Vice Principal

Job Description

The team of Vice Principals supports the Principal in providing educational leadership in the school and community by promoting and implementing the school’s mission and aims.  Their prime responsibility is leading and motivating staff in those specific areas of school management which have been delegated by the Principal.  Strategic planning, team-building, monitoring and evaluation, and operational effectiveness are key elements in the role, ensuring high quality educational outcomes.

Key accountabilities

All Vice Principals are expected to further the aims and values of Island School fulfilling the following leadership responsibilities:-

• Developing and articulating a shared vision and strategic development plan for the school and leading colleagues in achieving this.
• Creating an atmosphere of mutual trust where collaboration, discussion, debate and teamwork are promoted within the school.
• Modeling exemplary professional practice.
• Contributing to the creation of a learning community, fostering a spirit of inquiry, innovation, professional learning and reflection.
• Promoting high standards and expectations through supporting performance management, mentoring and professional development opportunities.
• Leading on aspects of teaching and learning across the school, in collaboration with other Vice Principals, Heads of Curriculum Areas and Heads of Houses, to include the development and implementation of school policy; monitoring and evaluation the quality of teaching and learning; the use of assessment data; sharing good practice between staff and departments; the promotion of independent learning; research skills and student – centred learning.
• Developing and promoting the unique aspects that give Island School its unique and distinctive personality including the central importance of the House system, curriculum initiatives such as Island Futures and Island Time, all aspects of co-curricular life and an educational ethos that promotes academic excellence, student responsibility, individuality and fun.
• Promoting the image of the school as part of the ESF community.
• Contribution across the Foundation which enriches the learning community, measured by involvement in innovation networks and initiatives.
• Accountable to the Principal and the School Council.

Key responsibilities

The key roles of the Vice Principals are shared among the Senior Leadership Team. The distribution of these roles may change from time to time, and so any Vice Principal needs to be able to take on any combination of them.

In broad terms this team provides leadership and support in all areas of school life including teaching and learning, educational planning, guidance, student services, budgets, community life, co-curricular programmes and day to day running of the school. Each Vice Principal will be linked to a House and to a Curriculum area.

Person specification (for all Vice Principal positions)

• A good teacher with very good interpersonal relationships with students and staff.
• Committed to the highest expectations of students and their learning.
• Previous school leadership experience.
• Articulates a vision of what education should be for students in an international context in the twenty first century.
• Able to inspire and motivate staff.
• Committed to school improvement and to the processes of school self-review.
• Holds a strategic view of how to effect and manage change.
• High personal standards of meeting expectations and enormous drive and enthusiasm.
• Able to communicate effectively.
• Able to use data appropriately.
• Able to develop coherent, well-motivated, effective and efficient teams.
• Able to do the hard thing when necessary.
• Able to coach colleagues.
• Committed to CPD.
• Able to work with colleagues in a variety of team situations to develop collaborative solutions.