Principal Teacher

The closing date for completed applications for this post is 9am on Monday 04 May 2026, and it is anticipated interviews will take place on Tuesday 12 May 2026.

Hours: 35 hours per week.

Salary: £58,987 - £68,789 (Pt 1 - Pt 5).

JOB DESCRIPTION The Principal Teacher is a middle leadership role within the Education Department, responsible for leading curriculum areas and staff teams to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality learning, teaching and assessment.

Reporting directly to the Deputy Head Teacher, the post-holder is accountable for the day-to-day leadership of their specific areas of responsibility and staff, ensuring that departmental expectations are implemented effectively and consistently across all areas of practice. The Principal Teacher will translate strategic and operational priorities into high-quality classroom practice, supporting improved outcomes for young people.

The role has a key focus on raising attainment and achievement, promoting wellbeing and inclusion, and ensuring positive learner pathways. The post-holder will lead and support staff through effective line management, professional learning and quality assurance processes, ensuring that all practice is aligned with national expectations and organisational standards.

Working within a secure and residential setting, the Principal Teacher will contribute to a multi-disciplinary approach, collaborating with education colleagues, residential and secure care staff to ensure a consistent, trauma-informed and child-centred approach to supporting young people.

In addition to the duties required of our teaching staff team, our Principal Teachers are tasked with:

Leading, managing and supporting the work of the team through providing strategic direction and guidance

• Reporting to the Deputy Head Teacher and assisting the Service Head of Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning in leading and managing the school community.
• Acting in accordance with the visions, values and ambitions of the organisation.
• Consistently modelling high quality leadership, management and classroom practice.
• Assisting with effective budget management - ensuring best value and working within the relevant financial regulations.
• Being responsible and accountable for appropriate aspects of health and safety.
• Participation in recruitment, selection and induction of team members
• Line management responsibility for identified team members
• Ensuring that the actions of our team actively promote positive wellbeing and recovery for all

Leading curriculum delivery, development and quality assurance

• Maintaining advanced pedagogy, and being knowledgeable of relevant developments in this area.
• Supporting planning, delivery and quality assurance processes.
• Including our young people in reviewing, planning and shaping our services.
• Continually striving to improve the attainment of individual young people.
• Enhancing our curriculum through partnership working (locally and nationally), and by paying due regard to the principles of curriculum design.
• Ensuring consistent and high-quality approaches to learning, teaching and assessment are evident in all practice.
• Overseeing the progression of individual young people, and the performance of the department through the effective gathering and analysis of data.
• Administration and oversight of accreditation

Contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of policy and practice; and supporting the team to understand, implement and work within relevant legislation:

• Contributing to the development, implementation and review of school and organisational policies.
• Leading and/or participating in subject specific, whole school or interdisciplinary teams.
• Further refining approaches to tracking, monitoring, reporting and record keeping.
• Contributing (as relevant) to national working groups as legislation, policy and practice evolves and leading the team in ensuring a clear understanding of our statutory requirements.
• Contributing to the production, implementation and evaluation of our school improvement plan and reporting back on progress, strengths and areas for improvement

Reviewing, supporting and developing the professional needs, interests and performance of individual team members through the professional review and development cycle

• Supporting team members to identify individual professional learning priorities in accordance with the GTC Scotland suite of professional standards.
• Developing and maintaining a highly skilled team through planning and facilitating high quality professional learning experiences.
• Providing a balance of support, guidance and challenge through our supervision model, and through other professional interactions.
• Reviewing the effectiveness of practice, ensuring that high standards are able to be maintained and extended.
• Planning, organising and leading purposeful meetings for team members.

Participating in processes which support planning, reviewing and assessing the strengths, needs and progress of our young people

• Working with parents/carers and relevant professionals in order to ensure that they are appropriately involved in each learners' journey.
• Attend relevant review meetings, providing individual and detailed reports.
• Promoting solution focussed approaches towards overcoming barriers to learning.
• Supporting the identification of clear and appropriate individual targets for young people, and ensuring that tracking systems are robust and able to evidence progress.
• Ensuring that the language used in reporting is accessible to and respectful of our young people.
• Promoting young people's rights and entitlements in all processes.

Participating in HR matters to include performance improvement, investigatory and disciplinary matters as necessary within our organisation.

• Using key frameworks to support team members in robust and individual self-evaluation against the required professional standards. Related to this, supporting individuals to create appropriate improvement action plans, and monitor the progress made.
• Working across services and teams to lead formal fact-finding processes if/as concerns arise.
• Making recommendations in line with organisation policy regarding professional learning and/or disciplinary actions resulting from formal fact-finding processes.

Please note this job description is to provide a clear and concise statement of the main tasks and activities of the post, and it is not intended as an exhaustive list of every aspect of the postholder's duties. All the above duties will be carried out in line with Rossie policies and procedures.

PERSON SPECIFICATION Knowledge Base (Essential)

• Thorough knowledge of relevant legislation and national policy.
• Awareness of the impacts of Trauma.
• Understanding of the key priorities in Scottish Education.

Knowledge Base (Desirable)

• Knowledge of the relevant actions required as a result of the Promise, and the Secure Care Pathway and Standards.

Qualifications (Essential)

• Full GTC Registration
• Evidence of engagement with Education Scotland's Aspiring Middle Leadership framework

Qualifications (Desirable)

• Additional qualification in leadership.
• Further professional study in related areas

Experience (Essential)

• A proven track record of being able to form and maintain excellent and effective relationships with young people and colleagues.
• Experience of working to identify and meet the needs of young people with diverse needs and talents.
• Ability to provide effective support and challenge to colleagues.
• Experience of change management.
• Experience of working in a complex and evolving team.

Experience (Desirable)

• Leadership experience.
• Participation in whole school and/or inter disciplinary working groups.
• Experience of contributing to and/or leading strategy/policy development.
• Previous responsibility in line management, including professional review and development.

Skills (Essential)

• Highly evolved pedagogy.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Advanced organisational skills.
• A range of assessment and reporting skills.
• High level of competence in the use of ICT.
• Ability to multitask, and to prioritise effectively.

Skills (Desirable)

• Skilled in the use of a range of planning and evaluation tools and systems.
• Ability to measure impact of provision.
• Confidence in working at systems level.

Qualities (Essential)

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to children's rights, inclusion and equity.
• Resilient, calm and emotionally intelligent

Demonstrates integrity and professionalism

• Committed to collaborative, multi-disciplinary working
• Reflective and improvement-focused, with a commitment to ongoing professional learning and self evaluation
• Ability to lead and motivate others

Qualities (Desirable)

• Awareness of own values, and how these influence practice.
• Ability to build effective and trusting partnerships

Full Clean Driving Licence (Essential)