Principal Teacher of Guidance - Preston Lodge High School - EAL10142

Vacancy Information

Temporary for 23 months.
Days of Work:
Monday - Friday
To start 12th August 2024.

For posts starting August, applications are welcome from current probationers pending attainment of full registration with the GTCS.

Preston Lodge High School is a non-denominational secondary school serving the communities of Cockenzie, Port Seton, Longniddry and Prestonpans.  Our roll is currently 1060, and the school is very easily commutable from Edinburgh.  The strengths of our school are:

• The high morale, sense of belonging and positive ethos of the school community
• The contributions of young people to improvements, and our significantly improved attainment
• The nurturing, inclusive work of staff across the school in supporting young people’s learning and wellbeing
• Strong, positive relationships between staff and students

Our motivated staff, students, parents/carers, and our wider community have worked hard to further improve all aspects of our school, and staff love working at Preston Lodge. We are a happy school, and new staff report very positively on our school’s culture and ethos. At a time of great uncertainty in education, we work hard together to provide the best education possible for all of our students.

Our work is focused on continuously improving our approaches to classroom practice, developing student and staff learning, improving our curriculum offer and improving attainment, with a keen focus on our equity gap.  Our home-grown PL Learning Cycle ensures staff and students can work together to develop an understanding of not just what key skills should be learned by students, but how they should be learned and why they are important.

We have particularly strong Positive Destinations data, and we are working hard to diversify our Senior Phase, to better meet the needs of all students. We are actively exploring alternative awards for young people.  For example, we are a big user of the Open Universities Young Applicants in Scottish Schools scheme, and we have an increasing number of students participating in Youth Achievement Awards - all S3 students now undertake the Bronze Award. This session we have introduced four one-year in-school Foundation Apprenticeships into our Senior Phase, and we have now determined to maintain a long-term role for Home Rooms in our S1 Curriculum.

We are currently reviewing our Guidance structure, to maximise capacity and best meet student needs. A number of different models are under consideration, and an approach will be finalised by the time this post goes to interview. Essentially, though, the role will be the same, whatever the structure, focused on the job description and person specification attached to this post.

However, this post has not arisen out of our restructuring plans. It has become available because one of our current Guidance team is taking a career break. Precise caseload and responsibilities beyond caseload will be agreed after appointment, based on the skills and interests of the successful candidate and the needs of the team.

This is an exciting time for Preston Lodge High School, and the community it serves. Although our new website is still in development, a lot of information can already be found at https://sites.google.com/edubuzz.org/prestonlodgenet. There is a wealth of detail about the school and its culture in the Publications section of our website - do take a look at our weekly PLus newsletter to find out more about our school's culture, and who we are!

For internal candidates: If you wish to apply for the post on a secondment basis, you must seek permission from your line manager before submitting an application

Job Details

Teaching relevant subject through S1-S6.

Subject to the policies of the school and East Lothian Council, the duties of a Principal Teacher, as a member of the school’s management team, is to perform such tasks as the Head Teacher/Depute Head Teacher will direct, having reasonable regard to the overall workload of a classroom teacher.

Please download the Job Outline/Person Specification (available under 'Job Attachments') for the full range of tasks and duties associated with this job. You will need to refer to these in order to complete the application form. You must ensure you meet every 'essential' criteria stated on the Person Specification to be considered for interview.

The ‘East Lothian Way’– values and behaviours we expect our employees to demonstrate in their everyday work. Should you be invited to interview, you may be asked questions based on these behaviours. Please refer to the document via the link to familiarise yourself with them.

Job Requirements

Relevant Qualifications
Registered with GTCS as a teacher of relevant subject
Permanent Posts: GTCS Full registration (General)
Temporary Posts: GTCS Full registration (General) / Provisional registration

PVG Membership
This post is considered as Regulated Work with vulnerable children and/or protected adults, as specified in the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007.

All preferred candidates for posts carrying out regulated work with these groups will be required to become a PVG Scheme member, or undergo a PVG Scheme update if they are already a member, prior to any formal offer of employment being made by East Lothian Council.

Please note: PVG member’s records are constantly updated with any new vetting information that arises. Any information that is disclosed on a PVG membership or update check, if relevant to the post being applied for, will be discussed with the applicant and investigated prior to any formal offer being made.

Please note:
If you have spent more than 3 months working or living outwith the UK in the last 5 years then you will be required to present a copy of an overseas criminal record check. Details of how to apply and contact details can be found on the GOV.UKwebsite.

Additional Information

For additional East Lothian Council employment information please click on the following link:
www.eastlothian.gov.uk/teachinginfo

Please Note - Pay arrangements for those starting after 1st day of school session
In accordance with Teachers Conditions of Service (SNCT - Appendix 2.19), Teachers who commence employment with East Lothian Council after the first day of the school session will have their salary for the remainder of the school salary year (which runs from 1 August to 31 July each year), recalculated to reflect how teachers accrue leave and pay.

In these circumstances, a calculation will be carried out upon commencement of employment and leave and pay will be adjusted. Further information will be provided to the successful candidate should this be applicable.

East Lothian Council Secondary Schools
Further details on all East Lothian Council Secondary Schools, including individual school websites can be found here: Secondary Schools

If you have any difficulties creating an account on MyJobScotland or applying for this post please contact the MyJobScotland support team via this link https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/contact-us.

If you require further information about this vacancy, please call , or email us on recruitment@eastlothian.gov.uk

Please note: We do not accept CV's (either electronically or by mail). All our vacancies must be applied for by fully completing the on-line application form. Although there is an ‘import data from my CV’ function on MyJobScotland, this only imports very limited data and should not be relied upon to complete the application form.