Headteacher

Letter from Alison Duncan

Chair of Governors

Dear applicant

Thank you for expressing your interest in the post of Headteacher of Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn. We are a local authority maintained co-educational special school for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and associated learning difficulties from the ages of 3-19. At present, there are 137 pupils in the school. We have a 38 week residential facility which is open Monday to Friday. Our buildings are set over four sites and are sympathetically designed to meet the needs of our young people.

The governing body are looking to appoint an inspirational, energetic and experienced leader to drive forward our present multi-sited provision but also to work with governors to plan and establish a brand new school. This is indeed an exciting time to join our team as we embark on this new venture, working in partnership with our colleagues in the Local Authority, to design a new school where our pupils will be located on one site, though the residential facility will remain elsewhere. It is a rare opportunity to be part of building a state of the art provision for the future, underpinned by a coherent and persuasive vision of the education that our young people have the right to expect.

The successful candidate will need to have an impressive track record in leading a school and be forwardthinking, ambitious and visionary, with a proven capacity for strategic thinking.

They will be able to inspire students and colleagues to achieve their full potential and will have experience of working in partnership with a range of professional outside agencies.

The successful candidate will benefit from the full support of an outstanding senior leadership team, including a Business and Finance Manager and a Residential Manager, together with the support of a strong, knowledgeable and committed governing body.

The salary band for this prestigious role is L25 to L31 (£76,141 to £87,313) plus £16,154 Residential Allowance with additional recompense for relocation where applicable.

Our aim, ‘the best you can be’ conveys the ethos of Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn. We are recognized as a Regional Centre of Excellence for Autism. Our most recent ESTYN report in 2016 commended the school's exceptional partnership with all its stakeholders and we received an exemplary report from Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) in 2019, stating that “Gerddi Glasfryn is providing a very high standard of care for the young people who use the service”. The school was re-accredited in April 2018 by NAS (National Autistic Society). Parents are consistently effusive in their praise of the school.

We are proud of our achievements as a school. Our needs-led, child-centred, inclusive philosophy underpins the working of the school as part of a wider community which includes links with local mainstream schools, colleges and the community. Our bright and attractive buildings reflect the hard work of children and a highly motivated team of staff who are determined that each child at Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn will receive an individualized and rich education, within a caring and happy environment. We are offering an exciting and challenging opportunity to build on the very solid foundations provided by a top-quality staff team, strong governing body and excellent facilities, and, with the creation of a new school, to take Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn forward into a new era of enhanced success.

If you are interested in this unique opportunity, are committed to making a difference and if you have the passion and the integrity we are looking for, then we would warmly welcome your application.

Yours sincerely

Alison Duncan

Chair of the Governing Body

How to apply

Additional Information Packs are available from either:

• Kevin Mowbray, Business and Finance Manager, kevin.mowbray@denbighshire.gov.uk or 01745 813914.
• Jane Bryant, Headteacher, jane.bryant@ypbd.co.uk or 07527 783996

Complete our application via the Denbighshire County Council website www.denbighshire.gov.uk

In addition, please email kevin.mowbray@denbighshire.gov.uk and submit a covering letter addressing the key points of the person specification (maximum: 2 sides of A4).

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 13th April 2021

The assessments will be held on Thursday 22nd April 2021

The interviews will be held on Monday 26th April 2021

Please note that the school will be closed for the Easter Holidays from Monday 29th March – Friday 9th April If you would like to arrange a virtual or in-person visit or ask any questions about the school, please contact the Headteacher, Jane Bryant, on 01745 813914.