FHT DQASI - Booklet Final
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Flying High Partnership<br />
CENTRAL TEAM<br />
Director of Quality Assurance and<br />
School Improvement Recruitment
Contents<br />
Welcome<br />
1<br />
Our Trust<br />
2<br />
Working Together<br />
3<br />
The Teaching School Alliance<br />
4<br />
Flying High School Improvement Strategy<br />
5<br />
What we can offer you<br />
6<br />
Director of Quality Assurance and School Improvement Job Description<br />
7<br />
Director of Quality Assurance and School Improvement Roles and Responsibility<br />
8-9<br />
Director of Quality Assurance and School Improvement Person Specification<br />
10-11<br />
How to apply<br />
12
Welcome<br />
Thank you for your interest in the post of Director of Quality Assurance and School Improvement (<strong>DQASI</strong>) within our<br />
central team.<br />
This is an exciting and unique opportunity for a highly effective and inspiring school leader to join our central team<br />
as a senior leader, contributing to the strategic development of our Trust.<br />
The mission of The Flying High Partnership is founded upon the principle of continuous school improvement. This<br />
post is intended to enhance the capacity of the partnership to improve the performance of all academies within the<br />
Multi Academy Trust from whatever their starting point may be.<br />
Relentless in our pursuit of excellence<br />
We are looking for a Director of Quality Assurance and School Improvement who shares our values, ambitions and<br />
who has the vision, drive, resilience and experience to deliver outstanding support to our schools, ensuring that all<br />
children are provided with the best possible opportunities. The successful candidate will need to establish strong<br />
relationships partnership wide, as working together we will create the best schools in the universe where we make<br />
every day count.<br />
Through the Flying High Trust, you will be given all the tools to ensure success. You will have access to a significant<br />
resource for school improvement which includes being part of a wider team of Directors of Quality Assurance and<br />
School Improvement, led by the Director of Education; Headteacher+, Lead Practitioners, high quality CPD<br />
including an extensive induction and access to a huge array of expertise through our central team in school<br />
improvement, business, finance, estates and HR.<br />
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the trust central team to discuss the opportunity in more detail.<br />
The trust will, upon request, create the opportunity to meet in person and visit other schools within the partnership.<br />
We look forward to receiving your application.<br />
N.Robinson<br />
Neil Robinson<br />
Chair of Trustees<br />
Chris Wheatley<br />
CEO, Flying High Partnership<br />
1
Our Trust<br />
The Flying High Trust was established in June 2012. The ethos behind the Trust is one of sustainable school<br />
improvement; and schools joining the Trust do so with the prime aim of improving each other so that they<br />
can all become outstanding schools. The Trust has a clear mission, which is to develop the best schools in<br />
the universe, where together we make every day count.<br />
We have a diverse range of expertise within the central team, which supports every corner stone of<br />
Partnership life as well as that of our schools.<br />
This mission is achieved through the following vision;<br />
• An unshakable commitment to a school led system, where every member of staff is empowered to<br />
improve our partnership and shape the futures of our children.<br />
• A determination to develop talent, delivered through a professional continuum available for all staff at<br />
every level.<br />
• Relentless in our pursuit of excellence for every child, every school and every community.<br />
The trust has experienced significant success, recognised nationally for its approach to enable rapid<br />
improvement and climate for collaborative working. We have recently been ranked as the fourth highest<br />
performing MAT in the country, making us the highest performing in the East Midlands.<br />
Our partnership of schools currently includes Alderman Pounder Infant School, Beeston Fields Primary &<br />
Nursery School, Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy, Cotgrave Candleby Lane School, Edwalton Primary School,<br />
Ernehale Infant School, Ernehale Junior School, Flying High Academy Ladybrook, Greenwood Primary &<br />
Nursery School, Greythorn Primary School, Haddon Primary & Nursery School, Hillside Primary & Nursery<br />
School, Horsendale Primary School, John King Infant Academy, Killisick Junior School, Kirkstead Junior<br />
Academy, Leamington Primary Academy, Longwood Infant Academy, Mapplewells Primary & Nursery<br />
School, Peafield Lane Academy, Porchester Junior School and Stanstead Nursery and Primary School.<br />
“Being a part of the Flying High Partnership has<br />
had a huge impact on my school and my own<br />
development. Working with and sharing ideas<br />
with a dedicated team of friends and colleagues,<br />
ensures that I am constantly supported and<br />
challenged to be the best Head teacher I can be”<br />
Caroline Armstrong,<br />
Head at FHA Ladybrook<br />
2
Working Together<br />
Our schools range in size from 50 to 675 on roll, from rural to city locations and are all at different stages in<br />
their development, rated from RI to outstanding. The schools work closely, sharing practice through<br />
network teams in key areas such as teaching and learning, English, maths, SEND, pupil premium, PE,<br />
assessment and science.<br />
The Head teachers within this group also meet regularly to shape the strategic direction of the Trust and<br />
to collectively address priorities and share practice. There is an extensive programme of inter school work<br />
though sporting competitions, a children’s parliament, arts events, our joint inset day and annual awards<br />
ceremony. There are also opportunities for governors, school business managers and site managers to<br />
work together through focus groups and local boards.<br />
Each school retains its local governing body and is also represented on the Trust Local Hub Board to<br />
ensure all schools shape development at this level of governance.<br />
As a trust we aim to enable Head teachers to lead and develop their school in line with their own vision. As<br />
a trust we support this development through the resources that we can draw upon from across our multi<br />
academy trust and through the wider teaching school alliance.<br />
3
The Teaching School Alliance<br />
An integral part of the Flying High Partnership is our highly successful teaching school alliance, a<br />
partnership of 56 primary schools. The teaching school provides an amazing resource for improvement<br />
ensuring that all schools within the trust can draw upon the best CPD and support. This resource is<br />
essential in ensuring the continued improvement journey for Hucknall Flying High Academy, supporting<br />
the school to continue to recruit and develop high quality school staff, providing the best possible<br />
opportunities for all children.<br />
The teaching school alliance includes the following resources for improvement;<br />
• A comprehensive CPD programme, consisting of a range of school led professional development and<br />
partnership improvement opportunities, available to all staff at all levels.<br />
• A process of school to school, peer review, delivered through our ‘Peer Review Partners’ model.<br />
• High quality CPD opportunities delivered through expert facilitators, through NETS training. This<br />
includes regional conferences, in-school training and accredited programmes<br />
• High quality leadership development opportunities delivering through Inspiring Leaders:<br />
www.inspiringleaderstoday.com providing access to the National Professional Qualifications in<br />
leadership. This ensures that we are able to develop and identify talent across our partnership.<br />
• Bespoke school improvement support, delivered through a wide range of system leaders, including<br />
SLEs, NLEs and NLGs.<br />
• The opportunity for staff to develop as system leaders through accreditation as a NLE or SLE.<br />
• High quality Initial Teacher Training, delivered through Ofsted ‘outstanding’ SCITT School Direct<br />
Programme delivered through Inspiring Leaders: http://www.inspiringleadersscitt.com. This ensures a<br />
‘grow your own’ model to support recruitment, ensuring all trust schools recruit high quality NQTs.<br />
“At Leamington we are passionate, dedicated,<br />
approachable and friendly. We truly want to help<br />
the children succeed”<br />
Liz Atkins, TA<br />
4
Flying High School Improvement Strategy<br />
Moving to the Next Level - Trust School Improvement Strategy Overview<br />
ANNUAL<br />
CYCLE<br />
Ongoing intelligence gathered through…<br />
School<br />
Identified<br />
Improvements<br />
Central Team<br />
Risk Meeting<br />
Director(s)<br />
Of<br />
QA<br />
Quality<br />
Assurance<br />
visits<br />
Partnership<br />
Reviews<br />
Performance<br />
Management<br />
Other Sources<br />
Schools categorised as stabilise, repair, improve<br />
and sustain .<br />
Risk Category to inform the<br />
level of support needed<br />
Priorities identified complementing and supporting the SIP<br />
tschool’s own SIP<br />
Considered weekly @ <strong>FHT</strong> SLT meetings<br />
Reviewed four times per year @ Risk Meetings - leading to<br />
re-categorisation of risk and therefore the level of support<br />
Summaries presented to Trustees PSSD Committee termly<br />
Summaries presented to governor Hubs termly<br />
Annual Partnership Review<br />
5
What we can offer you<br />
A passionate, positive, highly skilled and<br />
motivated central team who put children at<br />
the heart of every decision.<br />
A dynamic and forward thinking school<br />
improvement team who are outward facing<br />
and determined to create the best<br />
opportunities for the children.<br />
A Trust with a national reputation and a track<br />
record of high quality education and<br />
experience of leading rapid school<br />
improvement.<br />
A partnership of schools with relationships at<br />
its heart ensuring a friendly atmosphere<br />
encompassing a supportive ethos.<br />
Access to a significant resource for school<br />
improvement which includes Head teacher +,<br />
Lead Practitioners, extensive CPD and<br />
systems to support targeted recruitment. This<br />
ensures that in your role as <strong>DQASI</strong> you have<br />
the tools to ensure you can make rapid<br />
impact.<br />
Extensive financial, business, estates and HR<br />
support and systems, ensuring that you are<br />
able to focus on delivering high quality school<br />
improvement.<br />
Extensive CPD to support your development.<br />
This includes access to the National<br />
Professional Qualification for Executive<br />
Leaders.<br />
The opportunity to contribute to national<br />
thinking, through our close working<br />
relationships with the Regional School<br />
Commissioner and DfE.<br />
Recognition that all schools are unique, with an<br />
approach that encourages local accountability<br />
and governance that is responsive to<br />
community needs.<br />
What we are looking for:<br />
An inspirational school leader with a strong<br />
track record as a primary Head teacher.<br />
Have a strong track record of<br />
school-to-school support, as an NLE or LLE,<br />
which has had a demonstrable positive impact<br />
on children’s attainment and progress.<br />
A forward thinking practitioner who is able to<br />
look outwards to ensure that we always remain<br />
at the cutting edge.<br />
An individual that is able to get the best from<br />
others, expertly balancing support and<br />
challenge<br />
A fantastic team player, able to be a positive<br />
addition to the central team.<br />
A good sense of humour and a willingness to<br />
have fun.<br />
Don’t miss out on this incredible<br />
opportunity and to take a significant next<br />
step in your leadership journey.<br />
“My role provides me with the opportunity to work<br />
within a great team across a range of schools who<br />
strive to give every child the best education and<br />
opportunities. I believe strongly in instilling in every<br />
child the belief that they can achieve whatever<br />
they set their mind to. If you want to go fast, go<br />
alone. If you want to go far, go together - that is<br />
what is so special about being in our Trust; we are<br />
all going far and we will all support each other to<br />
get there.”<br />
Claire Varley, Director of Education<br />
6
Director of Quality Assurance<br />
and School Improvement<br />
Job Description and Person Specification<br />
Post title:<br />
School:<br />
Salary range:<br />
Responsible to:<br />
Director of Quality Assurance and School Improvement<br />
Across the schools of Flying High Trust<br />
L25-L31 (£71,053-£82, 293) subject to experience and negotiation<br />
Director of Education<br />
Job Description<br />
Our Directors of Quality Assurance and School Improvement support an allocated group of schools,<br />
enabling them to grow the capacity to improve themselves and secure the highest standards of learning<br />
and achievement for our pupils.<br />
The post holder will be accountable for the success of each school through developing a balance between<br />
standardisation and a celebration of each school’s uniqueness. They will also need to work flexibly, being<br />
proactive in developing school improvement strategies across the schools; and also being responsive to<br />
circumstances that arise that may require urgent leadership support.<br />
Directors of Quality Assurance proactively promote and demonstrate the Flying High Partnership’s vision,<br />
values and behaviours and form part of a dynamic and forward thinking school improvement team,<br />
reporting to the Director of Education.<br />
Aims of the role<br />
To provide quality assurance support to an allocated group of schools, accountable for the<br />
performance of each school.<br />
To provide school improvement capacity to identified vulnerable schools, enhancing the leadership<br />
capacity of the school and growing and developing a sustainable leadership structure.<br />
To contribute to the strategic leadership and development of school improvement across the Trust.<br />
7
Roles and Responsibility<br />
Quality Assurance and School Improvement<br />
Lead quality assurance across an allocated<br />
partnership of schools, accountable for<br />
outcomes. This is to include the following:<br />
Full day core visits, delivering consistent<br />
quality assurance and monitoring activity.<br />
Provide appropriate challenge and support to<br />
the school leadership team.<br />
Ensure that school improvement priorities are<br />
appropriate and in line with the evaluation of<br />
the school.<br />
Ensure all key strategic decisions, including<br />
staffing are appropriate in meeting the needs<br />
of the school.<br />
Provide additional school improvement<br />
activity responsive to the needs of the school<br />
including providing additional capacity in<br />
vulnerable schools.<br />
Annual two- day partnership review in each<br />
school.<br />
Deliver high quality and consistent<br />
Headteacher performance management<br />
where appropriate.<br />
Through quality assurance activity, clearly<br />
identify and communicate individual school<br />
and whole partnership priorities. Through risk,<br />
hub and Trustee meetings ensure that<br />
members of the strategic leadership team,<br />
including the CEO, Trustees and hub<br />
representatives are clear on school priorities.<br />
Provide support and challenge to drive school<br />
improvement in all schools, realising the<br />
ambition for all schools to achieve outstanding<br />
and all schools to strive for improvement.<br />
Ensure all schools are ‘Ofsted ready’,<br />
achieving the aim that all academies maintain<br />
at least a ‘good rating’, with the ambition to<br />
eventually become ‘outstanding’.<br />
Support and challenge high expectations for<br />
all pupils and all staff.<br />
Effectively monitor the quality of teaching and<br />
learning in all allocated schools, ensuring that<br />
teaching is consistently good or better and any<br />
underperformance is effectively challenged.<br />
Work across all schools, balancing<br />
standardisation with a celebration of each<br />
school’s uniqueness.<br />
Coach, develop and grow leaders from within<br />
the organisation.<br />
Working with the Deputy CEO plan, broker and<br />
monitor targeted system leadership capacity<br />
and CPD to respond to the priorities identified<br />
in each school.<br />
Work as part of a school improvement team,<br />
ensuring that the Trust is successfully<br />
impacting on all schools.<br />
Support members of the <strong>DQASI</strong> team to<br />
provide consistent quality assurance and<br />
school improvement support.<br />
Share successful school improvement<br />
strategies with members of the <strong>DQASI</strong>,<br />
enabling good practice to be spread across all<br />
schools.<br />
Share effective school improvement<br />
strategies across the schools within your<br />
allocated Hub and across the trust, ensuring<br />
that we continue to grow and develop a school<br />
led, self-improving partnership.<br />
Work with trustees and hub representative to<br />
understand, engage and challenge school<br />
improvement activity, ensuring that all have<br />
clear understanding of school performance.<br />
Work with leaders and governors so that they<br />
can undertake effective and accurate<br />
self-evaluation against the expectations of the<br />
Ofsted framework.<br />
Support the identification of talent within all<br />
schools, and contribute to their effective<br />
development across the schools.<br />
8
School Improvement<br />
In response to quality assurance activity<br />
provide interim executive leadership to our<br />
most vulnerable schools. This role will<br />
involve the following;<br />
Providing additional leadership capacity to<br />
identified at risk schools.<br />
Providing challenge and accountability to the<br />
Headteacher.<br />
Supporting the growth and development of<br />
the Headteacher.<br />
Challenge underperformance of the<br />
Headteacher, where necessary.<br />
Enable the Headteacher to clearly identify<br />
priorities for improvement and providing<br />
challenge and support across the school.<br />
Enable the school to develop an individual<br />
identity, culture and ethos, responsive to the<br />
context it serves.<br />
Be accountable for improvements in the<br />
school.<br />
Creating a sustainable leadership structure,<br />
with the capacity to drive improvement<br />
without the need for executive leader.<br />
Report progress to the allocated QA and<br />
welcome challenge.<br />
Working alongside the CEO support the<br />
growth of the Trust, through engagement in<br />
LGB and consultation meetings and<br />
completion of effective due diligence.<br />
Provide high quality reporting to Governor<br />
Hubs and Trustees.<br />
To engage with key stakeholders including the<br />
RSC, DfE and Ofsted.<br />
Motivate and inspire Headteachers and staff<br />
across the Trust, to deliver the best possible<br />
outcomes for children.<br />
Line Management<br />
Responsibility<br />
Line management of an identified lead<br />
practitioner.<br />
Other Areas<br />
Act as advocate of the Flying High Partnership,<br />
modelling the Trust values and behaviours<br />
As appropriate support the facilitation and<br />
delivery of leadership development<br />
programmes on behalf of the Teaching School<br />
Alliance, Inspiring Leaders and the Trust.<br />
Have a commitment to CPD and<br />
self-evaluation of role and improvement.<br />
Strategic Leadership<br />
and Development<br />
Whole trust strategic leadership responsibility<br />
for an area within quality of education. The<br />
identified area will be based on the post holders<br />
skills and experience.<br />
Form part of a <strong>DQASI</strong> team, leading school<br />
improvement activity across the Trust.<br />
Contribute to Trust improvement planning,<br />
playing an active role with the Strategic Head<br />
teachers group, working groups and events.<br />
Contribute to Trust evaluation activity,<br />
developing a clear insight into individual school<br />
and whole trust school improvement priorities.<br />
This is ideally a full-time post and subject<br />
to School Teachers Pay and Conditions.<br />
This is a permanent appointment;<br />
however, a secondment opportunity<br />
may be considered.<br />
9
Personal Specification<br />
Qualifications, Education and Training ESSENTIAL /<br />
DESIRABLE<br />
Degree educated with QTS<br />
E<br />
Qualified Ofsted inspector<br />
Relevant postgraduate qualifications<br />
Completed NPQH<br />
Completed or applying to start NPQEL<br />
Evidence of a commitment to ongoing learning and continuous<br />
professional development<br />
Experience<br />
Strong record of primary Headship<br />
Successfully led a school to an outstanding in leadership Ofsted<br />
judgement<br />
Have a strong track record of school-to-school support/ school<br />
improvement, which has had a demonstrable positive impact on<br />
children’s attainment and progress.<br />
Successful deployment of resources for school improvement, e.g.<br />
SLEs, with measurable impact<br />
Developing and motivating senior leaders to achieve success<br />
Have experience of leading, developing and facilitating leadership<br />
development programmes and events/activities<br />
Skills, Knowledge and Aptitudes<br />
Sound knowledge of educational policy developments and implication<br />
for in-school practices<br />
A clear understanding of what constitutes an outstanding school<br />
Detailed knowledge of effective school improvement strategies<br />
Exceptionally skilled in coaching, developing and enabling others.<br />
Strong analysis of education data (IDSR, ASP, FFTetc.) to inform<br />
successful education delivery<br />
A skilled partnership worker<br />
Have the ability to enable others to improve.<br />
Able to challenge underperformance and communicate high<br />
expectations to all<br />
D<br />
D<br />
E<br />
D<br />
E<br />
E<br />
D<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
D<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
10
Personal Qualities/Attributes<br />
Have high expectations for themselves and the people they work with<br />
Enjoy the respect, trust and confidence of local school leaders.<br />
Be adaptive and responsive to change<br />
Possess excellent written and oral communication skills<br />
Have the ability to inspire and motivate others<br />
A fantastic team player, able to be a positive addition to the central<br />
team.<br />
Special Requirements<br />
Be committed to mission, vision and values of the Flying High<br />
Partnership<br />
To model the Flying High Partnership behaviours<br />
Be prepared to engage in any CPD opportunities that arise to support<br />
the development of the role.<br />
Be prepared to work flexibly and be deployed wherever needed within<br />
50 miles of your designated base school at short notice<br />
Relate well to colleagues and be able to establish and maintain good<br />
working relationships quickly in sometimes difficult contexts.<br />
Have a good sense of humour and a positive attitude<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
E<br />
11
How to apply<br />
Deadline For Applications<br />
17:00 on the 3rd April 2019<br />
Interview Dates<br />
Two day interview to take place on 24th and 25th April 2019<br />
Start Date<br />
1st September 2019<br />
Queries<br />
Please contact the trust office on recruitment@flyinghightrust.co.uk, who will schedule a telephone or<br />
face to face conversation about the role with Claire Varley, Director of Education, Chris Wheatley, CEO or<br />
Paul Goodman, Deputy CEO.<br />
We would encourage all applicants to contact the trust to truly understand this exciting opportunity.<br />
For further information about the Flying High Partnership please visit www.flyinghighpartnership.co.uk<br />
Please apply using the application form, accompanying this pack, and enclose any additional information<br />
or evidence with the application form.<br />
Please return your completed application form to recruitment@flyinghightrust.co.uk<br />
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all<br />
staff and post holders to share this commitment.<br />
We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applicants. Applications from individuals<br />
are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and<br />
maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.<br />
12