The role
demands a commitment to collaboration, inclusivity, and continuous improvement, consistent with The Holden School’s values of holistic pupil development, therapeutic integration, and family engagement.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
Leadership and Strategic Development
1. Lead strategically on behaviour and attitudes under the direction of the Head Teacher, ensuring alignment with the school’s vision and ethos.
2. Contribute actively to SLT discussions, including broader educational developments beyond immediate school concerns.
3. Set and uphold high expectations for pupils, staff, and parents, challenging any low expectations and promoting a culture of excellence.
4. Develop and embed a school ethos that fosters collaboration, knowledge-sharing, accountability, and celebration of success.
Skills and Competencies
Qualifications and Experience
5. Qualified Teacher Status and Degree.
6. Experience in working pupils with SEMH and ASC
7. Professional development in preparation for a senior leadership role.
8. Proven leadership and management experience within a school, preferably with experience in Special Schools or SEMH settings.
9. Experience in school self-evaluation, development planning, and line management.
10. Strong understanding of behaviour management, safeguarding, attendance, and pastoral care best practises.
About Us
The Holden School is an independent specialist day school for boys and girls aged from 5 to 16, catering for pupils with a wide range of needs in Lancashire, Manchester and surrounding areas. 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 are a Therapeutic Led, Trauma Informed School providing individualised curriculums for our students supported by our Class Teams, our Pastoral Team and our own Therapists.
We pride ourselves in steering pupils in the right direction, nurturing aspiration to progress them 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.
We are part of Acorn Education and can offer plenty of challenges along with a wide range of opportunities to develop your career. Acorn Education is the UK’s leading provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in creating and delivering innovative approaches that achieve measurable outcomes for those in our care.
We are really proud to say that in 2025, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.
Why join Acorn Education?
We place the outcomes of the pupils 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 safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.
Benefits
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
11. Life Assurance
12. Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
13. “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:
14. A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
15. 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
16. Cycle to Work Schemes
17. Electric Car Purchase Scheme
18. Critical illness cover
19. Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.
And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the pupils 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 reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit
Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.
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