Role of the Head of Department

The Head of Department (HOD) is responsible for the running of one or more subject departments at Beaulieu College. He or she is expected to perform the following duties:

Pre-moderation and post-moderation of all assessments is mandatory in each department. This ensures that quality assessment is being produced, and meaningful feedback can be given to pupils If there is a discrepancy in the moderation process, within a department, the School Assessment Team may be consulted to resolve the matter.
 * Regular departmental meetings must be held to discuss operational matters and strategies for the effective progress of the department, in accordance with this policy.
 * Minutes of departmental meeting must be sent to the Deputy Head: Academics.
 * Each HOD may be required to have a meeting with the Deputy Head: Academics once per term to discuss departmental issues such as academic progress, new strategies, staff concerns, etc.
 * The Learning Area manager must attend the Academic Committee meeting, and report all key issues to the respective learning areas which they represent.
 * The HOD must be familiar with the academic requirements of the subject for both the General Education Training phase (GET) and the National Senior Certificate phase (NSC).
 * The HOD is responsible for ensuring that the relevant curriculum documents, such as the Subject Assessment Guidelines (SAGs) and Learning Area Guidelines (LAGs), are acquired and followed in their department.
 * The HOD must manage the planning for the year; this must include all assessment and curriculum planning. New material must be integrated into assessments and lesson preparations each year.
 * The HOD must monitor courses on Moodle, ensuring that teaching and learning resource material is added regularly, and keep parents and pupils appraised of events in their department using Moodle as a tool.
 * The use of technology integration to supplement learning must be encouraged and used by the HOD
 * All formal assessments and examinations must be moderated by the HOD using the moderation process outlined by the School Assessment Team. Where the HOD is the only teacher in a department, external moderation by a subject specialist is required for examinations.
 * The HOD must ensure that teacher portfolios and learner files are ready for external moderation, as required by the IEB.
 * The HOD must monitor the performance of weak pupils and initiate strategies in their department to address poor performance.
 * The HOD must arrange for remediation sessions to take place at the Winter school and remediation classes for matrics, in addition, other opportunities for poor performers in other grades should be forthcoming.
 * The HOD may be required to deal with parent-teacher disputes which are not handled by the Deputy Head: Academics directly. Where the HOD is the only staff member in a department, the Deputy Head will intervene directly.
 * The HOD is responsible for setting entrance exams and scholarship exams. This task may be distributed within a department, when requested to do so.
 * The HOD is in charge of drawing up a departmental budget each year and controls the expenses levied in that budget. The budget is presented to the Deputy Head: Academics and is required in the first half of the second term.
 * The ordering of textbooks / workbooks, capex items and consumables are the HOD’s responsibility.
 * The HOD is responsible for raising the profile of his/her department and subjects, together with his/her department members, through various ratified strategies.
 * The HOD must sporadically observe lessons of other teachers within his/her department and allow for reciprocation in order to give constructive feedback and to improve the quality of instruction.
 * The HOD must communicate with feeder schools in order to review curriculum changes, skills lacking, and ensure a smooth transition into high school. Staff workshops and integration between schools should be encouraged by the HOD.