THE DETAILS:
  • Location: St Asaph, All Wales, LL17 0RD
  • Subject: Head of Wellbeing and Nurture Provision
  • Hours: Full Time
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Salary Type: Annually
  • Language: Bilingual

This job application date has now expired.

HEAD OF EDUCATION, CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH WORK

Diocese of St Asaph
Job purpose
The Diocesan Office team, under the leadership of the Diocesan Secretary (Chief Executive), supports and sustains the life and diocese of St Asaph and its mission. The Education, Children’s and Youth Work team forms part of the Diocesan Office team, alongside others such as Property, Finance and Operations. The role of Head of Education, Children’s and Youth Work oversees education, in the broader sense, across the Diocese, and works with our CInW schools, other education settings and the churches in our Mission Areas to support our diocesan vision: Growing Faith, Bringing Hope, Demonstrating Love.
Each team member in the Education, Children’s and Youth Work team has specific areas of responsibility. The Head of Education, Children’s and Youth Work is accountable for leading the team, ensuring all areas of work are effectively completed, and that the team plays its part within the broader Diocesan Office Team.

The purpose of the role is to:
• act as lead officer for the Nurturing (Education in the broader sense) Steering group, one of the three mission strands of our Diocesan Standing Committee, alongside Engaging (Social action) and Developing (Ministry)
• develop, alongside the senior leaders in the diocese, and colleagues in the Diocesan Office, a strategic vision and delivery plan for supporting and developing relationships between the churches in our Mission Areas and church schools
• advise on statutory, legal and organisational requirements for our 49 Church in Wales schools (24 VA and 25 VC)
• develop the Christian character and ethos of our Church schools, in line with our diocesan vision, and offer support and guidance to school leadership, as appropriate
• provide professional leadership, advice and guidance to the Diocesan Board of Statutory Education (a sub-committee of the Nurturing Steering Group) in the understanding of educational issues and in strategic planning, vision, policy formulation and implementation
• protect faith-based provision and promote new church schools that are at the heart of their communities and serve the common good
• liaise effectively with the CinW Provincial Office, Estyn, LAs and SACs, ecumenical partners, the media, neighbouring dioceses and other agencies to ensure the influence of the CinW in the development of quality schooling locally and nationally
• anticipate and respond to changes in educational policy and advise the DBSE and Diocese as required
• lead and manage an effective professional team
• serve on Trusts and other bodies as required.


Key duties are as follows:

• As lead officer for the Nurturing Steering Group, lead on the education and nurturing work of the diocese, offering support and guidance including preparing reports for Standing Committee.
• Provide guidance and support to schools, governors and diocesan officers on statutory responsibilities including:
o appointment of senior staff
o school improvement
o land and property matters
o financial and funding matters (including CRAMP applications).
Oversee team members who lead on the following:
o governance including appointment and removal of foundation governors
o admissions policies and appeals procedures
o education and curriculum developments
o section 50 inspections
o Bishop’s Visitor programme.
• Promote the development of high-quality Religion, Values and Ethics Education and secure a distinctively Christian approach to education, in pursuit of the diocesan strategic vision: Growing Faith, Bringing Hope, Demonstrating Love.
• Work with Mission Area Leaders and the Director of Operations to build links between churches and schools across the diocese, and to promote children’s and youth work (in conjunction with the Children and Youth Officer).
• Oversee the preparation of agendas, papers and minutes for meetings of the Nurturing Steering Group and Diocesan Board of Statutory Education (DBSE); attend and advise the Chair.
• Develop and maintain positive professional relationships with headteachers and Chairs of Governors of Church schools.
• Promote initiatives to support the wellbeing of school children and staff.
• Develop constructive relationships with relevant bodies including Local authorities, Consortia and ecumenical partners.
• Support the work of the Provincial team by offering co-operation and advice to ensure that Provincial initiatives are relevant and closely linked to delivery in schools at ground level.
• Provide national and provincial updates to Headteachers and Governing Bodies
• Encourage teaching as a vocation in Church schools.
• Offer advice on inspections and post-inspection action plans and attend Governing Body feedback for Estyn. 
• Visit schools, identify best practice, and develop systems to share good practices.
• Ensure the diocese is represented on LA Education Scrutiny Committees, SACs and other Statutory Committees as appropriate.
• Represent the diocese as required, on a national and regional basis.
• Keep abreast of legal and professional developments in education and advise the DBSE and church schools as appropriate.
• Maintain contact with the Diocesan solicitor on all legal matters.
• Promote and help develop chaplaincy work in schools and colleges.
• In line with guidance from the Diocesan Secretary (Chief Executive), lead and manage the Education, Children’s and Youth team, including professional development, as part of the broader Diocesan Office Team.
• Maintain high levels of confidentiality and act with integrity at all times.

Key working relationships
• Bishop of St Asaph
• Diocesan Secretary (line manager)
• Schools’ Officers and Children and Youth Officer within the diocesan team (direct reports)
• Chair and members of the Nurturing Steering Group
• Chair and members of the DBSE
• Diocesan Director of Operations
• Director of Education, CinW Provincial Office
• Mission Area Leaders
• Property Team members
• Headteachers and Chair of Governors of Church Schools
• Local Authority Directors of Education
• School Improvement Advisers
• Estyn
• Education leads in other Dioceses
• National Society
• Diocesan Solicitor

For full details of the job description please go to https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/head-of-education-childrens-and-youth-work/