Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Candidate Brief
Brief for the position of Assistant Directors of Education | September 2015
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 3
Background to Cognita ...................................................................................... 4
Background to the Role ..................................................................................... 5
Job Description and Person Specification……………………………………………6 - 10
How to Apply ....................................................................................................... 11
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Introduction
Thank you for expressing an interest in becoming an Assistant Director of Education with
Cognita. This is an exciting and unique opportunity to help strengthen the quality of
schools within our community. We hope that this information pack helps you decide
whether this is something you would like to apply for.
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Background to Cognita
Cognita was formed in 2004 with funds
provided by its management and
Englefield Capital. The Group Company
employs c. 4,600 staff across the UK,
Europe, Asia and Latin America. There
are 33,000 pupils on the roll of the 66
schools. The schools fit a broad profile,
including Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior
Schools. The Company's Head Office is in
Milton Keynes.
Over the years, Cognita has championed
the values that are important to millions
of parents across the country. These
include the basic skills of literacy and
numeracy; a broad and balanced
curriculum which excites all children and
a
secure,
disciplined
learning
environment in which each child is
known and valued. What we want is
what concerned parents have always
wanted: teachers who care equally about
the subjects they teach and the children
for whom they are responsible, who have
the highest possible expectations of
each and every one of their pupils, and
who, can keep order and explain ideas
with clarity and enthusiasm that
captures the child's imagination.
Cognita's Vision is to own and manage a
family of independent schools, each of
which enjoys an excellent reputation
within its community. Each school's
reputation will grow as a result of
consistently meeting the aspirations that
parents have for their child's education.
Their child will be happy and enthusiastic
about the school. The school will be
seen to invest in its relationship with
individual parents. It will be recognised
as keen to nurture a culture that treats
parents as customers.
The Group aims to implement three key
strategies in all its schools, in order to
deliver upon this vision. It will:
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Protect, preserve and develop the
atmosphere, ethos and culture of
each school so that it promotes its
own identity.
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Recruit, retain and develop very
good teachers in order to provide
the very best education.
 Develop excellent communications
between the school and its
parents.
For more information about the company
please visit www.cognitaschools.co.uk
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Background to the Role
To meet the needs, demands and aspirations of all our schools, the Education Team has
recently been reviewed. The aim is to establish a team of senior educationalists who
have a proven track record of leading and improving schools – not just their own but
others too.
The Assistant Directors’ role, which will report to the Director of Education and
Safeguarding, will be responsible for a group of similar schools (approximately six to
eight) across England and Wales. In this role the Assistant Director will line manage head
teachers directly and have close working relationships with colleagues from other
professions eg. Marketing, Finance and HR.
It is also hoped that the Assistant Directors will lead a phase of education eg, Primary,
Secondary & Early Years across the Cognita Group, providing guidance and expertise on
current best practice.
These are undoubtedly very rare roles combining high degrees of autonomy and decision
making whist being part of a very professional and high functioning team. This is an
opportunity to make a real difference to children, teachers and schools.
At a practical level this will be a post based from your home, with regular contact and
support from Cognita Head Office in Milton Keynes. You will be largely in charge of your
own diary (although as you would expect we are establishing an annual calendar when
certain tasks will be completed as part of the routine of the academic year).
While schools are dispersed throughout England, time and support will be given so you
can manage your allocation effectively. Car and hotel allowances are part of the package.
Additionally some schools are located near each other.
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Job Description
Job Title:
Assistant Directors of Education
Reporting To:
Director of Education
Scope:
Education
Working hours:
Full-time
Checks:
The job holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young person’s for whom
she/he is responsible, or with whom s/he comes into contact will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the
relevant Cognita Education Safeguarding Policy (including Child Protection Procedures) at all times. If in the course of
carrying out the duties of the role, the job holder identifies any instance that a child is suffering or likely to suffer
significant harm either at school or at home, s/he must report any concerns to the School’s Child Protection Officer or
to the Head or indeed to the Regional CEO so that a referral can be made accordingly to the relevant third party
services.
Job Summary
The fundamental responsibility of an Assistant Director is to lead and develop a group of schools
in the Cognita family. Integral to the role is the direct line management of head teachers and
leading whole-school governance meetings. An Assistant Director must pay particular attention
to the effectiveness of leaders to lead compliant and safe schools; and drive improvement to
ensure that pupils achieve as well as they can. An Assistant Director will also have a key lead
responsibility for a phase of education across all Cognita schools in the UK - where they will have
responsibility for developing, promoting and ensuring best practice.
An Assistant Director should ensure ‘Teaching and Learning Excellence’ is at the heart of their
work. This is central to achieving the Cognita vision: ‘To enrich the lives of children and challenge
them to achieve more than they believe they can’.
Key Responsibilities
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Oversee and co-ordinate the support and challenge to a cluster or pod of schools with the
ultimate aim of ensuring the very best pupil outcomes.
Hold heads to account in order to assure schools which are compliant and safe to at least
the required statutory and regulatory standards.
Chair, lead school education governance meetings
Lead on a phase of education across all schools
Lead on a theme of education across all schools eg. Assessment
Provide professional support and outstanding leadership on leading and managing
school schools which ensures continuing improvement and success with a focus on
accelerating and sustaining student progress.
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
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Lead through high expectation and aspiration; being prepared to challenge mediocrity
and under-performance.
Actively promote Cognita and act as the representative of Cognita.
Show fidelity to the commitment, ethos and values of Cognita and to the implementation
of agreed policies and procedures.
Model the agreed vision and values through own behaviour and language.
Manage resources to ensure the best outcomes.
Promote and secure engagement and involvement with staff, parents and community.
Strategic leadership and development
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Work with the Director of Education to provide strategic leadership of schools and
contribute to the group-wide education development plan.
Lead a specific phase and its strategic development across all schools in the group – e.g
secondary, preparatory, early years
Contribute to the development of school Strategic Plans and budgets by providing input,
guidance and challenge to each school’s Head and SLT.
Ensure that the commitment and vision of Cognita is clearly articulated, understood and
effectively acted on by all staff.
Ensure that school vision statements and aims reflect the overall ethos of Cognita and
are consistent with its aims and values.
Provide leadership in the development of Cognita-wide and school-specific projects.
Contribute to the development of Cognita’s shared objectives and commitment; including
actively contributing to improvement plans.
Lead and development school improvement networks for a phase of schools
Governance
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Act as the Chair of Governance in nominated schools, ensuring the highest standards of
probity and oversight.
Ensure that governance meetings are well planned and executed, drawing on all aspects
of the company’s work.
Hold heads to account for ensuring their school is fully compliant in terms of
safeguarding, educational and operation requirements.
Line management and representation
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Directly line manage a nominated group of heads and respective schools.
Appraise nominated heads and assure the quality of performance management and PRP
systems within the school.
Be involved in and approve the appointment of key/senior members of staff.
Take a role in inducting new leaders and staff.
Act as a point of contact for nominated heads in order to support and signpost to
expertise within the company.
Represent each school at Group level within Cognita, providing insight and knowledge of
school context, strengths and weaknesses to inform Group decision making.
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
School Improvement
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Ensure that each school follows the agreed school improvement cycle; measured by
accurate self-evaluation and well targeted improvement plans which bring about
measurable improvement.
Monitor, evaluate, support, challenge and intervene in schools in order to promote
autonomous school leadership.
Hold heads to account for the performance of their school against agreed KPIs in relation
to:
o compliance against Independent School Standards Regulations and other Cognita
standards;
o safety and safeguarding;
o academic outcomes;
o pastoral care and well-being;
o the quality of teaching, including the effective use of data;
o standards of behaviour;
o the impact of leadership;
o student and parental satisfaction;
o financial reporting and accountability;
o growth of student roll; and
o the impact of marketing.
Undertake school improvement work with schools, including training, mentoring,
coaching, monitoring, evaluating and reporting.
Use data and evidence to devise hypotheses and draw conclusions.
Challenge school leaders to ensure the highest standard of teaching which leads to high
rates of progress and high attainment.
Support schools pre and post inspection, including liaison with inspectors.
Communication and liaison with other teams
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Liaise with other teams and colleagues to ensure joined up decision making and efficient
use of resources.
Attend and co-ordinate school cluster/pod meetings
Attend and participate in regular training and development team meetings.
Pro-actively participate and contribute to Keeping in Touch (KIT) meetings with the
Director or his/her representative.
Record keeping and reporting
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Draft and present evidence based reports for a range of audiences.
School leadership
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Work in a leadership role within a school - should the need arise.
Provide leadership support to boost and sustain capacity within a school - should the
need arise.
Intervene in school leadership where there is a potential risk to Cognita’s reputation, risk
to student well-being or safety, or risk to student progress.
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Internal
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Research and draft documents, policies, schedules and handbooks.
Ensure that Cognita policies, protocols and handbooks are followed by others.
Co-ordinate, lead and record meetings.
Contribute to the ongoing review of Cognita’s objectives and formulation of plans and
evaluation of impact.
Manage internal budgets and report accordingly with the aim of ensuring best value.
Represent the company at external events.
Thematic leadership
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Lead on designated areas of responsibility across the group; being a source of high
quality and accurate knowledge and facilitate events.
Confidentiality
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Ensure that confidentiality is maintained in line with agreed policies and protocols.
Equality
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Ensure that Cognita reflects a vibrant and inclusive ethos which actively values and
promotes diversity, unity and community cohesion, and supports students to become
successful integrated and global citizens.
Actively challenge and address discrimination.
Performance management and evaluation
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Participate in appraisal and review arrangements; including gaining first hand evidence of
feedback from school leaders.
General
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Actively support work and ethos of Cognita, modelling the Cognita values.
Undertake such additional duties as may reasonably be requested.
Take a proactive approach to professional development and participate in training and
development.
Proactively keep abreast of developments in relation to the post.
Implement and support all policies linked to equal opportunities and safeguarding
children.
This job description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive, and it may, after consultation be subject
to modification and amendment in accordance with the needs of the company. This job
description details responsibilities but does not direct any particular priorities or amount of time
to be spent carrying out these duties.
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
Principal working relationships
Internal
 Heads and school based staff
 Head office staff colleagues
 Students and parents
External
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Inspectors and external accreditors/evaluators
Person Specification
We are seeking inspirational, experienced, energetic and knowledgeable leaders of leaders who
can engage with head teachers, staff, parents, pupils and all other key stakeholders in
developing the quality and success of a group of schools and to lead a phase of education across
the Cognita Group.
The successful candidate will therefore possess the following:
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A good Honours graduate
Post graduate professional qualifications or evidence of further professional study and
research
Successful experiences in headship
Successful experience of supporting, challenging and advising schools
Ability to forge positive relationships with all stakeholders
Experience and success of school inspection
Enthusiasm and experience of delivering training
Real and current experience in a phase of education eg. Secondary, preparatory, Primary
and Early Years
Awareness, understanding and experience of current safeguarding practice and
procedures
Experience with governance of schools
Capable of formulating an independent view and of working loyally as part of a team
Calmness and efficiency and the ability to work under great pressure at certain times
A cheerful and well-presented person, capable of inspiring confidence in colleagues,
pupils and parents, and an effective public speaker
Excellent communication skills (oral, written and use of ICT)
Outstanding organisational and administrative skills
Understanding of the nature of independent education and high expectations
Aware of Health & Safety issues, particularly as they relate to co-curricular activities, and
willing to comply with Health & Safety policy
An understanding of the importance of, and flair for, effective independent school
marketing.
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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Candidate Brief | Assistant Directors of Education
How to Apply
Letters in support of your application explaining why you want the post and what you can offer
should be no more than 2 pages of A4 and must be accompanied by a completed Application
Form (which can be supplemented by CV’s but not in substitution of the Application Form itself).
These should be sent by email to: helen.anderson@cognitaschools.co.uk
For further information and informal discussion please contact John Bell (Director of Education)
via Helen Anderson PA on 01908 396267 or via email at helen.anderson@cognitaschools.co.uk.
If candidates prefer to send their application by post, it should be addressed to:
Helen Anderson
PA to the Director of Education and Safeguarding
COGNITA
5&7 Diamond Court
Opal Drive
Eastlake Park
Fox Milne
Milton Keynes, MK15 0DU
Applications must be received by 09:00 on Monday October 26 2015.
Cognita Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects
all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment
background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.
www.cognitaschools.co.uk |
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