Director of Education

Thank you for your interest in working at West Lea School.

We’re seeking an extra-ordinary Director of Education – an experienced and values-driven leader who gets fired up empowering others and seeing them succeed. Having recently restructured our executive team, we’re looking for a key individual who can hit the ground running in this vital role. With a headship team of seven, across four schools, you need to be fast-paced, collaborative, and ambitious to fit in here. We believe in a world where everyone can flourish, and that includes you.

This is no ordinary environment. We talk about going ‘beyond compliance.’ Compliance is a given in education; it’s not enough be an outstanding school. We’re on a mission to break down barriers for children and young adults in Enfield with special educational needs. This is more than a strapline, it’s a purpose that unites and drives us in equal measure. Put simply, it’s who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

To achieve this, we need leaders who are creative, innovative, visionary, and willing to do things differently – including partnering with like-minded others to extend opportunities for our students far beyond our school walls, into further education, the wider community, and the world of work.

As a leadership team, we’re collectively working towards six strategic goals:

• Extra-ordinary school – beyond outstanding and breaking down barriers.
• Great place to work – excellent employee experience and employer brand.
• Great place to learn – excellent student experience and learning outcomes.
• Stakeholder advocacy – ensuring staff, parent and student delight.
• Life-changing communities – creating exciting opportunities in the community.
• Culture of cooperation – cooperation within and beyond the school walls.

This isn’t an easy role, but it will be rewarding for the right person. With a high-challenge, high-support culture, we’re a school with stretching goals, high standards and a very big heart. Our students have a wide and diverse range of SEND and we’re committed to helping every individual flourish, developing a ‘suitcase of skills’ under our banner of ‘Learning for Life.’

We’re particularly looking for someone to take the lead on developing and implementing our curriculum through effective teaching and learning, focusing on quality and standards, and creating a values-based culture that promotes wellbeing, a growth mindset and positive behaviours for students and staff alike. We value, include and empower all.

To succeed in this role, you will:

• Have experience of and a passion for working with students with a wide and diverse range of SEND and developing a curriculum and culture that fits the needs of all.
• Be a visionary leader, willing to embrace the principles of ‘servant leadership’ and delighting in leading and developing your people to high performance.
• Be clear about who you are and what you stand for, using your values and those of the school as your guide and ‘north star’ – a template for decision making and action taking on the path to fulfilling our vision and mission.

APPLICATION GUIDANCE

To apply, please click 'Quick Apply' - please ensure you have your full employment history listed with start and end dates. To find out even more about us, please visit our website (above link), or check us out on social media. Or better still, come in and see us! We’d love to show you around our school and share with you our ethos. For more information, or to arrange a visit to the school, please contact – humanresources@westleaschool.co.uk

Alternatively, for more information about the role or an informal discussion please contact Tom Nutley at Tes (Recruitment Consultant): tom.nutley@tes.com or 0776 700 1965

Closing Date: 2nd July 2021

Assessment Centre: W/c 5th July 2021 (shortlisted candidates)

Interview Dates: W/c 5th July 2021

West Lea School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be subject to a full Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure and checks regarding proof of ID, medical clearance and the right to work in the UK. Please note that candidates may be required to complete an LA application form should they be offered an interview for the position.