Description

Lighthouse is a dynamic workplace. This description of the roles and responsibilities of any post is illustrative and may not be exhaustive.  Lighthouse supports a team environment. Therefore, although this list broadly describes the post’s duties, it is expected that every employee will be willing to help with other tasks whether asked or not.

The Head of Primary’s role is integral to the Strategic Plan and areas of the job description are aligned with it.

Leadership Tier: Executive Leadership Team (ELT)

Reports To: Principal

Direct Reports: Middle leadership team.

Position Purpose
The Head of Primary is a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and carries delegated executive responsibility for the strategic, educational, operational, pastoral, and spiritual leadership of the Primary School (Reception–Grade 6).

Operating under the authority and direction of the Principal, the Head of Primary leads the Primary division while contributing to the overall leadership, growth, and flourishing of the whole school.

The Head of Primary serves as the senior educational leader for Primary and contributes actively to whole-school decision-making, culture, organisational development, financial stewardship, leadership development, enrolment sustainability, and long-term strategic direction.

This role exists to ensure that the Primary School flourishes as part of a unified Reception to Grade 13 Christian-learning community that develops young people of character, faith, wisdom and influence.

Decision-Making Authority
The Head of Primary has authority to independently manage the daily operations of Lighthouse Primary School (LPS); however, the Principal retains ultimate responsibility for the Primary School and approval authority for decisions affecting the school's strategic direction, finances, staffing, reputation, compliance, or long-term operations. 

Role description
As a member of Executive Leadership, the Head of Primary is entrusted with executive leadership responsibility for shaping people, strengthening culture, advancing educational excellence and stewarding the mission of the school. S/he will:

• Provide Spiritual Leadership, modelling Christian Character and servant leadership and will lead with biblical values.
• Contribute to developing a culture of excellence and belonging, fostering trust and healthy relationships,and promoting restoration and reconciliation.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a broad and well planned curriculum. One that is appropriate to the range of student abilities. To additionally put in place improvements designed to improve the quality of the primary curriculum.
• Maintain international benchmarking standards - attend conferences, seminars and workshops in education and or educational administration at the direction of the Principal.
• Give careful consideration to the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the delivery of the student outcomes and report findings to the board as required.
• Oversee the professional development programmes for members of teaching staff on the Primary campus ensuring that training needs are planned for and met and standards improved.
• Ensure the overall effectiveness of LPS to maintain and improve standards of teaching and learning across the LPS campus.
• Lead the LPS process of developing staff classroom competencies and effectiveness by overseeing the observation, evaluation, mentoring and support of staff members.
• Oversee the process of data collection, analysis and interrogation, ensuring that the data collected is used to inform teachers' planning and students academic benchmarking/future targets.
• Develop people and leadership capacity in the LPS teaching team.
• Advise the Principal on future staffing priorities, making informed recommendations for employment of additional staff. To actively engage with the process, identifying, interviewing and appointing new members of the staff team in line with Lighthouse Policies and Process
• Working with P&T lead, ensure timely annual appraisals for all LPS employees, and work to positively address issues of unsatisfactory performance by teachers, supporting a capability process while also identifying high performers and supporting their professional growth
• Identify emerging leaders and develop succession pathways.
• Lead all aspects of student wellbeing, including ensuring systems that promote students flourishing.
• Ensure safeguarding compliance, maintain a strong safeguarding culture and liaise with relevant agencies where required.
• Contribute to OPERATIONS, FINANCE & STEWARDSHIP  by aligning with school policies, registration requirements and adherence to the budget
• Provide input into the annual Primary budget (for approval by the Board) to oversee authorisation of teaching staff requests for resources, teaching materials and equipment within the approved budget.
• Act as a visible representative of the school and is expected to maintain regular and effective communication with staff, parents and students, the board and other stakeholders as required.
• Support community engagement through partnership building with churches, educational networks, community organisations, and parents
• Participate in senior leadership and other administrative team meetings and actively facilitate efficient and effective administration of the school under the direction of the Principal. 

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education
• Recognised teaching qualification.
• Minimum 8 years successful teaching experience.
• Minimum 5 years leadership experience in a Primary School setting.
• Experience with British International Curriculum.
• Demonstrated Christian leadership.

Preferred:

• Master’s Degree in Education or Leadership.
• IPC experience.
• Safeguarding leadership training international school experience.
• Experience in multicultural environments.