Virtual School Assistant Headteacher Secondary/Post 16

Virtual School for Children Looked after

37 hours per week

Hybrid/Agile working available 

About us

Brighter Futures for Children is a not-for-profit company, owned by, but independent of, Reading Borough Council. Although we are independent, we are very much part of the Reading Family. Our people enjoy all of benefits as other Council employees including membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and continuous service. 

We work closely with partners in the local community and key organisations including Reading Borough Council, policy, public health and voluntary groups. We are responsible for the delivery of children’s social care, early help & prevention, education services (including SEND). This also includes fostering and adoption, the Youth Offending Service and traded services with schools.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join Reading’s Virtual School for Children Looked After and Care Leavers. The Virtual School is committed to promoting the educational achievement of Children Looked After and supports young people to achieve their educational potential, to enable them through attaining good qualifications and a positive school experience to have more fulfilling careers, higher incomes, greater self-confidence and ultimately a better quality of life. There is absolute commitment from the Virtual School to aim to deliver an outstanding service through strong advocacy and collaborative engagement for Reading’s children looked after wherever they are placed.

We are seeking to appoint a highly committed and inspirational Virtual School Assistant Headteacher Secondary/Post 16 with a proven track record of improving educational outcomes for Children Looked After in the Secondary/Post 16 phase. You will be passionate about tackling inequality and narrowing the achievement gap between children looked after and their peers, ensuring that children have the support and opportunity to grow, flourish and realise their full potential.

As Assistant Headteacher Secondary/Post 16 you will have a breadth of experience and expertise in Secondary and Post 16 education. You will also be highly skilled in providing challenge, advice and support to schools, social care teams and carers, working in partnership to ensure that all children have a termly and high quality electronic Personal Education Plan.

Role responsibilities:

• To raise the educational attainment and measure progress of children looked after Secondary/Post 16 (11 – 25).
• To ensure that results for children looked after and care leavers at key stage 4 and post 16 exceed the national average for Children Looked After and care leavers and narrow the gap between children looked after’s outcomes and their peers.
• To write update reports, as required, which evidence the delivery of the statutory duty to promote the education of children looked after and care leavers.
• To lead and deliver the Post 16 Pupil Premium Plus Pilot project.
• To work with state and private providers to ensure children looked after and care leavers are given the best possible support and interventions through effective use and allocation of Pupil Premium Plus funding.
• To work within a multi-agency organisation environment and to be able to forge and drive forward successful partnerships to help improve outcomes for secondary and Post 16 cohorts.
• To ensure that children looked after, and care leavers have educational memories kept and stored for them in their e PEP.
• To organise Celebration of Achievement Events for Secondary and Post 16 children looked after and care leavers.
• To deputise for the Head Teacher of the Virtual School as required. 

About you:

This is a highly rewarding role where you’ll have the opportunity and autonomy to really make a difference. If you are passionate to help us in making a positive difference to vulnerable children’s lives every day, then we would like to hear from you.

Experience/skills required:

• Experience of working within a multi-agency environment and forging and driving successful partnerships.
• Experience of having delivered strategies leading to successful outcomes for children looked after and care leavers within the relevant environment.
• Experience and understanding of children looked after and care leavers and determination to act as their advocate to improve their life chances.
• Experience in trauma informed, attach aware and therapeutic thinking approaches
• Ability to find and implement creative and innovative solutions to problems.

Our offer:

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• 25 days incremental annual leave plus public holidays (rising to 32 after 10 years of service).
• Discounted Child Care (on site nursery).
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme.
• Season ticket loans.
• A range of local discounts.
• Remote/Agile working.

For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Clare Houlton, Headteacher – Virtual School on clare.houlton@brighterfuturesforchildren.org

Closing date: Sunday 11 December 2022

Interview date: Thursday 15 December 2022

Ref: BFC0477

An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be sought from the successful candidate.

www.brighterfuturesforchildren.org