Head of College – Orchard Hill College, Kingston Region

Salary: £79,466 - £84,632 (Spine point 34 – 37)

Working Pattern: Full Time, Permanent

Starting: As soon as possible

Orchard Hill College is an Outstanding Specialist College (Ofsted, April 2025) offering life-changing learning opportunities to young people and adults with a range of special education needs and/or disabilities. We operate vibrant community-based College Centres across London and Surrey, where committed specialist teams deliver a variety of programmes designed to meet the diverse needs of our students.

Students who study with us have a wide range of needs including profound and multiple learning disabilities, communication and behavioural difficulties and specific medical needs. All students are individual, and their learning programme is designed to support and empower them to achieve their aspirations and goals, whilst developing skills to become more independent members of their community.

We are looking for an inspirational and dynamic Head of College to lead our Kingston region at Orchard Hill College. As Head of College you will oversee our Kingston centres, working with the Executive Principal and Senior Leadership Team to set strategic direction and lead on High Needs, Adult Education, and Project Search Supported Internship programmes. If you’re passionate about inclusive education and making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

• Provide inspirational leadership to deliver a high-quality educational environment for students with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including PMLD, SEMH, MLD, and ASD.
• Sustain and build on the College’s outstanding Ofsted rating, ensuring excellence across all areas of provision.
• Take strategic leadership of safeguarding, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all young adults.
• Ensure compliance with statutory duties and the SEND Code of Practice, maintaining the highest standards of governance and accountability.
• Represent the College externally, engaging with local authorities, commissioning groups, and stakeholder forums (including Kingston’s Project Search steering group), while leading on risk management and staying abreast of national and international developments in SEND education.

• Qualified educator with a Diploma in Education & Training (or equivalent) and QTS/QTLS (or equivalent).
• Proven leadership in teaching excellence, with the ability to model outstanding practice and deliver high-quality coaching and professional development across centres.
• Extensive experience in SEND education, with deep knowledge of teaching, learning, and assessment for students with a wide range of complex needs.
• Successful senior leadership experience, ideally within specialist settings, demonstrating innovation in curriculum design and delivery.
• Strong strategic insight, with up-to-date understanding of statutory and compliance frameworks, and the ability to develop and deliver an ambitious, coherent vision for continuous improvement.

Orchard Hill College is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

Our Trust

The College is an Academy sponsor and established Orchard Hill College Academy Trust in 2013 which is home to 13 special schools. Together Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust provide for over 1500 pupils and students with SEN across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our vacancies page.

Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.

As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.

It is an exciting time to be part of OHC and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.

We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.

If you wish to discuss this opportunity before or after submitting an application form, please get in touch with the college directly. Visits to the College in advance of applications are encouraged.

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.

To apply for this role, please click ‘Fast Apply’, you will then be directed to a ‘Login’ page, once signed in, please complete and submit the Application Form. Please note that CV applications cannot be considered.

Closing Date: 2nd February 2026

Interviews will take place on: 9th February 2026

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. Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.