JOB TITLE: Assistant Headteacher - Secondary
SALARY: £38,000 - £44,000 dependent on experience
LOCATION: Wakefield, West Yorkshire
HOURS: 37.5 hours per week; Monday to Friday
Meadowcroft is an independent specialist day school for boys and girls aged from 5 to 19, catering for children with a wide range of needs in 3 sites soon to become 4 across Wakefield. Our dedicated team work together to ensure successful outcomes for pupils who often arrive at the school with a troubled view of education and life.
We pride ourselves in steering children in the right direction, nurturing aspiration to progress them both academically and socially to encourage them to take pride in their achievements. Socially, we build confidence in our students so they are able to have a greater understanding of the wider community in which they live.
About the Group
We are part of the Acorn Care and Education Group and can promise you plenty of challenges, and a rich variety of opportunities to develop your career.
Acorn Care and Education provide education and care across 50+ schools and over 30 residential care homes nationally. Our vision is to build incredible futures by empowering vulnerable young people in the UK to be happy and to make their way in the world. Every day we improve the lives of thousands of young people, their families and communities through a relentless focus on caring and learning.
About the Role
As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Secondary Assistant Head teacher to join our close-knit team.
The ideal candidate will successfully set a vision and targets for pupil success and be confident in using their knowledge and expertise to monitor progress, give regular feedback and encouraging our young people to take a responsible and conscientious attitude to their own work and study. As Assistant Head teacher for Secondary you will be responsible to support the delivery of a stimulating, innovative and responsive curriculum which will further develop the knowledge and cultural capital the pupils need to succeed in life in British Society. To Champion outstanding teaching & learning and exemplify this in every aspect of your own practice. To support and assist teaching staff in ensuring that the teaching and learning needs for the pupils are met including the most able. To implement and liaise with other staff to ensure literacy and numeracy intervention programmes and improving reading levels are in place to support individual student needs.
Meadowcroft is part of the Acorn Care and Education Group. We can promise you plenty of challenges, and a rich variety of opportunities to develop your career.
Who we are looking for?
We are looking for a Qualified Teacher who has led a Secondary site, who wants to spend less time on paperwork and more time developing creative learning opportunities for the most reluctant and troubles learners.
No two days are the same at Meadowcroft so we want Teachers who can work at a pace to turn ‘can’t do’ into ‘want to’ and are motivated by working with children with complex needs. You will be motivated by your belief that every child can achieve and reach their potential.
Whilst previous experience of working in an SEN environment would be desirable, excellent teaching skills and the right motivation, personal qualities and levels of resilience are just as important.
Key Accountabilities
- Safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people;
- Work in accordance with professional practice, statutory and legal requirements and the policies of The Meadowcroft School;
- Take on specific tasks related to the day to day administration and organisation of the school and the Secondary site;
- Take responsibility for specific areas of work which will be reviewed annually then negotiated and agreed within the performance management cycle and school improvement process;
- Take on any additional responsibilities, which might from time to time be determined;
- Support all staff in achieving the priorities and targets of the school improvement plan and monitor the progress of those which relate to Secondary;
- Ensure that parent/carers are well informed about the curriculum, targets, children’s progress and attainment in Secondary.
To play a key role in the development of SEN provision within The Meadowcroft School;
- To work with schools, parents, key agencies and the young people with SEN to ensure effective and successful inclusion of pupils including those with a diagnosis of ASC within The Meadowcroft School;
- To support the development of teaching approaches, behaviour management, classroom strategies, resources and whole school policies for children with complex needs and diagnoses within the school.
- To initiate and model autism specific teaching strategies for Teachers/Teaching Assistants in conjunction with The Meadowcroft School’s therapy team, relating to individual pupils within the classroom and whole school;
A Meadowcroft Person will aspire to live our core behaviours
- Take personal responsibility for yourself, colleagues and children
- Work well and “get stuck in” with the team
- Excellent communication skills Demonstrate determination and resilience
- Plan and organise workload Commitment to developing your own expertise
- Positive “can do” approach to work
Essential Criteria
- Must be educated to degree level or be of Qualified Teacher Status
- Must have experience in teaching Key Stage 3 - 5
- Ability to use ICT for teaching
- Resilience
- Understanding of the curriculum in order for successful planning and delivery
- The ability to manage challenging behaviour effectively
- Be able to manage a team
Why join Acorn Education & Care?
Benefits
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
- Life Assurance
- Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
- “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
- A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
- 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
- Cycle to Work Schemes
- Electric Car Purchase Scheme
- Critical illness cover
And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the children and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.
We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be subject to a fully enhanced DBS, which must be registered on the update service.