Head of Creative Arts (7-12)
Creative Arts teaching staff
- Faculty staff, Extension & Enrichment Coordinator, Learning Support
- Director of Teaching and Learning (DoTaL), School Administration staff
- Parents and Community
Covenant Christian School is a distinctly and explicitly Christian Prep to Year 12 co-educational day school with almost 900 students, located in Belrose on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Working in partnership with parents, our passionate and highly qualified teaching staff deliver the curriculum from the understanding that all of life must be centred on God and his plan to restore all things under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
With a focus on the nurture and discipleship of our students, Covenant seeks to meet the individual learning needs of each student and support their well-being and development from an academic, social, emotional and spiritual perspective.
Vision: To faithfully serve in God’s plan to restore all things under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Mission: To assist parents in the nurture of their children, by providing a Christ-centred, biblically grounded, culturally engaging and academically rigorous education to equip the children to live for God’s glory.
ROLE STATEMENT
The Head of Creative Arts is responsible for implementing the Schools’ vision and mission in their area of responsibility, and coordinating programs of work across the Creative Arts area, relating to classroom activities, and ensuring syllabus content which meets NESA requirements and the school’s teaching and learning framework. This will require involvement in curriculum development, planning, and adaptive classroom practice.
You will be supported by the Head of Secondary School (HoSS) and Deputy Principal, in curriculum development and pedagogy, as well as additional resources from the Extension and Enrichment Coordinator and Learning Support Coordinator. You will also participate in professional practice, growth, and development initiatives.
As Head of Faculty for Creative Arts you will also oversee the continued development of co-curricular opportunities such as ensembles, musicals and the Junior School Band/ String programme.
As Head of Faculty, you will implement a child safe culture, ensuring a strong Parent Partnership presence that supports our community, sharing in staff devotions, and being involved in the wider life and cultural expectations of the School.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Development of your staff team to ensure delivery of quality teaching to your students. This will include collaborative planning, professional learning and induction, mentoring and development of your staff.
- Leadership of the development, implementation and evaluation of teaching and learning programs.
- Ensure all curriculum, teaching programs and assessment procedures are compliant with NESA requirements and the school’s teaching and learning framework, and that curriculum content is taught from a Christian perspective.
- Ensure quality assessment practices and procedures are implemented within the faculty.
- Provide an effective climate of learning that fosters academic achievement, actively exploring ways to differentiate learning experiences and assessment in the classroom.
- Establish and maintain a child-safe, positive classroom culture with clear expectations for student behaviour, learning and discipline, aligned with the school’s Student Code of Conduct.
- Driving creative arts opportunities alongside the curriculum space, including concert bands, string ensembles, vocal ensembles, contemporary ensembles.
- Coordinating large creative arts events such as Evening of Music, Music Tour and musicals.
- Coordinate the Year 4/5 Band/ Strings programme.
- Administration of peripatetic music tutors
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Ensure a Biblical worldview shapes your leadership, and teaching and learning practices. Check that programs, rationales and assessments encourage students to think biblically about your subject area(s) and are challenged to develop and use their gifts wisely.
- Work in collaboration with Learning Support and Extension and Enrichment staff to ensure teachers provide students with the appropriate additional support they may require.
- Ensure teachers implement effective practices to monitor student progress and academic standards within the guidelines set by the school.
- Participate in and lead Professional Learning activities (including during PD Week/Conference Week events) to enhance your own and your team’s teaching practice through a framework of feedback and continued professional growth. Ensure you maintain a proper work/life balance to support your own wellbeing and that of your team.
- Report any concerns regarding the wellbeing of students to the HoSS.
- Ensure all deadlines are met, informing the HoSS of any variances, and leaving appropriate student work for covering staff when absent from the school.
- Lead faculty team meetings to improve teaching and learning quality and practices and collaborate with staff members in the development of their understanding.
- Work cohesively with staff, being subject to relevant authority in line with the organisational structure of the school, to promote collaborative relationships between teachers, students and parents.
- Lead staff devotions, be involved in the wider life of the school and help to instill positive cultural expectations across Secondary School.
- Communicate directly with parents when and where appropriate, managing any parent concerns in accordance with school policies and procedures.
- Use technology, where appropriate, to improve teaching and learning processes
KEY REQUIREMENTS
- Committed Christian of a reformed evangelical persuasion actively involved in the life of their local church.
- Able and willing to sincerely affirm the School’s Statement of Belief, modelling a lifestyle that reflects Christian practice and beliefs in their everyday life.
- Genuine passion for, and capabilities in Christian Education, suitably qualified, and NESA accredited in NSW.
- Ability to lead, mentor and develop a team, and develop a culture of learning.
- Competent in the use of technology as it relates to the education programs. Experience in Canvas and Edumate would be advantageous.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills; and an appreciation for and understanding of the unique development needs of students and the significance of spiritual, social and emotional learning to personal growth, wellbeing and academic engagement.
- A current Working with Children Check Number.
- A commitment to your own professional learning and to making contributions to the broader Christian Education community, including willingness to undertake post-graduate studies as appropriate.
WE OFFER:
- Two Conference Weeks each year (January and July) for mandatory training, professional development, meeting and preparation times
- Dedicated Induction Day in January (for new staff)
- Support package of programs and mentoring for those new to the profession, including ‘Covie 101’ for new teachers, and mentoring for all new staff.
- A supportive, caring Christian environment
- An onsite café; staff morning teas
- Onsite gym and Fitness Passport
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY
The school is committed to providing a healthy and safe workplace for everyone. All staff have a responsibility to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of everyone else at school or involved in school activities. As such you must comply with reasonable Workplace Health and Safety instructions, policies, and procedures, including the provision of care to students within the scope of your role. You will also participate in school safety, such as by completing risk assessments, addressing hazards and reporting safety incidents.
The school reserves the right to modify and adjust role descriptions to meet its operational and strategic needs.
The School’s Staff Code of Conduct and Statement of Belief also applies to your employment.
