ROLE SPECIFICATION
RECTOR AND PRINCIPAL
Context
Morrison’s Academy is a blend of a friendly, family-orientated school with very high levels of
achievement and success. We are an ambitious and thriving school of over 500 young people
between the ages of 3 and 18 years and 100 or so full and part-time staff where everybody is
expected to give of their best and to contribute to the life of the community. The scale of the school
means that we are all known to and support one another. Opportunities to participate at intra- and
inter-school level are open to all and every member of the community is encouraged to participate and
achieve in those areas that interest them.
We have just built a wonderful new Nursery on the main school campus in the middle of Crieff and are
currently seeking planning permission to relocate the bulk of the school’s sports facilities to our 45
acres of playing fields which are a ten-minute walk away. Thereafter we are planning to reconstruct a
number of the buildings on the main campus while maintaining the magnificent original buildings
erected when the school was founded in 1860. This comprehensive strategic redevelopment of the
whole school has been endorsed by the governing body and is symptomatic of the school’s modern
and progressive outlook.
We place a good deal of emphasis on improving our own expertise and look to each other to deliver
training as well as using outside providers. There is a wealth of skill and experience amongst the staff
and they are happy to share this with their colleagues both through formal training and on an individual
basis.
Our young people are a delight to teach, the staff and governors are helpful and supportive, Crieff is in
a beautiful part of the country in which to live and, thanks to a good road network, is within easy reach
of the central belt, and there is a very strong sense of community all around you. We have high
expectations of each other and the confidence to allow innovation. Morrison’s is a friendly,
progressive and engaging community and a most satisfying place in which to work.
Rector and Principal
Role:
To provide strong and effective leadership, encouraging innovation and
creativity through the communication of a compelling vision to secure the
support, commitment and enthusiasm of staff, pupils and parents in promoting
the continuous development of the School.
Qualifications:
Essential:
A passion for educating young people
A good degree and a formal teaching qualification
Membership of or eligibility for GTCS or other teaching registration
Experience in or knowledge of the Scottish Education System
Experience at senior management level
Ability to demonstrate a range of appropriate leadership skills
Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
Desirable:
Post-graduate degree or diploma
Experience within an all-through independent school
Interest in and support for a range of co-curricular activities and sports
Reports to:
The Board of Governors
Hours of work:
The Rector and Principal shall be required to work such hours as are
necessary to discharge properly the duties of the role as outlined in this
specification whether such hours are within or outwith normal school hours.
Leave Entitlement:
The Rector and Principal shall be entitled to take normal school holidays as
holiday with pay and during such time shall not be required to perform any
duties other than those normally performed by the Rector and Principal
during such holidays.
Salary:
As established by the Remuneration Committee of the Governors
commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Key responsibilities in the execution of the role of Rector and Principal shall be:
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maintaining the highest educational standards
communicating and consulting with the many different groups that make up the school
community
selecting, managing and leading the staff
establishing all necessary structures and policies for the efficient management of the school
promoting a culture of high expectation and self-evaluation across the school
establishing and encouraging partnership with parents
taking forward developmental and business planning
leading the marketing and promotion of the School
The Rector and Principal’s primary tasks shall be to:
1. exercise such powers and perform such duties and observe such restrictions and undertake
such responsibilities as may from time to time be assigned to the Rector and Principal by or
under the authority of the Governors
2. use his/her utmost endeavours to promote the interests and further enhance the reputation of
the School locally and nationally
3. have oversight of and responsibility for all activities which comprise the life of the School,
delegating specific responsibilities, where appropriate and necessary for the proper conduct of
the School, to other members of the Senior Management Team
4. maintain and develop processes to support and enhance conditions for high quality learning
and teaching
5. evaluate the standards of learning and teaching in the School and ensure that proper
standards of professional performance are maintained and enhanced and be responsible for
the production of an annual Standards and Quality report for the School
6. have overall responsibility for the School’s finances, delegating to the Bursar the day-to-day
maintenance of the School’s accounts and management of the support staff
7. advise and assist the Governors of the School in the exercise of their functions including
attending meetings of the Governors and making such reports to them both orally and in
writing in connection with the Rector and Principal’s functions as the Governors may require.
The Rector and Principal shall have direct access to the Governors and shall have the right to
submit items for the agenda of all meetings of the Governors or of any committee or subcommittee and shall have the right to attend and speak at all such meetings
8. manage the efficient day-to-day running of the school; planning, organising, deploying and
monitoring the use of staff and other resources
9. develop and communicate, in collaboration with the Governors, a strategic leadership that
inspires and motivates the whole school through the promotion of shared school values, aims,
policies and plans
10. develop and maintain positive partnerships with pupils, parents, outside agencies and wider
community
11. build strong and supportive relationships with the Former Pupil body and the officers of the
Morrisonian Club
12. maintain a productive, vibrant and supportive ethos based on high expectations of all members
of the School community
13. be responsible for the effective marketing and promotion of the School to maintain a positive
profile within the School’s target market and in the wider community for the purpose of
sustaining and developing the school roll
14. have overall responsible for the work of the Development Office
15. lead and implement the School’s development planning process in consultation with
Governors, staff, parents and pupils
16. Manage and take responsibility for the annual professional review and development of that
group of people who report directly to the Rector and Principal
17. select and appoint the teaching staff of the School on such terms as to remuneration and
otherwise, as from time to time may be laid down by the Governors, except for those of Depute
and Head of the Primary School, which appointments should be made in consultation with the
Governors
18. maintain integrated procedures for the development of staff including professional
development and review, internal and external CPD and evaluation of such activity
19. maintain an active interest in the work of the Morrison’s Academy Parents’ Association through
involvement and attendance at meetings of the MAPA Committee
20. discipline or suspend teaching staff in accordance with the School’s disciplinary procedures;
dismissal of a member of staff requires consultation with the Board
21. determine, in accordance with any written statement of general principle provided by the
Governors, measures to be taken with a view to promoting positive behaviour, self-discipline,
the proper regard for authority and otherwise to regulate the conduct of the pupils, making
such measures generally known within the School and ensuring that they are implemented
22. ensure good order and discipline at all times when pupils are present on the School premises
and whenever pupils are engaged in authorised school activities, whether on School premises
or elsewhere
23. comply at all times with the Governors’ policy on the discipline, suspension or exclusion of
pupils provided that no pupil shall be expelled by the Rector and Principal without prior
consultation with the Chairman of Governors or his/her representative and in any event only to
suspend or expel a pupil after having acted fairly and having observed the rules of natural
justice
24. be available at all times and at all reasonable hours, except during normal School holidays and
otherwise when properly absent, to staff
25. be fully engaged in the management of Health and Safety policies through active membership
of the Health and Safety Committee and to comply with the individual responsibilities imposed
by the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations (1999) and to co-operate with Management to promote a positive attitude
towards Health & Safety at Work taking all reasonably practicable steps to prevent personal
injury or injury to others.
This role specification is intended to convey a broad outline of the position and responsibilities of the
Rector and Principal. It is not definitive and will be mutually reviewed from time to time as part of the
process of personal review and development.
April 2014