Depute Head Teacher - Preston Lodge High School - EAL10135

Vacancy Information

DHT/HT Salary Scale Point 5 (£68,265 per annum)

Days and Hours of Work:
Monday - Friday
To start 12th August 2024.

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

The strengths of our school are:

• The high morale, sense of belonging and positive ethos of the school community
• Our significantly improved attainment
• Strong, positive, nurturing relationships between staff and students

We 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. We work hard together to provide the best education possible for all of our students.

Our focus is on continuously improving our approaches to classroom practice, ensuring we are nurturing and inclusive, developing our curriculum offer and improving attainment, with a focus on our equity gap.  Our PL Learning Cycle ensures staff and students work together to develop an understanding of not just what should be learned by students, but how and why it should be learned.

We have particularly strong Positive Destinations data, and we are diversifying our Senior Phase, to better meet the needs of all students. 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. 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.

S1 Home Rooms at Preston Lodge were the result of a very challenging session 23-24, caused by RAAC-related building disruption. From August to November our S1s were accommodated in five off-site locations, other than for a selection of practical subjects. We overcame enormous logistical complications, our roof has been repaired, and we have emerged from this unusual period stronger than before.

This post is part of a four-person Senior Leadership Team (SLT), and we are looking to recruit a highly motivated, intelligent and innovative leader, with a track record of excellence and, of course, a good sense of humour. We are currently updating SLT remits, but we already know that for session 24/25 the main strategic responsibilities for this post will be:

QI 1.1 Self-Evaluation for Self-Improvement

QI 2.3 Learning, Teaching & Assessment

QI 3.2 Raising Attainment & Achievement (shared)

Some of the key improvement priorities for this post holder, identified in our draft School Improvement Plan, will be leadership of:

- Staff and student learning priorities, including a post-RAAC reinvigoration of the PL Learning Cycle

- Improved quality assurance of learning and teaching

- Strengthened tracking interventions across all stages

- Development of student voice and student leadership

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

Job Details

The role of a Depute Head Teacher is to assist and, where necessary, to deputise for the Head Teacher as required. The role of the Head Teacher is, within the resources available, to conduct the affairs of the school to the benefit of the pupils and the community it serves, through pursuing objectives and implementing policies set by East Lothian Council under the overall direction of the Head of Education.

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
Full GTCS Registration is required.

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