My Covering Letter

Covering letter

I teach and lead and lead at, Great Howarth School. It is an independent special school for pupils currently aged 7 to 18 years, who may have social, emotional and mental health difficulties, as well as a range of other needs, including ADHD or ASD, many of our pupils are LAC too.

We share and promote a vision to;

- Specialise in working with people with a range of challenges and difficulties.

- Provide specialist support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

- Provide a safe l environment.

- Provide personalised; care, programmes of learning, which include a range of qualifications.

- Engage and develop pupils through their personal strengths and interests.

- Maintain effective links with families and the community.

- Work effectively with a range of professionals to support pupils.

- Have high expectations and aspirations, which support pupils to succeed.

An exciting and rare opportunity has arisen within the Student

My teaching strengths are in ‘Education’ itself. I have both the teaching experience and knowledge of many education provisions, including Nursery [EYFS], Primary, Secondary [Mainstream and Special] Primary and Secondary PRUs, 6th Form College, FE and HE. The experiences have given me great insight into the changing, trends and issues across various sectors and how they interrelate to each, stage, phase of development of individual learners.

I have led, influenced and challenged decisions of change at a senior level as Assistant Principal/Inclusion Manager and now as Primary Lead. I have been responsible for creating and delivering a vision and strategy in SEND. I have challenged pre-existing cultures in education, which enabled me to lead effectively in inclusion practices, special educational needs, and disability to work collaboratively with multiple services to achieve outcomes for children and young people. I have been the leading professional at multi professional meetings, devising bespoke monitoring systems to ensure SEND needs are being met according to policy and procedures and securing the rights of children and young people.

I have developed programmes of learning and resources with the aim of developing excellent leadership and management of Great Howarth School to improve children’s outcomes and I am confident I can mirror these core aims within educational provisions and the National Frame Work, OFSTED.

Currently I am the Primary Lead Teacher for Great Howarth School. We provide Primary and Secondary education for children and young people with SEMH issues and communication difficulties. We support children and young people, of which many, a high proportion, are Looked After Children, which provides many challenges to face and overcome as we work collaboratively together; parents, carers, fellow professional in education and care/health. I am one of three Designated Safeguarding leads.

I seek this role as Head Teacher as it would be an excellent opportunity to join your team, to ensure and support growth and change for all. I have been and recently gained 'Outstanding' in my teaching profession within the Primary provision and as referees will confirm and a have proven track record of securing improvements in pupils’ outcomes across the wider curriculum [ Across both Primary and Secondary provisions]. I have led a crucial role within Great Howarth and previous schools in implementing Improvement Strategies. I am confident that I can bring much experience and knowledge to the offered role while also further developing my own professional skills and standards.

I have an in-depth knowledge of the wider curriculum and provision including the Education Inspection Framework expectations and the content of an inspection ‘Subject Deep Dive’ and the three 'I's , [ Intent, Implementation and Impact of T & L]. I currently teach full time in the Primary Provision, whilst also taking the lead on ; pupil behaviours, SLT responsibilities , Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead, teacher training and staff training including training around and focusing on the New Ofsted Framework etc. Another focus of Ofsted is the well-being of ALL learners both within the provision and community. This is where this particular role should have an impact.

I am a resilient, dynamic, professional who drives change and development through my role/s to the benefit of those for whom we are in role for, the students. I am strongly motivated by the desire to be an advocate for students who have and continue to struggle with life’s; anxieties, past difficult experiences and who continue to need to be supported in order to ensure they achieve what is rightfully theirs, success and happiness through a fulfilled life, that they know and they feel to be successful and worth while. It is then they can recover grow and develop themselves and also help others. I also recognise that I too am human and not infallible therefore I always need to show strength but a measure of vulnerability in order to build and maintain trust in relationships between student/s and myself as a professional. This breaks down the barriers pertaining to mental health and well-being, so greatly needed in society, still in 2021. These ones often become advocates themselves, often the best! Head Teacher I would bring to the role, as a member of the team, personalised student pathways and as a leader past, present and future will strategically lead and manage the provision of student mental health and well-being. Throughout my carer in education I have always been focussed on equality for all and achievement for all, always looking to how I can support students of all ages and stages of their development.

I have been able to when required, challenge, and make difficult and complex decisions, in opposition to the status quo when difficult conversations are needed in individual cases and according to a groups needs or school/provider ethos based on a firm foundation of knowledge of the students. I firmly believe that just as student need to learn to trust and become brave, it takes a strong person of conviction and autonomy [within a team] to say ‘No, this is not right for our student/s’, always having an alternate plan of support in mind.

I have for a good many years as part of my roles offered sensitive support of students who have and do self-harm and have expressed suicidal thoughts or have attempted suicide, even in a school setting in front of staff. In addition, I have and do provide support to front line staff who are also supporting students who are considered high risk by regularly checking in on staff especially after an incident has occurred and for the duration post incidences as staff need to talk through or need signposting to professional supported counselling. I also deliver training to staff very much focussed on safeguarding the learners and self. Always acknowledging the toll supporting students with mental health issues has on teacher, support staff, parents and carers.

I would bring to this role; a shared and endorsed the vision to continue; the development of children, young people and staff, be a thought leader in the sector whilst also having a keen eye for excellence in delivery and impact. Being; open minded about professional discipline, uncompromising in the passion to develop leaders to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people in our communities, which is and always will be none negotiable.

Since joining Great Howarth School I have been, alongside the SLT team, instrumental in demonstrating the importance of leading by example and setting high expectations, highlighting positive differences especially in behaviour management, for example ,in the first term of new leadership [ Headteacher] PI's[ Physical interventions] were reduced by 94%. Although I lead the primary provisions I have concrete knowledge of all individual pupil needs and know how to meet them thereby, I have, made inroads into both my and the children’s own knowledge and understanding of self worth, achievements, potential and growth, across school.

I understand that I as part of this role would be working with all senior managers including; Education directors, curriculum leaders, teacher, support staff, carers, in a uniformed yet bespoke strategic manner to ensure successful outcomes for the learners and the providers. As always, my practice has to lead expectations around 'good' outcomes as a minimum while always striving to gain and maintain 'outstanding outcomes'. I look forward too to working alongside many highly professional multi agencies to achieved our share values and expectations. I have always enjoyed and achieved good outcomes working professionally this way.

I have created a Curriculum Map for the whole school, ensuring all children and young people have fair access to a broad and bespoke learning pathway. I have introduced Cornerstones, a Project based learning platform for learning and The Hamilton platform curriculum for core subjects that has bespoke learning objectives and outcomes while also dovetailing the learning objective and outcomes of the National Curriculum, to accelerate pupil progress in T & L. 2021/22 I have also adapted our curriculum to further meet the needs of our complex learners while ensuring our curriculum dovetails with National Standards in T & L, which you will agree is challenging. I am currently planning to introduce an alternate provision with school attached to Primary for children with sensory and communication needs i.e. ASC and Asperger’s. Plans are already in pace to create; indoor and out door sensory learning environments and bring in bespoke therapist to meet the individual needs of learners as set out in their EHCPs.

At the start of the year [2019] I was contracted with the Rochdale Local Authority. My role was an Interim Team Manager for the Education Health Care Plan and Annual Review Officers. I worked collaboratively with the Education and Children's Directorate Leadership team and partners in health and schools to achieve the service vision and aims. My duties included, among others, on a changing day-to-day basis; quality checking; My Plans and Amendments, Leading team meetings such as Primary, Secondary and Post 16 transfers, Out of borough transfers, Tribunal cases, Data information requests, Supervision Meetings, EHCP triage and EHCP requests, EHCP Panel chair and more. Alongside understanding the complex nature of learners from EYFS to Adult learning from a teachers/provision point of view, this role has deepened my knowledge of how the whole SEND process works from inside schools/provisions and from the LA perspective.

I zealously pursue CPD across numerous academic fields. By doing so I have further developed my own personal understanding of; trends and issues across all of the educational sectors and further developed my understanding of why people of all ages and backgrounds think and act in accordance with their own self beliefs. I have explored barriers to learning [both internally and externally] and developed partnerships with learners, techniques for overcoming such barriers.

When reflecting on the great schools I have taught in I see schools that excel at what they do in a consistent manner; they have strong values and high expectations. Their achievements do not happen by chance but through highly reflective, carefully planned approaches. There is a high degree of internal consistency; and leadership that is well distributed and ambitious to move the schools forward. I feel that excellence should be the goal, not an act, but a habit and the schools and their staff practice being excellent.

Experience of management in school has led me to reflect upon the many common set of qualities that are crucial for successful leadership, and the scope for different leadership styles. I whole- heartily embrace and promote the PACE model for learning; Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy, In building and maintaining positive relationships with pupils, parent/carers and staff. These are very transferable skill in the management field.

I feel, best Leaders demonstrate conviction and often-sheer personality. They share some vital leadership qualities. The qualities I try to emulate and would ring to the role within this new role/opportunity if successful are;

1. Vision – I maintain a clear sense of moral purpose, great vision and the conviction and ability to formulate and shape the future, rather than be shaped by events.

2. Courage- I show great determination and dedication, with the willpower and patience to see things through. I am willing to take risks and are steadfast in challenging under-performance or poor behaviour.

3. Passion – I ensure I am there for the children a fact we must not ever forget - passionate about teaching and learning and show great commitment to children. Take an active interest in their pupils' work – and that of their staff.

4. Emotional intelligence- Successful school leaders are team-builders. I understand the importance of relationships, empowering staff and pupils and show great empathy. I know when staff feel motivated, they want to follow you.

5. Judgment - The best leaders in school, show great judgment, make the right calls and are wise leaders. Crucially, however, it isn't simply a matter of acting alone. It's about involving the whole school community and taking people forward together. I work closely with the SLT team and stakeholders and together we are able to make the best judgments for the right outcomes for individual learners.

6. Resilience- As a school leader I am optimistic and resilient, remain calm in a crisis and are energetic and positive at all times. It’s about really knowing myself and yourself as a school and having personal strategies, so we are able to steady ourselves in stormy waters.

7. Persuasion – I am a confident communicator. Yet, use persuasion and listening skills when communicating. I attempt through example and training to be good motivator, getting people to do things and go that extra mile lies at the heart of good leadership.

8. Curiosity – I am out- looking and curious. It is about having at least one foot outside of the school looking at what is going on elsewhere and picking up good ideas. Being excellent net workers and great opportunists, always being in touch with events.

The welfare and safety including safeguarding has always been at the heart of everything I have undertaken. I feel a strong duty of care, backed by legislation, to ensure the safety of staff, young people, children and visitors to the educational provisions I have taught in. Secondary but as important is ensure the quality of teaching and learning is of a high standard. Where this has not been evidence, I have place programmes of support for staff, mentored them and has on occasions to have ‘professional and challenging’ conversations including mentoring staff, appraisals, performance management programmes, competency and disciplinary. A school environment should always feel safe, be happy, accepting, supportive and care. This I feel should be seen and felt as part of the school ethos which is tangible to all when they are in and visit our provision and beyond.