KEW COLLEGE HEAD FROM SEPTEMBER 2021 CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK - CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 5th 2020

KEW COLLEGE

                   HEAD
         FROM SEPTEMBER 2021

     CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 5th 2020

KEW COLLEGE
The Governors of Kew College are seeking to appoint a Head from September 2021, following the
retirement of the current Head, Mrs Marianne Austin, after 19 years of outstanding and dedicated
service to the school, the last 9 years as Head. This is an outstanding opportunity to lead a highly
successful West London Preparatory school, working with a committed and experienced Board of
Governors and a dedicated and highly motivated Senior Leadership team. The Governors are
seeking to build on the School’s achievements in continuing to deliver the outstanding all-round,
high quality education for which Kew College is renowned.

Kew College is a nonselective, family-orientated school for girls and boys from Nursery to Year 6.
Founded in 1927 the school has been on its current site since 1953. With 290 pupils it occupies two
Victorian buildings at the front of the site housing our Middle School, Nursery and Kindergarten
classes, an Octagon building at the rear housing our Infant classes, the Sedum building housing the
Music Dept, Science Lab and ICT rooms and the recently redeveloped and state of the art Upton
building housing the Art room and our Upper School classes. The Sedum and Upton buildings are on
a separate site a one-minute walk away.

Kew College most importantly is a happy, friendly and caring community where its children, parents
and staff are united by a shared set of values. Our academic record is outstanding, while our caring
approach and supportive atmosphere help every child to grow in confidence and find their place in
the world. Our staff work hard to ensure the potential of every pupil is fulfilled to a high level.

The successful candidate will be highly motivated and ambitious for the continuing success of school
and have an outstanding track record in a senior leadership role in either the Independent
Preparatory sector or a Junior School in the Maintained sector.

 THE ROLE

 The Head will be responsible for the successful leadership of Kew College and will have the
 support of the Governors, the Bursar, the Senior Leadership Team, all teachers and support staff.
 Working in close collaboration and cooperation with the Governing Body, the Head will contribute
 to the determination of the long-term strategy and future development plans for the School and
 be responsible for driving their implementation.

 The Head will be the clear and visible leader of the ethos and values of the School.

 Working with the Governors the Head will lead the Vision for the School. The Head will provide
 educational and pastoral leadership for all pupils and staff and must be able to inspire and sustain
 the confidence of Kew College’s parents, pupils and staff.

 The Head will be expected to lead, manage and develop all aspects of school life in accordance
 with statutory educational regulations, policies, legislation and guidance set out by the Board of
 Governors. The Head will implement an effective management structure within the staff team to
 ensure appropriate and effective delegation of school responsibilities.

 In addition to being an outstanding educational practitioner the Head must be commercially
 astute and have high levels of business acumen sufficient, working with the Bursar and the
 Governing body, to provide the stewardship required to ensure the sustained future financial
 robustness and commercial success of the School.

KEW COLLEGE
RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Educational Leadership:
 Create and develop strategies to ensure an excellent standard of teaching and learning is
   always at the heart of the School.
 Keep fully up to date with current educational best practice within the Independent and
   Maintained sectors.
 Accountable for the development of an effective and compliant curriculum and co-curriculum
   to ensure the educational development of the whole child.
 Ensure excellent pupil outcomes so that all children fulfil their academic potential.
 Demonstrate strong highly visible and collaborative leadership and inspire all staff to create
   and deliver the highest standards in all aspects of the child’s education.
 Ensure robust resourcing including strategies to ensure the retention of valued employees at
   all levels and the recruitment of the best possible staff.
 Maintain a key focus on the standards required to achieve the highest rating across all
   measures of the ISI inspection process.
 Optimise ICT and use of technology in teaching to support learning for all pupils.
 Maintain a detailed understanding of the selection and recruitment process at 11+ to be able
   to provide effective support for parents and pupils.

Pastoral Leadership:
 To be the professional role model at the heart of the School for pupils, staff and parents.
 To lead the development of and ensure compliance with the School’s safeguarding policies
    and procedures at all times, maintaining an environment that supports the safeguarding of all
    pupils and staff as a priority.
 Develop the strategies to ensure an ethos of valuing each child as an individual, creating the
    environment for them to thrive, develop independence, responsibility and an engagement
    with the world around them.
 Lead the development of the School’s pastoral support systems. Create and drive the
    implementation of the School’s Anti Bullying and Mental Health and Wellbeing policies.
 Develop an efficient leadership structure including clear and effective decision making.
    Create and be the visible leader of a management culture where communication and effective
    engagement are at the heart the leadership ethos within the School.
 Create and be the role model of an open and collaborative culture which creates high staff
    morale at all levels throughout the School
 Ensure a safe and effective working environment for all pupils and staff and compliance with
    all legal and health and safety requirements.
 Lead and manage staff in an appropriate manner offering support, encouragement, guidance
    and advice to ensure effective practice. Drive staff appraisal and development processes,
    ensuring focus on the achievement of highest standards of delivery in all aspects of school life.
    Where necessary hold staff to account with the effective handling of any disciplinary and
    grievances that may arise.
 Maintain the key focus on CPD for all staff, linked to the School Development Plan.

External and other Relationships:
 Build on the current excellent relationships with parents and ensure rewarding and effective
    communication between the School and the parent body, both individually and collectively
    are maintained, developing an inclusive dialogue to involve parents in the learning journey of
    their children within the School.

KEW COLLEGE

   Earn and maintain the respect of the parent body. Manage all relationships effectively
    including the management of difficult conversations where required. Lead by example and
    support staff at all levels in their interaction with parents.
   Promote effective marketing and admissions strategies to ensure optimum pupil numbers are
    maintained year on year. Keep abreast of competitor school activities and developments.
   Cultivate and maintain effective professional relationships with senior schools which are, or
    could be, destinations for Year 6 Kew College leavers.
   Ensure ongoing and effective relationships with relevant outside bodies including the Local
    Safeguarding Board and with professional agencies such as the IAPS. Serve as an ambassador
    for the School.
   Be aware of new opportunities to market the School and respond quickly to new trends and
    needs in the educational market.
   Demonstrate proactive involvement with professional organisations and work effectively with
    other Heads in the Independent sector to learn about and contribute to the development and
    implementation of best practice within the sector.

Administration and Finance:
 Work with the Bursar and the Governing body to ensure that effective budgets are developed
   and adhered to throughout the School.
 Working in close collaboration with the Bursar to ensure the ongoing commercial and
   financial robustness of the School.
 Support the Bursar in the identification, financing and implementation of new capital and
   refurbishment projects.
 The Head is accountable to the Governing Body for compliance with all Independent School
   Standards and for ensuring the development and implementation of all legislative
   requirements, processes and procedures in an efficient, timely and comprehensive manner.
 Maintain a coherent administrative and support structure to deal efficiently and effectively
   with all operational matters of the School.

Personal qualities

   Be of the highest integrity and honesty, displaying good judgement at all times.
   Is a well-rounded individual with an open, inclusive and motivational leadership style where
    effective collaboration is central to their management style.
   A clear strategic thinker able to manage the details, with the ability to articulate such vision to
    gain full commitment of all in the School community.
   Thrives under pressure, taking the lead and finding pragmatic solutions in complex situations.
    Calm and resilient when under pressure, clear thinking and decisive.
   Hard working and, critically, must be able to delegate efficiently and effectively.
   Have first class written and oral communication skills.
   Empathetic with the ability to inspire, motivate and support others.
   Demonstrable gravitas and charisma, energetic and engaging in front of a wide range of
    audiences.
   Optimistic with a well-developed sense of humour.
   Confident with high emotional intelligence, resilience and self-awareness.
   Willingness to have difficult conversations with the interpersonal skills necessary to manage
    these effectively whether with parents or staff.

KEW COLLEGE
 Qualifications and Experience

     Strong academic credentials including a good honours degree with qualified teacher status
      and evidenced continuing professional development; other professional qualifications could
      be useful.
     An outstanding track record of teaching and leadership in either or both Independent and
      Maintained sectors.
     Evidence of strong strategic abilities coupled with a proven ability to translate these into clear
      coherent plans.
     Demonstrable experience of engaging and building relationships with the whole School
      community, both internally and externally.
     Already a Head or well-established Deputy Head of an Independent Preparatory School or a
      Junior School in the Maintained sector.
     Strong evidence of managing complex budgets and commercial leadership with proven
      commitment to financial control.
     Excellent IT skills with an understanding of the role technology has to play in education.

Kew College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants
must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with
past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Foreign criminal policy checks will be also
required if the candidate has lived in a country other than the UK for a period of 3 months or more
since the age of 18. Our Safeguarding Policy is available on our website at www.kewcollege.com.

Kew College is an equal opportunities employer.

Salary will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate.

HOW TO APPLY:

     1. Please complete an application form to be found on our website at www.kewcollege.com
        and send to recruitment@kewcollege.com (applications must be completed in full). The
        deadline is June 5th 2020.
     2. Please also submit a typed letter of application addressed to the Chair of Governors, Mr
        David Imrie, which should be no more than two pages of A4 in length. In your letter you
        should show how your experience as an educationalist has shaped your suitability for this
        role. You should also clearly explain your future vision for Kew College and why you would
        wish to have this position.
     3. Please also submit a copy of your CV to be no more than two pages of A4 in length.
     4. Given the Covid19 social distancing requirements currently in place, first round interviews
        are likely to be held remotely in early June. Further details of this process will be sent to
        long-listed candidates prior to this interview. Visits to the School for short-listed candidates
        will be arranged subsequently if at all possible.