Reporting to Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher.

The Role:

The Progress & Engagement Lead is responsible for securing consistently high expectations for learning, engagement, and progress across the school, with a particular focus on improving outcomes for pupils with SEMH and other areas of need.

The post-holder will lead English as a core subject and will hold strategic responsibility for developing, embedding, and quality assuring the school’s whole-school literacy strategy.

The role is central to improving:

Pupil engagement in learning

Rates of progress across all subjects

Reading, writing, communication and vocabulary development

Access to and engagement in learning for pupils with complex social, emotional and mental health needs

Key Responsibilities: 

Progress & Engagement Strategy (Whole School)

Lead the strategic development of pupil engagement across the school, ensuring high levels of participation, resilience, and readiness to learn

Use pupil progress and engagement data to identify trends, barriers, and underperformance

Work with pastoral and safeguarding teams to ensure engagement strategies are trauma-informed and consistent

Develop systems that ensure early identification of disengagement and rapid intervention

Lead on improving attendance to learning (in-school engagement as well as physical attendance where appropriate)

Whole-School Literacy Strategy (Key Leadership Responsibility)

Design, implement and evaluate a whole-school literacy strategy aligned with school improvement priorities

Develop a consistent approach to:

reading fluency and comprehension

vocabulary development (Tier 2 and Tier 3 language)

writing structure and stamina

oracy and communication skills

Ensure literacy is embedded across all subjects, not confined to English

Lead staff development in literacy pedagogy, including adaptive teaching strategies for SEMH learners

Promote a reading culture across the school, including intervention pathways for pupils with low reading ages

Quality Assurance

In conjunction with other senior leaders, contribute to the school’s quality of education through learning walks, book scrutiny and pupil voice

In conjunction with the Deputy Head, ensure planning and delivery reflect high expectations and appropriate scaffolding and Support the development of consistent high-quality teaching practices across the school

Use evidence-informed practice to improve outcomes for SEMH learners

In conjunction with Care and Pastoral Senior Leader, support colleagues to implement effective behaviour for learning strategies linked to engagement

Data, Assessment and Accountability

In partnership with Assistant Head and Senco, analyse progress and engagement data to inform intervention and strategic planning

Produce clear reports for SLT on progress trends and literacy impact

Ensure assessment systems are meaningful, consistent and used to drive action

In partnership with Assistant Head and Senco and Therapeutic Lead, track the impact of interventions on both engagement and attainment

Staff Development and Coaching

Lead CPD on literacy, engagement and adaptive teaching

Coach teachers and support staff to improve practice, particularly in managing disengagement and low-level disruption

Support other middle leaders in using data effectively within their teams to support effective planning.

Build staff confidence in teaching reading, writing and communication explicitly

Contribution to School Improvement

Contribute to whole-school development planning and Ofsted preparation

Work closely with SLT to ensure consistency between pastoral/safeguarding systems and curriculum expectations

Support the school’s vision for high expectations, inclusion and aspiration for all learners

Take an active role in inspection readiness, particularly in Quality of Education, Behaviour & and Personal Development

Person Specification

Essential:

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

Strong subject knowledge in English

Proven track record of improving pupil outcomes in challenging contexts

Experience of working with SEMH learners or complex needs

Strong understanding of literacy development and barriers to learning

Ability to analyse and act on data to improve progress and engagement

Experience of leading or contributing to curriculum development

Strong communication and relational leadership skills

Commitment to inclusive, trauma-informed practice

Desirable:

Middle leadership experience (subject or pastoral)

Experience of whole-school literacy leadership

Experience in special education or alternative provision

Coaching or mentoring experience

Knowledge of phonics, reading interventions or structured literacy approaches

Key Performance Expectations

Success in the role will be measured through:

Improved pupil engagement and progress in learning across subjects

Accelerated progress in English and literacy outcomes

Increased reading ages and improved literacy confidence

Consistent implementation of literacy strategy across the school

Improved staff confidence in teaching literacy and managing engagement within their subjects

Positive impact on inspection evidence in Quality of Education, Behaviour and Personal Development

Our Total Reward Offer:

The Special Partnership Trust recognises the importance of developing a properly implemented People Strategy to underpin the overall strategic aims of the Trust.

Our People Strategy is designed to help us attract prospective high calibre candidates, as well as drive engagement, productivity and retention of our high performing and high potential employees. It reflects our belief in putting our people first. This does not mean putting our learners second. It is based on the philosophy that if we create a positive and rewarding work environment, if our staff feel motivated, well managed and well supported, they in turn will provide the best possible outcome for our learners.

We recognise that our total reward offer, has got to consist of more than just money. We seek to provide our staff with a diverse range of benefits that support their day to day needs both at work and outside of work. These include generous leave entitlements and pension scheme as well as access to health/wellbeing tools, training & development, career pathways and opportunities to ensure they feel valued.

Please visit the Special Partnership website, www.specialpartnership.org for further information about our Trust, or to learn more about our People Strategy and Benefits click here.

If you need the application form or any part of the recruitment process in a different format, please contact us directly at bclark@brunelschool.org and we will make the necessary adjustments.

Are you ready to make a lasting impact? Join us today. 

Safeguarding:

The Special Partnership Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to the satisfactory completion of checks and references, including an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In accordance with guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education; the Trust will undertake an online search of all shortlisted candidates.