Headteacher

Leycroft Academy is an inclusive and vibrant specialist primary school with 176 pupils on roll. The children all have a diagnosis of ASC with the trend towards an increasingly complex cohort expected to continue. The school is part of Forward Education Trust (FET), an established and developing MAT of 6 special schools in Birmingham and Sandwell. This is an exciting time for the school and the Trust and for a new Headteacher to provide the strategic and operational leadership which will deliver on the commitment to ensuring the children receive the best possible education, care and life chances.

FET is working through a period of positive change with 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. Alongside this is a belief that its staff and leaders are its most important asset and valuing them and utilising their many talents will deliver the best experiences for pupils.

FET want the new Headteacher to develop Leycroft’s individual character and there is a fantastic opportunity to work with a committed and talented staff team. You will be empowered to make the right choices and to develop a long-term vision which ensures the pupils receive the best possible education, care and life chances.

This is an important time for the school and the new Headteacher must be a skilled and motivated leader who understands the needs of the pupils at Leycroft Academy. The school has benefitted from significant investment in the last year, including a complete internal refurbishment, two new playgrounds, improved sensory & movement rooms and installation of a sensory pathway around school. Further work is planned to improve curriculum resources, in conjunction with a balanced professional multi-disciplinary team providing support around speech & language, behaviour and occupational therapies. The Trust are committed to fully supporting the new Headteacher to further enhance the curriculum, explore innovative approaches to develop classroom practice and to raise standards. 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.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate recent, successful and sustained impact as a senior leader along with significant experience of working with children and young people with autism. 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. You will have a positive attitude which will inspire, enthuse and motivate pupils, staff and the wider school community. Above all, you will share the school’s commitment to ensuring the students are safe and happy and achieve their full potential.

To find out more about this exceptional opportunity, including a video tour of the school and welcome from Simon Dilkes, FET CEO, 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, Tuesday 17th January

Interviews: 25th and 26th January

Martin Blair

T: 07736791138

E: martin.blair@hays.com

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.