New Roles And Responsibilities in Schools

2. Roles and Responsibilities in Schools

2.1 School governors.
School governors are volunteers who work only 6-8 hours a month. Their most important role is to challenge the school to get better. They are also responsible for: appointing the Head Teacher and deputy Teacher; finance in school; setting the aims and objectives of the school; support the Head Teacher’ are responsible for the buildings and landscape; look after the educational strategies; agree the budget;

Senior Management Team is a team of professionals working together to set the strategic direction of the school and manage it. This team also make changes if they are needed. The main role of the SMT is to make sure the school is doing the best for the children. The SMT usually consists of Head Teacher and Deputy Head but if the school is bigger the team can be also bigger.

Head Teacher : runs the school on a day to day basis; responsible for the staff and pupils; responsible to the Governing Body; leads the staff team; make sure there are appropriate policies and procedures to follow; manage the staff; responsible for the educational achievement of the pupils; motivate the staff; reports to the governors; works alongside governors and other senior staff.

Deputy Head Teacher: works alongside the Head Teacher; deputies in the absence of the Head Teacher; responsible to the Head Teacher; teaches a class; motivates learning; uphold the school’s aims and values; works with the Governing Body; support the staff.

Assistant Head Teacher: provides with assistance the Head Teacher and the Deputy Head Teacher

Early Years Coordinator: responsible for the children in the Foundation stage; works with the Head Teacher; works with the Foundation team of teachers, nursery nurses and teaching assistants; supports the teachers trough the teaching process; upholds the policies and the aims of the school; responsible ensuring the progress in YEFS curriculum; communicate with parents trough letters, meetings and displays; responsible to the Head Teacher.

Key Stage Coordinator: responsible for the different key stages; teaches a class; to make sure all the teachers are provided with student information with aims to achieve; make certain the classrooms are kept in good condition; responsible to the Head Teacher.

Special Educational needs coordinator (SENCO): responsible for the school’s SEN policy; support pupils with SEN and communicate with parents, careers and teachers; keeps a profile of the children; works with external professionals like psychologist or physiotherapist;

Classroom Teacher: plan and prepare for the learning process; chooses the most appropriate methods and materials in order to achieve the educational standards; communicate with parents and careers; communicate with the pupils in motivating manner; motivate the pupils and stimulate their development; creates positive learning environment; responsible to the Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher; comply with the curriculum; demonstrate good relationships with the pupils; responsible for the educational progress of the pupils; organizing the classroom; meeting and discussing with external professionals.

Teaching Assistant: works with the classroom teacher; prepare the classroom – prepare the materials needed for the lesson and clear them up afterwards; may work with small groups of children or face to face with one pupil only to support their learning; help with outings and any sport events; listen to pupils reading aloud; read stories to the children; helping pupils who have English as a second language; support the teacher to manage good behavior in the classroom in order to achieve productive learning.

Subject Leaders/Curriculum Coordinators/Heads of Department: responsible for managing particular subject; responsible to the Head Teacher; works alongside with the other teachers; plan and prepare lessons; to help with the whole school planning activities;

Personal, Social and health Education Coordinator: works with the subject coordinator, class teachers and key stage leaders; coordinates Personal, Social and Health curriculum; responsible for keeping the school in healthy manner; helps in the development of the playground; be aware of any risks or hazards in school; takes place in school meetings about health issues; discuss any issues that may arise with cleaning staff, lunchtime staff or Teaching Assistants.

Child Protection Officer: identifying any signs of abuse; take actions when issues have been reported to him; keeps record of all concerns;

Supply Teacher: employed by LEA or a Supply Agency; works temporary in the school during the absence of a teacher; needs to be well prepared for the lesson; needs to know the layout of the school, the timings of the school, the classroom routine, details of any issues a pupil might have.

School Meals Supervisory Assistant (SMSA): responsible for that pupils have washed their hands before eating; supervise the entrance and the exit of the children to the dining hall; encourages pupils to eat; make sure the dining hall is clean; clean any spillages immediately; to make sure the children are appropriately dressed for the weather conditions when going at the playground; supervise the children at the playground; responsible to the Head Teacher; has to be First Aid trained.

Bursar: manage the finances of the school; responsible to the Head Teacher and the Governing Body; advice the Head Teacher about the finances; responsible for school fees, scholarships; controls the budget; attends meetings.

Site Manager: responsible to the Head Teacher; to ensure the school site is safety; undertake any repairs that may be needed; responsible for heating and lighting systems in the school; knows the locations of essential services like water, fire points, gas; keep all the outside areas clean and tidy.

2.2 External Professionals:

Educational Psychologist: helping pupils with educational problems; giving advice to teachers or parents in order to resolve the child’s problem; asses and observes the child; listening to the pupils’ problems; writing reports.

Speech Therapist: - works with pupils who have different types of problems such as speech problems, language and communication problems; assess every child individually and prepare a plan with targets to achieve; communicate with the teachers and parents in order to achieve the targets; writing reports.

Secondary Schools:

Key Stage 3 Coordinator:
Responsible to the Head of Faculty;
Works with the teachers to help them in the progress of their class;
Set targets to teachers and pupils;
Responsible for the planning, reviewing and monitoring of the key stage.

Head of Learning Support:
Responsible for helping pupils with learning needs;
Supports pupils with behavior difficulties;
Plan a special program to follow for pupils in danger of exclusion;
Communicate with teachers and parents;

Head of Faculty:
Responsible to the Head Teacher;
Responsible for developing his faculty (for example: ‘Humanities Faculty’)
To make sure good level of teaching and learning in the Faculty;
Responsible for the behavior of the pupils in order to make easy the learning process and maintain safety environment.

Pastoral Manager ( Head of Year ):
Works with the Key Stage Coordinator and the Behavior team; communicate with the parents; works with tutors, subject teachers and Curriculum Leaders;
First-Aid trained;
Responsible for encouraging attendance and punctuality;