Executive Headteacher
Candidate Information
A unique opportunity to lead a Federation of three
forward-thinking rural primary schools
Stratford Rural Schools’ Federation:
Loxley CofE Community Primary
School (VC)
Snitterfield Community
Primary School
Wilmcote CofE (VA) Primary
School
Main Street
Loxley
Warwickshire
CV35 9JT
School Road
Snitterfield
Stratford upon Avon
Warwickshire CV37 0JL
Church Road
Wilmcote
Stratford upon Avon
Warwickshire CV37 9XD
Tel: 01789 840211
 admin3040@welearn365.com
Tel: 01789 731301
 admin2046@welearn365.com
Tel: 01789 204395
 admin3313@welearn365.com
Page 1 of 27
Table of contents
Page Number
Welcome from our Chair of Governors
3
About our Federation:
Our ethos and aims
Where we are
Loxley CofE Primary School
Snitterfield Primary School
Wilmcote CofE Primary School
Our team
5
6
7
10
13
17
Welcome from the children
18
How to apply
20
Executive Headteacher Job Description
21
Executive Headteacher Person Specification
26
Page 2 of 27
Dear Colleague
Thank you for your interest in this post and for the time you will spend reading this information pack. If you
are looking for an opportunity to use your skills and talents to make a real difference to the lives of the
children, their families and the staff within our schools, then this Executive Headship could be just the
challenge you are looking for.
The Stratford Rural Schools’ Federation was formed in September 2012 and comprises three schools –
Loxley CofE Community Primary, Snitterfield Community Primary and Wilmcote CofE Voluntary Aided
Primary. All are small rural schools, serving their communities in villages around Stratford upon Avon. The
Federation was formed out of a real desire to strengthen each of the schools, to improve the learning
experiences of the children and to further raise standards through sharing of best practice.
The staff and governors have worked hard to establish the Federation, and are all committed to its future.
Each of the three schools has its own clear identity, which we feel it is very important to maintain in the
future. However, the schools also share many features and characteristics, and face similar challenges. We
are looking for an inspirational Executive Head who can work across the three schools to build for future
success, whilst preserving the individuality that makes each of the three schools such a special place to be.
For example, Loxley and Wilmcote have a Church of England Foundation, while Snitterfield is passionate
about maintaining its community status and ethos, so candidates will need to be able to articulate and
demonstrate their willingness and qualities to lead such schools.
This position will be challenging as children, parents and staff have high expectations of the Federation. We
can promise you many delightful pupils, a gifted and supportive staff, a governing body who believe that the
Federation can continue to develop towards outstanding achievement and the support of the Diocese of
Coventry. The rewards for leading our Federation, in terms of personal satisfaction, will be immense.
Since the Federation, all three schools have received 'Good' OFSTED judgements – Snitterfield and
Wilmcote as recently as last term. Each of the OFSTED reports recognised the quality of teaching, leadership
and governance – you will be joining a strong team with a great desire to build on this success and take
these schools to the next level.
The vacancy for an Executive Headteacher occurs because our current Executive Head, who has lead the
Federation since its inception, and before then was Head at Snitterfield for eight years, is moving on to a
new challenge in education. There is a very strong Deputy Head team in place across the three schools. We
are looking for a candidate to further develop this team and take a strategic view across the three schools.
This position will require you to have a flexible outlook, and will require frequent travel between the
schools.
If you can envisage bringing your skills, vision and leadership to take our Federation to a new level of
improvement then we would welcome your application.
The schools will be pleased to welcome you on one of the following dates, Thursday 15th July, Wednesday
3rd September or Thursday 11th September should you wish to come and meet our staff and pupils to help
you formulate your application. To arrange a visit please contact the individual school offices using the
contact details provided on the front of this pack.
I do hope that having read our information pack, you will be excited by the opportunity to join us, and we
look forward to receiving your application.
Yours sincerely
Sue Yendall
Chair of Governors
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About our Federation
The Stratford Rural Schools’ Federation was founded in September 2012 on the common belief
that Federation presented the opportunity to develop a model of organisation that would meet
the needs of 21st century schools. Although just two years old, our Federation has already proven
itself to have many benefits. Our three schools have been able to pool resources and facilities,
utilise staff expertise and leadership and become more financially efficient. By working together,
our Federation has been able to raise standards and provide a more varied and exciting learning
experience for our pupils.
The three schools within our Federation are all smaller-than-average, rural schools who share
many common aims, traditions and practices – as well as common challenges. All play a central
and important part in their respective communities but, as the Federation beds in, we are now
enjoying being part of a new, larger, cross-school community. We firmly believe that Federation
makes the three schools stronger and, as we look to the future, will secure their place at the heart
of their communities for generations to come.
As it moves into its third year, the Stratford Rural Schools Federation aims to build on the
successful and strong links that have formed across our schools. All three schools have received
overall judgements of ‘Good’ in their latest Ofsted inspections. In their last SIAMS (Statutory
Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools), Loxley CofE School was graded as ‘Satisfactory with
Good Elements’ (February 2010) and Wilmcote CofE School was graded as ‘Good’ (July 2012).
Under a new Executive Headship, we are now seeking to build on that solid foundation and offer
an outstanding education with increasing opportunities for all the children in our care.
Monica Gamble, Deputy Head,
Snitterfield:
“Being part of the Federation has
been an exciting and very rewarding
experience. It has created the
opportunity to work with skilled and
enthusiastic professionals, sharing
experiences and swapping expertise.
I believe everyone involved has
benefitted from the partnership and
that it will continue to grow from
strength to strength.”
Ted Burch, Deputy Head, Loxley:
“Working as part of a federation has
been fantastic for Loxley. We are
getting so much from sharing ideas,
experience and expertise with the
other schools.”
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Liz Banyard, Deputy Head,
Wilmcote:
“Focusing on common areas of
development across the Federation
has meant that we can utilize
different talents and strengths,
streamline policy and practice and
access high quality training for all
three schools. We are committed to
strengthening this Federation
supported by a very knowledgeable
and skilled governing body.”
Our ethos and aims
The Stratford Rural Schools’ Federation seeks to provide a caring, friendly, happy and nurturing
environment for the children within our care. Across all three schools, we aim to create a real
sense of family, within which all pupils feel safe, encouraged and confident, knowing that their
contribution and achievements – no matter what they are – are valued and will be celebrated.
Staff strive to provide an exciting, relevant and stimulating education that maximises the potential
of our excellent pupil/teacher ratios and fits each child’s individual needs and enables and
encourages them to fulfil their true potential – not just academically, but also socially, morally,
spiritually, artistically and athletically. The Federation believes in constantly challenging children to
produce their very best work and encourages them to have an optimistic and positive attitude to
their learning and to be independent and self-disciplined. To ensure that no child slips behind, the
Federation believes in using rigorous performance tracking systems to monitor progress and put in
place swift actions where necessary.
The Federation promotes a culture among its staff, school leaders and governors of being open to
new ideas and being forward thinking. Central to that is a belief in working together to achieve the
very highest of standards across the Federation and to enable all pupils to progress. Partnership
with the wider community is very much seen as very much seen as part of that process and
parents and carers are positively encouraged to work with the schools to enable their children to
grow in confidence and develop their own particular talents.
Children in our Federation learn the importance of being well-mannered, polite, kind and friendly.
They are also encouraged to be helpful, tell the truth and take care of school equipment. But
above all, they are encouraged to be happy and to enjoy their time at school. Right across the
Federation, all children are encouraged to have positive views of their fellow human beings and to
treat one another with care and respect. Within our two Church of England Schools, where we are
proud of our Christian foundation and heritage, children are encouraged to be members of a caring
Christian community.
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Where we are
All three schools in the Stratford Rural Schools’ Federation are located within 4.5 miles of the
historic town centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. The role of Executive Headteacher will involve
frequent travel between the three schools.
Road links
Loxley CofE School is located south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon town, and is also just 3 miles from
Wellesbourne.
Snitterfield and Wilmcote CofE Primary Schools are both located to the north of the town, and
have easy access to the A46, which links Stratford to Warwick, Coventry and Evesham, and to the
A3400 which links Stratford with Solihull and Birmingham in the north and with Oxford in the
South. All three schools have easy access to the M40.
Catchment areas
A large proportion of the pupils in each school come from the village in which the school is located.
However, all also attract pupils from nearby villages and from Stratford itself. Parents who live
outside each school’s priority area may also apply for admission. Full details are included in each
school’s Admissions Policy.
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Loxley CofE Community Primary School
A unique, village, Church school with 21st century technology.
A school that teaches every individual child to achieve his or her best, and where
education is fitted to each child's needs.
A school with the best teacher/pupil ratio in the locality.
A school that teaches the values of caring for others, honesty, hard work and
integrity and promotes a Christian ethos.
“Our teachers are great and they make lessons fun.” Pupil’s comment to Ofsted inspector, 2012
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Loxley CofE Community Primary School caters for pupils aged 4 to 11. There are currently 39 pupils
on roll and the school has the best pupil/teacher ratio in the area.
Children who attend Loxley School are taught in mixed-age classes, with different groupings in the
morning and afternoon. Children are encouraged to become independent learners who are
motivated by their natural curiosity about the world they live in. The school follows a Creative
Curriculum, and also adopts specific initiatives to address areas for improvement, such as the
Experiential Writing Project which has improved the quality of writing in KS2, and reading
initiatives designed to strengthen reading across the school.
Class structure
Mornings:
Launch pads – Reception and Year 1
Rockets – Years 2 and 3
Space Station – Years 4, 5 and 6
Afternoons:
Infants – Reception and Years 1 and 2
Juniors – Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
The school has a number of ‘flexi-schooled’ pupils (6 on roll at present), who attend Loxley for part
of the week only. This helps to broaden the experience of the full-time Loxley pupils, who meet
children from a wider range of backgrounds, and also creates opportunities for the flexi-schooled
pupils to access the National Curriculum and the social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects of
Loxley school life.
Children at Loxley are given the opportunity to go on a number of school trips. Recent visits have
included the Black Country Museum, the Houses of Parliament and a KS2 residential visit to the
Grove in South Wales. They also take part in a range of other activities to enhance and extend the
curriculum, such as Forest Schools and swimming in Stratford-upon Avon.
The school building comprises the hall, a resource room that is also used as a classroom in the
mornings, the infants’ classroom and an upstairs KS2 classroom with library facilities. All the
children have access to iPads and Chrome books. The school also has a very small kitchen with a
conventional cooker, microwave and fridge and a community room which acts as a staff room and
meeting room. Loxley School has very limited space but uses it to the best of its ability. To the front
of the school is a playground and the children also have use of the village playing field for PE,
sports day, the after-school football club and - if the weather is favourable - the children can also
go there at lunchtimes.
“I like the interesting topics.”
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In addition to the main playground at the front of the school, there is also a covered outdoor area
attached to the infant classroom, which means children can learn and play outside no matter what
the weather.
Good behaviour at Loxley is encouraged and rewarded through a Marvellous Manners award
scheme. Being a Community Church of England School, Loxley school encourages an understanding
of the meaning and significance of faith and promotes Christian values through the experiences it
offers to all its pupils. The school has close links with the diocese and local churches and works
hard to ensure that its pupils have good social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding.
Children are given lots of opportunities to visit the local Church of St Nicholas’ and to be part of
community events. Examples include Messy Church sessions, taking part in the Remembrance and
Harvest Festival services and raising money for the Church through a Strawberry Fair.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection (September 2012), Loxley School was judged to be a good
school with an increasing number of outstanding lessons. Inspectors found that all pupils at Loxley
make good progress and achieve higher than their peers nationally. They consistently leave with
attainment that is above average. Teaching in the school was judged to be particularly strong in
mathematics where pupils benefit from some outstanding teaching.
“The small class sizes, and the fact that we teach the same children for several years, means we
are able to get to know the children really well. There is a really caring, family atmosphere in the
school.”
Ted Burch, Deputy Headteacher
“Equal opportunities for all permeate the whole school and so all pupils make good and
sometimes outstanding progress. Pupils at all levels exceed expectations against their peers
nationally and this is especially so for those who are supported at school action plus or who have a
statement of special educational needs.”
Ofsted (Sept 2012)
Page 9 of 27
Snitterfield Community Primary School
An exciting place where teamwork is placed at the heart of education and where
children and adults can learn together.
A school that believes in quality, tradition and innovation.
A warm, welcoming atmosphere in which children are encouraged to be
considerate, caring and confident learners, strongly supported by the local
community.
A stimulating, challenging environment offering pupils educational experiences
beyond the curriculum.
History books show that there has been a school in Snitterfield village since before 1682.
Snitterfield Community Primary School is proud of this heritage and proud to celebrate its
traditions while also providing its pupils with a 21st century curriculum within an innovative
learning environment.
The school currently has the highest number of pupils on roll of the three schools within the
Federation with 99 pupils currently attending. Children are taught in four mixed year group classes.
There is also an on-site nursery that currently caters for 29 children on a full or part-time basis.
Most of the children who have attended the nursery transfer into Reception at Snitterfield.
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Class structure
Class 1 – Reception
Class 2 - Years 1 and 2
Class 3 - Years 3 and 4
Class 4 - Years 5 and 6
The staff at Snitterfield work hard to provide the very best quality teaching and learning within a
caring and friendly atmosphere. Children have access to a full and varied curriculum that is
continually reviewed to ensure that provision is broad and rich and that links between subjects are
fully exploited. They benefit from a ‘brain-friendly’ curriculum model that brings further interest,
relevance and enjoyment to their learning. Children learn about how the brain works and develop
their own learning styles, using mind-mapping techniques.
To enable connections to be made between areas of the curriculum, children study themes rather
than purely stand-alone subjects so that they learn how to apply and develop their skills. However,
some areas of the curriculum are also taught discretely, including aspects of Mathematics, English,
Science and IT.
Unlike its Federation partners, Snitterfield is not a church school but nonetheless enjoys good links
with the village church, St James the Great. The school is proud of its proven ability to give children
a sense of values, and pupils are taught about different faiths and traditions alongside those
represented in the school. The school holds regular assemblies, which although broadly Christian,
are non-denominational.
Children’s views are valued and their opinions listened to, and pupils have a very active and
involved School Council.
The school building still retains many traditional features, but over the years has seen a number of
improvements, including three extra classrooms, a library, a computer suite which is used by all
children, vastly improved provision for our Foundation and Key Stage 1 children and a dining
room/resource area. (School meals are prepared on the premises by the school cook.) The school
has its own pond and wildlife area which provides opportunities for regular hands-on explorations
in science. In addition to the computers in the main IT suite, there are computers in every
classroom and children have access to wireless laptops throughout the school. For PE, the school
has its own field and children benefit from qualified sports coaches.
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“The best thing about school is that we have lots of friends, people care for
each other and it is a happy place with lots of clubs and things to do.”
The school endeavours to provide as many extra-curricular activities as possible. These include
netball, football, multi-sports and a Gardening Club. The school also offers a Breakfast Club from
7.55am to 8.55am and an After-School Club from 3.15 to 6pm as well as Summer Holiday Clubs –
all run by a private venture.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection (April 2014), Snitterfield School was judged to be a good
school in which the teaching is “nearly always at least good … sometimes outstanding”. Pupils
from all groups and of all levels of prior attainment, including the more able, disabled pupils and
those who have special educational needs, achieve well and make good progress. Ofsted found
that, “On occasion, progress is excellent. As a result, standards are above those expected for pupils’
ages by the end of Year 6”.
“Set within beautiful surroundings, Snitterfield School is a warm, caring, lovely, stimulating and
exciting place to work. You can feel the welcome when you walk through the door. The children
are unique, inspiring and enlivening. It is very special to be part of Snitterfield School.”
Monica Gamble, Deputy Headteacher
“Behaviour is good. Pupils are proud of their school and keen to learn. As a result, attendance is
above average.”
Ofsted (April 2014)
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Wilmcote CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School
A small, nurturing environment in which every child has a chance to shine.
A school with high academic expectations, high standards and higher than average
results.
A Christian ethos that fosters confident, caring, well-rounded pupils who enjoy their
learning.
Wilmcote CofE Primary School is a much-loved and important part of the local community. The
school has strong links with St Andrew’s Church which is located just next-door, and having first
been built in Victorian times, has seen generations of the same local families pass through its
doors.
The title ‘Aided’ means that the School is run by the Church and aided financially by Warwickshire
County Council. The majority of the School governors are Foundation Governors and are elected by
the Parochial Church Council, ensuring a Christian ethos throughout the school’s aims and
objectives.
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Wilmcote School currently has 80 pupils on roll and, from September 2014, they will be taught in
three mixed year group classes, which it is hoped will give more scope for partnership learning
through play and for greater social interaction.
Class structure
Class 1 - Reception and Year 1
Class 2 - Years 2, 3 and 4
Class 3 - Years 5 and 6
The school does not have its own pre-school, but has strong links with the village play group, The
Minnows, and shared activities with these children and their families are planned wherever
possible, including a weekly Pre-School group called ‘The Tiddlers’, held in the school library.
This attitude of being helpful to others means that the school is able to keep rules to a minimum.
Those that do exist are based on good manners and are of the common sense type that are helpful
in a growing community and are often decided by the children. The school has a Positive Behaviour
Policy which encourages children to take responsibility for themselves and others.
The curriculum at Wilmcote reflects the school’s aims for each child in the school community. Each
child is treated as an individual and given as much support as possible. To extend the curriculum,
Wilmcote School provides a range of after-school clubs and activities throughout the year,
including football, netball, athletics, table tennis, knitting, sewing, an Imagineering Junior
Engineering Club, cookery, La Jolie Ronde French Club, a Magazine Club, orchestra, choir, art and
hopefully, this year, a gardening club. The children also have their own School Council and Eco
Council and there are appointed Road Safety Officers.
Although the original school building is over 150 years old, various refurbishment programmes
have created a bright, modern learning environment. Just this year, two new classrooms, with a
covered outdoor area, have been built to replace some old temporary classrooms and to bring all
parts of the school under one roof. The playground has been remodelled to include some
Safagrass so the children now have somewhere green to sit, work and play. The children also have
the use of a nearby playing field for PE.
Page 14 of 27
One of the new classrooms, built Spring 2014
The school has a spacious library and a computer suite, and
children have access to laptops, PCs and I-Pads, allowing
them to become familiar with a range of hardware and
software applications. Every class has an interactive
whiteboard, and children have regular access to technology
to enable monitoring and control, including floor robots.
There is a daily act of worship at Wilmcote and a member of the Church comes into school on a
regular basis to lead or take part in assemblies. On festival days, such as Ash Wednesday, St
Andrew’s Day, Harvest and Christmas, services are held in St Andrew’s Church. Children are taught
the Warwickshire Agreed Syllabus for RE and are encouraged to understand and respect religious,
racial and ethnic differences.
The school’s caring and Christian ethos is very much enhanced by its involvement in UNICEF’s
Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA). Indeed, Wilmcote School was the first primary school in
Warwickshire to sign up for this award, which recognises achievement in putting the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies,
practice and ethos. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also
models rights and respect in all its relationships: between teachers / adults and pupils, between
adults and between pupils.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection (February 2014), Wilmcote School was judged to be a good
school in which the teaching is good and “lessons and activities are well planned according to the
different ages and abilities of pupils who are taught in the same class”. The inspectors noted that
pupils were achieving well, especially in reading and mathematics, and attainment was above
national average by the end of year 6.
Page 15 of 27
“We like our school because the teachers plan lots of events,
like dress down days and trips.”
“On Friday, Class 4 was involved in a WW2
day and came to school dressed as
evacuees. The day was filled with action
using stirrup pumps and sounding an air
raid siren (it was very loud!). We learnt
about ration books and gas masks. We also
learnt about air raid wardens and different
abbreviations - eg ARP which was printed on
the helmets.”
“We are very proud of our recent Ofsted grading and although there are going to be some changes
at Wilmcote next year, our hard working staff feel ready to move to the next level. As a small school
community we know our families really well and so are able to nurture our pupils to achieve their
best socially and spiritually as well as academically. I am particularly proud of the high standards
we achieve in our school productions. All of our pupils get the opportunity to take part and shine
and I am sure this prepares them well for secondary school and beyond.”
Liz Banyard, Deputy Headteacher
“Adults work well together and there is strong teamwork in most classrooms, which enables the
different age and ability groups within the class to work on tasks that are usually just right for their
general stage of development. Teachers and teaching assistants set high expectations of what the
pupils can achieve.”
Ofsted (February 2014)
Page 16 of 27
The teams:
Page 17 of 27
Welcome from the children
We asked the children in all three schools what kind of person they would like as their new
Executive Headteacher. Here is a selection of qualities they would look for… in their own words.
The children from Loxley CofE School would like an Executive Headteacher who:
Is kind
Is sporty
Is happy
Supports a football team – and collects football stickers or loom bands
Is understanding
Is thoughtful
Is clever
Is fair – someone who doesn't take sides and who listens to everyone
Can help deal with problems
Plays with us
Is fun
The children from Snitterfield School would like an Executive Headteacher who:
Has a good personality
Listens to ideas
Is nice
Will spend time with us – and play bat and ball
Is kind, supportive and caring
Makes people feel better
Is creative and artistic
Cares what we think, understands us and is interested in us
Is not too strict
Makes good choices
Will make a difference and improve the school
Is patient and friendly
Has a big heart
The children from Wilmcote CofE School would like an Executive Headteacher who:
Is fair, respectful and responsible
Is strict but listens to problems and handles the problems
Is fun and interesting
Is caring and kind
Understands you
Is creative
Is good at good communication
Includes everyone
Is smiley, strong, powerful and awesome
Is a good story teller
Makes assembly fun
Loves school
Is able to sort out problems like friendship or bullying
Knows your names
Has neat writing
Likes telling people what their jobs are or if they don’t do them
Is helpful when you can’t do something
Page 18 of 27
“We would like an Executive Headteacher who will introduce people to new things and ideas.”
“We would like an Executive Headteacher who is fun and has a sense of humour.”
“We would like an Executive Headteacher who knows your names and is not too formal.”
Page 19 of 27
How to apply
Thank you for your interest in this post. Candidates are welcome to make an informal visit to one
or all of the schools within the Federation on one of the following dates – Thursday 15th July,
Wednesday 3rd September, Thursday 11th September. Please contact Helen Gibson using the
details below, to make arrangements, or telephone her on 01788 422800.
Please note that the closing date for applications is 8.00am on 15th September 2014.
Completed applications and supporting documents should be sent by email to:
helen.gibson@covcofe.org
or posted to:
Helen Gibson, PA to the Director of Education, Diocesan Board of Education, The Benn Education
Centre, Claremont Road, Rugby, CV21 3LU
Interviews will take place on 23rd and 24th September 2014. Candidates who have not been
contacted by 24th September 2014 can assume that they have not been shortlisted on this
occasion.
Page 20 of 27
Executive Headteacher Job Description
Individual School Range (ISR): L17 – L23
Responsible to:
Federated Governing Body
Responsible for:
All staff, pupils and visitors to Loxley CofE Primary School, Snitterfield
Community Primary School and Wilmcote Cof E (VA) Primary School
The details of the Job Description and the Person Specification relate to
the role of Executive Headteacher across the three schools mentioned
previously working with the Federated Governing Body, the Local
Authority and the Diocese of Coventry.
Core Purpose of the Executive Headteacher
(Extract from National Standards for Headteachers 2004)
The core purpose of the Executive Headteacher is to provide professional leadership and management for
the three schools within the Federation. This will promote a secure foundation from which to achieve high
standards in all areas of their work. To gain this success an Executive Headteacher must establish high
quality education by effectively managing teaching and learning and using personalised learning to realise
the potential of all pupils. The Executive Headteacher must establish a culture that promotes excellence,
equality and high expectations of all pupils.
The Executive Headteacher is the leading professional in the schools. Accountable to the Federated
Governing Body, the Executive Headteacher provides vision, leadership and direction for the schools and
ensures they are managed and organised to meet the aims and targets. The Executive Headteacher,
working with others is responsible for evaluating performance to identify the priorities for continuous
improvement; raising standards; ensuring equality of opportunity for all; developing policies and practices;
ensuring that resources are efficiently and effectively used to achieve all aims and objectives and for the
day-to-day management, organisation and administration.
The Executive Headteacher, working with and through others, secures the commitment of the wider
community to the schools by developing and maintaining effective. Through partnerships and other
activities, the Executive Headteacher plays a key role in contributing to the development of the education
system as a whole and collaborates with others to raise standards.
Drawing on the support provided by members of the schools’ communities, the Executive Headteacher is
responsible for creating a productive learning environment, which is engaging and fulfilling for pupils in all
three of the schools.
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General Duties and Responsibilities
To carry out the duties of the Executive Headteacher as set out in the current School Teachers’ Pay &
Conditions document.
Key Areas of Responsibility
Shaping the Future
Working with the Federated Governing Body to create a shared vision and strategic plan which inspires and
motivates pupils, staff and all other members of the schools’ communities, supports and develops the
community status and ethos of Snitterfield Primary School, and develops the distinctive Christian character
of the two Church of England Schools within The Federation. This vision should express core educational
values and, for the Church Schools, a Christian moral purpose. The vision must be inclusive of stakeholders’
values and beliefs. The strategic planning process is critical to sustaining school improvement and ensuring
that the schools move forward for the benefit of their pupils.
This will include:






Working with to build on what has already been achieved and to translate the vision into agreed
objectives and operational plans, which will promote and sustain school improvement.
Demonstrating the vision and values in everyday work and practice.
Motivating and working with others to create a shared culture and positive climate which embeds and
develops the existing caring and nurturing ethos.
Ensuring creativity, innovation and the use of appropriate new technologies to achieve excellence.
Ensuring that the strategic planning takes account of the values and diverse cultures, beliefs, ethnic
groups and languages in the Federation and community at large.
Ensuring that the Christian vision for the two Church Schools is clearly articulated, shared, understood
and acted upon effectively by all.
Leading Learning and Teaching
Executive Headteachers have a central responsibility for raising the quality of teaching and learning and for
pupils’ achievement and their spiritual development. This implies setting high expectations and monitoring
and evaluating the effectiveness of learning outcomes. A successful, holistic, learning culture will enable
pupils to become effective, enthusiastic, independent learners, committed to life-long and whole-life
learning.
This will include:
 Ensuring a consistent and continuous school-wide focus on pupils’ achievement, using data and
benchmarks to monitor progress in every child’s learning
 Ensuring that learning is at the centre of strategic planning and resource management
 Establishing creative, responsive and effective approaches to learning and teaching
 Ensuring a culture and ethos of challenge and support where all pupils can achieve success and become
engaged in their own learning
 Demonstrating and articulating high expectations and setting stretching targets for the whole school
community
 Implementing strategies that secure high standards of behaviour and attendance
 Determining, organising and implementing a diverse, flexible curriculum and implementing an effective
assessment framework
 Taking a strategic role in the introduction of appropriate new and emerging technologies to enhance
and extend the learning experience of pupils
 Monitoring, evaluating and reviewing classroom practice and promoting improvement strategies
 Challenging underperformance at all levels and ensuring effective corrective action and follow-up
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Developing Self and Working with Others
Effective relationships and communication are important in headship as Executive Headteachers work with
and through others. Effective Executive Headteachers manage themselves and their relationships well.
Headship is about building a holistic, professional learning community that enables others to achieve.
Through performance management and effective continuing professional development practice, the
Executive Headteacher supports all staff to achieve high standards. To equip themselves with the capacity
to deal with the complexity of the role and the range of leadership skills and actions required of them,
Executive Headteachers should be committed to their own continuing professional and personal
development, including distinctive training and development related to leading a Church School.
This will include:
 Valuing people and treating them fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a
positive school culture. For the Church Schools this will be in accordance with the Christian beliefs and
values underpinning these schools
 Building a collaborative learning culture within the Federation and actively engaging with other schools
to build effective learning communities
 Developing and maintaining effective strategies and procedures for staff induction, professional
development and performance review
 Ensuring effective planning, allocation, support and evaluation of work undertaken by teams and
individuals, with clear delegation of tasks and devolution of responsibilities
 Acknowledging the responsibilities and celebrating the achievements of individuals and teams
 Developing and maintaining a culture of high expectations for self and for others and taking
appropriate action when performance is unsatisfactory
 Regularly reviewing own practice, setting personal targets and taking responsibility for own personal
development
 Managing own workload and that of others to allow for reflection and an appropriate work/life
balance.
Managing the Organisation
Executive Headteachers need to provide effective organisation and management of the Federation and
seek ways of improving organisational structures and functions based on rigorous self-evaluation. Executive
Headteachers should ensure that each school, and the people and resources within it, are organised and
managed to provide an efficient, effective and safe learning environment. These management
responsibilities imply the re-examination of the roles and responsibilities of those adults working in the
school to build capacity across the workforce and ensure resources are deployed to achieve value for
money. Executive Headteachers should also seek to build successful organisations through effective
collaborations with others.
This will include:
 Creating an organisational structure, ensuring and enabling the management systems, structures and
processes to work effectively in line with legal requirements.
 Producing and implementing clear, evidence based improvement plans and policies for the
development of each school and its facilities
 Ensuring that, within the particular context of this Federation, policies and practices take account of
national and local circumstances, policies and initiatives
 Managing the Federation’s financial and human resources effectively and efficiently to achieve
educational goals and priorities
 Recruiting, retaining and deploying staff appropriately and managing their workloads to achieve the
vision and goals of the schools, and implementing successful performance management processes with
all staff
 Managing and organising the schools’ environments efficiently and effectively to ensure that they meet
the needs of the curriculum and health and safety regulations
 Ensuring that the range, quality and use of all available resources is monitored, evaluated and reviewed
to improve the quality of education for all pupils and provide value for money
 Using and integrating a range of technologies effectively and efficiently to manage the schools.
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Securing Accountability
The Executive Headteacher will have at the heart of their leadership a responsibility to the whole
community. In carrying out this responsibility, Executive Headteachers are accountable to a wide range of
groups, particularly pupils, parents, carers, governors, the LA and the Diocese. They are accountable for
ensuring that pupils enjoy and benefit from a high quality education, for promoting collective responsibility
within the whole school community and for contributing to the education service more widely. The
Executive Headteacher is legally and contractually accountable to the Federated Governing Body of the
schools, its environment and all its work.
This will include:
 Fulfilling commitments arising from contractual accountability to the Federated Governing Body
 Building on and developing an ethos which enables everyone to work collaboratively, share knowledge
and understanding, celebrate success and accept responsibility for outcomes
 Ensuring individual staff accountabilities are clearly defined, understood and agreed and are subject to
rigorous review and evaluation
 Working with the Federated Governing Body (providing information, objective advice and support) to
enable it to meet its responsibilities
 Developing and presenting a coherent, understandable and accurate account of the schools’
performance in ways which are relevant to the wide range of audiences, including inspection agencies,
Local Authority, the Diocese, governors, staff, parents and carers of diverse backgrounds and the local
community
 Reflecting on own personal contribution to school achievements and taking account of feedback from
others.
Strengthening Community
Schools exist in a distinctive social context, which has a direct impact on what happens inside the school.
School leadership should commit to engaging with the internal and external school community to secure
equity and entitlement. Executive Headteachers should collaborate with other schools in order to share
expertise and bring positive benefits to their own and other schools. They should work collaboratively at
both strategic and operational levels with parents and carers and across multiple agencies for the wellbeing of all children. Headteachers share responsibility for leadership of the wider educational system and
should be aware that school improvement and community development are interdependent.
This will include:
 Building school cultures and curricula which, for the Church Schools, take account of the Church
Foundation and the richness and diversity of the schools’ communities
 Creating and promoting positive strategies for challenging racial and other prejudice and dealing with
racial harassment
 Ensuring learning experiences for pupils are linked into and integrated with the wider community. For
the Church Schools this will include the local Church and Diocese of Coventry
 Collaborating with other agencies in providing for the academic, spiritual, moral, social, emotional and
cultural well-being of pupils and their families
 Creating and maintaining an effective partnership with parents and carers, (including those who may
be described as ‘hard to reach’, those with learning disabilities and those for whom English is an
additional language), to support and improve pupils’ achievement and personal development
 Building bridges with the schools’ diverse communities, seeking opportunities to invite the whole range
of parents and carers, community figures (including clergy and church representatives in the Church
Schools), businesses or other organisations into the school to enhance and enrich the school and its
value to the wider community
 Contributing to the development of the education system by, for example, sharing effective practice,
working in partnership with other schools and promoting innovative initiatives
 Co-operating and working with relevant agencies to protect children.
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Safeguarding Children & Safer Recruitment
The Stratford Rural Schools’ Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
and young people as required under the Education Act 2002 and expects all staff and volunteers to share
this commitment. The Executive Headteacher plays the lead role in this within the Federation and the
Executive Headteacher post is subject to enhanced DBS disclosure.
The Executive Headteacher will ensure that:
 The policies and procedures relating to safeguarding and safer recruitment are adopted by the
governing body and are fully implemented and followed by all staff
 Sufficient resources and time are allocated to enable the designated person and other staff to
discharge their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, including taking part in strategy discussions
and other inter-agency meetings, and contributing to the assessment of children
 All staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice in regard to children,
and that such concerns are addressed sensitively and effectively in a timely manner in accordance with
agreed whistle blowing practices.
This job description may be amended at any time following consultation between the Executive
Headteacher and the Federated Governing Body and will be reviewed annually.
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Executive Headteacher Person Specification
** All essential except * which are desirable
A – Application Form R – References S – Selection Days
1
2
*
*
*
3
4
Qualifications
Qualified Teacher Status A
Degree level qualification A
NPQH awarded, unless appointed Head before 2004 A
Evidence of continuing professional development relating to school management and
curriculum development
Source **
A
A
A
Experience of Teaching & School Management
Ideally three years’ experience as an effective Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher or Assistant
Headteacher within the appropriate age range
At least five years’ successful teaching experience across the appropriate age range
Experience of teaching in more than one school
Experience of successful implementation of strategies for raising achievement and ensuring
effective teaching and assessment
Experience of delivering training and supporting staff professional development
Experience of working within a Church of England School
Experience of working with mixed aged classes
Source **
Professional Knowledge and Understanding
Applicants should be able to demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the
following key areas
Pupils’ educational development
School leadership and management
Curriculum and assessment
Effective teaching and learning strategies
School improvement strategies
Local and national policies, priorities and statutory frameworks
Role of governing body
The use of data to establish benchmarks and set targets for improvement
A commitment to Every Child Matters
Inclusion and meeting the needs of pupils with special needs
Distinctive and inclusive nature of a Church of England school
Source **
Personal Skills and Abilities
Applicants should be able to demonstrate they have the required personal skills and abilities to
carry out the post
To have an understanding of, and willingness to lead and develop the distinctive nature of the
two Church of England schools within the Federation, the teaching of RE across the
Federation, and to recognize the parental right of withdrawal from RE
To have an understanding of, and willingness to provide for, daily acts of worship which are
mainly of a broadly Christian character and to recognize the parental right of withdrawal from
collective worship
Effective team working
Inclusive attitude with effective working relationships to pupils, parents/carers, staff, governors
and the wider community
Ability to organise and manage work effectively
Dynamic, visionary and enthusiastic
Excellent communication skills
Adaptability, able to embrace change
Ability to plan budgets and ensure resources are deployed to the maximum benefit of staff and
pupils
Ability to demonstrate a proven ability to liaise with staff, governors, parents/carers, external
agencies and the local community
Good ICT skills and confident to develop an ICT strategy for the school
Work with the local parish church, Diocese and the local religious communities
Source **
Page 26 of 27
AS
AR
AR
A
AR
ASR
A
A
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
S
ASR
AS
ASR
5
6
Shaping the Future
The applicant will need to demonstrate the skills required for shaping the future
Ability to develop a shared vision to lead, inspire and motivate in pursuit of excellence and high
standards for all
Ability to lead and manage the school to work effectively and efficiently towards academic,
spiritual, moral, social, emotional and cultural develop all our pupils
Collaboration and networking with others within and beyond the school
The sustaining of personal motivation, high aspiration and expectations for all
The continuing learning of all members of the school community
Appreciation of the importance of a work/life balance for all staff including self
Commitment and continuation of making school life an enjoyable and positive experience for all
Other Requirements
Application form completed in full
Three unequivocal written references as detailed
Good health and attendance record
Full CRB clearance
2 Experience of Teaching & School Management Source**
3
Page 27 of 27
ASR
ASR
ASR
ASR
AS
S
ASR