Director of SEND

Harwich and Dovercourt High School (HDHS) is a popular, mixed 11-18 comprehensive situated on the north-east Essex coast. As one of the only Reading Schools in the country, we are bursting with innovative practice designed to nourish a love of literature and this forms a cornerstone of our curriculum in all subject areas. Students feel safe, valued and well-supported during their five to seven years with us. The school has made many improvements since joining the Sigma Trust in 2017 and is in an exciting phase of its development, led by an experienced headteacher and senior leadership team.

At Harwich and Dovercourt High School we strongly believe that no child should be left behind. It is our vision that every student should leave us having worked, read and learned together and having taken every opportunity offered to allow them to be successful in their chosen pathway for life. We believe that opportunity affords choice and choice affords a fulfilling adult life. It is our mission to maximise the potential for every student within their HDHS seven-year journey and empower them to reach their goals, whatever their starting points.

Every student is welcomed and unapologetically challenged to achieve their full potential and be the best possible version of themselves. Strong, positive working relationships with parents, carers and other stakeholders are at the heart of our commitment to the successes of our young people, who will go on to lead our community. We welcome local encouragement, support and belief as together we build real opportunities for our students’ futures.

Be a part of Harwich and Dovercourt High School’s ambition to become an outstanding school with the highest expectations for its young people.

● Do you want to work in one of the only Reading Schools in the country, bursting with innovative practices designed to nourish a love of literature in our young people?

● Do you want to work in a school with fantastic young people and staff who work hard and have a great community spirit?

● Do you want to work in a school that prioritises evidence-based research when developing its curriculum?

● Do you want to work in a school with excellent professional development opportunities for staff?

● Do you want to work in a school with a clear, systematic and centralised approach to student support, safeguarding, inclusion and behaviour?

● Do you want to work in a school with a small but steadily growing sixth form?

● Do you want to work in a school which is part of a large yet locally based Trust, which opens up a whole myriad of possibilities?

If the answer to these questions is yes, then please consider Harwich and Dovercourt High School as a place to make your mark and develop your career.

Harwich and Dovercourt High School’s ethos is built around the expectations that our students should be prepared to Achieve, Belong, Connect and Develop. Our new rewards system is built around these expectations and our pastoral systems are structured to help students develop in these areas which we consider crucial to their academic success.

HDHS is ambitious for all of our students in their pursuit of excellence, whether that is in the classroom, on the rugby pitch, in the dance studio or leading within the community. We are committed to achieving the highest standards and delivering an holistic education and experiences which prepare our students for the next stage in their education, training or work place.

Safeguarding

The Sigma Trust is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records, online checks and other vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our schools.