Vice Principal - St Paul's Catholic Primary School
| Posting date: | 17 November 2025 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 08 December 2025 |
| Location: | Birmingham, West Midlands, B38 9JB |
| Company: | Teaching Vacancies |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 05ca11ac-6af7-49bd-b2eb-d2fa58fe7c06 |
Summary
What skills and experience we're looking for
The Board of Directors of Lumen Christi Catholic Multi Academy and the School Standards Committee of St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Birmingham, are seeking to appoint a dynamic Vice Principal who can support and monitor progress towards the achievement of the school’s mission, aims and objectives, and lead on the appropriate provision for children with special needs as SENCO.
St Paul’s is a successful one-form entry primary school in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham. The school’s last Ofsted Inspection stated that “Pupils enjoy coming to school because leaders and staff have created a caring environment. Caring for each other and growing in self-esteem are key aims of the school.”
We are seeking a Vice Principal who:
• is a practising Catholic with a clear understanding of Catholic education and the vision and ability to further develop the outstanding Catholic life of the school
• is an experienced SENCO or willing to undertake the National qualification for SENCOs within two years
• demonstrates initiative and can drive improvement
• has a clear focus on supporting improvement for each and every one of our children
• is able to foster and continuously build good relationships with all members of the school community
• has a proven track record of successfully managing and motivating a school team
• is skilled at ensuring staff and children reach their full potential
• will be passionately committed to safeguarding and the welfare and wellbeing of children and staff
• has successful experience as a senior leader
• is able to lead, motivate and inspire staff, with a clear vision for the future direction of the school
• puts children at the heart of all they do
• is resilient, positive and professional at all times
• has a proven track record in a Catholic school and can demonstrate proven contribution to success in a similar role
What the school offers its staff
In return we are offering an exciting opportunity to lead and work with:
• a caring and positive environment inspired by our strong Catholic ethos
• happy, well behaved, respectful pupils who have a thirst for learning and are a delight to teach
• a community which cares about the journey of education and who work with the school to engage our children and work in partnership
• a welcoming, friendly, hard-working, and talented team of staff whom, at all levels, are dedicated to making a difference to the children in their care
• a supportive academy and the provision of services through a central team to all schools
In addition, this position will give the successful candidate the opportunity to:
• work with engaged learners and a strong staffing team, supported by Lumen Christi’s Shared Services
• influence the development and ongoing journey of our school and Multi Academy Company, providing scope to develop your own talents and expertise
• benefit from our commitment to your continuing professional and personal development.
Further details about the role
Job Description
St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School
Vice Principal Job Description
Indicative Salary Range (ISR) L9-L13
Responsible to: The Principal
1 Introduction
1.1 This appointment is with the directors of the academy under the terms of the Catholic Education Service contract signed with the directors as employers. The directors will appoint a practising Catholic who, by personal example and professional leadership, will ensure that the Catholic ethos, rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, permeates all aspects of the life of the school[1].
1.2 The appointment is subject to the current conditions of service for deputy headteachers[2] contained in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions document and other current education and employment legislation.
1.3 This job description may be amended at any time, following consultation between the principal and the vice Principal and will be reviewed annually.
2 Core Purpose of the Vice Principal
2.1 To set the context, the core purpose of the principal is to provide professional leadership and management for a school. This will promote a secure foundation from which to achieve high standards in all areas of the school’s work. To gain this success a principal must establish high quality education by effectively managing teaching and learning and using personalised learning to realise the potential of all pupils. Principals must establish a culture that promotes excellence, equality and high expectations of all pupils.
2.2 The core purpose of the Vice Principal is to support the principal in ensuring that:
§ the school is conducted as a Catholic school in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church and Canon Law, and in accordance with the Trust Deed of the Archdiocese of Birmingham;
§ religious education is in accordance with the teachings, doctrines, discipline and general and particular norms of the Catholic Church;
§ religious worship is in accordance with the rites, practices, discipline and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church;
§ the school provides high quality teaching and learning that leads to successful outcomes for pupils in terms of spiritual and moral growth, achievement, attitudes to learning, behaviour and personal development;
§ the school will promote and safeguard the welfare of all children, enabling every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to: be healthy; stay safe; enjoy and achieve; make a positive contribution; achieve economic well-being; recognise their own dignity and the dignity of others as children of God;
§ all statutory requirements are met and the work of the school is effectively monitored, evaluated and reviewed.
3 General Duties and Responsibilities
3.1 To carry out the duties of the vice principal as set out in the current School Teachers’ Pay & Conditions Document.
Key Areas of Responsibility
4 Shaping the Future
4.1 The ‘preferred future’, expressed in the strategic vision and development of a Catholic school, stems from the educational mission of the Church, which is reflected in the school’s mission statement and school improvement plan.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
• Ensuring the vision for the school is clearly articulated, shared, understood and acted upon effectively by all.
• The vision must reflect its distinctive Catholic character, in accordance with the provisions of the Diocesan Trust Deed, based on what it means to be fully human as revealed in the person, life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Working within the school community to translate the vision into agreed objectives and operational plans, which will promote and sustain school improvement.
• Establishing a commitment amongst pupils, staff and parents to the school’s mission in partnership with the governors[3] and through the example of personal conviction.
• Demonstrating the vision and values in everyday work and practice. Motivating and working with others to create a shared culture and positive climate.
• Creating a distinctively Catholic ethos that is inclusive and applies Catholic values, attitudes and practices in all aspects of school life, and that life is lived explicitly and consciously in the presence of God.
• Ensuring there is planned worship, and appropriate liturgy in accordance with the rites, practices, discipline and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church.
• Ensuring creativity, innovation and the use of appropriate new technologies to achieve excellence.
• Ensuring that the strategic planning takes account of the diversity, values and experience of the school and community at large.
5 Leading Learning and Teaching
5.1 In a Catholic school the search for excellence is expressed in learning and teaching, which responds to the needs and aspirations of its pupils and acknowledges their individual worth as children of God.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
• 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.
• Securing high quality religious education for all pupils in accordance with the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church.
• Ensuring high quality Personal, Social and Health Education and Citizenship in accordance with the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church.
• Ensuring quality provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education in line with the distinctive Catholic nature, purposes and aims of the school.
• Establishing creative, responsive and effective approaches to learning and teaching.
• Creating and maintaining an effective partnership with parents to support and improving pupils' achievement and personal development and furthering the distinctive Catholic nature, purposes and aims of the school.
• Developing effective links with the parish and wider Catholic community, including local partnership arrangements, to extend the curriculum and enhance teaching and learning.
• 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 effective assessment framework.
• Taking a strategic role in the development of 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.
6 Developing Self and Working with Others
6.1 In a Catholic school the role of principal is one of leadership of a learning community rooted in faith. The principal’s leadership should take Christ as its inspiration. The principal’s management of staff should demonstrate an awareness of their unique contribution as individuals, valued and loved by God.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Treating people fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive school culture consistent with the Catholic ethos of the school and its mission.
§ Building a collaborative learning culture within the school and actively engaging with other schools to build effective learning communities.
§ Developing and maintaining effective strategies and procedures for staff induction (including understanding the nature of the school as a Catholic community), professional development and performance review.
§ Ensuring effective planning, allocation, support and evaluation of work undertaken by teams and individuals, ensuring 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 an appropriate work/life balance.
7 Managing the Organisation
7.1 In a Catholic school all deployment of staff, finance, material resources, time and energy should promote the common good of the community in accordance with the school's mission.
7.2 The vice principal helps provide effective organisation and management of the school and seeks ways of improving organisational structures and functions based on rigorous self-evaluation. The vice principal also helps deploy people and resources efficiently and effectively to secure the school’s aims and mission through meeting specific objectives in line with the school’s strategic plan and financial objectives.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Creating an organisational structure which reflects the school’s values, 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 the school and its facilities.
§ Ensuring that, within the Catholic ethos, policies and practices take account of national and local circumstances, policies and initiatives.
§ Managing the school’s financial and human resources effectively and efficiently to achieve the school’s educational goals and priorities.
§ Recruiting, retaining and deploying staff appropriately and managing their workload to achieve the vision and goals of the school, implementing successful performance management processes with all staff.
§ Managing and organising the school environment efficiently and effectively to ensure that it meets 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 school.
8 Securing accountability
8.1 In a Catholic school the principal fulfils his/her responsibilities in accordance with the mission of the school. The principal supports the governors in fulfilling its responsibilities under Canon Law to the Diocesan Trustees and in accordance with national legislation.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Fulfilling commitments arising from contractual accountability to the principal.
§ Developing the Catholic ethos so that everyone understands the mission of the school, 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 governors (providing information, objective advice and support) to enable it to meet its responsibilities, including securing the distinctive Catholic character of the school.
§ Developing and presenting a coherent, understandable and accurate account of the school’s performance to a range of audiences including directors, parents and carers.
§ Reflecting on personal contribution to school achievements and take account of feedback from others.
9 Strengthening Community
9.1 In a Catholic school there is a special relationship with the parish and the church, as well as the local community with its distinctive social context.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Building a school culture and curriculum, based on Gospel values and the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, which takes account of the richness and diversity of the school’s communities.
§ Building a relationship with the local church and parish communities, seeing participation in the celebration of the Eucharist as a crucial point of reference and stability.
§ 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 and promote commitment to serving the common good and communion with the wider-world.
§ Ensuring a range of community-based learning experiences.
§ Collaborating with other agencies in providing for the academic, religious, spiritual, moral, social, emotional and cultural well-being of pupils and their families.
§ Creating and maintaining an effective partnership with parents and carers, as the prime educators, to support and improve pupils’ growth in the knowledge and love of God and neighbour, their achievement and personal development.
§ Seeking opportunities to invite parents and carers, the parish, community figures, businesses or other organisations into the school to enhance and enrich the school as a faith community 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.
10 Safeguarding Children & Safer Recruitment
10.1 This school 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.
Actions
The vice principal should support the principal in ensuring that:
• The policies and procedures adopted by the governors 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, including taking part in strategy discussions and other inter-agency meetings, and contributing in the assessment of children.
• All staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice in regard to children, and such concerns are addressed sensitively and effectively in a timely manner in accordance with agreed disclosure policy.
11 Special Educational Needs Coordination
11.1 The vice principal will be integral in enabling the school to meet its duties and obligations to provide a high-quality education to all its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities through the role of SENCO.
Actions
The vice principal will:
§ Set up systems for screening pupils at “point of entry” identifying, assessing and reviewing provision for SEND children once identified.
§ Lead annual review meetings for children with Education Health Care Plans to review progress, set new targets and determine strategies to improve attainment.
§ Be available at parent evening consultations to meet with parents who have any queries or concerns related to special educational needs and/or attendance.
§ Complete an annual action plan for SEND and regularly review its impact including undertaking regular updates based on pupil progress assessments.
§ Ensure early identification and assessment of pupils with additional needs through regular data analysis and staff collaboration
§ Provide tailored guidance and professional development to teachers to embed inclusive teaching practices.
§ Maintain and update SEND policies and procedures in line with statutory requirements and best practices.
Work in collaboration with SENCos across Lumen Christi Catholic Multi Academy
[1] In order to avoid confusion between the ‘Multi-academy Company and the individual academies that make up the company, the term school is used throughout to describe the individual institution.
[2] While the term vice principal is used in the academy, the directors have adopted the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions document which uses the term ‘deputy headteacher’ to describe this role.
[3] The term ‘governors’ is used to describe all those involved in the governance of the school – the board of directors and the local academy committee representatives.
Commitment to safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to satisfactory references, which will be requested prior to interview, an enhanced DBS check, online searches, medical, evidence of qualifications plus verification of the Right to Work (RTW) in the UK. Please review our Safeguarding Policy on the school website: www.stpaulrc.bham.sch.uk
The Board of Directors of Lumen Christi Catholic Multi Academy and the School Standards Committee of St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Birmingham, are seeking to appoint a dynamic Vice Principal who can support and monitor progress towards the achievement of the school’s mission, aims and objectives, and lead on the appropriate provision for children with special needs as SENCO.
St Paul’s is a successful one-form entry primary school in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham. The school’s last Ofsted Inspection stated that “Pupils enjoy coming to school because leaders and staff have created a caring environment. Caring for each other and growing in self-esteem are key aims of the school.”
We are seeking a Vice Principal who:
• is a practising Catholic with a clear understanding of Catholic education and the vision and ability to further develop the outstanding Catholic life of the school
• is an experienced SENCO or willing to undertake the National qualification for SENCOs within two years
• demonstrates initiative and can drive improvement
• has a clear focus on supporting improvement for each and every one of our children
• is able to foster and continuously build good relationships with all members of the school community
• has a proven track record of successfully managing and motivating a school team
• is skilled at ensuring staff and children reach their full potential
• will be passionately committed to safeguarding and the welfare and wellbeing of children and staff
• has successful experience as a senior leader
• is able to lead, motivate and inspire staff, with a clear vision for the future direction of the school
• puts children at the heart of all they do
• is resilient, positive and professional at all times
• has a proven track record in a Catholic school and can demonstrate proven contribution to success in a similar role
What the school offers its staff
In return we are offering an exciting opportunity to lead and work with:
• a caring and positive environment inspired by our strong Catholic ethos
• happy, well behaved, respectful pupils who have a thirst for learning and are a delight to teach
• a community which cares about the journey of education and who work with the school to engage our children and work in partnership
• a welcoming, friendly, hard-working, and talented team of staff whom, at all levels, are dedicated to making a difference to the children in their care
• a supportive academy and the provision of services through a central team to all schools
In addition, this position will give the successful candidate the opportunity to:
• work with engaged learners and a strong staffing team, supported by Lumen Christi’s Shared Services
• influence the development and ongoing journey of our school and Multi Academy Company, providing scope to develop your own talents and expertise
• benefit from our commitment to your continuing professional and personal development.
Further details about the role
Job Description
St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School
Vice Principal Job Description
Indicative Salary Range (ISR) L9-L13
Responsible to: The Principal
1 Introduction
1.1 This appointment is with the directors of the academy under the terms of the Catholic Education Service contract signed with the directors as employers. The directors will appoint a practising Catholic who, by personal example and professional leadership, will ensure that the Catholic ethos, rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, permeates all aspects of the life of the school[1].
1.2 The appointment is subject to the current conditions of service for deputy headteachers[2] contained in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions document and other current education and employment legislation.
1.3 This job description may be amended at any time, following consultation between the principal and the vice Principal and will be reviewed annually.
2 Core Purpose of the Vice Principal
2.1 To set the context, the core purpose of the principal is to provide professional leadership and management for a school. This will promote a secure foundation from which to achieve high standards in all areas of the school’s work. To gain this success a principal must establish high quality education by effectively managing teaching and learning and using personalised learning to realise the potential of all pupils. Principals must establish a culture that promotes excellence, equality and high expectations of all pupils.
2.2 The core purpose of the Vice Principal is to support the principal in ensuring that:
§ the school is conducted as a Catholic school in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church and Canon Law, and in accordance with the Trust Deed of the Archdiocese of Birmingham;
§ religious education is in accordance with the teachings, doctrines, discipline and general and particular norms of the Catholic Church;
§ religious worship is in accordance with the rites, practices, discipline and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church;
§ the school provides high quality teaching and learning that leads to successful outcomes for pupils in terms of spiritual and moral growth, achievement, attitudes to learning, behaviour and personal development;
§ the school will promote and safeguard the welfare of all children, enabling every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to: be healthy; stay safe; enjoy and achieve; make a positive contribution; achieve economic well-being; recognise their own dignity and the dignity of others as children of God;
§ all statutory requirements are met and the work of the school is effectively monitored, evaluated and reviewed.
3 General Duties and Responsibilities
3.1 To carry out the duties of the vice principal as set out in the current School Teachers’ Pay & Conditions Document.
Key Areas of Responsibility
4 Shaping the Future
4.1 The ‘preferred future’, expressed in the strategic vision and development of a Catholic school, stems from the educational mission of the Church, which is reflected in the school’s mission statement and school improvement plan.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
• Ensuring the vision for the school is clearly articulated, shared, understood and acted upon effectively by all.
• The vision must reflect its distinctive Catholic character, in accordance with the provisions of the Diocesan Trust Deed, based on what it means to be fully human as revealed in the person, life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Working within the school community to translate the vision into agreed objectives and operational plans, which will promote and sustain school improvement.
• Establishing a commitment amongst pupils, staff and parents to the school’s mission in partnership with the governors[3] and through the example of personal conviction.
• Demonstrating the vision and values in everyday work and practice. Motivating and working with others to create a shared culture and positive climate.
• Creating a distinctively Catholic ethos that is inclusive and applies Catholic values, attitudes and practices in all aspects of school life, and that life is lived explicitly and consciously in the presence of God.
• Ensuring there is planned worship, and appropriate liturgy in accordance with the rites, practices, discipline and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church.
• Ensuring creativity, innovation and the use of appropriate new technologies to achieve excellence.
• Ensuring that the strategic planning takes account of the diversity, values and experience of the school and community at large.
5 Leading Learning and Teaching
5.1 In a Catholic school the search for excellence is expressed in learning and teaching, which responds to the needs and aspirations of its pupils and acknowledges their individual worth as children of God.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
• 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.
• Securing high quality religious education for all pupils in accordance with the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church.
• Ensuring high quality Personal, Social and Health Education and Citizenship in accordance with the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church.
• Ensuring quality provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education in line with the distinctive Catholic nature, purposes and aims of the school.
• Establishing creative, responsive and effective approaches to learning and teaching.
• Creating and maintaining an effective partnership with parents to support and improving pupils' achievement and personal development and furthering the distinctive Catholic nature, purposes and aims of the school.
• Developing effective links with the parish and wider Catholic community, including local partnership arrangements, to extend the curriculum and enhance teaching and learning.
• 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 effective assessment framework.
• Taking a strategic role in the development of 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.
6 Developing Self and Working with Others
6.1 In a Catholic school the role of principal is one of leadership of a learning community rooted in faith. The principal’s leadership should take Christ as its inspiration. The principal’s management of staff should demonstrate an awareness of their unique contribution as individuals, valued and loved by God.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Treating people fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive school culture consistent with the Catholic ethos of the school and its mission.
§ Building a collaborative learning culture within the school and actively engaging with other schools to build effective learning communities.
§ Developing and maintaining effective strategies and procedures for staff induction (including understanding the nature of the school as a Catholic community), professional development and performance review.
§ Ensuring effective planning, allocation, support and evaluation of work undertaken by teams and individuals, ensuring 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 an appropriate work/life balance.
7 Managing the Organisation
7.1 In a Catholic school all deployment of staff, finance, material resources, time and energy should promote the common good of the community in accordance with the school's mission.
7.2 The vice principal helps provide effective organisation and management of the school and seeks ways of improving organisational structures and functions based on rigorous self-evaluation. The vice principal also helps deploy people and resources efficiently and effectively to secure the school’s aims and mission through meeting specific objectives in line with the school’s strategic plan and financial objectives.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Creating an organisational structure which reflects the school’s values, 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 the school and its facilities.
§ Ensuring that, within the Catholic ethos, policies and practices take account of national and local circumstances, policies and initiatives.
§ Managing the school’s financial and human resources effectively and efficiently to achieve the school’s educational goals and priorities.
§ Recruiting, retaining and deploying staff appropriately and managing their workload to achieve the vision and goals of the school, implementing successful performance management processes with all staff.
§ Managing and organising the school environment efficiently and effectively to ensure that it meets 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 school.
8 Securing accountability
8.1 In a Catholic school the principal fulfils his/her responsibilities in accordance with the mission of the school. The principal supports the governors in fulfilling its responsibilities under Canon Law to the Diocesan Trustees and in accordance with national legislation.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Fulfilling commitments arising from contractual accountability to the principal.
§ Developing the Catholic ethos so that everyone understands the mission of the school, 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 governors (providing information, objective advice and support) to enable it to meet its responsibilities, including securing the distinctive Catholic character of the school.
§ Developing and presenting a coherent, understandable and accurate account of the school’s performance to a range of audiences including directors, parents and carers.
§ Reflecting on personal contribution to school achievements and take account of feedback from others.
9 Strengthening Community
9.1 In a Catholic school there is a special relationship with the parish and the church, as well as the local community with its distinctive social context.
Actions
The vice principal supports the principal in:
§ Building a school culture and curriculum, based on Gospel values and the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, which takes account of the richness and diversity of the school’s communities.
§ Building a relationship with the local church and parish communities, seeing participation in the celebration of the Eucharist as a crucial point of reference and stability.
§ 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 and promote commitment to serving the common good and communion with the wider-world.
§ Ensuring a range of community-based learning experiences.
§ Collaborating with other agencies in providing for the academic, religious, spiritual, moral, social, emotional and cultural well-being of pupils and their families.
§ Creating and maintaining an effective partnership with parents and carers, as the prime educators, to support and improve pupils’ growth in the knowledge and love of God and neighbour, their achievement and personal development.
§ Seeking opportunities to invite parents and carers, the parish, community figures, businesses or other organisations into the school to enhance and enrich the school as a faith community 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.
10 Safeguarding Children & Safer Recruitment
10.1 This school 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.
Actions
The vice principal should support the principal in ensuring that:
• The policies and procedures adopted by the governors 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, including taking part in strategy discussions and other inter-agency meetings, and contributing in the assessment of children.
• All staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice in regard to children, and such concerns are addressed sensitively and effectively in a timely manner in accordance with agreed disclosure policy.
11 Special Educational Needs Coordination
11.1 The vice principal will be integral in enabling the school to meet its duties and obligations to provide a high-quality education to all its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities through the role of SENCO.
Actions
The vice principal will:
§ Set up systems for screening pupils at “point of entry” identifying, assessing and reviewing provision for SEND children once identified.
§ Lead annual review meetings for children with Education Health Care Plans to review progress, set new targets and determine strategies to improve attainment.
§ Be available at parent evening consultations to meet with parents who have any queries or concerns related to special educational needs and/or attendance.
§ Complete an annual action plan for SEND and regularly review its impact including undertaking regular updates based on pupil progress assessments.
§ Ensure early identification and assessment of pupils with additional needs through regular data analysis and staff collaboration
§ Provide tailored guidance and professional development to teachers to embed inclusive teaching practices.
§ Maintain and update SEND policies and procedures in line with statutory requirements and best practices.
Work in collaboration with SENCos across Lumen Christi Catholic Multi Academy
[1] In order to avoid confusion between the ‘Multi-academy Company and the individual academies that make up the company, the term school is used throughout to describe the individual institution.
[2] While the term vice principal is used in the academy, the directors have adopted the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions document which uses the term ‘deputy headteacher’ to describe this role.
[3] The term ‘governors’ is used to describe all those involved in the governance of the school – the board of directors and the local academy committee representatives.
Commitment to safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to satisfactory references, which will be requested prior to interview, an enhanced DBS check, online searches, medical, evidence of qualifications plus verification of the Right to Work (RTW) in the UK. Please review our Safeguarding Policy on the school website: www.stpaulrc.bham.sch.uk