Description

DIRECTOR OF FUTURES (CAREERS)
FULL TIME PERMANENT ROLE
St Helen’s is looking to appoint a Full Time Director of Futures (Careers) to start either September 2023 or January 2024. The role will report directly to the Assistant Headteacher: Sixth Form and Pupil Progress. This role is suitable for either teaching or non-teaching members of staff.

WELCOME TO ST HELEN’S
St Helen’s is a large, thriving all-through school and many of the girls who leave us at the end of Year 13 have been with us since Nursery or Reception. We are ambitious for every single girl: that she achieves her potential; that she leaves us to embark upon an exciting and fulfilling future, able to deal with whatever life throws at her with a calm, inner resolve, and a sense of fun; that she is ready to go out into the world and make a difference. St Helen’s has a long tradition of academic excellence which encourages girls to pursue intellectual curiosity beyond the curriculum. Our GCSE results put us very securely into the top 50
independent schools in the country each year (28th in 2022), and we are ranked 30th for A Level’s in the Telegraph League Table of UK Independent schools 2022. Sixth Formers go on to established, high-ranking universities including Oxford and Cambridge, with more than a third studying STEM subjects. However, we give our girls much more than just academic success; our co-curricular programme is rich and varied, and our pastoral care ensures that every girl is valued and cared for.

Within easy reach of central London, our school is set in 21 acres of lovely grounds and, just as we are proud of our students’ academic achievements and their personal development, we are also proud of our facilities and buildings. We
have invested over £20 million in a building programme over the last five years and have plans to do more.
St Helen’s has a warm and lively atmosphere that makes it a really exciting place to work. Our staff and our girls look out for each other and encourage each other to be the best possible version of themselves. As such, you will play a vital role in
supporting the school in the next stage of its journey and I look forward to receiving your application.

Alice Lucas, Headmistress

THE SCHOOL
St Helen’s is an academically selective independent girls’ day school of more than 1200 students aged 3-18, set in beautiful green space in Northwood, Middlesex.
It draws pupils from a wide area of north-west London, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire with easy access by Underground from central London.
We want our students to be brave and true, ever intellectually curious. They will believe they can do anything. They will want to explore how they can best interact with the world around them and make a difference for the better in their own way.

They will be ready for whatever the future brings.

Our aims are:
• To provide each and every girl with the opportunity and means to achieve academic excellence.
• To provide our students with the personal skills, emotional resilience, and the confidence to achieve their full potential through a varied, rich and challenging Co-Curricular programme.
• To know, value and respect all girls as individuals so as to best support them on their journey through the school.
• To ensure that the girls are ready to play a full and active part in their communities and in an interconnected digital world.

Our students achieve high academic standards, and we encourage them to develop lifelong skills in a diverse range of areas, both within and outside the curriculum, and to pursue their individual ambitions. The school is proud of its tradition of providing a balanced and forward-looking education through which its pupils can become confident, independent learners and leaders in their fields, their professions, and their communities. Attention to the individual child is at the heart of everything we do and shapes the pastoral care, teaching and learning and the co- curricular opportunities on offer at St Helen’s.

PURPOSE
At the heart of our aims as a School is that we equip pupils to play a full and active role in adult life and, to this end, the Futures programme will provide an exceptional preparation for Higher Education and professional life. This is a coherent and ambitious programme, with preparation for life at its heart, which will enable all pupils to develop a mature and informed understanding of their own potential together with a variety of routes via which this can be fulfilled. It will encourage girls to be ambitious and to aim high. As well as Careers Education and Guidance, the programme will include the Higher Education Application process, professional and life skills development, and networking and mentoring so that our pupils receive the best possible preparation for life beyond school which enables them to stand out from the crowd in interviews and at work.
The Futures Programme will be delivered through tutor time, assemblies, PSHCE and programmes of talks, events, conferences, and presentations for girls as they progress through the Senior School, with more in-depth activities and curriculum
enrichment planned at key points throughout the academic year for each year group and Section of the school as appropriate.

The Director of the Futures
Programme will work closely with the Assistant Head: Sixth Form, Assistant Head: Pastoral, Director of Sixth Form, the Heads of Year, the Scholars Programme for students with the highest intellectual potential (HIP) and the Marketing team; they
will lead the Higher Education reference writing team (comprising subject teachers and form tutors) as well as being responsible for the strategic development and operational delivery of Careers Education throughout the school from years 7-13, liaising with staff in Prep to ensure a smooth transition into Senior School.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
• Strategic development, leadership and management of the Careers education,information, and guidance provision (CEIAG) across the Senior School in Years 7-13
• Coordinate and manage the Higher Education and UCAS process, including applications for Degree Apprenticeships and International Universities
• Work closely with the Assistant Head, Director of Sixth Form, the Sixth Form team and Heads of Department to ensure successful applications for Higher Education, and excellent personalised advice and support to pupils throughout the application and admissions process.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of developments in UCAS and Higher Education.
• Demonstrate flair and creativity in engaging and enthusing students by providing stimulating and challenging activities appropriate to the learning needs of individuals.
• Enrich and broaden the learning experiences and aspirations of students across the school through the development of opportunities in the form of events, trips, external speakers and the Futures webinars and networking.
• To offer bespoke, impartial guidance to students on their options choices, further education and future careers, including information about sources of more expert advice on specific questions.
• Maintain accurate records of meetings with students and parents in line with data protection policies and best practice.
• Acting as a consultant/reference point for teaching staff dealing with careers queries.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of developments in Careers Education and Guidance in schools.
Careers education, information, advice, and guidance (CEIAG)
• Plan and deliver an integrated and strategic careers education and guidance programme for students across Senior School and Sixth Form, including: o Measuring provision against working towards achieving 100% Gatsby

Benchmarks
o input into the PSHCE programme
o linking curriculum learning to careers (working with Heads of Department)
o Sixth Form careers & higher education lessons
o Morrisby Testing
o Organising a programme of Futures events for Years 7-13 and evaluate the impact of these with student voice, parent and staff surveys.
o Monitoring and evaluation of Careers Education to ensure high standards and continuous improvement, and that the school is up to date with the most recent developments
• Responsibility for all policies relating to Careers Education
• Have an extensive, well-informed, and critical understanding of current national initiatives and ensure that and relevant staff are fully conversant with changes.
• Organisation of Careers interviews and all profile testing where appropriate
• Work with the Senior School Librarian to ensure the provision of careers literature to support the students and staff in line with current initiatives and trends.
• Liaise with Prep School to ensure a smooth transition to Senior School in terms of careers education.

Higher Education
• Coordinate and manage the Higher Education and UCAS process, Degree Level Apprenticeships, and International Universities
• Leadership and training of the Higher Education reference writing team (subject teachers and form tutors)
• Monitoring, tracking and quality assurance of the reference writing process and outcomes.
• Co-ordination, monitoring, and evaluation of subject based Uniprep and Uniprep+ courses
• Organisation of opportunities for relevant interview practice for all students
• Provision of high-quality advice and guidance related to Higher Education, including gap years, community service, work experience, internships, and post qualification applications.
• Organisation of Higher Education events in school and external visits to conferences
• Ensuring the school is up to date with the latest developments in Higher Education
• Be readily available to pupils when needed, including on Results Days and the days thereafter.

Professional Skills Development
• Provision for programmes/seminars/activities which develop key professional and employability skills such as interview skills, public speaking and debating, working with a diverse workforce, how to chair a meeting, how to lead a team, how to solve real life problems, how to achieve consensus.
• Work with the Development Office to further grow the school’s network of parents, alumnae and businesses who can share work experience opportunities and advice, working closely with the Deputy Head: Co-Curricular & Partnerships
• Organise and conduct mock interviews, drawing on expertise within the school community (staff, parents, and alumnae) and the wider local community.

Alumnae, networking, and mentoring
• Produce, working with the Development Office, a strategic plan to take full advantage of the school’s growing network of parents and Alumnae via St. Helen’s Connect to create the best opportunities to benefit current pupils through Futures Evenings, work experience and shadowing, interview practice, mentoring, etc.

Leadership and Management
• Line manage the Futures Administrator to ensure smooth running of the Futures office and its day-to-day work
• Line manage and develop the Deputy Head of Futures to support fully the students in the Sixth Form in their Futures ambitions.
• Line manage the Oxbridge Coordinator and support them to achieve the best outcomes for this group of students
• Responsible for the Higher Education (HE) reference writing process and delivery, and the team of reference writers’ training and delivery of the best possible references to support all Sixth Form students in their HE applications.

General requirements
• Work towards and support the school vision and the current school objectives outlined in the School Strategic Plan
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of pupils, and adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
• Work within the School’s health and safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, pupils, and visitors.
• Promote equality of opportunity for all students and staff
• Help sustain a school culture and curriculum which promotes an ethical education for all including promoting positive strategies for challenging discrimination of any kind.
• Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with pupils, parents, and colleagues.
• Engage actively in the performance review process.
• Be an outstanding practitioner and role model for teaching and learning, displaying a deep understanding of how young people learn.
• Undertake other reasonable duties related to the job purpose required from time to time.

THE PERSON
It is essential for the successful candidate to have the following qualifications, experience, and personal attributes:
• Strong academic qualifications in a relevant degree subject
• Educated to A Level (minimum achieved Grade C)
• Leading students through the Higher Education application process.
• Organising and running events and/or trips.
• Ability to establish and maintain good relationships with a range of adults and pupils.
• Capacity to motivate, inspire and challenge young people.
• Excellent listening, coaching and guidance skills
• Be familiar with curriculum developments and relevant statutory requirements for careers education and guidance.
• Be familiar with requirements for work-related learning.
• Have an understanding of current educational issues including national policies, priorities and legislation.
• Knowledge of the Higher Education application process, including art foundation, conservatoires, degree apprenticeship applications and current developments.
• Knowledge of competitive university courses such as Law, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Oxbridge.
• Experience of managing a team
• Be familiar with the components of outstanding teaching/ learning and careers guidance.
• Understanding of how to personalize provision to meet the learning needs of the full range of students.
• An awareness of current legal requirements regarding safeguarding
• Excellent literacy, numeracy, and ICT skills.
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic, and able to work on own initiative.
• Innovative and enthusiastic about the role of CEIAG and its role in the development of students across the whole school
• Collaborative and able to work effectively with staff across the school.
• High professional standards.
• Ability to communicate with a range of adults and pupils. Ability to motivate students. Ability to self-review effectively and set appropriate targets. willingness to engage in self-development activities.

It is desirable for the successful candidate to have the following qualifications, experience, and personal attributes:
• Postgraduate careers advice and guidance qualification e.g. QCG, QCF or NVQ
• Experience of working with highly aspirational and academic students
• Careers guidance within a school setting
• Organising work-related learning.
• Developing a network of contacts across the school, business and university community.
• Knowledge of the international university application process, includingUSA.
• Ability to take the lead for a whole school initiative.

BENEFITS
• Membership of a workplace Pensions Scheme
• Competitive pay structure
• 50% fee remission for staff children subject to spaces and entry examinations (pro rata for part time staff)
• A strong culture of professional development
• Access to the School’s swimming pool and fitness suite
• Free on-site parking and excellent public transport links
• Free lunch and refreshments
• Generous holiday entitlement and occupational sick pay scheme
• A beautiful working environment – the school is set in a conservation site in excess of 20 acres.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Closing date: 8am Friday 30th June 2023

Please apply as soon as possible as shortlisting/interviews will progress up until the closing date. Should a suitable candidate be appointed, we reserve the right to close the advert early.

Due to the high volume of applicants, we receive, if you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume we will not be progressing your application further on this occasion