Primary Information Pack (20th September)

Primary Headteacher and Leadership Development Programme

Information and Application Process

ARK Schools, 65 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6TD

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Dear school leader, Thank you for taking the time to find out more about ARK Schools and, if you did so, for attending our event on Monday evening. As we explained, in 2004 ARK Schools set out to create a group of exceptional schools that radically improve the life chances of their pupils. We now have eight academies open, three of which are ‘all-through’ schools teaching pupils from 3 to 18 years of age. Over the next five years we see primary education as our major area of growth and anticipate opening an increasing number of new primary schools. Consequently, we’re looking for talented, aspirant primary headteachers to join the first ARK Schools Primary Leadership Programme which starts full time in January 2011. Successful applicants will join a small cohort of fellow leaders and be given training, support and development opportunities, with the expectation that they will take on and run a new ARK primary school from September 2011. We aim to confirm the primary school you would lead as early as possible, so that you can plan and prepare for its opening, with ARK’s support, while completing your training and development on the ARK Primary Leader Programme. The first schools are set to be in central and West London and include turn-around and new-start schools. We expect that successful candidates will have relevant experience to lead a primary school, have highly effective leadership and management skills, and the ambition both to run an outstanding school and to be part of a wider network of high achieving schools. Central to the ARK Schools values is establishing academies of outstanding teachers who are committed, skilled and passionate about their work and have an absolute belief that all children can and will achieve. This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the ARK network of primary schools and the opportunity to transform children’s lives. Applications are now open; please go to www.arkschools.org for an application form or contact [email protected]. Please send your complete application form to Alexia by 9am on Friday 1st October. The process for selection/assessment is set out on the next page, but if you have any queries please contact Alexia on 0203 116 0740. Yours sincerely,

Lucy Heller, Managing Director

http://www.arkschools.org/

mailto:[email protected]


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Selection Process

9am, Friday 1st October – Closing date for applications and long-

listing

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Wednesday 6th October – Screening interviews for long listed

candidates

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Monday 11th October – Future Leaders assessment day: interview,

role play, presentation, desk based exercise

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Monday 18th or Tuesday 19th October – Assembly, lesson observation

and interview

Mid-October – Offers made

January 2011 – Post taken up


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About the ARK Primary Leadership Programme

The training programme will be run in partnership with Future Leaders. Future Leaders is a DfE recognised training organisation established to prepare and train secondary headteachers, which is now expanding its provision to primary headteachers.

From January 2011 trainee primary leaders will spend eight months based in the ARK Schools head office where they will learn and prepare for headships starting in September 2011. The programme will include:

Training in and development of core leadership competencies

Training and knowledge of the ARK Schools’ primary model including the core curriculum, assessment

policy, approach to learning and teaching and culture and ethos, timetable, staffing structures and all aspects

of school operations

In-school residency experience in an ARK primary school

Structured preparation time for the opening of the candidate’s new school - including recruitment, staff

training, parent and pupil induction

Intensive one-to-one leadership coaching and group learning activities.


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About ARK Schools ARK Schools runs a network of eight academies in London, Portsmouth and Birmingham. ARK Schools was created in 2004 to work with the DCSF and local authorities to create new schools offering exceptional opportunities to local children in inner cities through the academies programme.

ARK Schools’ aim is to help close the achievement gap between children from disadvantaged and more affluent backgrounds. Its academies focus on raising attainment so that every pupil has a real choice of going on to higher education when they complete school. Its schools are non-selective, community schools for local children. They are non-denominational other than where they replace a school that previously had a religious affiliation. The ARK Schools network

ARK Schools currently has a network of eight academies with further schools in development:

BOROUGH OPENED AGE OFSTED

Predecessor Sec. 8 progress visit Sec. 5 inspection

Burlington Danes

Hammersmith 2006 11-18 Special measures

Satisfactory Good

King Solomon

Westminster 2007 3-18 N/A Outstanding Outstanding

Walworth Southwark 2007 11-18 Satisfactory Good Good (with outstanding capacity to improve)

Globe Southwark 2008 3-18 Special measures

Good N/A

Evelyn Grace Lambeth 2008 11-18 N/A Good N/A

Ark Brent 2008 3-18 N/A Good N/A

Charter Portsmouth 2009 11-16 (due to18)

Notice to improve

N/A N/A

St Alban’s Birmingham 2009 11-16 (due to 18)

Good N/A N/A

Isaac Newton Academy, a new academy in Redbridge for 11-18 year olds, is to open in 2012.


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Record to date

The latest complete set of data (2009) demonstrates that ARK Schools is the top performing multiple academy sponsor. In 2010 the five ARK academies with GCSE results saw an average improvement rate of 12.6 percentage points on last year’s results.

GCSE performance (% achieving 5 GCSEs A* - C including English and Maths)

Predecessor school 2009 2010

Burlington Danes

31% (2006) 50% 70%

Walworth 26% (2007) 45% 60%

Globe 26% (2008) 34% 40%

St Alban’s 23% (2008) 30% (predecessor)

50%

Charter 8% (2008) 21% (predecessor)

25%


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ARK Schools’ ethos

Academic achievement – no excuses

ARK Schools has high expectations for its pupils. We believe that every child can realise their potential given the

right encouragement, teaching and support. We want every pupil at our academies to leave with the academic

qualifications and skills they need to have a real choice at 18, either to go on to university or to pursue their career.

We do everything possible to ensure that every child achieves year level expectations, every year. We won’t accept

excuses and we won’t make any either.

Culture – personal responsibility and mutual respect

Our academies maintain a respectful and orderly environment so that pupils can focus on learning and teachers on

teaching. ARK academies uphold clearly understood codes of conduct underpinned by rigorous systems of rewards

and sanctions. We believe that a successful education includes developing and nurturing the personal qualities of

every pupil. ARK academies give students the opportunity to learn and experience different extra-curricular

activities by running after school clubs. We also work closely with parents to involve them in supporting their

child’s education.

Commitment

All families sign a home-school agreement before school starts, so that everyone is committed to

putting in the effort to ensure that each child succeeds. ARK Schools are committed to the

development of our staff and offer training opportunities and a unique range of benefits to all

staff. We support our academies’ meritocratic approach, giving skilled and dedicated teachers

early opportunities to lead schools within schools.

Small schools

Large schools can be intimidating. ARK Academies are organised into a set of ‘small schools’, so that every pupil

knows and is known by every teacher within their small school. The small school model is based on research that

demonstrates the success of smaller schools in improving behaviour, attendance and academic achievement.

The core curriculum: depth before breadth

English and mathematics are the foundation for all other subjects and are critical to success at school and in life.

Our academies aim to develop strong readers and communicators who love to use their skills and children who are

confident working with numbers in everyday life. Our curriculum is designed and structured to ensure that all

children master essential knowledge in these core subjects.

The core curriculum: the primary model

To achieve academic excellence, significantly improve literacy and numeracy and close the achievement gap, our

primary schools need to teach a coherent, cumulative, and content-specific core curriculum. This is based on the

belief that knowledge helps to build knowledge and that ‘the more you know the more you are able to learn’. ARK

Schools is developing this core knowledge curriculum for English, Mathematics and other subject areas across the

foundation stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.


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Our specialisms

All of our academies have specialist school status in mathematics. We believe it is vitally

important to provide our pupils with the tools necessary to become numerically

confident adults. ARK invests in the resources to attract, train and retain the best maths

teachers. We aim to ensure that all our pupils become competent mathematicians, at

ease with both its theoretical and practical uses.

Support programmes

ARK Schools also runs, develops and funds other programmes to help our schools

succeed.

We support schools with Extended School activities and

local literacy and numeracy programmes.

Future Leaders helps develop outstanding senior leaders for

challenging urban schools.

Teaching Leaders helps develop middle leaders in urban

secondary schools.

ARK Plus is a pilot programme (currently completing its first

year evaluation) that provides focused academic and behavioural

support for year seven pupils in our three south London academies.


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ARK Schools staff benefits

ARK Schools also provides the following benefits to staff in its academies:

Staff training; in addition to staff training from individual academies, staff will also benefit from a range of different training opportunities available from ARK leaders.

MA bursary; ARK offers teaching staff the opportunity to further their knowledge and understanding of education through a subsidised part-time MA in education at King’s College London. The MA bursary covers the majority of the £3,600 course fee, with teachers expected to contribute just £500. Scholarships; for staff wishing to undertake a qualification or training in a more specific area ARK has three scholarships each year worth £1,500.

International development opportunities; in spring 2010, 13 members of staff from ARK academies visited Jamaica with the Department for Children, Schools and Families/British Council’s Teachers’ International Professional Development programme. ARK also strong links with charter school groups in the USA and staff may have the opportunity to visit and share best practice. Financial planning and assistance; there are also several benefits to help staff plan their finances. All ARK academies provide childcare vouchers, interest free annual season ticket or bicycle purchase loans (for which monthly repayments are deducted from the employee’s salary before tax) through the ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme. Discounted gym membership; all ARK Schools employees receive a minimum 20% discount at Fitness First clubs around the country.


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JOB DESCRIPTION

PRIMARY HEADTEACHER

Reports to: Director of Primary, ARK Schools Start date: January 2010 Location: Inner London Salary: Leadership scale; negotiable based on skills and experience The Role The Headteacher will take overall responsibility for the leadership and management of every aspect of the primary school. They will establish a culture of outstanding learning and teaching, an ethos of high expectations and a nurturing yet rigorous approach to behaviour management. The overall purpose of the role is to ensure successful strategic leadership and management of the academy in order to provide an outstanding education for all children in the school. Key responsibilities

Provide leadership and management of all staff and children Leadership and management of assessment and reporting, teaching and learning, curriculum and timetabling,

HR Leadership and management of all material aspects of the school; in particular for finance, buildings, site

maintenance and IT Leadership and management of external relationships with ARK, the governors, community and other

stakeholders. Outcomes and activities Leadership and Management Lead and manage all staff recruitment to ensure staff of the highest standards are attracted, selected and retained

within the ARK network Instill an ethos of high expectations for behaviour and achievement of all children Lead and manage the staff professional development and training Lead and manage strategic development of the academy and maintain/communicate this in the SEF and the

Academy Improvement Plan Maintain strong working relationships with the community, agencies, and other stakeholders, including parents

and the Local Governing Body Academy culture Maintain a strong academy community, characterised by consistent, orderly behaviour and caring, respectful

relationships Maintain the school culture and ethos that is utterly committed to achievement and to developing high

aspirations Coach, motivate and mentor all staff to help build a school culture of commitment, high standards and drive for

success Develop and maintain strong partnerships and ensure regular and productive communication with parents


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Learning and Teaching Teach and support others in the teaching of engaging and effective lessons that motivate, inspire and improve

pupil attainment Use and support others in using regular assessments to monitor progress and set targets, and respond

accordingly to the results of such monitoring Ensure that all pupils achieve at chronological age level or, if well below level, make significant and continuing

progress towards achieving at level Maintain regular and productive communication with parents, to report on progress, sanctions and rewards and

all other communications. Work with the Director of Primary to develop the academy curriculum, learning and teaching policy and

associated timetable Assessment and Reporting Ensure that there exists and staff effectively use a robust tracking and target setting system for pupils in line

with ARK expectations Ensure that regular and meaningful student progress reports are written and shared with both students and their

families Provide information and analysis of data collected according to the requirements of the annual self review

process (including ARK and Local Governing Body). Coordination and day to day management of facilities etc Oversee the academy finance, facilities, catering, IT and other resources Ensure robust operational systems Oversee staffing allocation, including support staff, across the academy Ensure that the academy can function while building work is taking place (if necessary).

Development of the ARK Academies Network Share innovation and work with others in the network to develop good practice Help shape or lead education initiatives across the ARK network.

Other Undertake the other main professional duties of a teacher as set out in the ARK Schools pay and conditions of

service document, and as directed by the Primary Director.


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Person Specification Qualification Criteria Qualified to degree level and above Qualified to teach and work in the UK (Please note that NPQH is not a requirement for academy schools)

Experience Experience at deputy or assistant head level (or equivalent) Experience of having led, or significantly contributed to the success of a school through its leadership, ethos,

teaching and results Experience of significantly raising the attainment of students in the classes you have taught.

Behaviours Teaching and learning Outstanding teaching and learning Effective and systematic behaviour management with clear boundaries, sanctions, rewards and praise.

Vision and strategy Vision aligned with the academies’ high aspirations and high expectations of self and others Understands how to set high aspirations and lead effective strategies across all aspects of a primary school

including curriculum, learning, administration, finance and communication Clear understanding of the strategies to establish consistently high standards of results and behaviour in an inner

city school and commitment to relentlessly instilling these strategies. Leadership

Ability to lead, coach and motivate staff within a performance management framework, including professional development and effective management of underperformance

Resilience and motivation to lead the academy through day-to-day challenges while maintaining a clear strategic vision and direction

Strong organisational skills and ability to delegate Genuine passion and a belief in the potential of every student Use of data to inform and diagnose weaknesses that need addressing Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all pupils.

Leading External Relationships Skilful management and political nous for maintaining effective working relationships with parents, governors

and other stakeholders. Personal Characteristics Highly approachable Relishes accountability and takes personal responsibility for their own actions Very grounded and makes sensible judgments Excellent critical thinking skills; an intellectual curiosity and rigor Highly respectful nature; able to build trust and mutual respect between pupils, their families and the staff Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.

Other This post is subject to an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau disclosure The post holder must be committed to safeguarding the welfare of children.


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Documents

Primary Information Pack (20th September)