DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning is responsible for ensuring the highest quality of learning, teaching and assessment occurs across the college with academic support provided to English and Maths. The Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning will be responsible for up to four direct reports and will be a valuable member of the college’s management team (CMT).

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

• To have a degree at grade 2:2 as a minimum
• To have a teaching qualification at level 5
• To have Literacy and Numeracy qualifications at level 2 minimum (or GCSE grade C/level 4 or higher)
• To be a highly competent user of I.T, with knowledge of MIS systems, preferably but not exclusively Databridge®
• To have internal assessor and verifier qualifications and experience of the assessor and verification process; to have experience of verification and scheme accreditation
• To have a range of excellent leadership qualities and be an excellent collaborator that brings about improvements
• To provide excellent staff management to promote positive working attitudes
• To be an excellent communicator with a diverse range of stakeholders
• To be able to contribute and collaborate effectively and professionally within a team environment
• To be proactive, enthusiastic, self-motivated, and have the ability to enthuse and motivate others to achieve excellence
• To have at least four years leadership and management experience of a diverse curriculum offer and staffing in a College setting, preferably in specialist education.
• To have teaching experience in the educational planning, managing and delivering of teaching, learning and assessment
• To have a proven track record of student achievement
• To provide evidence of successful improvement of student achievement over time
• To have experience of timetabling for a complex curriculum area
• To have knowledge of current developments in qualifications, including RARPA options, study programmes and curriculum in a range of areas
• Have significant experience of carrying out educational assessments of need and report writing around judgements/outcomes for a broad academic range of levels
• To be able to contribute to, embrace and enable others in effective change management
• To act with integrity and respect at all times
• To show a high level of professional presentation suitable for the level of this post

WHY WORK AT QUEEN ALEXANDRA CHARITY BIRMINGHAM

Join our team at Queen Alexandra College!
Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of students with special educational needs? Do you thrive in an inclusive and supportive academic environment? If so, we want YOU to join our team. QAC has just gone through an exciting rebrand, dealt with a period of swift growth and academic improvement and this is your opportunity to become part of a vibrant College that is moving forward and making a real difference to the lives and futures of our students.
The newly structured Queen Alexandra Charity Birmingham offers you the chance to have a positive impact as you join a committed group of colleagues in ensuring that all students achieve their aims and aspirations. We are dedicated to providing exceptional education and support to students with diverse learning needs and life experiences. Our specialist setting fosters an inclusive community where every student is valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
QAC offers a vibrant, varied and enriching educational experience for both residential and day students. Our curriculum aims to maximise adult life, independence and work opportunities for all students. Class sizes are designed to meet specific needs and support levels are high.

Joining our supportive team, you will have the opportunity to:

• Work closely with students with SEN to achieve their goals
• Make a difference to the educational experience of young people
• Be a voice for students and staff in specialist education
• Foster a positive and inclusive learning environment, promoting academic growth, self-development and self-confidence
• Develop your own skills, aspirations and progress your career.

Our benefits include;
Schedule 1 Benefits (reviewed annually and/or as appropriate)
Academic Year 2024/25

• Access to on site car parking
• Use of QAC Fitness Centre (subject to opening hours)
• Cycle to Work Scheme (Salary Sacrifice)
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme Helpline (BHSF)
• Access to Education Support Free Helpline for Teachers & Education Staff
• QAC Mental Health First Aiders & activities to support health and wellbeing
• BHSF Benefits Package including Healthcare Plans, discounted shopping/services
• Annual Flu vaccination/voucher
• Access to other benefit/discount schemes (which may be subject to charge) e.g. Blue Light Card, TOTUM (NUS), Charity Worker Discounts, Discounts for Teachers
• Dell Advantage programme - a free programme that offers savings to students, parents and all staff at QAC - up to 20% off. https://www.dell.com/en-uk/lp/dell-advantage
• Health and Wellbeing Services (Occupational Health/Counselling)
• Free Tea/Coffee and Staff Room facilities
• Dining Room facilities with hot/cold food (free meal provided for those supporting students at mealtimes)
• Additional discretionary concessionary/closure days as part of leave entitlement (including closure over Christmas/New Year period)
• Reward and Recognition Policy – Living the Values Awards (team & individual) and long service
• Enhanced/Occupational paid leave e.g. maternity/paternity (subject to qualifying criteria)
• Occupational sick pay (based on length of service)
• On site wellbeing activities (e.g. yoga, meditation)
• Support for training/ CPD (either by way of study leave and/or funding)
• Flexible working arrangements including Flexible Working Policy Agreements, Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) in prior agreement with line manager.

This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to review and/or change.
We look forward to receiving your application and knowing more about your qualifications, skills,
personal qualities and experience that you would bring to the role and to QAC. Please take time to
review the job description above.
Please upload a CV/Resume* with details of your full employment history (since leaving school,
including education, employment and voluntary work) including reasons for any gaps in
employment. This should also include a statement of the personal qualities and experience you
believe are relevant to your suitability for the post and how this meets the job description and
person specification requirements. Your CV/Resume* will be re-produced in a standard format by
the system (without personal identifiers) to assist us in our anonymised shortlisting process.
Under Section 7 of SVGA 2006 it is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from
engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. The College’s Safeguarding Policies are
available here
As part of our commitment to safer recruitment, and in line with updated guidance published in
September 2022, we will carry out an online search of all shortlisted candidates. This search may
enable us to identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and publicly available for review
online, which we may wish to explore with you in further detail during the interview process. As part
of your application we have asked you to provide the account names, usernames and/or handles for
any social media platform that you use, as well as the names of any websites that you own, post on,
or contribute to. A Google search will also be conducted. These checks will only be conducted if you
are shortlisted for interview. Please see our safer recruitment and selection policy for further
information.

• Provide high quality leadership, line management and communication for the college’s curriculum areas. These areas are:
  Vocational (Voc)
  Learning, Employment and Progression (LEAP)

Preparation for Life & Springboard (PfL & SB)

• To lead on the whole college curriculum, ensuring that curriculum areas are planned, recorded, monitored and impact assessed to meet the student needs, college directive and MIS systems ensuring that schemes, lesson plans, assessments, marking arrangements, reviews and reports are completed in line with the quality cycle.
• Be an effective lead in the continuous quality improvement of the teaching and learning experience and effectively collaborate with all other Assistant Principals and the Deputy Principal.
• Ensure the curriculum teams provide engaging and aspirational teaching and learning experiences that result in high achievement and purposeful progression and opportunities for students.
• Provide high quality, meaningful reports on the college curriculum development to the Deputy Principal, CMT and to governance meetings as required (Student Services, Curriculum and Quality and Board of Governors).
• Be an experienced member of the college observation team, providing appropriate observations, records, feedback and attend validation meetings in strategies and practices, including internal and external verification systems, marking schemes and liaisons with awarding bodies and their representatives.
• Develop innovative curriculum, in liaison with curriculum managers and teams
• Lead the curriculum input for admissions panels, course alignment and timetable planning
• Liaise with senior colleagues for most efficient use of resources, including timetabling, staff utilisation and work placements
• Produce and present effective reports for addressing college priorities and strategic aims.
• Direct and support the curriculum areas to ensure the timely and constructive production of Self-Assessments Reports and Quality Improvement Plans in line with the college’s quality improvement and assurance cycle timeframe.
• Lead the development of staff as required ensuring the wider educational needs of students are being met, including utilisation of PSP’s within curriculum and chairing of annual reviews.
• Liaise with all relevant external stakeholders to ensure the educational and support requirements of students are maintained at the highest level
• Maintain relevant levels of knowledge and understanding linked to the college curriculum provision and ensure that developments and knowledge is shared effectively across the curriculum team.
• Participate in staff training and development as required within the college’s priorities and provision needs. Ensure specialism(s) is (are) maintained in line with student need and college strategy.
• Liaise closely with the Marketing Team to promote QAC as a provider of choice to stakeholders.
• Contribute to the preparations for Ofsted, LA, ESFA and other external and internal FE reviews and audits and engage in the development of others
• Promote the college’s visions, mission, values and purpose through effective coordination of staff; being an appropriate role model for working relationships, behaviours and personal presentation and adopting the college’s policies, procedures and working practices in day-to-day activities
• Contribute to other duties as are commensurate with the status and nature of the post in line with observation policy.
• Attend ongoing observation team training as requested.
• Develop & deliver aspirational continuing professional development to delivery teams in response to identified needs, priorities and college strategy.
• Work collaboratively with support teams to ensure an outstanding student experience, whilst taking responsibility for the professional development and management of tutors.
• Lead the development of staff as required ensuring the wider educational needs of students are being met, including utilisation of PSP’s within curriculum
• Provide professional challenge and contributions to the assessment and panel process.
• Ensure the continued development and offer of innovative study programmes/ curriculum within the specialist sector that meets the needs of employers, our students and funding requirements.
• Ensure that curriculum areas and their managers have support, with effective assessment

The above list is not exhaustive, but is indicative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the work to be undertaken. The responsibilities and duties may vary from time to time without changing the nature of the post. The post holder will be expected to adopt a flexible approach to enable the efficient and effective running of the College.