This exciting role will provide strategic leadership for school improvement, learner wellbeing and partnerships across Monmouthshire. It will ensure strong support and challenge to all our settings driving improvement and progress for all of our learners. It will drive high standards, learner wellbeing, and equity working to achieve the ambitions of the Welsh Government’s reform priorities. It will have a focus on safeguarding and effective governance, while looking to be innovative and creative, strengthening our partnerships and using evidence-led evaluation to improve outcomes for all children and young people.
Who are we?
The Children, Learning, Skills and Economy (CLSE) Directorate is at the heart of Monmouthshire County Council’s ambition to create a thriving, inclusive and aspirational county. Through strong leadership, partnership working and a relentless focus on improving outcomes, the Directorate supports children, young people and communities from early years through to employment. Championing educational excellence, wellbeing, inclusion, skills development and economic growth, CLSE helps ensure that every resident has the opportunity to achieve their potential.
Person Specification
Job Purpose
To provide strategic leadership for school improvement, educational standards, partnerships and learner wellbeing across Monmouthshire. The post holder will ensure that all children and young people have access to high-quality education and support which enables them to achieve their potential, regardless of background, need or circumstance.
The role will lead the Local Authority school improvement functions and act as the principal operational link with the commissioned school improvement partners (the Local Authority School Improvement Service (LASIS)), school leaders and Governors. The post holder will provide challenge, support and assurance to schools and non-maintained nursery settings and the Pupil Referral Service (PRS), ensuring strong self-evaluation, improvement planning and accountability arrangements across the county.
The role will champion the ambitions of Curriculum for Wales, Welsh-medium education growth, safeguarding and learner wellbeing. The post holder will contribute to the strategic leadership of the Children, Learning, Skills and Economy (CLSE) Directorate and will maintain a relentless focus on improving progress and outcomes for all learners, particularly those most vulnerable to underachievement.
Key Responsibilities
This is a critical role in ensuring that we are able to effectively evaluate our provision and capture the impact of the work on pupil progress and wellbeing
School Improvement and Standards
Provide strategic leadership for school improvement across all maintained schools and settings.
Working with LASIS:
Lead the Local Authority school improvement strategy and self-evaluation arrangements.
Develop and maintain an evidence-based approach to raising standards and improving learner progress, wellbeing and outcomes.
Ensure effective challenge and support arrangements are in place for schools.
Oversee analysis and interpretation of school performance information, attendance, wellbeing and improvement data.
Lead the authority preparations for Estyn inspections and thematic reviews.
Ensure effective implementation of national priorities, offering support and challenge as appropriate.
Lead strategic approaches to leadership development, professional learning and workforce development.
Act as the principal relationship manager with LASIS and other relevant commissioned improvement partners.
Equity and Learner Wellbeing
Lead strategies to reduce educational disadvantage and improve progress and outcomes for vulnerable groups.
Promote inclusive practice across all schools and settings.
Ensure effective arrangements are in place to support children and young people at risk of disengagement from education.
Pupil Referral Service and Alternative Provision
Provide strategic oversight and accountability for the Pupil Referral Service (PRS).
Ensure high-quality education, support and reintegration pathways for learners educated other than at school.
Monitor performance, safeguarding and quality assurance arrangements within the PRS.
Lead strategic development of alternative provision to meet emerging learner needs.
Ensure clear connectivity between PRS, wider inclusion strategy, school improvement activity and safeguarding arrangements.
Early Years and Partnership Services
Provide strategic leadership for Early Years and Flying Start services.
Maintain oversight of the Acorn Project and other related preventative services.
Develop and maintain effective partnerships across children services, health, social care and third-sector organisations.
Work with Youth Services and other partners to extend support for learners in schools and local communities.
Governance, Welsh Language and Statutory Functions
Lead the authority’s relationship with governing bodies and support effective school governance, including the provision of professional learning for governors.
Oversee Local Authority governor appointments and related governance arrangements.
Lead implementation of the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP).
Ensure compliance with Welsh language legislation and support growth of Welsh-medium education.
Represent the directorate on Standing Advisory Committee and support delivery of the agreed syllabus for Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE).
Maintain effective links with provision supporting multi-lingual learners and related professional learning for staff.
Safeguarding
Act as Directorate Safeguarding Lead, where designated by the Strategic Director.
Ensure safeguarding responsibilities are fully embedded across relevant services, schools and settings.
Provide strategic leadership for safeguarding audits, reviews and improvement activities.
Work collaboratively with safeguarding partners to strengthen systems, practice and assurance.
Strategic Leadership and Resource Management
Contribute corporately to the leadership of CLSE Directorate.
Lead service planning, self-evaluation and continuous improvement arrangements.
Develop strategic plans, policies, Cabinet reports and member briefings.
Advise elected members, senior officers and partners on educational matters.
Represent the authority regionally and nationally.
Lead and develop managers and staff across the service.
Ensure effective management of resources, budgets and commissioning arrangements in accordance with corporate policies and standards.
Drive innovation and service transformation to improve outcomes for children and young people.
Undertake any additional duties required by the Strategic Director that are compatible with the level and remit of the post.
