Assistant Headteacher: Inclusion

●        Salary: Leadership Scale L15 / School-Specific Leadership Range

●        Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

●        Accountable To: Senior Deputy / Deputy Headteachers

●        Teaching Commitment: Timetabled teaching commitment matching the Teachers’ Standards

Why Join Us?

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the strategic architecture of a school's inclusion framework from the top down. You will join an ambitious, collaborative leadership team dedicated to staff development, work-life balance, and, above all, delivering life-changing education to every student.

The Vision: Excellence Without Exception

Great schools don't just teach the students who find learning easy; they build a culture where every single child is expected to achieve, belong, and thrive.

We are seeking a visionary and rigorous Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion to join our Senior Leadership Team. This is a pivotal strategic role designed for an experienced leader who believes that Quality First Teaching is the foundational pillar of true inclusion. You will align, inspire, and drive our inclusion teams into a highly cohesive, data-driven, and dynamic unit that ensures students from all backgrounds are prepared for their next phase of education and life.

As Assistant Headteacher, you will champion a school culture of high expectations. Your role is to embed an academy-wide ethos where the early and accurate assessment of pupil needs leads to an active, continuous cycle of planning, action, and review.

By leading our SEND team, Pastoral Support Leaders (PSLs), Behaviour Specialists, and Alternative Provision coordinators, you will ensure our inclusion strategy is unified, compliant, and deeply impactful.

Key Areas of Strategic Impact

1. Strategic Leadership & Academy Culture

●        Drive Inclusion via Classroom Excellence: Champion Quality First Teaching across the academy as our primary tool for closing the disadvantage gap.

●        Alternative Pathways: Design and refine supported learning models (Mainstream, Behaviour Support, and SEND pathways) to maximize student retention and minimize suspensions.

●        High Standards: Foster a positive, safe, and enriching school culture built on consistent, fair behaviour routines and high levels of attendance.

●        SLT Contribution: Act as a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to overall policy, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation.

2. High-Frequency Tracking & Data-Driven Intervention

●        Vulnerable Cohort Audits: Oversee our data systems to track attendance, behaviour, and academic progress for vulnerable cohorts on a weekly basis.

●        Targeted Intervention Meetings (TIM): Chair high-level, 6-weekly TIMs to evaluate intervention impact, resource allocation, and curriculum structures across all year groups.

●        Live Hotspots: Empower teams to respond dynamically to live data spikes in behaviour, punctuality, and attendance.

●        Executive Reporting: Provide rigorous, data-backed evaluation reports to the Headteacher, Governors, and external inspectors regarding the personal development and academic progress of sub-groups.

3. Staff Empowerment & Accountability

●        Whole-School CPD: Lead professional development on adaptive teaching methods, SEMH support frameworks, trauma-informed practices, and statutory SEND updates.

●        Classroom Accountability: Ensure all teaching staff are trained and held accountable for actively using EHCPs and Pupil Passports to support learners dynamically.

4. Statutory Compliance & Partnership

●        Total Compliance: Maintain total compliance with the statutory SEND Code of Practice, keeping the Local Offer, SEND Policy, and accessibility plans under annual review.

●        Financial Stewardship: Contribute to the allocation and impact-tracking of the Pupil Premium budget and other inclusion streams to guarantee maximum value and outcomes.

●        True Partnership: Lead complex annual reviews or tribunal processes when necessary, while embedding a restorative culture of co-production and collaborative planning with parents and carers.

Important Information

Safeguarding Note: Hertswood is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS check is required for this post.

Equal Opportunities: Hertswood is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

To Apply

Please submit your completed application form on My New Term

Closing Date for Applications: 12 June

Interview Process: WC 15 June