Head of Internal Alternative Provision

Head of Internal Alternative Provision

Start date: September 2024

Location: Ark Alexandra Academy, Hastings, East Sussex

Salary: Ark Outside London Main/Upper Pay Scales or equivalent non-teacher scale, commensurate with experience

Hours: Full-time

Contract: Permanent

Closing date: 9.00 am on 03 June 2024

Interviews: week commencing 10 June 2024 

The school reserves the right to withdraw this advert if a suitable candidate is appointed before the closing date. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early for this role to avoid disappointment. 

This is a unique opportunity to help lead our internal alternative provision (IAP) within a mainstream school. Alongside the support of an exceptional team, you will have the resources necessary to bring about real change and impact the lives of our students. This is an opportunity to not only help lead on our inclusion strategy but to develop a curriculum that meets the needs of some of our most vulnerable learners.

For some of our students, accessing full-time, mainstream education is challenging. As a school committed to ensuring all our students have access to a high quality education, Ark Alexandra is developing a bespoke provision to meet the needs of learners who have special needs, including SEMH and trauma. We are looking for an inspiring and ambitious teacher who has either the experience of working within a SEND or PRU environment or has a passion for working within this area of education.

For more information please read the job description and person specification in the information pack available for download.

We’re looking for an individual who is:

• Qualified to degree level/equivalent and above or has relevant experience in roles relating to challenging behaviours of young people
• Qualified teacher status or evidence of considerable AP leadership and management
• Evidence of further professional study /training relating to the education of children with Special Education Needs

Our school:

Ark Alexandra is a large secondary academy with a Sixth Form provision in Hastings, East Sussex and is the largest secondary in the successful Ark network. A popular school that is heavily over-subscribed, we have grown to have over 1,600 students this year.

Our school is on an exciting rapid upward trajectory. From September 2024, Ark Alexandra will operate as one school across two 6FE campuses. This creates the dual benefit of working within a small school family setting, whilst providing unique opportunities for growth, development and career opportunities that exist in a large school model.

We take a traditional and research-based approach to education with a primacy placed on cognitive science, scholarship and what the best schools do. We are a no-nonsense school where staff can focus their efforts on teaching great lessons. Our focus on extra-curricular activities including DofE, Cadets and rewards trips ensures our students benefit from a range of exciting opportunities.  

Ark Alexandra works closely with our feeder primary schools, Ark Blacklands, Ark Little Ridge and Ark Castledown, all of which have exceptional leadership graded as Outstanding by Ofsted, with Blacklands and Little Ridge being graded Outstanding in all areas.

As a Church of England school, our values of faith, excellence and kindness underpin everything that we do. We have an inclusive admissions policy that welcomes, without preference, students of all faith and none. Our vision is to create a truly great school for the young people in Hastings. We believe that everyone deserves to be accepted, included, and empowered to live a purposeful and fulfilling life.

What we offer:  

• Salary higher than the national pay scales  
• Twice as many training days as standard and network-wide events with Ark colleagues, held by the best minds in education  
• Weekly staff training designed to meet the needs of the school  
• Coaching for every teacher  
• Protected co-planning time  
• Access to the high-quality, professional development, including nationally recognised qualifications such as the NPQML and NPQSL  
• Opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the network  

How to apply:

Please click 'apply' on the website you are visiting or go to https://arkalexandra.org/jobs/vacancies to complete an online application form. 

Please note: we are unable to accept applications via CV. We will also be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this advert may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response.

If you’re interested in further information about our school, please visit our website – www.arkalexandra.org or to find out more about Ark Schools, please read Why Join an Ark School? from available for download from the application website.

To arrange an informal conversation about the role or an informal visit, please contact HR on ALEHR@arkalexandra.org   

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.