VICE PRINCIPAL
Pastoral Care and Operations
(Full Time Permanent from 1st September 2026)
This vacancy arises as a result of Mr Montgomery’s retirement after 30 years of exceptional service to the School.
The School
Glenlola Collegiate is a successful and dynamic grammar school for girls set in the heart of Bangor, serving all of the North Down community as well as the wider Ards and North Down area. As a school we focus all our efforts on being child centred and we have high expectations for each and every one of the pupils in our care.
We believe that every girl has her own potential and our teachers and staff strive to help each individual to discover and develop these talents to the fullest extent.
We take immense pride in our grammar school environment which nurtures strong academic achievements and offers a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities tailored to meet the needs of our pupils.
We have a strong tradition of House Events which help to encourage participation across all age groups and nurture the positive values of the School.
We are proud to note that our pupils regularly outperform girls of the same ability in other schools in both GCSE and A-level examinations. This success is a result of the strong and supportive relationships which are fostered between pupils and staff and which form such an important part of the Glenlola Collegiate ethos.
Both current Vice Principals will retire on 31st August 2026, so this vacancy is one of two being advertised. The Headmaster Mr WE Thompson will remain in post for the autumn term of the 2026-27 school year in order to help the newly appointed Vice Principals establish themselves and he will then retire.
The Position
The post of Vice Principal is the second most senior position in the School after that of the Principal. The postholder will drive and shape a range of specific and whole-school areas of provision which will impact both directly and indirectly on the successful and effective running of the School. The appointee will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team and will be expected to contribute fully to the leadership of the staff and pupils and to school life in general.
The Board of Governors seeks to appoint a person of character, vision and leadership ability who can maintain and develop further the School’s ethos, high standards of strong academic achievement and extensive extra-curricular provision with energy and integrity.
The successful candidate will be responsible to the Principal and will be required to deputise for them when necessary.
In addition to a reduced teaching commitment (approximately 33% class contact time) and membership of the School Leadership Team, the Vice Principal’s duties are detailed below. The successful candidate will be responsible for all duties listed below:
1. Deputising for the Principal as required.
2. Leading by example in all areas of school life and work, exemplifying the values of the School.
3. Assisting the Principal in the promotion of positive behaviour and assertive discipline.
4. Line management of Senior Teacher 1.
5. Leading/overseeing Pastoral Care.
6. Leading/overseeing SEN/Learning Support.
7. Leading/overseeing Financial Administration and Management of LMS and School Fund including budget planning and projections, allocations, monitoring spend and reconciliations.
8. Line management of the Finance Staff.
9. Leading/overseeing ICT provision.
10. Line management Head of Junior School.
11. Line management Head of Middle School.
12. Leading/overseeing organisation of major school events.
13. Relevant School administration.
14. Relevant management, and organisation.
15. School Development Planning.
16. School and Self Evaluation including relevant data analysis and target setting.
17. Lead/oversee Premises and Health & Safety.
18. Managing the Attendance at Work policy and staff absence.
19. Maintaining, developing, and promoting formal and informal links with the wider community including primary schools and local post-primary schools.
20. Staff welfare.
21. Undertaking such other duties as the Principal may require.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
In their application and at interview, the successful candidate should be able to demonstrate relevant knowledge, skills and experience associated with the following key areas:
Shaping the Future
* Keeping abreast of and anticipate educational trends;
* Thinking strategically to build and communicate a shared coherent vision;
* Creating an ethos and providing direction, which promotes a culture of high expectation, successful learning and achievement;
* Inspiring, challenging, motivating and empowering others to carry the vision and ethos forward;
* Modelling/exemplifying the values and ethos of the School.
Leading and Managing Staff
* Providing high quality leadership to secure improvement;
* Collaborating and networking with others within and beyond the school;
* Fostering a culture of shared/ distributed leadership;
* Developing, empowering and sustaining individuals and teams;
* Supporting the development of an open, fair, equitable culture and managing conflict effectively;
* Supporting and challenging performance in order to raise standards;
Leading Learning and Teaching
* Cultivating enthusiasm for and commitment to the learning process.
* Leading and managing the development of an effective learning and teaching culture.
Developing the School in the Community
* Leading and managing the development and promotion of a positive image of the school within the local community and beyond;
* Developing and maintaining strong and effective relationships with parents and the local and wider community;
* Ensuring effective channels of communication are in place between the school and the local and wider community;
* Listening to, reflect and act on community feedback;
* Recognising and leading others to ensure that strategic planning takes account of the richness and diversity of the school’s communities and community feedback;
* Working closely with other relevant statutory and voluntary agencies to enhance the education of all pupils.
Managing the Organisation
* Overseeing the efficient day-to-day operation of the School
* Financial Management of the School
* Prioritising, planning and organising themselves and others;
* Thinking creatively to anticipate and solve problems;
* Making sound decisions based on a range of informed judgments;
* Establishing and maintaining appropriate structures and systems;
* Leading and managing the development and implementation of the School Development Plan;
* Delegating tasks and monitor their implementation;
* Managing resources efficiently and effectively: human, physical and financial.
Ensuring Accountability
* Creating and developing a culture in which all Governors and staff recognise that they are accountable for the success of the school;
* Combining the outcomes of regular self-evaluation, ETI inspection evidence and other external evaluations in order to develop the school;
* Leading and managing the process of monitoring and evaluating effectively school outcomes, policies and procedures;
* Working with the leadership team and others to recognise and disseminate effective practice and challenge and address unacceptable performance;
* Working closely with and provide effective reports to Governors on the school’s progress and development.
Conditions of Service
The conditions of service for this post will be in accordance with the Regulations of the Department of Education for Northern Ireland.
This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.
In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.
Post Primary Vice-Principal - Person Specification
Essential Desirable Qualifications The criteria that will be applied at shortlisting is as follows:
Applicants must at the closing date for applications:
1) Hold a teaching qualification which meets the requirements for recognition to teach in grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland;
Preference may be given to those applicants who: 3)Have successfully completed an additional post graduate (or equivalent or higher) qualification in Education. Experience The criteria that will be applied at shortlisting is as follows (please note that experience must be accrued by the closing date for receipt of completed applications): 2) Have a minimum of 5 years post qualification teaching experience in post primary education, and/or equivalent experience in an affiliated educational body working in an area that relates to the post primary sector, within the last 10 years; 3) Currently hold or have held for a minimum of 2 years AND within the last 8 years:
· A post with experience of strategic leadership or co-ordination of a whole school area at a minimum level of Head of Key Stage/Head of Department/SMT/SLT to include monitoring and evaluation resulting in measurable school improvement; or
· A post of Principal or Vice Principal; or
· A post with leadership and management experience within an affiliated body.
The above promoted posts may be in an acting capacity.
From your experience demonstrate:
4) Evidence of how your leadership has led to school improvement;
5) Evidence of involvement in strategic planning.
Preference may be given to those applicants who:
1) Have led and delivered whole school CPD to staff
2) Have demonstrable experience of managing a budget at departmental level or above.
Essential Knowledge Thesuccessful candidate must demonstrate extensive knowledge of:
* The Northern Ireland Post Primary Curriculum and current policies and procedures;
* Current educational developments and the ability to evaluate and respond to new educational challenges and manage change effectively;
* Effective classroom pedagogy and how to ensure high standards of teaching, learning and achievement throughout the school;
* Effective data management;
* Effective organisational management including the appropriate deployment of resources.
Skills The successful candidate must demonstrate highly developed skills in order to:
* Lead, motivate, manage, challenge and enthuse others;
* Create an ethos and articulate vision for the future of the school;
* Develop good relationships at all levels and promote a collaborative and team approach among staff, pupils, parents and governors;
* Lead strategically and develop self and others in order to achieve outcomes;
* Promote, achieve, monitor and evaluate high standards of teaching, learning and achievement throughout the school;
* Develop effective partnerships between the school and the local community;
* Communicate effectively orally and in writing;
* Organise and prioritise workload effectively;
* Deal with staffing matters in accordance with EA policies and procedures;
* Manage time effectively.
Personal Qualities
The successful candidate must demonstrate:
* Vision;
* A sound value system;
* Enthusiasm and motivation;
* Assertiveness and confidence;
* A caring child centred approach;
* Integrity;
* Advocacy and empathy;
* Discretion;
* An ability to cope under pressure;
* Tact and diplomacy;
* Decisiveness;
* Adaptability.
The Board of Governors reserves the right to enhance the essential criteria if necessary in order to facilitate a manageable shortlist.
Applicants must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) upon taking up employment.
Please note the onus is on candidates to provide sufficient detailed information on their application forms in order to demonstrate how they meet each of the criteria. Failure to do so may result in a candidate not being shortlisted since selection panels cannot make assumptions in the absence of essential information.
DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.
In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you will be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.
Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.
APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES
To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.
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