About us:

Lampard Community School is a special school in Barnstaple, North Devon. We educate children aged 5-16 with complex learning difficulties, all of whom have speech, language, communication and interaction needs (SLCN) and are working significantly below age related expectations. We are part of The Special Partnership Trust. All of our students have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Our school aim is for our students to lead independent, fulfilling and happy lives and to gain as many of the skills needed to do that during their time with us. 

The Role:

We are seeking an exceptional Assistant Headteacher – Curriculum, Teaching and Learning to join the Senior Leadership Team at Lampard Community School, supporting the next exciting phase of development within our school and across the Trust.

This is a key strategic leadership role with responsibility for curriculum development, teaching and learning, assessment systems and professional development across the school. Working closely with the Headteacher, governors and Trust colleagues, you will play a central role in shaping an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of learners with a wide range of special educational needs.

You will lead the development and implementation of a coherent, inclusive and well-sequenced curriculum aligned with the Trust’s SEN pathways, ensuring that all students are able to access meaningful learning and make strong progress.

The successful candidate will be a visible and collaborative leader, modelling excellent teaching practice while supporting and challenging colleagues to continually improve classroom practice. You will be an evidence-informed leader, able to analyse data, monitor impact and implement improvement strategies that strengthen teaching, curriculum design and student outcomes.

As part of the Senior Leadership Team, you will contribute to whole-school leadership, deputise for the Headteacher or Deputy Headteachers when required, and play a key role in driving school improvement.

The role includes a teaching commitment and opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the Special Partnership Trust.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Provide strategic leadership for curriculum, teaching and learning, ensuring high-quality provision across the school.
• Lead the design, implementation and evaluation of an ambitious and inclusive curriculum aligned with the Trust’s SEN pathways.
• Ensure curriculum planning is well sequenced, enabling pupils to build knowledge, skills and independence over time.
• Oversee the development and organisation of class timetables, ensuring effective curriculum coverage and efficient use of staffing.
• Lead the development of high-quality pedagogy, establishing clear expectations for effective teaching practice across the school.
• Monitor teaching and learning through lesson visits, learning walks, work scrutiny and student voice.
• Develop and oversee assessment systems that support accurate tracking of progress and inform teaching and intervention.
• Lead the analysis of progress data to identify trends, inform strategic decisions and drive improvement.
• Lead and coordinate professional development related to curriculum, teaching and pedagogy.
• Support and develop subject and phase leaders to strengthen curriculum leadership across the school.
• Lead a robust quality assurance cycle, contributing to school self-evaluation and improvement planning.
• Lead the end-of-year academic reporting process to parents/carers, ensuring reports are clear, consistent and reflect pupils’ progress and achievements.
• Promote high expectations and a culture of collaboration, reflection and professional learning across the school

About You:

You will:

• Be passionate about high-quality teaching and inclusive curriculum design for children with complex needs.
• Have a proven track record of leadership and contributing to whole-school improvement.
• Be an excellent classroom practitioner with experience across a range of ages and needs.
• Have strong experience of curriculum development for students with SEND, particularly those with communication and interaction needs.
• Be confident using assessment and data to evaluate impact and improve outcomes.
• Be a credible, calm and inspiring leader, able to motivate, challenge and support others.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with staff, families, governors and external professionals.
• Embody trauma-informed and attachment-aware practice.

Essential:

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• 10+ years teaching experience, ideally across both mainstream and special settings.
• Proven experience of curriculum design and development for learners with SEND.
• Relevant leadership experience within a school, with evidence of impact on teaching and learning

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 vacancies@lampard.devon.sch.uk 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.