Headteacher

Grove Park is a maintained special school which is graded Good with Outstanding features supporting over 120 pupils with a diverse range of complex needs and is rapidly growing not only in terms of pupil numbers but also in terms of its excellent reputation and successful partnerships.

The evolution of the school is at a critical point and the early retirement of our much-respected Headteacher offers a school Leader with energy, tenacity and vision the opportunity to join us in leading the school through a period of exciting and significant development.

Do you have:

• Vision, clarity, creativity, energy and determination to provide professional and strategic leadership?
• The leadership skills to inspire a dedicated, skilled and caring team of staff?
• An understanding of the necessity to work with all stakeholders, especially parents?

Governors are looking for a visionary Headteacher to steer the school through this period of positive change and above all to bring genuine enrichment to the lives of all of our pupils.

As the new Leader of Grove Park Special School, you will have:

• Proven experience as a successful leader in at least two special schools.
• A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a wide range of special educational needs and how different children with SEND may best learn.
• Experience of managing and leading change, motivating and empowering all stakeholders.
• An ardent commitment to achieving the very best outcomes for pupils.
• Responsibility for management of all aspects of the school budget, systems, organisations and processes upholding the principles of transparency, integrity and probity.

To arrange for an informal visit to the school, please contact: Alison Norman on 01892 603095 or alisonn@grove-park.e-sussex.sch.uk We can offer a Covid secure informal visit including a lateral flow test on arrival. (The school staff are regularly tested). The school staff are currently being vaccinated through an arrangement agreed between East Sussex and neighbouring Local Authorities and the NHS.

For an informal discussion, please contact Bob Wall, Consultant to the Recruitment Panel on 07713 624 026 or email bob@wall.co.uk

To apply for this position and request an application pack, please email: leadership.recruitment@eastsussex.gov.uk

Closing date for application is noon 18 March 2021.

Shortlisting will occur on 19 March 2021. All applicants will be notified the following day.

The interview process will take place on 30 and 31 March 2021 and will consist of a range of activities and exercises, a formal presentation and interview. The process will be planned to fully judge candidates against the person specification for the role of Headteacher.

All candidates will be notified of the outcome by the close of business on 1 April 2021.

Please note that recruitment packs for this vacancy will only be provided directly to an individual considering applying to our school for this opportunity. This school does not enter into business with recruitment agencies, or other commercial organisation, on behalf of their clients seeking employment.

Grove Park Special School and East Sussex County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.

This post is covered by the Childcare Disqualification Regulations 2018.

The school will need to ensure that they are not knowingly employing a person who is disqualified under the 2018 Regulations in connection with relevant childcare provision. Accordingly, the successful candidate will be required to demonstrate to the school, by completing a self-declaration form as part of the pre-employment checks process, that they have not been disqualified under the 2018 Regulations.

If the preferred candidate is found to be disqualified under the 2018 Regulations, the offer of employment will be subject to the application by the preferred candidate to Ofsted for a waiver and the receipt of a waiver from Ofsted.