About Thrapston Primary School

Thrapston Primary School is a fully inclusive mainstream primary school, where children are at the heart of everything we do. We work together as a community to provide a happy, secure and stimulating environment in which every child is motivated to learn, valued as an individual and supported to reach their full potential.

Inclusion is a defining strength of our school. We are proud of our strong SEND provision, our Specialist SEND Unit supporting up to 34 pupils with EHCPs, and our well‑established wellbeing and pastoral systems, including our HUB (Helpful, Understanding Base). Our work is underpinned by our REACH values – Respect, Empathy, Ambition, Collaboration and Honesty.

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional Vice Principal for Inclusion to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead inclusion strategically across the whole school.

This is a pivotal leadership role with responsibility for:

• SEND (mainstream and specialist provision)
• Pupil Premium and disadvantaged learners
• Leadership of the Specialist SEND Unit Provision
• Inclusive teaching, learning, wellbeing and equity

The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the future direction of inclusion at Thrapston, ensuring that all pupils – academically, socially and emotionally – can thrive.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership of Inclusion

• Provide clear, values‑driven leadership for SEND, Pupil Premium and specialist provision as part of the Senior Leadership Team
• Drive whole‑school inclusive practice, ensuring high expectations and high‑quality provision for all learners
• Contribute to school improvement planning with a strong focus on vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils

SEND & Specialist SEND Unit Leadership

• Lead statutory SEND processes, ensuring full compliance with the SEND Code of Practice
• Oversee EHCP processes, annual reviews and partnership working with parents and professionals
• Provide strategic and operational leadership of the Specialist SEND Unit, ensuring:
• Individualised curriculum pathways (EYFS, pre‑formal, semi‑formal and mainstream inclusion)
• High‑quality assessment (B Squared, Small Steps, EHCP targets)
• Personalised provision that supports children to flourish academically, socially and emotionally

Pupil Premium & Disadvantaged

• Lead the creation of the Pupil Premium Strategy and the strategic use of Pupil Premium funding to reduce barriers to learning and close gaps
• Track impact through robust monitoring, evaluation and reporting
• Ensure effective deployment of interventions and pastoral support

Leadership of People & Practice

• Line manage Inclusion, SEND, Specialist Unit Provisions and wellbeing staff
• Lead and deliver high‑quality professional development in inclusive practice, SEND and SEMH
• Support teachers in delivering high‑quality, adaptive teaching and graduated provision
• Promote a culture of reflective practice, collaboration and continuous improvement

Wellbeing, Pastoral & Safeguarding

• Work closely with the DSL and wellbeing team to support pupils with SEMH and complex needs
• Champion Thrapston’s strong pastoral offer, including:
• The HUB
• ELSA, counselling and play therapy
• Early Help Assessments and multi‑agency working

Partnership & Communication

• Build strong, trusting relationships with parents and carers
• Work collaboratively with external agencies including Educational Psychology, CAMHS, SALT, OT, Physiotherapy and social care
• Report regularly to Governors on SEND, Pupil Premium and inclusion outcomes

The Ideal Candidate Will:

• Hold Qualified Teacher Status
• Hold the National SENCO Award / NPQ in Leading SEND
• Have successful leadership experience within a primary school
• Demonstrate deep expertise in SEND, inclusion and SEMH
• Have a strong understanding of statutory responsibilities, EHCPs and local authority processes
• Be an excellent classroom practitioner who models inclusive, high‑quality teaching
• Be an empathetic, resilient and strategic leader with a clear moral purpose
• Have the ability to inspire, support and challenge staff

We Offer:

• A genuinely inclusive school where inclusion is central, not peripheral
• A highly skilled, committed and compassionate staff team
• A strong, well‑established Specialist SEND Unit
• A leadership team that values collaboration, ambition and professional trust
• High‑quality professional development and leadership support
• Wonderful children and families who place trust in the school

Safeguarding

Thrapston Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and safer recruitment procedures.

About Brooke Weston Trust

Our Trust was formed more than 30 years ago with a simple and clear mission – to transform educational performance in all of our communities. Working in some of the most challenging contexts, we improve our students’ achievements by making long term commitments to the community and championing new approaches to improve the life chances for young people.

Our members of staff are essential to realising this vision, and a happy, motivated and supported team will deliver the best possible experiences for our young people.

We place great emphasis on creating a supportive and collaborative working environment in all our schools, where all staff can share best practice through our colleague networks. Brooke Weston staff get access to first class professional development through our Ambition Hub, which is also home to the Northamptonshire Teaching School.

Safer Recruitment

Care and respect for others are the values that lie at the heart of our Trust. The Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. It expects all staff to share this commitment. All posts require proof of identity and as the role is working with children and young people this will also be subject to an enhanced disclosures barring service check.

A copy of the Trust Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy can be found here -  Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

The Trusts position on the recruitment of Ex-Offenders can be found under section 7 of the Trust SCR, Safer Recruitment and Staff Files Policy -  Safer Recruitment and Staff Files Policy

 We are an Allergen Aware Trust