Deputy Head Teacher– Secondary School

Job Description

We are seeking a Deputy Headteacher for our Secondary School at GEMS Winchester School.

Purpose of the Role

This senior leadership role is designed to assist the Executive Head of Secondary in fostering academic excellence, ensuring operational consistency, and driving strategic growth within a large and expanding secondary school. The ideal candidate will be an experienced Assistant Head Teacher or current Deputy Head Teacher with a proven record of enhancing school performance and the capability to expand leadership capacity in a fast-growing environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership & School Improvement: Lead, monitor, and assess whole-school improvement initiatives in line with the Secondary School Development Plan. Employ impactful leadership strategies to elevate academic results, secure high-quality teaching, and enhance student progress across various key stages. Participate in long-term planning concerning school expansion and structural reform.
• Data, Assessment & Academic Standards: Manage the complete assessment cycle, from baseline assessments to end-of-year outcomes, ensuring thorough analysis and well-defined actions. Drive data-informed intervention strategies that boost student performance, mitigate underachievement, and facilitate high achievement. Guarantee accurate forecasting for IGCSE, BTEC, and A Level pathways while consistently monitoring value-added progress. Provide training and support to middle leaders in the effective use of data dashboards, performance metrics, and data-driven decision-making.
• Teaching, Learning & Curriculum: Collaborate with Heads of Department to ensure that curriculum sequencing, assessment strategies, and teaching methods align with British curriculum standards. Assist in quality assurance processes including learning walks, work scrutiny, lesson observations, and departmental reviews. Recognize and expand successful classroom practices through coaching, CPD planning, and focused professional learning discussions.
• Intervention, Inclusion & Student Progress: Design and lead comprehensive intervention frameworks for KS3, KS4, and KS5. Oversee progress meetings, student tracking assessments, and personalized improvement plans. Work alongside pastoral leaders and SEND teams to ensure that academic and pastoral interventions are coordinated and prompt.
• Day-to-Day Operational Leadership: Facilitate the efficient daily operations of the secondary school, including behavior systems, cover arrangements, supervision, student movement, and duty assignments. Serve as a senior presence during transitions, morning and afternoon routines, student arrivals, and significant events. Lead assemblies, parent meetings, and act on behalf of the Executive Head of Secondary as needed.
• Safeguarding, Compliance & British-Curriculum Expectations: Maintain statutory safeguarding responsibilities and ensure staff adherence to policies and reporting procedures. Contribute to compliance measures including accreditation visits, quality assurance assessments, and policy updates.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate strong professional relationships with students, staff, parents, and governors. Communicate effectively and with authority regarding essential academic messages, improvement initiatives, and student performance. Support marketing, admissions, and community engagement efforts.

Skills Person Specification

Essential

• Experienced Assistant Head Teacher or Deputy Head Teacher with significant impact on whole-school leadership.
• Proven success in raising academic standards and implementing effective school improvement strategies.
• High-level data literacy and a comprehensive understanding of assessment, tracking, and performance analysis across IGCSE, BTEC, and A Level.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large teams and influence practices on a broad scale.
• Strong operational leadership skills appropriate for a school with 2200+ students.

Apply via the WhatSchool platform.