Headteacher

Baskerville School is an ambitious, inclusive and caring school for young people aged 11-19 with autism and related learning and social difficulties. The school has grown significantly in recent years and there are currently 128 on roll with the demand for places high. The current Headteacher is retiring and Governors are now looking to appoint a new Headteacher with the ambition and skill set to build on the school’s many strengths and take it forward to even greater levels of success.

The school regularly reviews its local offer to meet the changing needs of students. In 2015 new purpose built accommodation opened for students with profound and complex learning difficulties which includes an occupational therapy treatment room and speech and language facilities. There has also been an increase in students who have found mainstream settings difficult due to their degree of autism, anxiety and mental health difficulties.

Baskerville School offers residential accommodation for sixteen students for up to four nights a week. The 24-hour curriculum creates lots of exciting learning opportunities, particularly in supporting the students to function effectively within a group and to develop appropriate social responses and independence skills. It is not essential that the new Headteacher has previous experience in a residential setting.

Baskerville School has had two consecutive Good Ofsted inspections and the residential provision has been judged to be Outstanding since 2013. Central to this success has been an engaging and relevant curriculum, underpinned with a skills for living programme, which ensures students have the skills and abilities to progress to their next stage of education or training. This is delivered by a talented and committed staff team, who are focused on how students with autism learn, supported by a diverse team of multi-disciplinary professionals. This expertise and motivation will provide the strong foundation for future success.

The next few years promise to be just as dynamic and exciting for the school and the new Headteacher. In addition to embedding and extending the excellent work that the school currently does Governors are engaged in formal consultation on joining a co-operative trust with other Birmingham special schools. If approved the school will become a maintained foundation school, retaining strong links with the Local Authority, but through the Trust create opportunities to share expertise and specialist facilities, to enrich opportunities for students and to provide enhanced training and professional development opportunities for staff. The new Headteacher will play a key role in shaping this future destination.

If you are a dynamic and experienced senior leader in education, with experience of working in an SEND setting, this role offers you an outstanding opportunity to challenge yourself in a new environment. You must have a successful track record of sustained improvement and a determination to maximise the opportunities available. You will be highly motivated and driven, with a commitment to ensuring the highest quality of teaching and learning. You will have the creativity and vision to inspire and lead change together with the focus to ensure successful outcomes are reached. You will have a ‘can-do’ attitude that will motivate and engage students, staff and the wider community. Whilst displaying compassion, you will be skilled at holding staff to account and also be accustomed to personal accountability for student outcomes and all aspects of your work. Above all you will ensure that the young people, their learning and developing their potential remains at the heart of all decisions.

To find out more about this exceptional opportunity please visit www.hays.co.uk/jobs/baskerville-school or contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership for a confidential discussion, to arrange a visit to the school or to discuss making an application.

Please do not use online “Apply” options.

Martin Blair
T: 07736791138
E: martin.blair@hays.com

Closing date - 9am, 12th March
Interviews -28th and 29th March

Baskerville School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced disclosure from the DBS

Baskerville School, Fellows Lane, Harborne, Birmingham, B179TS