The Role

This is a pivotal role focused on securing high standards of behaviour, attendance, wellbeing and progress of a cohort of students. This includes providing first line support to students on pastoral issues including attendance, behaviour and educational support and providing a strategic link between the school and other agencies and parents/carers. Successful candidates will be required to ensure provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and adapted pastoral development curriculum for students in the cohort, in accordance with the aims of the school and curricular policies and to liaise with other Heads of Year where necessary, to ensure continuity and progression of pastoral provision throughout the school.

Our aim is to enable all students to achieve their potential academically and personally, regardless of ability or disability. We aim to increase whole school and community awareness of the importance of quality and equity of opportunity for all students and are committed to providing an integrated and inclusive curriculum to meet individual needs, promoting positive achievement and independence for all.

As Head of Year (non-teaching), you will be responsible for ensuring that the school provides outstanding pastoral support for all students. You will also lead on developing a culture that enables all students to maximise their achievements across the spectrum of school life. We believe that with the right support, encouragement and opportunities, all young people have the potential to succeed in education and life.

The successful candidate will have: 

• Demonstratable experience with young people in a secondary school or similar setting.
• Strong pastoral leadership and behaviour management skills
• Proven ability to motivate staff and students to deliver positive outcomes
• Proven ability to communicate confidently and effectively with students, colleagues, parents and external agencies
• Demonstratable skills to remain calm, resilient and manage challenging situations with professionalism
• Shares our commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and high expectations for all students.

 Key Responsibilities

• Lead by example in all areas of the pastoral development curriculum and work with colleagues to formulate aims, objectives and strategic plans for the cohort which have coherence and relevance to the needs of students and to the aims, objectives and strategic plans of the school.
• Monitor the standards of progress, attendance, punctuality, behaviour and welfare within their year group and analyse and interpret a range of data pertinent to the cohort in order to evaluate students’ progress, achievement and attainment, and report to the Pastoral Lead, SLT, staff and parents as appropriate.
• Working under the leadership of the Pastoral Lead, support the Pastoral Lead in coordinating intervention and enhancement strategies for targeted groups of students.
• Establish good relationships, encourage good working practices and support and lead teachers and direct tutors working within the year group.
• Oversee all aspects of the pastoral organisation and management to ensure that school policies and practices are being delivered.
• Manage the transition of new pupils arriving or existing pupils returning to school, putting the necessary support in place to overcome any barriers to learning.
• Liaise with SEND, Accelerated Learning Group (ALG) and outside agencies/providers, including Alternative Provision and ‘Directions off site’ to monitor the progress and behaviour of those students.

 Sir Harry Smith Community College is an 11-18 Academy, proud of its traditional values and innovative approaches to Teaching and Learning and its standards of discipline and respect. The College serves the market town of Whittlesey, seven miles outside of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. The College is part of the Aspire Learning Trust working together with Park Lane and New Road Primary Schools, also in Whittlesey, to help every child achieve their full potential, to prepare them for their next educational steps, to teach them kindness and respect for all and to equip them to play a full satisfying role in society.   

For more information or an informal discussion about the role, please contact Mrs L Randle HR Manager on 01733 703991 or lrandle@sirharrysmith.com. 

Application deadline is Midday Wednesday 18th March 2026. (We reserve the right to bring forward the closing date if we consider that we have received an appropriate number of suitable candidates for the post). 

Applicants are thanked for their interest in Sir Harry Smith Community College. Please note that only candidates shortlisted for interview will be contacted after the closing date.