Wellington College China

Main Purpose

Assistant Heads are responsible for all aspects of the school relating to academic excellence and the holistic development of well-rounded and future-ready pupils. Each Assistant Head has a focus for their work and a clearly defined portfolio of responsibility, but also contributes to the whole and supports the work of others as part of the full cross-campus Senior Management Team (SMT).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Matters

• To assist the Head to develop vision and define plans for growth and development.
• To provide professional leadership and management of teaching and learning throughout the Senior School and Junior High.
• To quality assure teaching and manage improvement so that it secures high quality learning for all pupils, and that progress of all pupils is measured.
• To promote the culture and pastoral care of the pupils encapsulated by the Wellington values and identities.

Leading People Through Good Relationships

• To sustain effective, positive working relationships with all staff, pupils, parents, external bodies and the local community.
• To be committed to developing an integrated school culture, with equal respect for staff of all nationalities.
• To possess good communication skills and willing to adapt to the demands of a complicated and inclusive school.
• To be able to provide support and guidance for all members of the school in academic matters.
• To oversee effective transition from Primary to Senior School or Junior High.
• To develop a positive relationship between the school and the wider community through cooperative ventures, publications, competitions and co-curricular activities.

Academic Management

• To work with the Head to produce a clear vision for an effective academic programme that ensures success at IGCSE and beyond.
• To work with the Head to deliver a clear education model, including assessment structures and the pastoral systems.
• To lead by example, as a teacher and as a leader, setting appropriate expectations for staff and pupils in relation to standards of pupils’ achievements and the quality of teaching.
• To support the continued development of excellent teaching at Wellington, remaining open to changes in pedagogy, whilst embedding best practice as it arises.
• To oversee the process of setting academic targets for pupils and work with the academic teams in monitoring student progress and achievement, including planning for, and implementing, interventions and challenge.
• To assist with the collection and use of school data (where appropriate) internally to support student development and externally to a wider group of stakeholders, including governors.

Teaching

Further Responsibilities

• To assist the Head to achieve the highest standards of performance and self-discipline amongst all teaching and non-academic staff.
• To manage parental concerns and communication, in conjunction with other leadership colleagues.
• Oversee academic or pastoral matters of pupils in a designated age range.
• To assist Head in recruitment matters.
• To contribute to, and work with, the wider SMT to develop the induction programme for new staff.
• To work closely with Admissions and Marketing to maintain the high-quality brand and school image.
• Contribute to parent information sessions and community events to raise awareness and promote the school.
• To mentor the PGCE and/or trainee teachers within the school and ensure their early career development is supported in line with whole school expectations.

BASIC QUALIFICATION

• Education: An undergraduate degree plus a recognised teaching qualification e.g. PGCE (Masters or NPQ style additional qualifications preferred).
• Subject: Any discipline relevant to the Senior School or Junior High curriculum.
• Language: fluent English, spoken and written. (The ability to communicate in Chinese will be favourably considered.)

EXPERIENCE

• Six years work experience in high achieving schools.
• At least two years of prior leadership experience.
• Close experience and an evidencable track record of success leading IGCSE/GCSE programmes is a must.

EXPERTISE

• Broad knowledge of secondary school education systems including curriculum design and staff development.
• An appreciation of EAL education approaches and models, or the desire to develop expertise in this area.
• Ability to lead staff professional learning across the school.

PREFERRED APTITUDES

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and preferably proven ability to communicate effectively with different types of people and in a cross-cultural environment.
• Team player with an agile and adaptable outlook.
• Commitment and a desire to go above and beyond in the pursuit of excellence.
• Tangible experience with international best practices in education.
• Passion for world class education and strong desire to provide a broad range of opportunity for our pupils.
• High levels of data literacy and the ability to develop recommendations for action based on data analysis.
• Personal integrity, accountability, and credibility in front of stakeholders.
• High levels of resilience and determination.
• Desire and mindset to achieve continuous improvement.
• Commitment to quality and attention to detail.
• Prior experience of working in China would be an advantage.
• Prior experience within a young and rapidly growing school would be an advantage.

As an employer of choice, Wellington College China is committed to making professional learning and personal development central to its ethos and approach. WCC fully recognises its responsibilities for safeguarding children. Our safeguarding policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the Group.