at

lunchtime

Elsley Primary School Tokyngton Avenue

Wembley, HA9 6HT Tel: 020 8902 8003

Email: admin@elsley.brent.sch.uk Headteacher: Ms N Arundell

Chair of Governors: Mr H Hirani

Headteacher Leadership Scale L18 – L24 (Inner London): £64,677 - £73,780

Required to start in September 2014

‘Together we share, learn, achieve and respect ourselves, one another and our world’

Due to the retirement of our current headteacher, we are looking for an equally dedicated

and exceptional headteacher with skills of leadership and cooperation, to build on our

strengths.

Our headteacher must have these qualities:

Energetic and enthusiastic

Leads with vision and values

Strategic thinker

Loves learning and

Enables pupils to achieve their very best

Are You this person?

We Are:

Two-form entry primary school serving a wide diverse community with an

active parent body.

We are currently exploring potential expansion by a further two-form entry, as

part of the LA programme, making this an exciting project for the future of the

school.

We were rated ‘Good’ in our most recent Ofsted inspection report and are

now working towards becoming ‘Outstanding’.

Most importantly, we have wonderful children who make working here truly

worthwhile.

Would you like to be our new headteacher?

Visits to the school will be welcome in the afternoon on 6th March. Interested applicants

who wish to visit the school should contact Mrs Sullivan on 020 8902 8003.

To apply for this position visit www.brent.gov.uk/teachers. Alternatively email hr.schools@brent.gov.uk or call Schools’ HR on 020 8937 4000. Completed application forms should be emailed to hr.schools@brent.gov.uk.

Closing date: Monday 17th March 2014 Interviews: 26th and 27th March 2014

Additional Information

We reserve the right to close this advert earlier than the closing date indicated should we feel

we have received sufficient applications.

Please note CV’s will not be considered as part of your application for this position.

Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that

reflects this therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community.

Applications are particularly welcome from people with a disability as they are under

represented across the council.

Before you join Elsley Primary School, you will need to provide your National Insurance (NI)

number and undergo a Home Office Standard I.D. check.

All successful applicants will be required to apply for a DBS Disclosure.