Assistant Head of School (with responsibility for SENDCO)

Overview and Responsibilities

Assistant Head of School (with responsibility for SENDCO)– Aurora Beeches School  

Location: Cranborne, Dorset

Salary: £47,185.00 - £50,807.00 (Teacher PayScale L1 – L4)

Hours: 40 hours per week.

At Aurora Beeches, we believe in giving young people the tools and opportunities to create the lives they want for themselves. With high-quality teaching, an excellent level of individual support and a range of expert-led, integrated therapy, we support students with a range of additional learning needs to create and meet their own goals.

The main purpose of the role:

As our Assistant Head of School (with responsibility for SENDCO) You will work with the Head of School, Principal and wider Senior Leadership Team in all aspects of leadership and management, taking personal responsibility providing professional leadership and management within SEND to secure high-quality teaching, improved standards of learning and support all staff to develop their teaching to support all learners.

You will take a central role in assisting the Principal & Head of School, to develop our school in accordance with its shared values and our school development plans

Key duties:

• Work in very close partnership with and support the Principal and Head of School in the effective day to day management of the school and school community including (but not limited to); recruitment, developing school specific policies and implementing all relevant Aurora policies, leading staff meetings, arranging cover for absent staff or those on PPA /training, hosting and support organising whole school events such as open days and parents evening, and responding to the views, needs and requests of pupil, staff, parents, governors and visitors.
• Support CPD for classroom-based staff ensuring their needs are identified and met through quality training opportunities within available resources. This includes managing the inset program and providing / sourcing training opportunities for whole, groups of and individual staff.
• To be responsible for collating evidence for specific sections of the school’s self-assessment report, especially those relating to standards and attainment.
• To work with the Principal and Head of School to report to governance on learning and progress and the development, implementation and review of school improvement plans including regular monitoring and evaluation of attendance, standards and quality of provision.
• Determine, organise and implement a diverse, flexible curriculum and implement an effective assessment framework throughout the school.
• To be responsible for raising standards in Teaching and Learning for a team of pupils, teachers and teaching assistants across relevant Key Stages.
• To ensure that all provision for pupils within designated key stages is appropriate, differentiated and effective.
• In liaison with the Head of School, to ensure the curriculum entitlement and school timetable meets the statutory requirements and reflects the needs of the pupils.
• Ensure that learning is at the centre of strategic planning and resource management.
• Monitor the progress of pupils throughout the year, identifying gaps and any underachievement (through classroom learning visits, book scrutiny, discussion with pupils, teachers and leaders)
• Evaluate analysis of data to identify barriers to learning and suggest ways to address these.
• Promote and model good relationships with parents and carers, which are based on partnerships to support and improve pupils’ learning and achievement.
• Contribute to the development of the school as a community within the community; strengthening partnerships with families, neighbours, our local and wider community, other schools, services and the local authority

Duties will vary, you must expect to diversify and lend a hand wherever is required.

For the full job description and break down of duties, please contact Kirsty from the recruitment team kirsty.wilkinson@the-aurora-group.com 

Skills and Qualifications

Successful candidate qualities:

Qualifications:

• Recognised teacher training qualification – Cert Ed. / PGCE / QTS or QTLS / Diploma in Teaching (essential)
• National award for special educational needs co-ordinator (NASENCO) or within 18 months of starting the post (desirable)
• Accredited training in specific areas of special education, e.g. Autism, Dyslexia etc. (desirable)
• Management/leadership qualification (desirable)

Experience:

• Proven track record of excellent creative and structured teaching within special needs environment.
• Experience of holding responsibility for and turning policy into effective and successful practice.
• Leadership of a significant area or phase or inclusion, including responsibility for raising standards across the whole college.
• Effective team management and working collaboratively and effectively with others.
• Communicating effectively to a wide range of different audiences though a range of different mediums.
• Successful management of complex scenarios and conflict resolution
• Effective relationships working successfully with a range of external agencies

Benefits and Additional Information

What’s on offer?

Be part of our successful team and also benefit from a generous package that includes:

• Life assurance
• Competitive Pension
• Perkbox - offering high street discounts
• Employee assistance programme
• Car lease scheme
• Fully funded training and qualifications
• Bike to work scheme
• Free membership to our Health cash back plan - Claim back money on services such as dental, optical, physio and many more.

If you are interested in this role then please apply online and complete our application form. For more information on this position please contact kirsty.wilkinson@the-aurora-group.com 

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.