Headteacher

The Unicorn School is a small, independent, day school for children 7-16. It specialises in helping those who are struggling to achieve their potential in mainstream education. These children might have a diagnosis of dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia, often with co-occurring Autism or ADHD. With a personalised curriculum, highly qualified staff and cutting-edge technology, the school creates conditions for children to thrive and families to flourish.

The Headteacher will manage the day-to-day running of The Unicorn’s education provision. They will be responsible for the overall operational leadership and management of education across the school sites in line with the strategic vision for the Trust. They will be responsible for providing outstanding education for all students and will drive exceptional teaching and learning and an excellent learning culture that meets the specific and individual learning needs of our students.  

 This will include maintaining the high standards of curriculum, teaching and learning, and providing students with the confidence to learn, an appetite to study and the desire to continue to succeed in their education and beyond. 

Strategic Responsibilities:

• To support the CEO and the Board in developing the Trust’s strategic plans, vision and values.
• To implement the vision and key objectives of the Trust’s strategic plans.
• Motivate and work through others to ensure the achievement of the Trust’s ethos, aims and objectives.
• To deputise for the Executive Headteacher in their absence as required.

Teaching and Learning:

Ensure the Trust has high quality, expert teaching in place built on an evidence-informed understanding of effective teaching and how pupils with specific learning challenges learn.

• Take the lead on the development and implementation of curriculum provision across the Trust, ensuring a broad and balanced curriculum is offered that meets the needs of all our learners across our spectrum of educational offering.
• Ensure all staff and students embrace the curriculum and expectations and understand its principles.
• Play a leading role in developing, evaluating and reviewing policy which guides effective Teaching and Learning practice.
• Promote high expectations of attainment and progress for all while ensuring that all students make good progress from their starting points.
• Develop a safe, healthy and purposeful learning and working environment.

Operational Responsibilities:

• Manage relationships with a range of stakeholders, including current and prospective parents and guardians, the Board, and the Trust’s workforce.
• Provide challenge and support to deputy headteachers and leaders at all levels, to determine they have the capacity and drive to ensure an enriched learning experience is provided to pupils within their specific area of responsibility.
• Lead, develop and improve where necessary the quality of provision for students in a variety of areas, including teaching and learning, inclusion, behaviour, wellbeing and safeguarding through developing and implementing effective strategies to evaluate the effectiveness of all areas of the provision.
• Maintain strong working relationships with relevant agencies.
• Anticipate, plan and make provision for future demands.
• Identify the need for and lead the process of innovation, change and improvement.

 Line management responsibilities:

• Monitor standards of achievement through regular meetings with the relevant members of staff and through lesson observations and attendance at meetings; offering advice, support and challenge.
• Work closely in a coaching role with the staff being line managed in planning for and implementing improvement.
• Develop middle leaders and subject leaders to ensure effective leadership across the Trust.
• Take responsibility for measuring the impact of leaders’ work on the Trust’s priorities.
• Support as appropriate methods implemented to train, motivate, retain and mentor all staff.
• Lead and manage staff in an appropriate manner to ensure effective performance and practice.
• Assist in the appointment of staff consistent with the Trust’s vision, values and ‘Safer Recruitment Procedure’.

 Other Senior Leadership Responsibilities:

• To lead staff by example, being highly visible and promoting good order throughout the Trust
• Lead on the Trust’s Admissions process, ensuring the process is carried out effectively
• Assist in the preparation and review of policy documents, leading, in this regard, on Teaching and Learning and the operational running of the school
• Take the lead role in ensuring that communication with parents, pupils and staff is positive and that the Trust has a good reputation amongst its community
• Lead on the Trusts commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our students
• To undertake any other duty as specified by the Board or CEO

More information can be found at the RSAcademics website. Interested candidates are asked to arrange a conversation with Isabel Patchett, Search Consultant by emailing isabelpatchett@rsacademics.com