Job Purpose
The Headteacher will provide strong, visible, and proactive leadership within their school setting, ensuring that high expectations are consistently embedded across all aspects of provision, including learning, behaviour, attendance, and safeguarding. Reporting directly to the Executive Headteacher, the post holder will be responsible for the effective operational management of the school, while fostering a positive, aspirational, and inclusive culture in which pupils with SEMH and SEND needs can thrive. The Headteacher will execute the school’ vision and development plans in partnership with the Executive Headteacher.
As a key leader within First Steps Together, the Headteacher will uphold organisational values, policies, and practices in line with statutory guidance and current education legislation. They will work collaboratively with the Head of Education, Head of Inclusion, and Head of Pastoral to ensure a cohesive, high-quality provision across curriculum, SEND support, behaviour, and wellbeing.
The Headteacher will lead the implementation of evidence-informed and SEND-appropriate strategies, including therapeutic and restorative practices, ensuring these are embedded consistently and have measurable impact on pupil outcomes. A strong focus will be placed on the effective use of data to monitor performance, inform decision-making, and drive continuous improvement across all areas of the school, building and maintaining strong relationships with parents, carers, and external agencies will be central to the role, supporting pupil engagement, progress, and wellbeing.
The headteacher will oversee the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and play a critical role in safeguarding, ensuring robust systems, accurate record-keeping, and a strong culture of vigilance. The post holder will ensure the school remains fully compliant and consistently Ofsted-ready, with clear evidence of impact aligned to the Education Inspection Framework (EIF).
The Headteacher will lead by example, uphold the highest standards of professional conduct, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and reflective practice across the school.
1) Strategic Direction and Development
- Work collaboratively with the Head of Education, Head of Inclusion, and Head of Pastoral to deliver a cohesive, high-quality provision that meets the needs of pupils with SEMH and SEND.
- Implement and actively promote the school vision, ensuring consistency in expectations, standards, and practice across the school.
- Lead on the development, delivery, and ongoing evaluation of the School Improvement Plan, ensuring actions are evidence-informed and lead to measurable impact.
- Use data effectively to identify priorities, monitor performance, and drive sustained improvement in outcomes for pupils.
- Maintain a consistently Ofsted-ready environment, with robust evidence trails, accurate documentation, and full compliance with statutory requirements.
- Promote high expectations for pupil progress, engagement, attendance, behaviour, and wellbeing across all areas of provision.
- Support the continuous evaluation and improvement of teaching, learning, and therapeutic practice.
- Lead the school's quality assurance framework.
- Moderate judgements across leaders.
- Ensure accurate self-evaluation.
- Lead mock inspections.
- Quality assure leadership across curriculum, SEND and pastoral teams.
- Lead all inspection preparation.
- Act as the school's lead representative during inspections.
- Own the SEF and School Improvement Plan.
- Monitor compliance against EIF.
- Lead post-inspection improvement planning.
2) Accountability and Leadership
- Hold full accountability for the day-to-day operational leadership of the school, ensuring high standards across behaviour, attendance, safeguarding, and quality of education.
- Lead and monitor staff performance, providing challenge, support, and escalation to the executive headteacher where required.
- Ensure systems for monitoring teaching, behaviour, attendance, and interventions are robust, consistent, and clearly demonstrate impact.
- Fulfil responsibilities as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL), ensuring effective safeguarding practice, strong oversight, and accurate recordkeeping.
- Provide regular, data-informed updates to the leadership team on performance, priorities, and risks.
- Ensure all statutory requirements, policies, and procedures are implemented consistently and effectively.
3) Leading Teaching, Learning, and Inclusion
- Work closely with the Head of Education and Head of Inclusion to ensure high-quality teaching, a relevant curriculum, and effective SEND provision.
- Use data and evidence to identify pupil needs and ensure timely, appropriate interventions that impact progress and engagement.
- Monitor teaching and learning through observations, learning walks, work scrutiny, and pupil voice, ensuring consistency and quality.
- Provide clear, developmental feedback to staff, driving improvements in practice and outcomes.
- Ensure all pupil documentation (ILPs, behaviour plans, risk assessments, progress data) is accurate, up-to-date, and used to inform practice.
- Promote a culture of reflective practice, collaboration, and shared accountability across the school and wider organisation.
4) Leadership of Staff and Culture
- Build and sustain a positive, high-performing staff culture where expectations are clear and staff feel supported, valued, and accountable.
- Line manage staff effectively, ensuring strong performance management, professional development, and accountability for outcomes.
- Lead briefings, training, and daily communication to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with school priorities.
- Maintain a visible leadership presence across the school, modelling expectations and promoting relational and restorative practice.
- Ensure effective staff deployment and smooth daily operations across the school.
5) Workforce Development
- Support recruitment processes, including selection, interviewing, and onboarding of high-quality staff.
- Lead effective induction processes, ensuring all staff understand safeguarding, expectations, systems, and school culture.
- Identify training needs and ensure staff access high-quality CPD aligned to school priorities.
- Ensure mandatory training is completed and embedded into practice.
- Promote staff wellbeing alongside high expectations and professional growth.
6) Data, Outcomes, and School Targets
- Set, monitor, and review ambitious termly targets relating to behaviour, attendance, engagement, and academic progress.
- Use data systems to track pupil progress and evaluate the impact of interventions and provision.
- Ensure behaviour plans and support strategies are regularly reviewed and communicated with staff, pupils, and families.
- Oversee rewards, enrichment, and engagement strategies that positively impact attendance, behaviour, and personal development.
7) Behaviour, Pastoral Leadership, and Culture
- Work in partnership with the Head of Pastoral to embed a consistent, relational, and restorative approach to behaviour across the school.
- Ensure behaviour, safeguarding, and incident reporting systems (e.g. IRIS) are accurate, timely, and used to drive improvement.
- Support staff in implementing behaviour strategies, de-escalation techniques, and targeted interventions.
- Lead restorative approaches that support reflection, accountability, and relationship building.
- Maintain high expectations for conduct, ensuring consistency across all staff and settings.
- Promote a culture that develops resilience, emotional literacy, and positive relationships.
8) Relationships with Parents and External Agencies
- Build strong, professional relationships with parents, carers, and external professionals to support pupil outcomes.
- Ensure regular, meaningful communication with families, balancing challenge and support.
- Lead and contribute to review meetings, reports, and parent consultations.
- Work with external agencies to ensure coordinated, effective support for pupils.
- Support smooth pupil transitions into and beyond the school.
9) Resources and School Environment
- Manage resources effectively, ensuring they support high-quality provision and deliver value for money.
- Ensure the learning environment is safe, purposeful, and aligned with pupils’ needs.
- Oversee enrichment opportunities that enhance personal development and engagement.
10) Senior Leadership Responsibilities
- Contribute actively to the Senior Leadership Team, supporting whole-school strategy and improvement.
- Work collaboratively with senior leaders (Head of Education, Inclusion, and Pastoral) to ensure alignment and consistency across all areas.
- Use data and evaluation to inform strategic decisions and school priorities.
- Drive a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and reflective practice.
- Lead by example, demonstrating professionalism, integrity, and commitment to high standards.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential:
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- PGCE/PGDE
- Minimum of 5 years’ leadership experience within a primary or secondary school setting
- Bachelor’s degree
Desirable:
- National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) or working towards
- Relevant SEND or SEMH qualifications or further professional study
Experience
Essential:
- Proven experience of leading teams and managing staff performance effectively
- Experience of working with pupils with SEMH and/or SEND needs
- Demonstrable experience of improving outcomes for pupils through effective leadership
- Experience of using data to monitor performance, inform decisions, and drive school improvement
- Experience of safeguarding leadership, with a clear understanding of statutory requirements
- Experience of contributing to or leading school improvement planning and implementation
- Experience of working collaboratively with parents, carers, and external agencies
Desirable:
- Experience within a specialist or alternative provision setting
- Experience of Ofsted inspections and maintaining an Ofsted-ready environment
- Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary or therapeutic model
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential:
- Strong understanding of the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) and independent school standards
- Secure knowledge of safeguarding legislation and best practice
- Understanding of effective teaching, learning, and assessment strategies
- Knowledge of SEMH and SEND needs and appropriate interventions, including therapeutic and restorative approaches
- Understanding of behaviour management strategies that promote positive outcomes
- Knowledge of how to use data systems to track progress and evaluate impact
Desirable:
- Knowledge of trauma-informed practice and relational approaches
- Understanding of curriculum design for pupils with additional needs
Skills and Abilities
Essential:
- Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire, challenge, and support staff
- Ability to analyse and interpret data to drive improvement and demonstrate impact
- Excellent organisational and operational management skills
- Clear and effective communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to build strong, professional relationships with a range of stakeholders
- Ability to prioritise, manage workload, and respond effectively to competing demands
- High levels of emotional intelligence and resilience
Personal Qualities
Essential:
- Commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable learners
- High expectations of self, staff, and pupils
- Integrity, professionalism, and a strong sense of accountability
- A proactive, solution-focused approach
- Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
- Ability to lead by example and model organisational values
- Reflective practitioner committed to continuous improvement
Other Requirements
Essential:
- Willingness to act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
- Flexibility to meet the needs of the school and organisation
Safeguarding
Here at First Steps Together, we are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and promoting that commitment. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share in it, too, which is why, as part of the selection process, we will conduct all the necessary checks to ensure you do not pose any risk of harm in your role here. Join us and you will be expected to actively contribute to our safeguarding commitment and promote child welfare in line with the school’s Child Protection Policy.
If ever there is a concern or issue, you will be ready to report it to your Designated Safeguarding Lead or, in their absence, any Deputy Safeguarding Lead.
Review
The nature of this role means that this job description will be subject to an annual review with the potential for amendment or modification at any time after consultation directly with you. It by no means acts as a comprehensive statement of procedures and is just a way of setting out all the main expectations we will have of you, here in the role as you deliver an impassioned and genuinely caring experience to our young people.
Pay: £51,773.00-£60,145.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free flu jabs
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Referral programme
Work Location: In person
