Are you an ambitious, values-driven school leader ready for your next challenge?

Serenity School Croydon is our newest specialist provision, having opened in September 2025. We are now seeking an exceptional Headteacher to provide strong, visible and values-led leadership as the school enters the next important stage of its development.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a large and growing specialist school, build on strong foundations, shape its culture and systems, and secure excellent outcomes for children and young people with complex needs.

For the right candidate, this is more than a Headteacher post. It is an opportunity to make a lasting difference, lead with purpose, and contribute to the development of high-quality specialist education across a growing and ambitious education group.

Why join Serenity Education Group?

At Serenity, we do not simply run schools. We change lives.

Our mission is to ensure that every pupil feels included, develops independence, and achieves a strong sense of self-worth. We believe that every child and young person can succeed when they are understood, supported, challenged and given the right provision.

You will be joining a values-driven organisation with a strong track record of delivering high-quality specialist education. Across the group, our schools support pupils with a range of special educational needs, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Severe Learning Difficulties, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Global Learning Delay, communication and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health needs.

Our approach brings together education, care, therapeutic support, safeguarding, personal development and family partnership so that pupils are supported holistically and meaningfully.

What makes Serenity different?

At Serenity, we are united by our commitment to Care, Value and Challenge everyone daily.

We offer:

·     A proven track record of excellence, with Ofsted Outstanding and Good schools across the group.

·     A clear and ambitious mission centred on inclusion, independence and self-worth.

·     A unique Socio-Education Model that brings together education, therapeutic support, SEND, engagement, enrichment and personal development.

·     A holistic approach that seeks to understand and address the root causes of behaviour and barriers to learning.

·     Strong collaboration across a growing group of specialist schools.

·     Experienced central team support across education, safeguarding, behaviour, SEND, HR, estates, operations and school improvement.

·     A culture that values professional growth, reflective practice and continuous improvement.

Why this role is special

Serenity School Croydon is a new and expanding specialist school with capacity for 450 pupils. The school has already been established, but there is still significant opportunity for the successful candidate to shape its future direction, strengthen its systems, develop its team and embed a culture of excellence.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a school at a defining stage in its journey.

As Headteacher, you will have the opportunity to:

·         Lead the next phase of development for a significant specialist provision.

·         Shape the school’s culture, routines, systems and professional expectations.

·         Build and develop a high-performing staff team.

·         Embed a high-quality specialist curriculum and therapeutic approach.

·         Secure strong outcomes for pupils with complex learning, communication, social, emotional and developmental needs.

·         Prepare the school for its first Ofsted inspection.

·         Work closely with an experienced Executive Headteacher and wider central team.

·         Contribute to the continued development of specialist education across Serenity Education Group.

This role offers the right balance of autonomy and support. You will have the opportunity to lead, make decisions and shape the school, while benefiting from the infrastructure, expertise and collaboration of a wider education group.

About the role

As Headteacher, you will provide strategic, operational and educational leadership for Serenity School Croydon.

You will be responsible for ensuring that the school delivers high-quality specialist education, care, safeguarding and personal development. You will lead the school team with clarity, confidence and integrity, ensuring that pupils are safe, well supported, meaningfully engaged and able to achieve their full potential.

You will:

·         Provide visible, values-led leadership across the school.

·         Secure high standards of safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, teaching, learning and pupil outcomes.

·         Lead and develop a skilled, confident and committed staff team.

·         Strengthen systems, routines and accountability across the school.

·         Embed Serenity’s values, culture and Socio-Education Model.

·         Work in partnership with families, local authorities and external professionals.

·         Ensure pupils’ individual needs are understood and met through high-quality provision.

·         Lead school improvement and prepare the school for external scrutiny.

·         Work closely with the Executive Headteacher, central team and wider group leaders.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for an exceptional leader who is ready to make a significant impact.

This role would suit:

·         An experienced Headteacher looking for a fresh and rewarding challenge in a growing specialist organisation.

·         A Deputy Headteacher with a strong track record of senior leadership who is ready for headship.

·         A Head of School who has successfully led provision and is ready to step into full school leadership.

The successful candidate will bring:

·         Strong senior leadership experience within a school or specialist setting.

·         A secure understanding of SEND, SEMH or complex needs provision.

·         The ability to lead with clarity, warmth, resilience and ambition.

·         A strong track record of improving provision, outcomes, culture or systems.

·         The confidence to develop staff, build leadership capacity and hold high expectations.

·         Excellent communication skills and the ability to build trust with pupils, families, staff and external partners.

·         A commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and high-quality specialist education.

·         The emotional intelligence, judgement and integrity required to lead a growing school.

Most importantly, you will share our belief that every child can succeed when the right support, provision and leadership are in place. You will be committed to creating a school where every pupil feels included, is supported to develop independence, and builds the confidence and self-worth needed to thrive.

What we offer

At Serenity, you will be part of something purposeful, ambitious and deeply rewarding.

We offer:

·        A competitive leadership salary, starting at £90,000, with progression available up to £120,000 depending on experience, performance and the continued development of the school.

·        The opportunity to lead a large and growing specialist school at a key stage in its development.

·        Support and oversight from an experienced Executive Headteacher.

·        Access to experienced central team support across key areas of school leadership.

·        Collaboration with Headteachers and senior leaders across the wider group.

·        Ongoing CPD and leadership development.

·        The opportunity to contribute to group-wide development and strategic thinking.

·        A values-led culture focused on inclusion, independence and self-worth.

·        The chance to make a lasting difference to vulnerable children, young people and families.

This is a demanding role, but it is also an exceptionally rewarding one. For the right leader, Serenity School Croydon offers the opportunity to lead with purpose, grow professionally and help shape the future of a significant specialist provision.

Ready to lead something extraordinary?

If you are ambitious, forward-thinking and driven to make a difference, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Join Serenity School Croydon and help create a school where every pupil feels included, develops independence, builds self-worth and thrives.