How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four*?
Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent).
If the trial is a success, we’ll be rolling the 4DWW out across the Group – so there’s never been a more exciting time to join #teamOFG!
Job Title: Deputy Headteacher
Location: The Holden School, Leigh WN7 4SB
Salary: Up to £55,000.00 per annum
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday,
Contract: Permanent, Term Time Only
UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.
As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a Deputy Headteacher to join our close-knit team at The Holden School, part of Acorn Education.
About the Role
The Deputy Head Teacher (Behaviour and Attitudes) at The Holden School plays a pivotal leadership role within this Special School setting, which caters to pupils with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) difficulties. This role is critical in shaping and sustaining a positive, safe, and predictable environment that supports pupils’ social, emotional, and academic development. The Deputy Head Teacher will lead strategically on behaviour and attitudes, ensuring these align with the school’s vision of enabling pupils who have previously struggled to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.
Working closely with the Head Teacher, Senior Leadership Team (SLT), clinical staff, and wider school community, the Deputy Head will promote high expectations, implement innovative behaviour support strategies, and maintain strong safeguarding practises. 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
* Lead strategically on behaviour and attitudes under the direction of the Head Teacher, ensuring alignment with the school’s vision and ethos.
* Contribute actively to SLT discussions, including broader educational developments beyond immediate school concerns.
* Set and uphold high expectations for pupils, staff, and parents, challenging any low expectations and promoting a culture of excellence.
* Develop and embed a school ethos that fosters collaboration, knowledge-sharing, accountability, and celebration of success.
Skills and Competencies
Qualifications and Experience
* Qualified Teacher Status and Degree.
* Professional development in preparation for a senior leadership role.
* Proven leadership and management experience within a school, preferably with experience in Special Schools or SEMH settings.
* Experience in school self-evaluation, development planning, and line management.
* Strong understanding of behaviour management, safeguarding, attendance, and pastoral care best practises.
For a full list of Duties and Responsibilities, please see the Job Description
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.
Acorn Education is the UK’s leading independent provider of specialist education. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.
We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.
Why join Acorn Education?
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
* 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 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.
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
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