Principal, Grafham Grange School

Salary: Fringe Leadership Pay Scale, spine points 21-27, £78,507 - £89,818 per annum

Location: Bramley, Surrey

Working Pattern: Permanent, Full Time

About Grafham Grange School

Grafham Grange School is a special school set in 42 acres of beautiful Surrey countryside in Grafham. Our school offers education for up to 70 students, referred from local authorities across the South of England.

All our students have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) with SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) as their primary identified need, though the majority of students have additional special educational needs such as speech, language and communication difficulties; ADHD; opposition defiance and attachment disorders. Grafham Grange School is a special school for pupils aged 10 to 16.

Our school is part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust (OHCAT) and as such we collaborate across the Trust to share good practice, information and resources. This collaborative working allows us to better support our students and families through well-established multi-agency working practices. Staff at Grafham Grange work as a team to address the educational, social and therapeutic needs of our students in a cohesive and multi-disciplinary manner to ensure that high quality care and guidance is given to support all our students.

At the very heart of Grafham Grange School is the desire to deliver to our students an education that is equal to that received by their mainstream peers along with the very best professional support to allow them to overcome their individual barriers to learning and to find the skills and talents that evidently lie within them. We have a bespoke approach to each student so ensuring that they are able to grow as self-confident individuals able to confidently take their next steps in their lives after their time with us.

OHC&AT is seeking to appoint a Principal of Grafham Grange School who will take up the post in the Autumn term 2024 or earlier.

You will be ambitious for our pupils’ success, a proven leader either at Deputy or Head level and have a track record in successfully implementing school improvement.

You will need to:

•             be a highly capable leader, with a clear sense of vision, strategic thinking and purpose

•             be an exceptional classroom practitioner, with experience in the field of Special Needs

•             have recent and relevant experience of highly effective leadership and a strong track record in raising standards

•             have a full understanding of processes involving children in care, child protection and safeguarding and be committed to working in partnership

•             be collegiate, responsive, highly approachable and have the ability to inspire colleagues, pupils and their families

We can offer:

•             the opportunity to develop skills and experience within a family of providers

•             staff and an Executive Board who are committed and dedicated to success

•             support and guidance from Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust (OHC&AT) is a family of specialist education providers for over 1500 pupils and students from nursery to further education across 14 academies and 9 college centres in London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. Supporting our academies and college, OHC&AT also operate learning support, such as nursing and therapy, and a central business support team which includes HR, finance and IT.

Pupils and students within the OHC&AT family have a wide range of learning abilities and additional needs including autistic spectrum disorder; speech, language and communication difficulties; social, emotional and mental health; profound and multiple disabilities; and physical disabilities including multi-sensory impairment and complex health needs.

OHC&AT is a rewarding and inspirational place to work, where everyone works together to create the best possible outcomes for students. To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit www.ohcat.org

 Please see the attached recruitment pack which includes the job description and person specification for full details on the role and the skills, experience and knowledge we are looking for.

For an informal discussion about the role, candidates are invited to contact Beverley Davidson via email bdavidson@orchardhill.ac.uk to arrange a time to speak with Laurie Cornwell, Deputy CEO

To apply for the role please use the quick apply option to submit an application. If you have any queries, please contact jobs@orchardhill.ac.uk.

Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role.

Please note that CV applications cannot be considered.

Closing Date: Monday 15th April 2024 at 12 noon

Interviews will take place on: w/c 22nd April 2024

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.