Vice Principal of Grades 11 and 12

Roles & Responsibilities

UWCSEA Dover has a vacancy for August 2024, January 2025 or August 2025 for a High School Vice Principal of Grades 11 and 12 (Student Welfare and Wellbeing). This role works in close partnership with the High School Leadership Team, which includes the Principal, Vice Principal-Curriculum, Vice Principal of Grades 9 and 10 (Welfare and Wellbeing) and Vice Principal/IBDP Coordinator. As a member of the High School Leadership team, the Vice Principal for Grades 11 and 12 works closely with Heads of Grades, mentors and teachers to ensure student welfare and wellbeing stays at the heart of decision-making. The successful candidate will be a Designated Safeguarding Lead in the High School. A teaching commitment in the High School will be a part of the role.

The High School Vice Principal participates as a member of the K-12 Dover Leadership Team (DLT) which ensures strong relationships, aligned strategic thinking and effective collaboration with the Primary and Middle Schools and boarding community.

It is critical that the High School Vice Principal of Grades 11 and 12 (Welfare and Wellbeing) fosters strong working relationships with staff, students, and parents. This role is to lead and inspire a talented team of pastoral leaders and a dedicated and passionate faculty in line with the College’s Mission.

The High School Team is a motivated group and peer engagement is enabled by a commitment to a coaching philosophy and an explicit iteration of how effective teams communicate and grow. The successful applicant will play an important part in the promotion of a culture of professional learning.

Main Responsibilities

Leadership for Learning

• Playing a full and active part in the High School Leadership Team and the Dover Leadership Team.
• Supporting the UWCSEA Mission and values in words and actions and helping to generate a positive, safe, caring and creative atmosphere amongst students and staff in High School.
• Contributing to the strategic development plan for the High School and monitoring effective implementation of the plan.
• Ensuring a positive, solution and future-focused culture within High School by supporting the building of a sense of collective responsibility and efficacy.
• Modelling diversity, equity, inclusion through actions and words.
• Leading the Personal and Social Education curriculum in collaboration with the Vice Principal for Grades 9 and 10, the Heads of Grade and Head of PSE.
• Oversight & monitoring of welfare cases in Grades 11 and 12 in line with College procedures and practices, and proactively using data on student wellbeing and welfare in strategic planning.
• Leading safeguarding in Grades 11 and 12, which involves maintaining accurate records on CPOMS (safeguarding database), monitoring cases and tracking/analysing safeguarding data in collaboration with counseling and the High School Leadership Team.
• Working closely with the Vice Principal for Grades 9 and 10, the Counseling team, Head of Learning Support, School Clinic and Heads of Grades and High School Leadership Team to ensure a holistic and proactive approach to student welfare and wellbeing.
• Driving and modeling innovative approaches to student welfare and wellbeing, pedagogy, and professional learning, and monitor innovations in this area.
• Ensuring that the Heads of Grades, mentors and teaching staff provide an effective, caring and stimulating environment where everybody takes responsibility for students feeling safe, secure, and appropriately challenged.
• Engaging with parents across a range of formats, including 1:1 meetings, workshops, coffee mornings and co-facilitating Principal’s forums as required.
• Oversight and mentoring Grade Secretaries for Grades 11 and 12.
• Fostering student voice and leadership.
• Working closely with admissions, boarding house and Heads of Grades on the transition of our national committee students.

Staff Recruitment

• Working in conjunction with the High School Principal to identify vacancies and staffing needs within High School and leading and participating in the selection and interview process as appropriate.
• Supporting the onboarding and orientation for new High School staff.

Professional Development

• Building the capacity of the student welfare and wellbeing team in the High School through facilitating and supporting effective professional learning and coaching conversations.
• Working with the Principal to ensure that there is continuous professional learning for teachers within the areas identified within the College, Campus and High School strategic plans.
• Organising and planning in-service training events within the High School and collaborating with other members of DLT for appropriate whole school development.

Leading others

• Mentoring and monitoring of areas of line management (determined by the High School Leadership Team based on areas of expertise).
• Mentoring and monitoring the Heads of Grade progress towards relevant targets at personal and school level.
• Encouraging the discovery and implementation of innovative practices by Heads of Grade.
• Leading Head of Grade meetings and related professional learning.
• Leading the use of data within an enquiry model to promote reflection on the delivery of the learning programme and informing appropriate action within and across grades.
• Managing ongoing challenges and ensuring that a proactive approach is taken by the welfare and wellbeing team.

Logistical

• Ensuring CIMS (student database) is used effectively within the High School to support student learning and proactively identify areas of development.
• Ensuring accurate records of student wellbeing, welfare and safeguarding issues.
• Oversight and approval of local trips and events in Grades 11 and 12.
• Contributing to the compilation of the Academic Calendar.
• Leading the event planning for the Grade 12 Graduation and Leavers Day..
• Contributing to the organisation of High School assemblies, trips and events as required.
• Co-leading the project week organisation with the Project Week coordinator and the HS Principal.

This list is not exhaustive and includes all other tasks as reasonably directed by the Principal and Head of Campus

Expectations and Standards

• Follow the UWCSEA Professional Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Code of Conduct
• Lead in line with the UWCSEA Leadership Standards
• Teach in line with the UWCSEA Teacher Standards

Person Specifications

• A degree and professional teaching qualification is essential; a higher degree desirable
• Experience of middle/senior leadership, ideally in an international environment
• Experience with leading student wellbeing, welfare and safeguarding
• Exhibit a high degree of calmness and resilience in challenging situations, and an evidence-based approach to safeguarding cases
• Ability to bring people together to foster a culture of the “team around the child”
• Fluency in English and excellent communication skills: written, spoken and in presentations
• Outstanding interpersonal skills: a good listener with a collaborative leadership style
• Deep understanding of student wellbeing, welfare and safeguarding
• Honesty, integrity, compassion, and a good sense of humour
• Ability to develop a sense of community and generate trust with all constituent groups
• Strong organisational and proven problem-solving skills
• Proven ability to develop and lead talented staff and high achieving students
• Ability to utilise strategic systems thinking
• Intercultural competency and advocacy for diversity, equity and inclusion
• Understanding of the principles of complex organisational culture and behaviour, including team dynamics and operational leadership
• Advocate of technology as a tool to provide voice, choice, and autonomy in student learning
• Knowledge of instructional supervision, evaluation and development
• An understanding of budgetary processes and financial management within a school
• Eagerness to participate in the five key elements of a UWCSEA education: Academic; Personal and Social Education; Service; Activities; Outdoor Education
• Enthusiastic participation in Professional Learning, both that which is required by the College and that which is identified by the individual for professional growth

Application

The UWC Mission is to make education a force to unite people, nations and culture for peace and a sustainable future. We are committed to creating a community in which all members feel safe and secure, and know that their authentic selves and individual differences are accepted with respect and care. At UWCSEA, we acknowledge that diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) is an ongoing and evolving process and strive to create and sustain a sense of belonging for all members of our community, past, present and future. All qualified applicants, including those who identify as a part of marginalized group(s) and individuals with (dis)abilities are all encouraged to apply. Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices and all appointments are subject to interview, satisfactory references, identity and criminal record checks.

Tell employers what skills you have

Coaching
Excellent Communication Skills
Mentoring
Strategic Planning
Leadership
Autonomy
Modeling
Teaching
Financial Management
Dynamics
Systems Thinking
Counseling
Event Planning
Advocacy
Advocate
Wellbeing

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