Your Role
The Trust is seeking two highly skilled and experienced leaders to work in close partnership with the Willowfield Academy Principal and the Trust's Director of Education to provide strategic and operational leadership for one of the two Willowfield Academy sites.
Upon appointment, the Head of School will become a member of the Trust's Extended Leadership Team (ELT), joining the Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Director of Education, Finance Director, Human Resources Director, and Academy Principals. As part of this collaborative team, the Head of School will play a key role in delivering the Board's vision and securing the best possible outcomes for all children.
The Candidate
The successful candidate will be an influential and reflective leader who can demonstrate:
* Proven leadership experience within an educational or comparable setting, demonstrating strong professional credibility, sound judgement, and the ability to lead improvement.
* A deep and unwavering commitment to inclusive education, with the ability to lead provision for children with diverse and often complex needs.
* Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with pupils, staff, families, and external partners.
* A collaborative leadership style, demonstrating a strong commitment to teamwork, collective problem‑solving, and working effectively within a wider Trust leadership structure.
We welcome applications from everyone who believes they meet the expectations of the role regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith, or disability. To ensure that our staff composition is representative of the communities we serve, applications from groups who are currently under‑represented in education including people with disabilities and people from minority ethnic backgrounds are particularly encouraged.
Benefits
* Cycle to Work Scheme
* Local Government Pension Scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme – Health Assured
* Annual Eye Care Voucher
Qualifications
* Graduate with Qualified Teacher Status – essential
* Has undertaken sustained professional development, especially in leadership and management – desirable
Skills
Experience
* Experience of middle or senior management – essential
* Ability to devise and implement high quality improvement plans/frameworks – essential
* Personal skills to establish excellent working relationships with all members of the trust and wider community – essential
* Excellent management, motivational and communication skills that inspire high ambition throughout the trust – essential
* Knowledge of Fundamental British Values and Prevent Training – essential
* Has experience of working effectively with pupils with special educational needs and vulnerabilities – essential
* Has experience of OFSTED – essential
* Has worked successfully with governors and parents to raise achievement – essential
* Experience of contributing to school improvement – essential
* A proven track record of raising achievement – essential
* A proven track record of securing improvement in the quality of teaching and learning – essential
* An excellent teacher in at least one of the key stages – essential
* Has up‑to‑date knowledge of what research and inspection findings tell us about effective leadership, teaching and learning in special school education – essential
* Has knowledge and understanding of the principles and implications of current education practice, legislation and initiatives related to special and alternative school settings – essential
Leadership
* A highly effective teacher whose practice inspires and develops others – essential
* Confidence and skills to lead a successful team – essential
Personal Attributes
* Be personally committed to the development and welfare of all – essential
* Be flexible and approachable, remain resilient under pressure and show a positive and energetic attitude to work – essential
* The personality to engage and enthuse staff, pupils and parents – essential
* Conviction that all pupils can succeed and a commitment to securing the highest achievement for all – essential
* A commitment to the safety and safeguarding of all children – essential
* Show total commitment to the trust's wider community – essential
Safeguarding Information
The Raleigh Education Trust (the "Trust") is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Creating a culture of safety and vigilance for our pupils is of paramount importance, we aim to:
* create and maintain a safe environment
* manage situations should child welfare concerns arise
* create an atmosphere of trust in which pupils feel confident to confide any concern
* help young people to understand the difference between acceptable and non‑acceptable behaviour
* teach pupils to stay safe from harm
Pupils are taught about safeguarding, including E‑safety as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. All staff within the Trust take welfare concerns seriously and encourage children and young people to talk about anything that worries them.
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