English Hub Lead

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference beyond one school? Do you have the ambition to be a significant strategic leader able to influence on a wide scale? Are you passionate about supporting the development of reading and early language?
If so, then we want to hear from you! 

We are looking for an exceptional school leader, with a passion for reading to join our Flying High team. You will form part of the Flying High central team, working together to impact on schools across our Trust and beyond. Your core responsibility will be the leadership of The Flying High English Hub one of 34 schools nationally to be awarded the English Hub Status from the Department of Education. Throughout the past three and a half years we have had considerable success as an English Hub, developing exceptional practice and outcomes across our Trust and providing targeted support to a vast number of identified schools across our region. This support and development has focused on developing early reading, reading for pleasure and language skills. Through in-school support, auditing, programme delivery, training opportunities and true partnership work, we have continued to provide the very best support to schools in the region. We are seeking to appoint an English Hub Leader to continue this exciting project, with the full support and strategic leadership from the Senior Hub lead and Flying High Central team.

We are looking for an outstanding practitioner and school leader who has an interest in the sector led system. You will have a passion and a clear vision for the teaching of reading with the opportunity to make that vision a reality though this role. We are looking for someone with significant leadership potential, who has the knowledge and strength of leadership to enable real change in supported schools across our Trust and our region. The candidate must be able to work alongside the Teaching Hub, Trust Education team and Literacy Specialists to achieve the very best outcomes for children. The role is based upon delivery of the DfE’s three priority areas: Early Language Development; Age-Appropriate Phonics Provision; Developing a Love of Reading. However, this could be subject to change in the future within the realms of the Teaching and Learning of English across other key stages.

Flying High Partnership consists of two distinct parts: Flying High Trust and Flying High Futures. Flying High Trust is a Multi Academy Trust of 31 primary schools across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Nottingham City. Our Flying High family work hard to deliver the best possible opportunities to our children. Through this partnership we are proud of our achievements and are recognised as one of the highest performing Multi Academy Trusts (MAT) in the country. Flying High Futures provides professional learning internally for staff across the Trust, and externally through Department for Education national programmes. Forming part of Flying High Futures is the Flying High Teaching School Hub, Flying High English Hub, and the Flying High cohort of Inspiring Leaders teacher training.

We are looking for someone who is excited to be a part of this partnership.

We can offer you:

• A fantastic working environment, in a team that works together for the benefit of children in our schools
• The tools, support, and encouragement to make this role one which will help you develop further as a leader
• An established and highly regarded English Hub that has delivered on all key-performance indicators so far
• A leadership team who welcomes fresh ideas and a sense of teamwork
• A supportive structure with numerous connections to schools, Academy Trusts, and other partners across our region.
• An opportunity to be part of a supportive, developmental partnership
• The opportunity for quality Continuous Professional Learning
• An organisation committed to supporting and enabling all staff
• The opportunity to work at a national level, alongside leading thinkers in literacy and the Department for Education.

We are looking for someone who:

• A passion to work in partnership with schools across Flying High Trust, developing excellent practice and ensuring exceptional outcomes for every child.
• Significant leadership experience and potential, with measurable impact.
• Current and proven experience in leading phonics/early reading strategies.
• Have a proven track record of high-quality English teaching and a passion for this area.
• An ability to provide both support and challenge to school leaders.
• The capacity to operate as a strategic leader, able to effectively identify clear priorities, develop and implement robust action plans and complete on- going monitoring.
• Be able to lead on the delivery of high-quality learning experiences for all pupils and staff supported by the Hub
• Be willing to work within a team structure and have the desire to develop your own strategic leadership
• Experience in presenting and facilitating large groups of adults.

The role will involve:

• Ensuring the English Hub makes a significant impact on all schools across the Multi Academy Trust, enabling Flying High to be an example of best practice, achieving exceptional outcomes for all children.
• Through challenge and support, ensure on- going exceptional practice and outcomes at Horsendale Primary school, the lead school for the English Hub.
• Identifying and developing talent in literacy and early years from both within and beyond the Multi Academy Trust.
• Leading and developing the team of Literacy Specialists in their role supporting schools. Coordinating the work of the English Specialists and overseeing the impact of the school-to-school support.
• Being a role model and authentic example, by providing high quality in-school support.
• Being committed to leading on establishing and maintaining links with a number of schools whilst supporting them to develop the teaching and learning of phonics, early reading and a love of reading.
• Ensure strong communication with all Flying High schools and the Flying High education team, ensuring that they take full advantage of support available via the English Hub.
• Supporting schools, where appropriate, with writing of Action Plans; leading the in process; working with the Senior Hub lead to identify the termly offer to schools; making decisions collectively on allocated funding and intensive support across the English Hub.
• Holding school leaders to account on addressing identified priorities and delivering action plans.
• A responsibility for training and Quality Assuring ITT and new teachers in the Trust in Early Reading.
• Liaise with the Senior Hub lead and Futures team to collate the information needed to meet the deadlines for progress reports to the DfE. Take a lead role reporting progress made by the Hub against the three priority areas.
• Maintain communications with colleagues from other English Hubs to support other schools and develop Flying High English Hub effectively.
• Work in line with the Teaching School Hub to compliment the support on offer and address local need.
• Where appropriate work with The Flying High Partnership when coordinating and delivering CPD to schools. This will be supplemented with a clear understanding of DfE requirements and the challenges schools face.
• Providing additional specialist support to a selection of Flying High Trust schools.
• Support the Senior Hub Lead and Teaching School Director with Hub, Trust Team to run a national-recognised programme of English CPD and annual conference.

How to apply:
We welcome applications from both internal and external candidates. If you wish to apply for this vacancy, please visit our website where you will be able to submit your application online. Careers | Flying High Partnership

Information:
If you want to know more or wish to discuss anything about this role in more detail, please contact Carl Pattison, Senior English Hub Lead, at cpattison@flyinghightrust.co.uk
For support with the application process please contact HR at recruitment@flyinghightrust.co.uk

Recruitment event:
For further information about Flying High and what it’s like to work as part of our partnership please attend our virtual recruitment event on 19th January 2023 at 6:00pm. To book onto this event please visit the Futures page on our website. Flying High Partnership Virtual Recruitment Event 2023 | Flying High

For further information about Flying High Partnership please visit our website at: www.flyinghighpartnership.co.uk

Closing Date: 9:00am Friday 10th February at 9:00am
Interview will be held on: Tuesday 21st February 2023
Potential Start Date: April 2023

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applicants. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.