Head of Year

“Pupils and staff enjoy belonging to a vibrant school community where caring, respectful relationships are the norm” - Ofsted (January 2024)

We are seeking a dedicated, enthusiastic and highly motivated non-teaching Head of Year to join King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy and play a pivotal role in supporting the personal development, wellbeing, behaviour and achievement of our pupils.

This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who is passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of young people and is committed to ensuring that every pupil feels safe, supported, valued and empowered to achieve their full potential.

Working closely with our pastoral and senior leadership teams, you will take responsibility for the day-to-day pastoral care and support of a designated year group, promoting high standards of attendance, punctuality, behaviour and attitudes to learning.

You will play a key role in identifying and addressing barriers to learning, providing timely and effective pastoral interventions, monitoring pupil progress and supporting pupils to develop the resilience, confidence and personal skills they need to succeed both academically and personally.

A central part of the role will involve building strong, positive relationships with pupils, parents and carers, colleagues and external agencies. You will work collaboratively to address concerns, celebrate achievements and ensure that pupils receive appropriate support to overcome challenges and engage positively with school life.

You will also contribute to the academy’s safeguarding and inclusion arrangements, identifying and responding to concerns, supporting vulnerable pupils and working closely with designated safeguarding staff to ensure that the welfare of every young person remains a priority.

As a non-teaching member of staff, you will be a visible and proactive presence throughout the school day, supporting the consistent implementation of academy policies, responding to pastoral and behavioural matters, and helping to create a calm, purposeful and inclusive learning environment.

The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills, alongside the confidence to manage challenging situations with professionalism, sensitivity and consistency. You will be able to balance a compassionate, pupil-centred approach with high expectations, clear boundaries and a determination to secure positive outcomes for all pupils.

We are looking for someone who reflects our academy values in the way they work every day:

Bold - You will confidently address challenges, make informed decisions and advocate for pupils, ensuring that barriers to their wellbeing, engagement and achievement are identified and addressed.

Ambitious - You will maintain high expectations for attendance, behaviour and personal development, inspiring pupils to take pride in their achievements, overcome obstacles and strive for success.

Collaborative - You will work closely with teaching and support staff, senior leaders, families and external professionals to provide consistent, coordinated pastoral support and promote positive outcomes for pupils.

Kind - You will demonstrate empathy, patience and understanding, building trusting relationships with young people and their families while maintaining clear expectations and promoting a culture of mutual respect.

Most importantly, you will be joining a supportive community of Senior Leadership, Teaching and Support staff where “staff feel valued and appreciate how their workload and wellbeing are considered by leaders at all levels”, as recognised by Ofsted.

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is a dynamic and forward-thinking school where pupils know that staff have high expectations of them and want them to succeed. We are proud of the journey our academy continues to make and would welcome applications from individuals who share our commitment to providing an inclusive, ambitious education for every pupil.

Who will you be joining?

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is located in South West Birmingham. The academy is rapidly improving and continuing to benefit from having joined King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham which has led to investment across the academy, including the availability of cutting-edge technology in each classroom. King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is proud to be part of The Schools of King Edward VI Birmingham which supports its schools, faculties/departments and individual staff to work collaboratively. The successful candidate will benefit from a wide range of professional development opportunities encompassing the potential to experience schools across the Foundation and to pursue professional qualifications. There will be opportunities to collaborate with other schools and to benefit from their expertise and resources.

Our expectations and aspirations

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy has the highest aspirations and expectations for all members of its community. As a member of staff, you will be valued, challenged and supported in making a difference to the lives of our young people. We expect the same of our pupils. We demand courtesy, endeavour and resilience from all of our pupils and the support of their parents and carers.

We are exceptionally proud of our academy and our young people and would encourage interested applicants to come and spend some time with the leadership team to understand our shared vision, have a look around and experience what life is like as part of our community.