Assistant Head of School
Aurora Meldreth Manor School
Cambridgeshire
- £49,781 - £56,316 per year
- New
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Apply by:
- 4 October 2024
Job overview
Overview and Responsibilities
Assistant Head of School – Aurora Meldreth Manor School
Location: Meldreth, Nr Royston, Cambridgeshire/Hertfordshire border
Contract Type: Full time, Permanent
Hours: 40 hours per week
Salary: L1-L6 (£49,781 - £56,316 per annum)
Closing Date: Friday 4th October at 12 noon
Interviews: Monday 14th October
At The Aurora Group, we believe in giving people the opportunities they need to lead fulfilling, independent lives. Established in 2015, we are now the UK’s sixth largest provider of education, care and support services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Here at Aurora Meldreth Manor, many of our students have complex learning difficulties, some associated with profound physical disabilities and/or medical needs. Their ages range between 6 – 19. 15 students live within our on-site residential children’s home, with the remaining students attending on a day basis.
Whatever a student’s abilities or challenges, we aim to provide them with memorable experiences and stimulating activities that promote self-esteem and personal independence. This approach is enhanced by the imaginative use of a variety of suitable and interesting resources and environments – from the rich experiences of sound, colour and touch in the sensory room, through to energising rebound therapy and physical exercises in the hydrotherapy pool.
The school is growing in size and we are about to commence on the refurbishment of buildings to allow us to increase the number of students on roll.
We are recruiting for an Assistant Head of School/Exams Lead to join the leadership team at Meldreth Manor School.
The Role
To undertake overall responsibility for the school in the absence of the Head of School and to lead on school examinations.
To achieve in this role, you will be someone who inspires creativity and collaboration, a strong leader and a passionate advocate for your students, finding ways to deliver educational outcomes that make a real difference to them. It is an exciting time to be part of Aurora and this is a unique career opportunity to make your mark on our growing services.
Key duties
- Working closely with staff and students to maintain the school’s strategic objectives
- Assisting the Head of School in ongoing monitoring and evaluation of our Quality Improvement Plan
- Leading our staff by monitoring their progress whilst encouraging and contributing to their ongoing training and professional development
- Maintaining responsibility for the welfare, conduct and progress of our students, ensuring that the needs and priorities for individuals are effectively disseminated to all staff.
- Working in partnership with parents, carers, external agencies and the wider community to foster positive relationships, thereby improving pupil achievement, personal development and inclusion opportunities.
- Leading, monitoring and evaluating the content and effectiveness of the school curriculum in partnership with other key members of staff whilst also monitoring student attainment and progress
A full job description is available on request, please contact kirsty.wilkinson@the-aurora-group.com
Skills and Qualifications
Essential Qualifications:
- Qualified teacher status.
- Leadership experience
Desirable Qualifications:
- Accredited training in specific areas of special education, e.g. PMLD/SLD/ASD needs
- NPQSL
Experience:
- Show evidence of at least 5 years successful proven track record of excellent creative and structured teaching within the special needs environment.
- Experience of teaching in a specialist environment.
- Evidence of major whole school responsibilities and experience of turning policy into effective and successful practice.
- Experience of working with and developing links with the community
- Leadership of a significant area or phase or inclusion, including responsibility for raising standards across the whole school.
- Experience of working with and involving school governors/trustees or executives
Professional Knowledge
- A clear understanding of the essential qualities necessary for effective teaching and learning.
- Experience of using effective behaviour and teaching strategies, preferably within a special school setting
- Understanding of the implementation of TEACCH or other similar ASD intervention and support strategies.
- Up to date knowledge of statutory regulations and guidance relating to the post including understanding of OFSTED requirements and latest developments in special education.
Benefits and Additional Information
What’s on offer:
- Full training and continued support
- Life assurance and pension
- Health cash back plan
- Car lease scheme
- Bike to work scheme
- Perk box
- Free parking
How to Apply:
To apply for this role, please visit our careers place www.theauroragroup.co.uk/careers or for more information on this position please contact Kirsty in the Recruitment Team at 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.
Attached documents
About Aurora Meldreth Manor School
- Aurora Meldreth Manor School
- Fenny Lane, Meldreth, Royston
- Hertfordshire
- SG8 6LG
- United Kingdom
Welcome to our Special Needs School in Meldreth, Cambridge
Here at Aurora Meldreth Manor, many of our students have complex learning difficulties, often associated with profound physical disabilities and/or medical needs. Whatever a student’s abilities or challenges, we aim to provide them with memorable experiences and stimulating activities that promote self-esteem and personal independence.
This approach is enhanced by the imaginative use of a variety of suitable and interesting resources and environments – from the rich experiences of sound, colour and touch in the sensory room, through to energising rebound therapy and physical exercises in the hydrotherapy pool.
As a registered children’s home, we can also provide students with a vibrant yet homely space in which to live, whether throughout the year or just for a short break.
We hope you enjoy reading about our school and residential facilities, and we look forward to welcoming you and your child to our community here at Aurora Meldreth Manor.
Denise Grayston - Principal, Aurora Meldreth Manor School and Children’s Home
Our School
Aurora Meldreth Manor supports children and young people aged 6-19 with highly complex learning difficulties associated with conditions such as cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, degenerative conditions or autism spectrum conditions requiring a specialist approach.
We offer day placements for 38 weeks of the year and flexible residential placements for up to 52 weeks, including weekly boarding and shared-care arrangements or residential care placements for young people accessing other local schools.
The support we provide enables each of our students to engage and progress at their own level within a living and learning environment designed to help them achieve their full potential as they reach adulthood.
Our Facilities
Aurora Meldreth Manor is situated on a beautiful 14-acre site in the village of Meldreth, on the border of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.
The school is fully accessible with hoisting facilities available throughout, and offers a range of modern, creative spaces for living and learning.
Facilities include:
· Interior-designed living areas
· Landscaped gardens
· Multi-use activity area
· Hydrotherapy pool
· Rebound therapy
· Multi-media room
· Multi-sensory areas
· Individual learning areas for break-out time and quiet time
A range of therapy is available at Aurora Meldreth Manor, including physiotherapy, speech and language and occupational therapy. We also offer nursing support where required, and we are one of the few schools in the country that caters for students with specialist medical requirements associated with complex health needs, such as enteral feeding.
Residential Facilities
Aurora Meldreth Manor is also a registered children’s home, providing flexible, accessible accommodation and a vibrant yet homely space in which to live.
Houses have spacious living/dining room with TV, games and eating areas and individual bedrooms with a mix of bathing facilities and hoisting throughout for safe and easy movement for those with physical conditions. For those that can eat orally, fresh food is prepared daily by our chef and a variety of tastes and diets are catered for.
Our residential care team is passionate about ensuring that every individual is happy, healthy and well-supported. Alongside delivering personal care and helping with the management of epilepsy and other conditions, our staff support our residents to develop friendships, explore new interests and take advantage of after-school and social activities.
We encourage families to visit regularly and are able to offer limited family accommodation
Our Curriculum
We follow the IMPACTS curriculum, a needs-led programme focusing on the key areas of: communication, cognition, physical development, environmental control technology, and personal, emotional and social wellbeing (which includes self-help and self-advocacy skills).
Where appropriate, the National Curriculum is taken into consideration in the planning and delivery of activities.
Teaching staff work together with therapists and learning support assistants to develop and deliver a meaningful, appropriate and personalised curriculum for every student. Classes are grouped according to students’ sensory needs, cognitive understanding and compatibility.
Some of our students have particular interests which are related to their developmental age rather than their chronological age. We consider it important to strike the right balance in acknowledging the students’ interests and offering age-appropriate options.
Our Outcomes · 100% of children and young people work towards formal qualifications such as AQA awards · 100% of the children and young people access an integrated therapeutic curriculum in preparation for adulthood · All our outdoor learning areas are fully inclusive, these include a Forest School, a Musical Garden as well as a number of Outdoor Learning Stations.
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