Headteacher

The Bridge School is a vibrant and popular special school for primary-aged pupils with complex and multiple needs including SLD, PMLD and ASC. Some also have additional needs including visual or hearing impairments. The school has 90 fantastic children on roll, which is highly likely to increase to 130 in September 2024, and is now looking for a new Headteacher who will build on its many strengths and lead it to even greater success so that the children receive the best possible education, care and life chances.

The school has been rated as Good at it last two inspections, the most recent in 2020. It has benefitted from a stable and committed staff team who care passionately about the school and the children and who continue to embrace new initiatives and ideas which will support improvements in their practice and ability to support the needs of the pupils. The new Headteacher will have the opportunity to harness this talent so that staff have opportunities to flourish and develop and may become the leaders of the future. Recent Trust investment has also improved outdoor and indoor facilities and upgrading the roof in a programme of works which extends over several years.

The school is part of Forward Education Trust, an established and developing MAT of 6 special schools in Birmingham and Sandwell. The Trust is working through a period of positive change with a new CEO and Deputy CEO recently appointed and plans for future expansion including a new school opening in Solihull in September ‘23. Central to the Trust’s development will be a commitment to ensuring its schools develop individual personalities, recognising their own particular characteristics and celebrating the many good things that happen day-to-day.

The Trust believes its staff and leaders are its most important asset and valuing them and utilising their many talents will deliver the best experiences for pupils. You will be empowered to make decisions and to be creative and must be committed to the trust ethos of moving forward together, striving for and achieving opportunities to improve outcomes and providing stability and success for all. Your professional development will also be a key priority and you will have the support of a network of highly skilled and experienced senior leaders alongside the opportunities that will inevitably present themselves from being part of a developing trust.

The successful candidate will be an exemplary leader, teacher and role model with experience of working with children with complex special needs. They will be an innovative, proactive and motivated leader with vision and energy which will inspire, enthuse and motivate pupils, staff and the wider school community. They must have the ability to initiate and lead change in a positive way which makes a real difference to learning and above all, share the school’s commitment to ensuring the pupils are safe and happy and achieve their full potential.

Forward Education Trust is committed to recruiting and retaining the highest quality staff. To do this, we have an Employee Value Proposition offering a range of benefits to help our staff on a personal and professional level, which includes:

To find out more about this exceptional opportunity please visit: www.hays.co.uk/jobs/forward-education-trust

Contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership for a confidential discussion, to arrange a visit to the school or to discuss making an application.

Closing date: 8am, Monday 3^rd October

Interviews: 11^th and 12^th October

Martin Blair

T: 07736791138

E: martin.blair@hays.com

FET and The Bridge School value equality and diversity and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment practises including satisfactory references and the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check

Applications

To apply, please complete an application form and email it to recruitment@fet.ac

The Trust may review applications upon receipt and may call applicants for interview prior to the advert closing date. Therefore, you are encouraged to make an early application for this role and we reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date.

Please note that only fully completed Forward Education Trust Application forms will be accepted; we will not read accompanying Curriculum Vitae (CV) or accept them in place of an application form.

If you do not hear from the school within 14 days of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been shortlisted. The successful applicants will require an enhanced DBS check and will be subject to relevant pre-employment checks.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020

This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent spoken English is an essential requirement for this role.

 Forward Education Trust is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate must promote this ethos.