Job Description

The deputy head role will be a combined senior teacher/leadership role. Working within Woodend Farm school will require a robust adaptability and willingness to take on roles in all areas of the school. Woodend Farm School is currently a primary special school for ages 6 - 11yrs and is currently working towards expanding its provisions to 16yrs of age across two sights. Early on, this role will require you to cover the PPA sessions and then work on developing the school, focusing on the curriculum development for the school's expansion. Longer term, it will consist of leading the Yr 7 - 11 site, overseeing a team of 4 teachers and other staff as well as ensuring the highest of standards across all areas. Longer term the role will remain 'on the ground' but the larger team will allow for focus on quality of provision, supporting teachers and targeted interventions for pupils. Someone with SEN experience, especially around ASD and PDA is ideally suited for the role and the nature of a small school calls for someone who is flexible, resilient and thrives in being able to lead with a high level of independence and initiative. It will require energy, outstanding communication skills and a willingness to develop their own abilities in line with the school's aims, values and ethos. Woodend Farm School is a Thrive ambassador school of excellence so a good understanding of the thrive approach and working in a therapeutic setting is essential.

Responsibilities

• To oversee & facilitate effective, adapted and pupil-centred learning.
• To support and lead on the positive management of behaviour, in line with the school's policy.
• To lead on ensuring the learning environment is attractive, positive & uncluttered.
• To ensure assessment for learning/assessing progress is kept up to date, monitored and used effectively to support each child's learning.
• To role-model the values the school stands for and to be a role-model of outstanding professionalism.
• To lead on and oversee the organisation of educational visits, including risk assessments as appropriate.
• To create a well-managed, secure and happy classroom where priority is given to the quality of the learning environment, maximising opportunities for children to learn.
• To maintain good order and discipline in the classroom in accordance with the schools' behaviour policy
• To oversee assessment, planning, recording and reporting as agreed by the school.
• To participate and engage with the performance management process.
• To work as a member of the team to ensure consistency and continuity across the curriculum.
• To work with CEO to develop curriculum for Yr 7 - Yr 11
• To attend and participate in meetings and briefings as required
• To take part in the school staff development programme by participating and leading on opportunities for continuous professional development, including necessary training such as Team Teach, first-aid etc.
• To be knowledgeable and supportive of all school policies and procedures.
• To contribute to the school's self-evaluation and ongoing improvement.
• To have a deep knowledge of all policies and procedures related to child protection & safeguarding, bullying, data protection & confidentiality.
• To comply with any reasonable request from the leadership team to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.
• To play a key role in safeguarding and H&S with a view to become DSL.
• To play a key role in recruitment and HR for the site
• To lead on continually improvement of the curriculum, teaching practice and how this is reviewed and improved within the school.
• This job description is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties as reasonably required by the leadership team. All posts are subject to Enhanced DBS checks in addition to a range of other vetting checks. As a small school the expectation to work as a community and beyond the typical scope of a teaching role is more prevalent and is expected to be undertaken in the spirit of the organisation and what it is trying to achieve for its pupils.

Essential skills

• Extremely strong ability to teach and work successfully with children with SEN.
• Fearless intervention
• Outstanding communication skills (with children, families & professionals).
• Outstanding organisational skills (including meeting deadlines).
• Strong ability to work constructively and collaboratively at all times as part or as the lead of a unified team.
• Strong ability to develop a creative curriculum
• Thrive practioner or willing to undertake the training
• Strong academic skills to support teaching across the curriculum.
• Reflective practitioner eager to progress professionally.
• Able to recognise own training needs and willing to undergo relevant training.
• Attention to detail, including in terms of presentation, punctuality and supporting the maintenance of an attractive environment for learning.
• Ability to support families and carers of children with challenging behaviour.
• Ability to cope in high pressure, highly stressful contexts.
• Creative and imaginative thinker in terms of children-centred teaching.
• A commitment to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children.
• Able to prepare effective written and visual teaching materials including the effective use of ICT

Knowledge

• Clear and demonstrable understanding of the national curriculum, therapeutic and sensory curriculum, thrive social and emotional assessments, evidence for learning and school provision generally.
• Clear understanding of child development, learning and children with SEN and associated special educational needs.
• Clear understanding of independent special schools, local authority funding, SEND and the requirements of Ofsted.
• Clear understanding of relevant policies/codes of practice and awareness of relevant legislation.
• Clear understanding of a range of teaching, assessment and behaviour management strategies that facilitate effective learning & progress.

Qualifications and experience

• QTS and complete induction (essential)
• Thrive practitioner (desirable)
• At least a good degree in a core subject or applicable subject (essential).
• A range of experience in delivering the primary curriculum or a secondary subject area to children with SEN (essential).
• Further training or qualifications related to SEN or leadership (desirable).

Please note that this position is based at Woodend Farm School in Witham.

Information about the School

We believe in investing in people. As professionals in the helping profession, we believe and aspire to offer a better future to those children, young people and families we work with. Success for us means unleashing the potential of each individual we engage with, so they can grow and develop each day, to be better versions of themselves. Our values are grounded in our determination to be the change we want to see in the world, through passion, commitment and integrity. We want to plant a seed of kindness and compassion in a generation that will produce resilience & hope and enable them to fulfill their own destinies.

Our success therefore will be measured in the lives we changed through REACH.