Army - Defence Children Services (DCS) Headteacher, Queen Victoria School, Dunblane
Ministry of Defence
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 25th September 2024
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About the job
Job summary
If you are an inspiring leader for others, a current or aspiring Headteacher with passion, determination, and able to promote and develop an ethos, culture and educational provision which empowers all to thrive, then this is an opportunity for you!
Queen Victoria School (QVS), Dunblane is part of Defence Children Services (DCS) which is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) delivery organisation, subordinated under Army Regional Command. HQ DCS is UK based at Trenchard Lines, Upavon and has forward deployed staff all over the world. DCS is responsible for the education and care of children of accompanied Service and Defence entitled personnel in MOD schools and settings; providing advice and guidance in respect of education for service families in the United Kingdom and wider world.
DCS are committed to Educate the Child – Support the Family – Defend the Nation.
Founded in 1908, QVS provides stability and continuity of education, within the Scottish system, for the children of UK Armed Forces personnel. Service personnel who are Scottish, or who have served in Scotland, or who have been part of a Scottish regiment are given priority. Fully boarding, co-educational and tri-service (for Army, Navy and RAF children), the School educates a maximum of 280 pupils from the ages of 10/11 up to 18. Children are at the heart of all we do at QVS.
We are looking for a dynamic, passionate, and caring individual, for whom our values and ethos resonate, to become Headteacher in our vibrant and highly respected Boarding school. We are seeking to appoint for August 2025.
Standards are already high at QVS, as evidenced by the recent (May 2023) HMIE report, in which we were judged to be ‘Very Good’ across all assessed Quality Indicators. The school and community need an inspiring Head Teacher who will work in partnership with His Majesty’s Commissioners, staff, parents and all members of the school community to ensure the needs of the service children continue to be met. We strive for continuous improvement in all that we offer.
QVS has rich traditions of Sporting and Ceremonial Excellence and has always provided a high-quality boarding experience alongside a modern and innovative learning community. The Headteacher will be empowered to strike the right balance between those traditions and more modern aspects of Scottish Education.
The MOD employs over 50,000 Civil Servants with the Army employing around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants across over 300 locations.
Job description
The Headteacher position is a key leadership role within school, leading change, assessing progress and bringing children, staff, parents on the journey of continual school improvement.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Strategic direction and development
To work with DCS and HMC to develop a strategic view for the school and analyse and plan for the future needs and further development of the school within the local, Scottish and MOD context:
B. Leading teaching and learning, meeting the expectations of Education Scotland
To ensure that all pupils receive an outstanding Scottish education through a programme designed to promote a stimulating and healthy learning environment.
C. Providing a unique thriving boarding environment, meeting the statutory expectations of the Care Inspectorate in Scotland.
To maximise the contribution of staff to maintain high quality pastoral support to students and ensure that appropriate supportive relationships are formed between staff and pupils and to work such hours as shall be necessary properly to discharge the Headteacher's duties and to be part of a duty rota to provide support to House staff on a continuous basis during term time.
D. Leading and managing staff
To maximise the contribution of staff to improve the quality of education provided and standards achieved.
E. Safe, efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources
To work with DCS, HMC and senior colleagues to recruit staff of the highest quality and to work with senior colleagues to deploy and develop all staff effectively in order to improve the quality of education provided;
F. Quality Assurance
To meet all requirements of Education Scotland, The Care Inspectorate and DCS, while also ensuring every young person is provided with exceptional levels of support and challenge throughout their time at QVS.
G. Strengthening Community
To be able to build within the school a culture and curriculum which celebrates the richness and diversity of the school community.
H. Safeguarding Children
To be responsible for the safeguarding and child protection of all students at QVS, in tandem with the SLT and House teams.
If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com
Person specification
The following experience, skills, and qualifications are essential criteria for the role:
- Has attained the Standard for Headship via ‘Into Headship’ or other pathway (SQH, NPQH etc).
- Currently in a senior leadership role within a Secondary school with a proven ability to lead outstanding teaching, learning and/or pastoral care, including:
- Evidence of strategies for raising achievement and achieving excellence.
- Successful senior leadership that supports, motivates, challenges and develops students and staff.
- Evidence of supporting the provision of pastoral care within a school environment.
3. Be registered with the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS).
4. Evidence of strategic leadership including:
- Contributing to the strategic direction and development of the school.
- An understanding of what makes an excellent school under the ‘How Good is Our School’ (HGIOS) framework.
- Strategic financial planning, budgetary management and principles of best value for money.
- Leading change
- Creativity and innovation
5. Experience of leading and managing staff so that teams and individuals perform to their best.
6. Experience of managing performance of staff and understanding the relationship between Continuous Professional Development and sustained school improvement
7. Knowledge and understanding of successful systems to monitor and evaluate a school’s performance
8. Excellent skills of collaboration and networking for the benefit of pupils. Practical knowledge and understanding of working productively with others.
9. Evidence of strong personal/professional skills including:
- The ability to lead, inspire, challenge and empower teams/individuals to perform outstandingly.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to adapt your style to a range of audiences.
- Emotional resilience in working through challenges
10. Experience of contributing to the development of an extra-curricular programme that would support pupils within a boarding environment.
Qualifications
Evidence of qualification will be required at interview.
All qualifications/licences declared must be held at point of application and if applicable be in date. Equivalent Qualifications will not be accepted.
Memberships
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Developing Self and Others
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Leadership
Benefits
As a QVS employee you will become a MOD Civil Servant. You will also be a member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). As such, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies and prides itself on being a supportive employer.
Other benefits for QVS/MOD Civil Servants and members of the GTCS include:
- Highly competitive salary (SNCT scale), SPPA pension scheme and other wider MOD benefits.
- Personal and professional development opportunities.
- Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
- On campus car parking.
- Access to excellent sports facilities, including a multi-gym.
- Very favourable teacher/pupil ratio.
The remuneration and accommodation arrangements are currently under review but will be discussed with candidates invited to interview.
Discover My Benefits:
Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/
This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
At sift you will be assessed on:
Knowledge, skills and experience of the essential criteria detailed in the Personal Statement and qualifications.
Career History
Please provide details of your career history, including Schools you have worked in, age range of pupils, what curriculum was delivered, role and responsibilities.
Personal Statement
Please outline how you meet the essential and desirable skills and experience of this vacancy and why you are best suited to become the Headteacher, Queen Victoria School. The word limit for your personal statement is 1250 words.
If a large number of suitable candidates apply then the panel may hold an initial interview via Teams. Those successful at this stage will progress to formal interviews which will be held at QVS at a date to be confirmed. At the formal interview stage candidates will be expected to undertake a range of activities which will be explained prior to interview.
At interview you will be assessed against the above along with the following:
Civil Service Behaviours: Leadership, Working Together, Developing Self and Others.
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Andy Yeoman, Chief Education Officer
- Email : Andy.Yeoman@modschools.org
Recruitment team
- Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam1@mod.gov.uk
Further information
