4. Leadership & Management

Meetings and Decision-Making Structure

The Headteacher establishes the strategic direction within which the school operates. It must itself operate within the legal framework determined by the Department for Education, in its decision making and is mindful of guidelines issued. The Governing Body meets once a month. The Headteacher is accountable to the Governing Body for the internal management of the school. She is the "executive officer" and makes the whole school operational decisions within the strategic direction laid down by the Governing Body and government legislation. The Headteacher is assisted in those decisions by the following consultative structure : Leadership Team (LT) consisting of the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher and Business Manager meet at least once a week with the Headteacher and act as the Headteacher’s principal advisors in management and leadership. In the Headteacher’s absence the Deputy Headteacher is authorised to take those day to day decisions which would normally fall to the Headteacher. Each member has responsibility for designated whole school areas and will report on these at the meeting, as required. Members are expected to actively propose and discuss developments following which members support the collective views and decisions of the meeting. The Extended Leadership Team consists of the Leadership Team, extended Leadership Team member and invited personnel. Their purpose is to support and advise on whole school pedagogical and achievement developments to lead related improvements across teaching and learning, as required. Each member has responsibility for designated whole school areas and will report on these at the meeting, as required. Members are expected to actively propose and discuss developments following which members support the collective views and decisions of the meeting. Curriculum Leader meetings; these meetings are held regularly throughout the year. The meeting provides opportunities monitor standards and the implementation and development of policies and for mutually supportive professional development. Members propose and discuss whole curriculum, pedagogical and procedural improvements with the objective of developing students’ high aspirations and attitudes to learning and to secure high standards of learning through quality of teaching which is at least good. Members are expected to actively propose and discuss developments following which members support the collective views and decisions of the meeting. Teaching and Learning meetings are held regularly throughout the year with the balance of meetings in the autumn term. The forum has the responsibility to evaluate students’ progress and attainment, their attitudes to learning and the quality of teaching and learning to inform professional development, share good and effective teaching practice and to agree and action decisive interventions to improve the quality of teaching and learning as required. It also serves as a forum for the strategic development of the monitoring, evaluation, analysis and informed intervention of the Heads of Year.