Job Title: Lead Teacher
Starting Salary: £61,577 progressing to £67,793 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 32.5
Base Location: Apsley, Hemel Hempstead with travel required
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Childrens Services
About The Team
The Hertfordshire Inclusion Teaching Service (HITS) is a newly created, countywide service delivering high quality, well sequenced education for children and young people who are unable to attend school and are therefore classed as Children Missing Education (CME). All HITS pupils have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and many present with complex SEND needs, and vulnerabilities.
HITS is part of Hertfordshire County Council's Education Directorate, sitting within Access, Inclusion and Alternative Provision. Our vision is to deliver an inclusive, flexible and ambitious teaching offer that fulfils Hertfordshire's Section 19 duties. We are committed to reducing the time children remain out of school, improving reintegration outcomes, and supporting long term progress, wellbeing and preparation for adulthood.
About The Team
You will join an emerging service where the culture, expectations and standards are still being shaped. As Lead Teacher, you will play a central role in developing high quality practice and influencing how Hertfordshire supports children who are out of school.
About The Role
We are seeking an experienced and inspiring Lead Teacher to establish, develop and quality assure the Hertfordshire Inclusion Teaching Service. You will bring expertise in supporting pupils with a range of SEND, including SEMH, SLCN, SLD and ASD. You must have a strong commitment to inclusive practice, high-quality teaching, reintegration and improving long-term outcomes.
Key responsibilities include:
Lead and support teachers and support staff to deliver high‑quality, well‑sequenced education for CME pupils with SEND.
Ensure all teaching and personalised plans align with EHCP outcomes, preparation for adulthood and reintegration goals, and are co‑produced with families and professionals.
Oversee tuition across KS1–KS4, coordinating vocational, therapeutic or specialist programmes as needed, and monitor pupil progress, engagement and reintegration readiness.
Drive coherent multi‑agency planning by working closely with families, schools, health, SEND teams, SfYP and other partners, and by chairing or co‑leading the Interim Provision Panel (IPP).
Ensure Section 19 duties are met, contribute to commissioning and sufficiency planning, and lead robust quality assurance to secure ambitious, responsive education.
This post offers a unique opportunity to shape a new service, influence countywide inclusion practice and contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children who are out of school.
About You
Essential:
Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Secure ability to teach English and Maths to KS4 and strong experience working with pupils with a range of SEND needs.
Proven ability to lead, inspire and manage a multidisciplinary teaching team, modelling high standards and driving continuous improvement.
Strong skills in handling complaints, sensitive situations and complex queries with professionalism, sound judgement and clear written communication.
Ability to analyse information, gather evidence and make defensible, policy‑aligned decisions, while maintaining positive relationships with families and professionals.
Experience designing or contributing to reintegration plans, with a solid understanding of inclusive and restorative practice.
Excellent communication, partnership working and statutory knowledge, including EHCP implementation and Section 19 duties.
High personal resilience and strong organisation, able to manage multiple cases, deadlines and safeguarding demands,
Full driving licence and access to a vehicle.
Desirable:
Experience working within or alongside Alternative Provision, outreach services and multi‑agency teams across SEND, health and social care.
Proven ability to develop or manage services, including contributing to decision‑making or inclusion panels.
Training or accreditation in trauma‑informed, restorative or therapeutic approaches.
Skilled in analysing pupil data to inform provision, progress tracking and service improvement.
We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.
Why Join Us?
This is a rare and rewarding opportunity to:
Lead a new and innovative teaching service
Shape the development and future direction of HITS
Drive better educational and life outcomes for some of Hertfordshire's most vulnerable learners
Work at the forefront of inclusion and alternative provision
Play a key role in strengthening the Local Authority's SEND and Section 19 offer
To hear more about this opportunity please contact Silvia Hundal ) for an informal discussion about the role.
Interview Date: 25th February 2026Benefits of working for us
How to apply
As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job outline, to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.
Additional information
Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.
Driving Required
You'll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.
English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.