Head Teacher

Team: Education and Teaching

Location: Bampton, Oxfordshire

Salary: £59,581- £69,031 Total Reward Package in Excess of £115,000: Teachers Pension + 10% Bonus + Car + 30% Accrued Bonus + BUPA + Range of Financial & Wellbeing Benefits + Regional Allowance (£1,500)

Contract Type: Permanent

Position Type: Full Time

Interview Date: Tuesday, 12 July 2022

Closing date: Wednesday, 06 July 2022, 23:59

Take the lead as Head Teacher at Sandwell Learning Centre and you’ll be given the platform and freedom to become the Head you’ve always wanted to be. Sandwell Learning Centre is part of Witherslack Group, the highest Ofsted rated national SEN Group in the country. We can promise you all the support you need to take this school on the next step of our journey. To make that step our staff and pupils just need one more thing – an inspiring, passionate and dedicated leader… like you. With our support and your talent, together we can help young people to create their own story of success.  

We are looking for more than a Head Teacher, more than an outstanding leader, we’re looking for that inspirational person that can change the direction of a life, time and time again.

About Sandwell Learning Centre

Sandwell Learning Centre which was judged Good by Ofsted in March 2022,  is a multidisciplinary learning centre based in Bampton, Oxfordshire, with a range of teaching facilities to engage young people and develop skills and confidence. There are two associated homes co-located, enabling 24-hour cohesive provision for our children and young people.

It is an independent special school for up to 16 pupils, aged 8 to 19 years with social, emotional and mental health needs. 

Located in a rural community, Sandwell is a tranquil setting that affords both young people and staff alike an environment to live, learn and grow. The newly redeveloped site encompasses all of the key pillars around education, care and therapeutic support, which makes the integrated therapeutic approach such a life-changing opportunity to small cohorts of young people with some of the most complex needs. 

Sandwell’s staff team apply their skills, experience and empathy to create a unique identity that amplifies all of the values and benefits and creates a true wrap-around provision of academic, personal, social, moral and therapeutic support, delivered in a completely personalised way for every young person.

Our dedicated and talented staff team create a positive, welcoming learning environment where our pupils can pursue academic, vocational or blended pathways. We are extremely proud of our staff team, whose experience and expertise combine to ensure excellent outcomes for every child bringing futures full of hope and aspiration. Our team is particularly skilled at fostering and nurturing resilience and teach the skills and knowledge pupils need to manage their own emotions and self-regulate their behaviour. Our embedded therapeutic team of educational psychologist, therapist, SALT and occupational therapist, work in a multi-disciplinary manner alongside the educational and pastoral staff to optimize outcomes for our young people.

Who we are looking for

To be an outstanding Witherslack Group Head Teacher you’ll be a multi-talented professional, you’ll have great leadership and communication skills; endless enthusiasm, resilience and vision, and a commitment to both the education and achievement of each and every child.

Like all Witherslack Group Schools, Sandwell Learning Centre is striving to be assessed as Outstanding – the missing piece of the puzzle is a head teacher who has what it takes to be outstanding, every day, from teaching standards, to inspiring our children, to empowering our team to consistently be at their very best. It’s a true team effort to make the step up to Outstanding and at the helm must be one of the best head teachers in the SEN sector.

We’ll help you innovate and continue your professional development. You can expect both support and challenge from our Regional Director, as well as access to a range of specialists. These include our School Improvement Partners, Safeguarding, Behaviour and Inclusion Team, Assessment and Quality Evaluation experts, and the Group’s Commercial Team. With this support behind you, plus the best resources in the sector, you will be able to become everything you’ve ever wanted to as an educational leader. Naturally, you’ll also have the chance to network with our other Head Teachers and senior Group leaders too, spurring each other on to great things.

You will also have the opportunity to work closely with the Registered Managers of the three co-located Children’s Homes to ensure the children receive the best possible care and education.

Working with Witherslack Group

As the UK’s leading specialist educational provider with the highest Ofsted ratings, we’re constantly on the lookout for inspirational leaders who can write the next chapter of our success story at our schools, children’s homes and learning centres. In a little over 20 years, we have grown organically to a group of 28 schools and learning centres. But our story doesn’t stop there.

As we continue to grow, both in terms of the number of settings and the regions we operate in, we will maintain our sector-leading Ofsted ratings, educational outcomes and levels of therapeutic support (we currently directly employ in excess of 130 therapists of all disciplines) by ensuring each of our schools is led by a strong and aspirational Head Teacher. Sandwell Learning Centre is no exception, in fact we are looking for the best of the best, someone who is ready to do great things. 

As we place no limit on what our pupils can achieve, we do the same with our Head Teachers. We want you to bring your vision and passion and in return we will give you everything you need to turn this into a reality of outstanding education for all.

Our Total Reward Package 

Witherslack Group is the best provider in the sector, so we also offer the best salary and benefits packages. As a Head Teacher you’ll have an annual salary of £57,986 - £67,183 (L15 – L21), (depending on experience) plus a very attractive and performance related package. We can also offer relocation packages.

As a great employer we recognise that salary is important but so is the overall reward package. This is why we also offer Teacher’s Pension, a company car (worth £25k) or car allowance, a 10% performance bonus, a long-term incentive plan which can equate to 30% of salary each year, plus BUPA healthcare and a health scheme covering dental and eye care. 

We strongly believe that people should have choice and flexibility when it comes to saving for the future. As such we offer membership of the Teachers Pensions Scheme if you are eligible to join. We also offer a flexible alternative option to the Teachers Pension Scheme that allows you to opt out and receive an allowance of 15% of your base salary and free life insurance. If you take this option you are also able to join our Scottish Widows Group Pension Scheme where your employee contributions are matched up to 5%.

Your wellbeing and that of your family is important to us. Whilst we are all committed to giving our all to improve outcomes for our young people, we also prioritise the health and wellbeing of our staff. We offer a comprehensive flexible benefits and support package, but also emphasise team working to get the job done. The support functions from the wider Witherslack Group will work hard in the background to ensure you can spend your time and energy focussing on the young people and your staff team.

One of the reasons why we are the best provider in the sector is that we invest in you and your development. We are fully committed to continuing professional development for staff members at all levels within the organisation, ensuring we grow together for all of our futures. At Witherslack Group we value career progression and developing internal talent.

Thinking of testing yourself to become ‘Outstanding’? Be Inspiring. Be the difference. Be you.

For an informal, confidential discussion about the Sandwell Learning Centre Headship, please contact Sophie Garner, Regional Director, on 07776 700165.

Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community