Job description
Service: Children and Young People’s Services
Job Title: Service Director: Learning
Responsible to: Executive Director: Children and Young People’s Services
Grade: Director Grade D
Job Dimensions
People: 632 (423 FTE)
Budget: £18 million (direct) £306,000 million (distribution of, and indirect influence over, delegated budget)
Services:
- Early Years and Childcare
- Standards and Effectiveness 3-11
- Standards and Effectiveness 11-19
- Education Support Services
- Professional Development Service including Children’s workforce development
- Educational Support for Looked After Children Team
- Directorate Business Support
Partners:
- Early years settings, schools, colleges, PRUS, governing bodies, parents (indirectly)
- Ofsted, National Strategies, Government Office East, Training and Development Agency, Department for Children, Schools and Families, Play England, Audit Commission, National College for School Leadership, Children’s Workforce Development Council.
- Local Safeguarding Children Board, District Councils, Police, Cambridgeshire NHS, Learning and Skills Council (until September 2010), Local Strategic Partnerships
- Early Years Partnership, Cambridgeshire Children’s Trust
Note:
In the context of legislative changes and financial pressures the scope of the remit of the Director of Learning may be extended to cover strategy and quality assurance relating to the full range of additional support needs and special educational needs.
Job Purpose
As a member of the Corporate Leadership Team work with Members, senior managers and others to develop the vision for Cambridgeshire and to contribute to the delivery of that vision through the development of policy, standards and service provision.
The postholder will act as the guarantor of education standards for 0-19 throughout the county.
Contribute to the achievement of the County Council’s objectives and secure continuous improvement in the Council’s performance by:
- promoting ongoing improvement in positive outcomes for children’s and young people through establishing clear expectations and putting in place robust quality assurance arrangements
- providing support to school leaders and governors
- providing services to support schools and enrichment activities for children and young people.
- Providing leadership for all performance relating to the Every Child Matters outcome, “Enjoy and Achieve”
Accountabilities
Monitoring and evaluating quality and promoting improvement
Develop and promote the vision for learning for children and young people 0-19, setting clear expectations for outcomes and ensuring effective quality assurance
Promote high quality care, learning and development for children and young people 0-19, within a safe environment, to ensure the best possible outcomes for all.
Implement strategies to reduce gaps in educational outcomes among various groups of children and young people.
Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of provision in early years settings, Children’s Centres and schools, providing support and challenge to promote continuous improvement for all.
Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of all aspects of provision, including for example, alternative provision for secondary age students and extended schools.
Ensure the effective management of the Local Authority’s intervention and support in settings and schools causing concern.
Ensure effective analysis and interpretation of performance data and Ofsted outcomes, targeting interventions and resources as appropriate.
Secure, offer (and broker) appropriate high quality professional development training for the children’s workforce.
Lead consultative processes with representatives of headteachers, governors and teaching trade unions.
Providing support services
Support leaders and governors on a range of operational issues, including critical incidents, providing advice and guidance, as necessary.
Ensure Information Technology services for schools, Children Centres and the Children’s Workforce.
Support schools to provide high quality information, advice and guidance.
Providing enrichment experiences for children and young people
Through Cambridgeshire Culture, Cambridgeshire Music and Cambridgeshire Outdoors, offer high quality cultural, musical, environmental and outdoor activities
Strategic and Service Management
Work collaboratively with members of the Corporate Leadership Team to provide high quality services that meet the needs of the community through the Integrated Plan and contribute to the development and delivery of the Children and Young People’s Plan.
Contribute to, and ensure appropriate engagement with relevant change programmes across the Council; lead specific programmes as requested by the Council’s Corporate Leadership Team.
Provide specialist advice to Members and the Executive Director on County policy and overall service planning options relating to the care, learning and development of children and young people.
Promote customer focus as a core value and ensure feedback from children, young people and their families and partners is evaluated and informs planning.
Promote and oversee a rigorous, strategic approach to service improvements including effective performance management and budgetary control.
Establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations with external organisations and partner agencies in order to deliver joined up services.
People management/workforce development
Lead, manage and motivate staff to ensure commitment to and delivery of high quality services, focused on the needs of children and young people.
Ensure that effective processes are in place for recruiting, developing, appraising, rewarding and retaining staff, and promoting attendance and performance, in line with Council policy.
Financial and Performance Management
Take responsibility for the allocation of resources and the establishment of standards of performance and targets for service areas to meet agreed objectives. Ensure that systems, policies and processes are in place and fully adopted to manage, evaluate and measure performance to meet financial budgets and service standards and targets.
Ensure that all services within the remit of the post meet the Council’s statutory obligations and, where appropriate, national and local performance indicator targets.
Risk Management
Contribute to the overall management of risk, ensuring that lines of accountability are clear and well understood and systems are in place for monitoring, evaluating and managing risk to secure the reputation and physical, virtual and intellectual resources of the Council.
Support the County’s response to major incidents and contribute to the work of the Emergency Management Team when required.
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