Job Description
Welcome to Aurora Foxes, a specialist college and training hotel for young people with learning disabilities, situated in the friendly seaside town of Minehead. Foxes is a very special place.
We believe in changing lives and giving our students the skills, knowledge, and confidence to successfully shape their own future. Our aim is to equip our young adults with the life and hospitality skills to become work ready, life ready.
Your Role
The Head of Education provides both strategic and operational leadership for the quality of education across the college, including curriculum, teaching, learning, assessment and student outcomes.
Working closely with the Principal, the post holder will set a clear direction for high-quality, ambitious provision, ensuring this is consistently delivered through effective systems, strong leadership and a culture of high expectations.
The successful candidate will lead the development of an inclusive, well-sequenced curriculum that enables students with SEND to achieve meaningful outcomes aligned to their EHCPs and Preparing for Adulthood goals. They will play a central role in driving continuous improvement, developing staff, and ensuring that education provision is responsive, innovative and aligned with the college's wider vision.
In addition, the Head of Education will maintain strategic oversight of safeguarding within education, ensuring that student welfare remains at the heart of all aspects of practice.
Please see the link below for our full job description:
Job Description: Head of Education JD - 2026.docx
Successful candidate qualities:
Essential -
* QTS or QTLS
* Degree or equivalent relevant qualification
* Level 2 English and Maths
* Senior leadership experience in an education setting
* Strong understanding of high-quality education, including curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment
* Experience of working with learners with SEND, including EHCPs and Preparing for Adulthood outcomes
* Proven ability to lead curriculum development and improve educational outcomes
* Experience of quality assurance, self-assessment and improvement planning
* Strong people-management skills, including staff development and performance management
* Secure knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities and statutory requirements
* Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams
Desirable
* Postgraduate or leadership qualification
* Experience in a specialist or post-16 SEND setting
* Experience of leading through inspection or external review
* Knowledge of funding and compliance within specialist education
How to apply?
For candidates that haven't worked in this sector before please be aware that for regulatory reasons the application process is far more detailed and thorough compared to other sectors.
Please complete the online application form in full, including all employment and education details, and provide a personal statement that makes us keen to speak to you.
If you need any assistance or would like any more information, please contact Adele in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at
Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.
The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.
The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.
This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled.
Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.