Job Description for Principal
Core Purpose of the Post
Accountable to the Local Governing Body, the Principal provides vision, leadership
and direction for the school and ensures that it is managed and organised to meet its
aims and targets, including its Christian ethos. The Principal, working with others, is
responsible for evaluating the school’s performance to identify the priorities for
continuous improvement and raising standards; ensuring equality of opportunity for
all; developing policies and practices; ensuring that resources are efficiently and
effectively used to achieve the school’s aims and objectives and for the day-to-day
management, organisation and administration of the school.
The Principal, working with and through others, secures the commitment of the wider
community to the school by developing and maintaining effective partnerships with
UCAT, Chester Cathedral, the University of Chester’s Faculty of Education &
Children’s Services, local schools, employers and other services and organisations.
Through such partnerships and other activities, the Principal plays a key role in
contributing to the transformation of the local community. The Principal is
responsible for creating an outstanding learning environment which engages and
inspires all the pupils and transforms their life chances.
Accountable to: UCAT and the Local Governing Body
Line Manages: Vice Principal, Business Manager
Duties and Responsibilities of the Principal
Shaping the Future
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Demonstrates the vision, the values and Christian ethos in everyday work and
practice
Ensures the vision for the school is clearly articulated, shared, understood
and acted upon effectively by all
Ensures that strategic planning takes account of the diversity, values and
experience of the school and community at large and, in particular, UCAT and
the Cathedral
Works within the school community to translate the vision into agreed
objectives and operational plans which will promote and sustain school
improvement
Job Description for Principal
Leading, Learning & Teaching
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Leads on the development and the implementation of a curriculum that
articulates the vision of the school for every pupil
Ensures strategies are implemented that secure high standards of behaviour
and attendance
Ensures that teachers are of the highest quality to deliver the curriculum and
are outstanding in their teaching so that every child reaches his/her full
potential and the gap in achievement is closed
Ensures that resources are up-to-date and appropriate to meet the needs of
teachers and pupils
Leads on the development and implementation of an improvement plan that
ensures every child reaches his/her full potential
Developing Self & Developing Others
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Builds a collaborative learning culture within the school and actively engages
with other schools, UCAT and the University’s Faculty of Education &
Children’s Services to build effective learning communities in search of
continuous improvement
Ensures that every member of staff has appropriate learning opportunities to
develop and improve their practice so that they are consistently outstanding
Acts as a role model for continuous learning for improvement, by delivering
targets that demonstrate high expectations and by taking responsibility for
personal and professional development
Celebrate achievements ensuring individual, as well as team achievement, is
recognised and valued
Managing the Organisation
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Works within the organisational structure set down by UCAT and uses
management systems, structures and processes that align with UCAT’s
requirements
Ensures that evidence-based improvement plans and policies for the
development of the school and its facilities are fit for purpose and effectively
implemented
Manages the school’s finances effectively and efficiently within the guidelines
set down by UCAT to achieve the school’s educational goals and priorities
Recruits, retains and deploys staff appropriately and manages their workload
to achieve the vision and goals of the school, while ensuring appropriate
work/life balance
Ensures that the appraisal system agreed with UCAT is used and managed
effectively for all staff
Manages and organises the school environment efficiently and effectively to
ensure that it meets the needs of the curriculum and health and safety
regulations
Job Description for Principal
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Ensures that the range, quality and use of resources, including new
technologies, are appropriate, value for money and are being used effectively,
including those on offer from the University, UCAT and the wider community
Securing Accountability
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Ensures that individual staff are clear about what they are accountable for,
how they will be held to account and who will hold them to account – and why
Ensures that the Local Governing Body is fully informed about all aspects of
the school so that it is able to be effective in its role
In addition, presents a coherent, understandable and accurate ongoing
account of the school’s performance to a range of audiences, including
parents and carers, UCAT and the Cathedral
Strengthening Community
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Builds a school culture which takes account of the richness and diversity of
the school’s communities and increases awareness and understanding of
other cultures
Ensures learning experiences for pupils are linked into and integrated with the
wider community, including opportunities for musical collaboration
Collaborates with UCAT, the University of Chester, in particular its Faculty of
Education, the Cathedral, agencies such as local health and social services,
local businesses and other organisations to provide for the academic,
spiritual, moral, social, emotional and cultural well-being of pupils and their
families
Creates and maintains an effective partnership with parents and carers to
support and improve pupils’ achievement and personal development,
especially the support of literacy and numeracy