Headteacher of Senior School Voorschoten Starting school year 2017 2018 Internationally JSD Essentials British 1
Headteacher of Senior School Voorschoten The British School in The Netherlands (the BSN) is seeking an outstanding candidate for the position of Headteacher of our Senior School Voorschoten (the Senior School). With this unique opportunity we are looking for a candidate who can help lead the next period of our success, in one of the most dynamic and successful British international schools worldwide. We are truly Internationally British. Internationally British 950 students Ages 11 18 45 nationalities
The post The post becomes available from September 2017, or sooner, subject to availability. Situated in Voorschoten, just outside of The Hague, the Senior School provides a fantastic, state of the art learning environment for approximately 950 students, of around 45 nationalities, aged 11 to 18 years. With our international community we instil, in all of our students, open-mindedness, tolerance, integrity and an enjoyment of life. The challenge for the new Headteacher is to build leadership capacity to ensure the Senior School continues to embrace its exciting future. This role offers you the freedom to innovate and explore the best opportunities for young people The Senior School is housed in a modern attractive building, which contributes to its welcoming and inspiring atmosphere. The facilities at the school are excellent and include two all-weather pitches, a full-sized indoor sports hall; a fully equipped gym; 10 Science Laboratories; a Music Department; an Art Studio; an ICT Suite; a School Library; a Food Technology Department and modern Sixth Form study and common room areas. In addition to this there are exciting plans for further development. Internally the quality of equipment and learning materials is of a consistently high standard. Learning and administrative technology is centrally supported and all classrooms have first class technology facilities. The Senior School constantly strives to innovate and explore different ways to improve the learning experiences of the students. The academic programme at the Senior School is based on the National Curriculum for England & Wales, but has been adapted to meet the needs of our international student body. At age 16 students sit the internationally recognised qualification of GCSEs. Post-16 students then have the choice to study for English A Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or the International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP). We also offer some BTEC subjects to increase breadth. The BSN is the only international school in The Netherlands to offer this range of provision. A unique opportunity to lead the next period of the school s success Welcoming and inspiring atmosphere State-of-theart learning environment As Headteacher you will be leading a group of around 170 staff members (140 FTE). The staff are varied in age and length of service with some members new to the BSN and The Netherlands, and others who have been in post for over 10 years. You can expect to be working with talented colleagues who support one another to promote excellence in all aspects of the school. All teachers receive non-contact time (PPA) and those with posts of responsibility have additional release time. The school is well supported by its own administrative staff and maintenance team as well as the BSN Business Units. The Senior School is very welcoming and the strong partnership between students, parents and staff constitutes the backbone of our community.
The BSN The BSN is based in and around The Hague. Our three Junior Schools and one Senior School are home to 2300 students, aged 3 to 18. Approximately 30% of our student body is British with 70% coming from over 80 other countries. BSN students achieve outstanding results and success in all fields and at all ages, with our Sixth Formers ultimately gaining entry to their universities of choice around the world. We are proud to support learners of all abilities and our AEN department and EAL teams provide excellent provision for any students who require additional support. The BSN Language Centre Through our Language Centre we provide a range of courses for adults in both the international and local Dutch community alongside running after-school language classes and a very successful Summer Activities School for children. The International Leadership Academy (ILA) The BSN employs around 700 full and part time staff. Our colleagues come from all over the world, though the largest numbers are from the UK bringing considerable experience of the British educational tradition. A significant number especially support staff are recruited locally. We recognise that our talented and dynamic colleagues deserve the best network of professional support and training. The newly commissioned International Leadership Academy is a demonstration of the BSN s commitment to its people. Liz Free, the founding Director of the ILA, joined us in September 2016. Judged to be excellent in all categories by ISI The International Leadership Academy and Blue Sky are a demonstration of our commitment to our staff Our client community Over the years we have developed strong relationships with a wide range of major international corporations, with large international organisations (both UN and EU) and many national embassies. The Randstad (four largest Dutch cities and their surrounding areas) continues to attract inward investment. Student numbers at The BSN are rising as the high reputation of the school amongst the international community prevails. The school was judged to be excellent in all categories by ISI in October 2015. Our students are drawn from the families of internationally mobile professionals and whilst we cater for all abilities, the overall motivation, aspirations, level of parental support and standards of student behaviour are high. A great deal of effort is put into making arriving families feel welcome and supported and in maintaining close contacts at a high level with representatives of client organisations.
Management structure In this role you will report to the CEO & Principal who leads the BSN. Each school is led by a Headteacher. Together with the Director of Finance; this Board of Management, in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Group (comprising Deputy Headteachers and Heads of BSN Business Units), develop strategy and manage operations. Strong specialist business departments provide central support in the fields of Human Resources, Communications, Information Systems, Finance, Operations, the ILA and Security. Finance The BSN is financially strong. We receive no subsidies from any government, so planned development is funded from fee income and where needed, through structured bank loans. Mission and governance Accreditations: COBIS, HMC, IBDP and IBCP The BSN was founded in 1931 as a not for profit Association and its mission is to provide education in the British tradition with an international perspective. Meeting this mission has required both flexibility and vision; we have an imaginative plan to meet the growth in student numbers and the developing aspirations of the international community. The British Ambassador to The Netherlands is the chair of our Association. Eight Governors are drawn from the Association and work in an executive capacity with the CEO & Principal. Future opportunities and challenges The BSN is an ambitious organisation we strive to respond to educational change and to adjust and adapt to meet our clients needs. Like all good organisations we plan our developments with care. Together, the Board of Management and Board of Governors also engage in longer term strategic planning. Our strategic planning however is concerned with more than just the school s estate. All members of the school community want to ensure that the nature of teaching and learning at the BSN is fit for the future.
The person This is a demanding, but immensely interesting job a wonderful opportunity for an approachable and inclusive leader, who has a passion and vision for education and likes working in an international context. We are looking for an innovative leader who is able to inspire and create confidence in our community We are looking for a candidate who is: Enthusiastic to drive the Senior School developments together with the Headteachers of the other BSN schools Relentless in the pursuit of excellence for all of our students An experienced teaching professional/educational leader, with an open and inclusive style A true people person who is able to maintain and develop the strong sense of community within the school We are looking for a candidate who has: A commitment to and passion for the education, well-being and development of young people from 11 to 18 years An international outlook and an appreciation of the richness that a diversity of cultures brings to a British school context Outstanding communication skills and style, demonstrating enthusiasm and energy Experience in managing change or periods of transition A range of professional experience within secondary education, ideally across sectors Recent UK experience Staff training and professional development are very strong Families feel welcome and supported Strong specialised Business Units providing central support
Our offer The Netherlands is one of the most welcoming of all EU member countries to professionals working abroad, and is a very easy and pleasant country in which to live and work. The working language of the BSN is English. The Dutch are excellent linguists and English is widely spoken by around 70% of the population. Transport services and connections are excellent our schools are located in The Hague, just 30 minutes or so from Amsterdam Schiphol airport, or in the other direction, from the Hoek of Holland ferry terminal. Public transport is fast, reliable and generally good value for money, but many choose the truly Dutch option of cycling in a flat country with the most highly developed network of cycle paths in the world it s hard not to! There is much more you can find out about the school and living in The Netherlands from our website www.britishschool.nl and on Twitter (@BSNetherlands). The content there will help give you a clearer idea of who we are and, we hope, the excitement and potential of this post. The salary for this position will reflect the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. The salary will compete with those leaders of the best similar schools. Further details of this, along with pension contributions, relocation package and other benefits, can be discussed with candidates invited for interview. An ambitious organisation with strong governance Curriculum expertly adapted to meet the needs of our international student body
Application and interview dates Candidates wishing to apply should share their experience and enthusiasm in a letter of application and full CV. Please go to the Current Vacancies page of our website where you can fill in our online application form, upload your documents and give the details of two referees: www.britishschool.nl/vacancies Applications should reach us by 20 October 2016 Initial interviews Dates 3/4 November 2016 Location Amsterdam, The Netherlands Final interviews Dates 28 & 29 November 2016 Location The Hague, The Netherlands For those invited for initial interview, there will be ample opportunity to see if this is a good fit. For those who reach the final round of selection, there will be a full programme across the two days to ensure a thorough introduction to both The Netherlands and the BSN. www.britishschool.nl