Head of School

Job Description

• To work collaboratively with the Regional Director to lead and develop Sunfield as a contemporary Rudolf Steiner school for children and young people with Autism and complex learning needs. This includes providing leadership for the school which secures its success and sustained improvement by ensuring the continued transition towards Rudolf Steiner/ Ruskin Mill Trust methods. The post holder will ensure Sunfield provides a high quality education (Good and Outstanding) for all its students and meets the highest standards of learning and achievement in accordance with statutory and Ofsted requirements whilst applying Ruskin Mill Trusts vision and methodology.• To ensure that the Ruskin Mill Trust’s paradigm of biodynamic agriculture, holistic care and support, Anthroposophical medicine and Practical Skills Therapeutic Education, which is informed by Steiner Education, is maintained, implemented and integrated within the school.• As the school is part of the collaborative provision of Ruskin Mill Trust, which consists of colleges, schools, children’s homes and residential provision, the post holder will contribute to the whole life of the School, College and residential provision. Always remembering that our core purpose is to improve the education and care of the children and young people at each provision and s/he will be required to work collaboratively with the leaders of each provision.• The post holder will lead the school team and will work with Ruskin Mill Trust to inaugurate new trainings drawn from the Ruskin Mill Trust’s Seven Fields of Practice and implement the learning, and will be required to fulfil duties commensurate with this position.• The post holder will be expected to lead a strong intention of working with the outdoor curriculum and link it in to the pre-precursors of learning.• Evening and weekend working will be required. • The post holder will be on the on-call system.CORPORATE CONTRIBUTION• The post holder will be expected to contribute to the Trust as a whole and uphold the underpinning values and philosophy of Ruskin Mill Trust at all times.• To articulate and manifest the vision and method of the Trust and Practical Skills Therapeutic Education in order to support the re-imagination of the child’s potential, shape their own future with regard to the operation and development of the Provision.Key Area of Responsibility - EDUCATION• Develop and implement an innovative curriculum that is developed out of the Ruskin Mill context of biodynamic agriculture and land-management, braiding contents and method of the Steiner Curriculum in which the festivals are fully celebrated as part of the school’s sense of belonging to ensure, where appropriate, nationally accredited qualifications.• Develop an outdoor curriculum with Trust colleagues, enabling the environment and land work to enrich sensory development.• To ensure that festivals are incorporated into the teaching and learning and planned within the curriculum. • To work and support all school staff to work effectively with children with complex needs including autism, ADHD, mental health difficulties and challenging behaviours• To take a lead on Child study’s, working closely with the HEART Coordinator, Land Manager, Care, Education and Therapy• To work with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure the establishment and centrality of the child in the Student Study as an organising principle for progress and development. • Hold and articulate clear values and moral purpose, focused on providing a world-class education for the pupils they serve in line with the Trust’s methods and the Steiner Curriculum. • Sustain wide, current knowledge and understanding of education regulations and systems locally, and nationally and pursue continuous professional development. • To comply to the Independent School Standards, ensuring that all standards are met and that all staff are working within these standards.• To support the Regional Director to communicate compellingly the school’s vision and drive the strategic leadership, empowering all pupils and staff to excel.• To work with the Head of Care to ensure the delivery of Rudolf Steiner medical/therapeutic based methods, including eurhythmy, art and massage are .available to all young people as needed.• Establish creative, responsive and effective approaches to learning enabling children with complex needs and autism to engage, enjoy and achieve• To oversee the assessment of pupils’ progress in school, maintaining an overview of assessment procedures and moderation.• Together with the Regional Director, and Director of PSTE, to oversee the evaluation of classroom practice and improvement strategies.• Celebrate excellence and challenge poor performance across the school, gaining advice and support from the Department of Human Resources as required. • To lead the creation and continual progress made on the School Evaluation Form (SEF) • To act as Ofsted Nominee on all inspections• Lead and manage teaching and learning in and beyond the classroom; evaluate and develop teachers’ performance as part of the culture of continual improvement and learning.• Monitor and evaluate data relating to academic progress with all teachers and report results and analysis to the Regional Director and Trustees • Working in partnership with the Regional Director and Head of Care, ensure that Parents, Placing Authorities and Trustees receive relevant and timely information relating to young people’s learning and progress.• Through effective collaboration with colleagues across the Trust, ensure that young people have suitable opportunities to accredit their learning and progress.• To ensure the delivery of assemblies and the SMSC and British Values curriculum across the school.