GDST Staff Handbook

Welcome to the GDST Staff handbook

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Blackheath High School Brighton & Hove High School Bromley High School Croydon High School Howell’s School, Llandaff, Cardiff Ipswich High School Kensington Prep School Newcastle High School for Girls Northampton High School Northwood College for Girls Norwich High School for Girls Nottingham Girls’ High School Notting Hill & Ealing High School Oxford High School Portsmouth High School Putney High School The Royal High School, Bath Sheffield High School Shrewsbury High School South Hampstead High School Streatham 10 & Clapham High School Sutton High School20 Sydenham High School 7 School 13 High Wimbledon

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Welcome to the GDST!

About the GDST

We would like to welcome you to the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST).

At the GDST, our staff are key to our educational vision, and to our reputation both locally and nationally.

The GDST is the UK’s leading network of independent girls’ schools, with over 3,500 staff and 20,000 students between the ages of three and 18. As a charity that owns and runs a network of 24 schools and two academies in England and Wales, we reinvest any surplus in our schools.

The GDST strives to be a dynamic and vibrant employer, recruiting, rewarding and retaining staff who find great satisfaction in working together to achieve their goals. We believe that your expertise will contribute to our aim: to deliver the best possible educational experience for our students. We employ over 3,500 teachers and support staff nationally and provide opportunities to have an impact across our network of 24 schools and two Academies.

We would encourage you to participate fully in the life of the school and the Trust. If you would like more information about the opportunities to get involved, please do not hesitate to talk with your head or line manager.

The GDST is a great place to work and learn and we are delighted to welcome you to the network.

Helen Fraser Chief Executive

A radical history The novel idea of establishing good, academic, girls’ day schools first took shape in 1872 at a public meeting in the newly opened Royal Albert Hall.

Our first school opened in Chelsea in 1873 with 16 pupils, and over the next 20 years more schools were established in London and other English cities.

Schools were founded in response to requests from local people, who became shareholders in what was then the Girls’ Public Day School Company. In 1905 the Company was restructured as a Limited Trust, and later as a limited company with charitable status (GPDST).

In more recent years further independent girls’ schools joined the GDST family.

Our innovative approach also led to The Belvedere in Liverpool becoming the first independent school to become an academy in 2007, followed two years later by Birkenhead High School. In 1998 we dropped ‘Public’ from our name and we became the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST).

Since our foundation the GDST has never wavered in our commitment to equipping girls to succeed. That is why, 140 years on, we are still leading girls’ education.

About this handbook The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with information about the GDST and its employment policies and to describe the benefits of working here. This handbook is not an employment contract, and should not be interpreted as such, but will be a valuable resource for you. Wherever this handbook describes a benefit that is provided via a separate plan, the plan documents (and not the description used in this handbook) govern.

Changes to this handbook The GDST reserves the right to review, add, change, modify or delete terms or policies set out or referred to in this handbook. Staff will be notified of any changes.

GDST aims and values Our strategic aims are: • Leading in girls’ education: making sure every one of our schools and academies offers the best education at every age and every stage.

• Sustaining a high performance culture: creating experts and leaders among our staff, enabling and empowering them to be the best and work together.

• Embedding social responsibility: being recognised as a good neighbour in the communities we serve.

• Driving innovation: encouraging creativity and original thinking among our staff and students.

© The Girls’ Day School Trust. Last updated September 2015.

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The power of the network GDST values Following an extensive consultation programme with staff, girls and parents, we identified and articulated the GDST’s core values. These set out how we go about our business and how we expect our people to behave.

We are experts in educating girls to become tomorrow’s confident and successful women: GDST standards, academically, pastorally, in sports, music, drama, and in many other ways, are among the highest in the country.

While the values and descriptors can’t say everything, they encapsulate a simple, active and challenging explanation, with little room for ambiguity.

Each descriptor is written to stand on its own terms, without any further scene setting or explanation, so that any of us can look at and measure ourselves against them, asking, “Am I doing the right thing?”

GDST students outperform their maintained and independent sector peers in public exams and at every age and stage. Furthermore, in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects and languages nearly 50% of our A Level students take one or more science subjects, nearly 40% take maths and nearly 20% study one or more languages.

• Girls first: Put the girls’ interests, happiness and wellbeing first at all times.

Encourage each girl to be the best she can be, to reach her full potential.

• Networked: Work together productively within our schools, our communities and within the GDST as a whole. Share inspiration among ourselves and with others.

• Bold: Take risks, push hard and overcome setbacks. Do things in a new way. Have a go. Have fun.

• Principled: Always do the right thing. Be open, honest and accountable.

Sharing best practice: our size and scope allows us to develop and promote talented staff throughout our network. Staff benefit from GDST-wide training, and sharing knowledge and best practice between schools is encouraged. Our girls too enjoy competing and collaborating with their peers in other schools, taking part in GDST-wide events, rallies, performances and prizes.

The four Cs of a GDST education Our starting point is to set out what we want our girls to be and be able to do as a result of a GDST education.

Confident

GDST girls welcome new challenges, and meet them with resourcefulness and resilience. They are enterprising and adventurous, willing to take the initiative, and not afraid to aim at tough targets. They can apply their knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts, are creative and can adapt to situations requiring new ways of thinking. They have experience of and aptitude for leadership.

Composed

GDST girls are collaborative, and put value on connectivity – in creating and sharing knowledge. They are receptive to new ideas and are keen to learn new things and new skills. They seek to participate critically, considerately and constructively in their community, society and environment.

They tend to be engaged in life-enriching interests and activities, and are determined to see things through.

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GDST girls are secure in their knowledge, and unwilling to take things for granted. Motivated by a spirit of enquiry, they seek to explore and evaluate ideas and arguments in a generous, critical and constructive way. They are able to reflect on, communicate and defend their own views, and are respectful of the views of others. They are equipped to grapple with big ideas and make connections.

Courageous

Stability: our commitment is to our current and future students, not shareholders. Any surplus is invested in our schools for the benefit of pupils, and we make sure to maintain a sound financial base. As one of the UK’s largest educational charities you can have confidence in our long-term resilience and ability to rise to any future challenges – bringing invaluable peace of mind in testing times.

Trust-wide expertise and economies of scale: we supply our schools with a range of services to share expertise, provide support and advice, enhance efficiency, and reduce costs. These include expertise in educational policy and legal issues facing schools, human resources (HR), people development, ICT infrastructure, finance, estates, fundraising and communications support.

Our schools benefit from our shared knowledge and the ongoing Trust-wide training programme. Fees collection and payroll services are administered from the centre too.

GDST girls are intrinsically motivated, are self-directing, and take responsibility for their own learning. They value fairness and act with integrity, are aware of themselves and their impact, and are aware of and respectful towards others.

They are sensitive to and appreciative of culture, context and community. They are supportive in team situations.

Committed

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Organisational structure Annual appraisal – Performance and Development Planning (PDP) All members of staff meet formally with their line manager once a year to discuss their past performance and achievements, and their future plans and professional development.

The approach places great importance on effective self-evaluation, with its emphasis on reviewing what has been achieved in a concrete and realistic way, looking ahead creatively in order to continue to improve, and identifying the challenge and support needed to achieve the agreed goals.

Wellbeing – Best Companies As part of our commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of our staff, we participate annually in a questionnaire conducted by Best Companies Ltd. This is an independent research company whose survey is used by a large number of UK companies to measure employee engagement.

Your responses help us to recognise where the GDST is doing well, and where we could do better. Best Companies Ltd guarantees the confidentiality of all responses, and the GDST does not have access to individual data.

Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) The ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers) is the GDST’s recognised union for all school staff. Each school also has a staff consultative committee (SCC) to provide a forum for consultation with staff representatives, on issues that have an impact on local terms and conditions of employment. The local school ATL representative attends meetings on an ex-officio basis.

Issues of a larger or Trust-wide concern will be discussed at the GDST-wide Joint Consultative Group (JCG) which meets three times per year, chaired by the chief executive and attended by the ATL’s national official for independent schools.

ATL or other qualified union representatives, or a work colleague, may also be called upon by staff to accompany them at any individual formal meeting.

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The GDST as a charity owns and operates the 24 independent schools and employs the staff at these schools and at Trust Office. It also sponsors the two academies.

The Council of the Trust is legally responsible for the GDST’s activities, including financial viability and control, and the safety and welfare of our pupils. Council also sets the budgets and fees for the schools, authorises building and other capital development programmes and oversees matters of educational policy. The GDST Academy Trust, a subsidiary of the GDST, serves as the governing body of the academies in the group.

The Chief Executive and Senior Management Team work together as the executive to support Council and manage the activities of the Trust. Centres of expertise at Trust Office available to support schools include legal, HR, health and safety, finance, IT, estates, communications, fundraising and development, and, of course, education.

Each GDST school has a local School Governing Board (SGB), whose members provide support and inspiration to the head, acting as a ‘critical friend’; as well as being vital links between the schools and their local communities. The SGB provides insight into local opinions and members act as ambassadors for the school and the Trust in the local community.

Trust Office The five directorates at Trust Office are structured as set out below.

Innovation & learning The Innovation & Learning team at Trust Office supports GDST schools and academies in developing and delivering an outstanding education for all their pupils; and works to position the GDST as a leader in girls’ education, in terms of innovation and quality.

It does this through: • Reporting to the GDST Council on particular educational issues (e.g. transition from junior to senior school; Sixth Forms; progression to HE) • Professional development for teachers and other school staff (e.g. central training, professional development grants, middle leaders’ development programme) • Guidance on national policy changes (e.g. exam reform) • Dissemination of innovation and best practice (e.g. through research projects and online collaboration areas) • Support for heads (e.g. in curriculum reviews or selection of senior staff) • Events for pupils (e.g. the Oxbridge conference, junior and senior Young Leaders’ Conferences) • Inspection and safeguarding (e.g. annual audit visits and support around inspections) • Performance data (e.g. compilation and analysis of school KPIs) • The CareerStart programme, which delivers skills training in areas such as interviewing, networking, presentation and negotiating to Sixth Formers. The annual GDST Young Leaders’ conference is organised by the team too

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People The People department is divided into the following functions: Legal The in-house legal team supports the work of the schools, academies and other Trust Office departments by advising on a wide range of issues including school admissions, exclusions, parental complaints, safeguarding, commercial contracts, employment law, property issues, licensing and construction projects. The team plays a key role in the development of internal policies and guidance, and delivers training to school staff.

The legal team also handles disputes with suppliers, and supervises debt recovery claims managed by the fees department.

Human resources The HR department’s key role is to enable heads and managers to enhance individual and collective performance. It does this by ensuring that managers and employees have ready access to a range of quality HR services which are relevant, reliable and responsive. Each school has a dedicated HR Business Partner.

The HR team at Trust Office provides key policies, procedures, and guidance across all areas of employment, ensuring statutory compliance and reflecting GDST policy and best practice. Terms and conditions of employment (eg salary grades and bands, sick pay, or holidays) are common across all GDST fee-paying schools and are negotiated collectively with ATL, in consultation with heads.

The GDST is committed to the development of its staff, to ensure that we fully equip them to enhance their own and their teams’ performance. The HR team supports the appraisal process in conjunction with the Innovation and Learning department.

Health and safety (H&S) Our health and safety team works closely with the schools to keep pupils and staff safe and well. They develop and implement H&S strategy, policy and procedures so that all GDST schools comply with legal and ISI H&S requirements and develop a positive H&S culture where risks are managed effectively. They monitor and review H&S within the schools to identify areas for improvement and, where necessary, assist schools to make those improvements. They also provide extensive training via the central training programme.

Governance The governance team supports the Chair and trustees (both individually and as a Council), the committees of the Trust, and its School Governing Boards. They manage the recruitment of new Trustees and ensure that Council and committee decisions are recorded and easily retrievable. The governance team also supports chairs of governors in recruiting and maintaining an effective SGB, and the Academy Trust Board.

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Estates The GDST’s estate ranges from new, purpose-designed buildings to an 18th century Grade 1 listed mansion. The Estates Department’s full-time technical professional staff deliver the programming, planning and delivery of all construction and maintenance works across the estate, in five interlinking groups: 1 Project delivery – four teams, consisting of a project manager and a building surveyor, who are each responsible for six schools 2 Programme & planning – responsible for all condition surveys, project planning, forecasting and programming 3 Special projects – including acquisitions, disposals, compliance and sustainability 4 Trust Office support – providing facilities management services to Trust Office and staff 5 Cost management – including estate finances and procurement Projects are generally either maintenance or capital, their value ranges from £5,000 upwards, and delivery can range from a few weeks to a number of years. Work is carefully planned to avoid disrupting staff and pupils and the operation of the schools.

Investment in capital and maintenance projects is in the region of £40m a year, and the GDST is currently developing a 25-year programme of work, which incorporates mechanical and electrical services, refurbishment, conservation and new build work.

Communications & development The communications & development department consists of two teams that work closely together.

The communications team develops and manages the GDST’s reputation, ensuring consistency in the GDST brand and reinforcing the organisation’s role as a commentator on education, especially girls’ education. This includes: • Managing the GDST website and online presence • GDST events and the GDST’s advertising schedule • The prizes and scholarships programme and the Alumna of the Year award • GDST publications such as the annual review, the parents’ e-newsletter (Viewpoint), the alumnae e-zine, and brochures • Working closely with the schools to share best practice in marketing and communications and acting as a catalyst for new ideas, and helping schools manage any issues they may face • The GDST Alumnae Network, which keeps in touch with 60,000 former pupils and acts as a professional networking organisation, helping current students with work experience requests, mentoring and general careers advice The development team helps schools raise money through annual funds, capital campaigns and legacy programmes. It also identifies and works with individual major donors, corporate supporters and trusts, and looks after the database, which holds details of over 100,000 GDST alumnae, parents and other contacts.

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Rewards & benefits Finance Finance is divided into three functions: fees, finance and business development.

Fees: The fees department is responsible for setting and collecting fees and various extras for all our independent schools. The fees department includes the financial assistance team which assesses all bursary applications and is responsible for the GDST’s bursaries and scholarships policy.

Finance: The financial accounts team is responsible for all aspects of the GDST’s financial reporting and control, producing financial reports for Executive Board and Council as well as overseeing the statutory annual report and accounts for the GDST Group and GDST Enterprises. The team operates the GDST’s financial systems and procedures and manages all payments, VAT returns and payroll for every GDST employee. It is also responsible for annual budgeting and forecasting, managing the GDST’s investments and bank accounts, liaising with the internal and external auditors and supporting the Audit Committee and Investments Committee.

Business Development: the team supports the GDST senior management and Council in the analysis of growth and development opportunities throughout the group. It also oversees the long term financial planning process and is responsible for the group central procurement activities, including the procurement policy and procedure.

ICT The ICT department provides technical leadership and develops and delivers the GDST’s ICT strategy. The team is responsible for shared ICT platforms including the local area network, the wide area network, data centres, and telephone and videoconferencing (VC) systems. The team supports the development of core business systems, including SIMs, PSF, email and SharePoint. Project teams undertake large-scale group-wide projects such as the implementation of enterprise wireless.

The GDST offers a wide range of staff benefits including: • Access to professional development opportunities • Training grants for qualifications • Pension schemes (further details overleaf) • Free life assurance benefit • A discount of up to 30% on fees for children at GDST schools available through

a tax efficient salary sacrifice scheme • An employee assistance programme • The subsidised use of school facilities (where available) • Childcare vouchers, interest free loans for training, computer purchase loans, and travel season ticket loans • A Cycle to Work scheme • Competitive terms and conditions of employment Full details of all these benefits can be found on the Oracle section of the GDST portal.

Professional development Being a learning organisation, professional development is at the heart of the GDST. We offer extensive training and development for both teaching and support staff. In addition to each school’s own INSET programme, and training for Trust Office staff, there are plenty of opportunities for targeted professional development across the network.

The Central Training and Staff Development Programme is calibrated to the Trust’s strategic priorities, and informed largely by schools’ own requirements. Many of the central sessions are led by or involve expert input from GDST staff across the network. Regular sessions bring together communities of practice on, for example, SEN, finance, or marketing, as well as subject specialisms. It also includes practical training in areas such as HR and health & safety.

The department is responsible for the specification and procurement of ICT hardware for school use and software for core ICT systems such as Microsoft Office.

We are always expanding our offer to encourage professional development at all levels.

Recent additions include: • Aspiring Leaders Programme – an intensive year-long central programme in

preparation for senior leadership • Middle Leaders Development Programme – a modular programme delivered in school • Director of Finance and Operations development programme

The department operates a central help desk to provide systematic and prompt solutions to Trust Office and school operational issues that cannot be resolved locally.

Details of the current programme are available via your school’s INSET Coordinator or on the Innovation and Learning area of the GDST portal.

Financial support for external qualifications As a learning community, we actively encourage staff to undertake additional qualifications, contributing to the costs of programmes including master’s degrees and post-graduate qualifications for all staff. Information about applying for a training loan or a professional development grant is also available on the GDST portal.

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Pension scheme for teachers: Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) All GDST teachers between the ages of 18 and 75 are eligible to belong to this scheme, and will automatically become members unless they opt out. A guide giving full details of the scheme is provided to all new teaching staff, and further information can be found at www.teacherspensions.co.uk If you wish to apply for a transfer of benefits from another pension scheme you must do so within one year of joining the TPS. If you are already in receipt of retirement benefits (e.g. premature retirement or actuarially adjusted benefits) you may re-join the scheme. Please let the Payroll Department know immediately if you wish to do this.

Teaching staff who opt out of TPS are eligible to join the Standard Life GDST Group Flexible Retirement Plan, the details of which are available on the GDST portal. If you opt out and do not join the Standard Life Plan, you will be automatically enrolled into the TPS again, if you are eligible, under the Government’s auto-enrolment rules, at the GDST’s reassessment date, which is every three years from May 2013. You would be advised of the actual re-enrolment date nearer the time.

Pension scheme for support staff All eligible staff will be automatically enrolled in the GDST’s Group Flexible Retirement Plan from Standard Life.

You will be eligible for automatic enrolment if you: • Are not already a member of a GDST pension scheme • Are aged over 22, but under state pension age • Earn at least £10,000 a year (this amount changes annually) If you are auto-enrolled, Standard Life will send you details of the GDST Plan. You can opt out of the Plan if you wish, and the details which Standard Life send you will tell you how you can do so. If you are auto-enrolled and then opt out, if you are still eligible, you will be automatically enrolled again into the Plan at the GDST’s re-assessment date, which is every three years from May 2013. You would be advised of the actual re-enrolment date nearer the time.

In summary, the Plan operates on a defined contribution (also known as money purchase) basis, offering a flexible way for staff to save for their retirement. The pension received when you retire depends on the contributions made to the scheme and the return on the investment of these monies. Both the employee and the GDST make payments into the scheme. Employees may choose the level of contributions they wish to make, which varies from 3% to 9+% of salary. The GDST contributes between 3% and up to a maximum of 12% of salary, depending on the level of employee contribution.

The GDST also offers additional benefits for those staff who join the GDST Group Flexible Retirement Plan. These include: • Death in Service benefit of four times an individual’s salary • Group Income Protection

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Detailed information about the GDST Group Flexible Retirement Plan can be found at www.standardlifepensions.com/gdst or by calling 0845 279 8830.

Free life assurance For any staff who are not in a GDST pension scheme, the GDST provides a death in service benefit of two times an individual’s salary.

Staff fee discount and salary sacrifice for the payment of school fees The GDST is pleased to offer a discount of up to 30% off normal school fees for staff who choose to send their children to a GDST school. This is subject to certain conditions and full details of the policy are available via Oracle on the staff portal. If you are interested in a fee discount, please contact the Fees Department at Trust Office on 020 7393 6666, or email salary-sacrifice@wes.gdst.net Employee assistance programme For all staff and their immediate families, the GDST subscribes to Health Assured, which offers a free and confidential telephone (and if needed, face-to-face) welfare counselling service, and support with issues such as relationship difficulties, debt and ill health. The service is contactable on telephone number 0800 030 5182, and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is also access to an online information portal via: www.healthassuredeap.co.uk Username: Girls Password: Day Medical insurance Preferred rates are available to all staff from The Universities & Colleges Personal Healthcare Plan managed by Jardine Lloyd Thompson Healthcare (underwritten by AXA Private Patients Plan Healthcare). Should you apply for membership within two months of commencing your employment with the GDST, cover will be offered on a medical history disregarded basis.

Further information is available from AXA PPP Healthcare on 0800 0321 950, quoting group number 96369.

Childcare vouchers All staff who pay for registered or approved childcare such as day nurseries and childminders may apply for childcare vouchers, providing savings for staff earning over the income tax and National Insurance limits. Full details and further information, including an application form, are available by contacting the Payroll department at Trust Office.

Computer loan and season ticket loan The GDST offers an interest-free loan of up to £1,200 towards the purchase of computer equipment. The GDST also offers an interest-free loan to allow staff to take advantage of the benefits of purchasing a season ticket. These are available after you have successfully completed your probationary period and have been confirmed in post.

Cycle to Work scheme The Cycle to Work scheme is a Government incentive designed to provide tax benefits to employees wishing to purchase a bike and associated cycle related products. Information is available from the Facilities Officer at Trust Office on 020 7393 6657. This is also available after completing your probationary period.

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Other terms & conditions

Professional conduct & safeguarding

Teaching staff The GDST recognises and rewards leadership and teaching excellence in its schools and has its own pay and grading structure, and system of career and pay progression, both for teachers and leaders. GDST pay bands offer attractive salaries and pay progression, when compared with the education sector generally. In most cases, new staff will be recruited between the start and mid-points of the pay band for their grade. Pay progression is based on individual performance. All staff are eligible to move up their pay band to the maximum point, and progression is quicker for higher-rated performers.

Parents place a very high degree of trust in those of us who are educating their children, and rely upon us to interpret what is right and what is wrong. All our staff, teachers in particular, are often called upon to make difficult decisions regarding students and therefore, in exercising judgement, you should think very carefully of the implications and potential consequences of the options open to you. You should also bear in mind how your decision and subsequent actions may appear or be interpreted by others not fully aware of all of the circumstances.

Additional benefits to those already listed include: • 176 teaching days per year (190 in maintained sector) • free lunch during term-time • four weeks’ study leave for teachers after ten years’ continuous service • accredited NQT induction School support staff The GDST has its own pay and grading system for support staff, and offers attractive salaries compared with similar jobs in the local market. There are two sets of pay bands, one for regional schools and another for London schools. Pay progression is based on individual performance. School support staff also get a free lunch during term-time.

Trust Office staff Trust Office has a separate but similar pay and grading system to that of schools and again offers attractive salaries compared with similar jobs in London. Pay progression is based on individual performance. There are no catering facilities at Trust office to provide a free lunch so an allowance in lieu is paid to staff.

Professional conduct involves maintaining good working relationships with everyone involved in your place of work. This includes teaching staff, support staff, governors, parents and students.

Staff are expected to act in an open and transparent way that would not lead any reasonable person to suspect their actions or intent. School staff are in a position of trust and have a duty to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and not to act in a way that may bring the school or the GDST into disrepute.

We expect all staff to treat each other equally and with respect; be helpful, courteous and approachable; be supportive and encouraging; respect others’ feelings and create a harmonious environment.

Communications with colleagues, pupils and parents should be polite, courteous and appropriate. Be positive, polite, approachable and helpful. Do not discuss any members of staff with pupils or parents. Only use chat and social networking sites in accordance with the school’s and the GDST’s policies, particularly the communications (including social media) policy.

More information can be found on the GDST Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and the ICT Acceptable Use Agreement on Oracle. These are designed primarily to safeguard the children in our care, but also serve to protect staff. You will be required to sign and confirm that you have read and understood these policies and procedures as part of your formal induction programme.

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Appendix: glossary of GDST jargon & acronyms Below are some of the more common acronyms and jargon used in GDST and in other independent schools.

ALIS A Level Information Service, used for evaluating and benchmarking progress from GCSE to A Level ASR Annual school review

KPI Key performance indicator LADO Local authority designated officer

ATB GDST Academy Trust Board, governing body for the GDST’s two academies

MidYIS Middle Years Information Service – used for evaluating and benchmarking progress and value added from Year 7 to GCSE

ATL Association of Teachers and Lecturers

NAHT National Association of Head Teachers

BCP Business case process or business continuity planning

Ofqual Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation

Best Companies An independent research company which conducts the annual GDST staff wellbeing survey

OFSTED Office for Standards in Education

Collaboration champions (Also known as subject champions) responsible for promoting and supporting use of the GDST’s online collaboration areas to their fellow subject teachers across the GDST network, helping subject specialists to communicate and share ideas and information Compleat The online purchase order system used across the GDST to requisition goods and services

Oracle The section of the GDST portal which contains legal information, GDST policy and guidance in a range of areas PDP Performance and development planning PIPS Performance Indicators in Primary Schools – used for benchmark assessments in GDST junior and prep schools Portal The GDST-wide intranet at portal.gdst.net

CPD Continuing professional development

PSF The accounting software used by the finance team at Trust Office and in schools

CTSD Central training & staff development

QTS Qualified teacher status

DFO Director of finance and operations

SAT Standard assessment test

EB Executive Board

SCC Staff consultative committee

EPQ Extended Project Qualification

SGB School governing board

EVC Educational visits coordinator

SharePoint The content management system used in the GDST portal

FIL Fees in lieu (of a term’s notice)

SIMS Schools’ Information Management System, the Capita-supplied software used in all GDST schools to manage pupil and staff information

Firefly The software used in many GDST schools’ VLEs and parent portals GSA Girls’ Schools Association HDC Heads’ with Directors Committee HUG Heads’ ICT User Group, a small group of Heads who advise the GDST on ICT IB International Baccalaureate INSET In-service training ISBA Independent School Bursars’ Association (the GDST has corporate membership) ISC Independent Schools’ Council ISI Independent Schools Inspectorate JCG Joint Consultative Group

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SLG SIMS learning gateway – allows pupils’ parents to access their child’s SIMS information online SLT Senior leadership team (schools) SMT Senior management team TA Teaching assistant TO Trust Office UCAS Universities and Colleges Admissions Service VC Video conference Viewpoint Title of the termly GDST parents’ e-newsletter, sent to all GDST parents VLE Virtual learning environment

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100 Rochester Row, London SW1P 1JP T 020 7393 6666 info@wes.gdst.net www.facebook.com/TheGDST www.twitter.com/GDST www.youtube/GDST1872

www.gdst.net The Girls’ Day School Trust, a limited company registered in England No. 6400. Registered Charity No. 306983.