Head of Provision
Location: Wellington
Salary: Leadership Scale L15–L21 (dependent on experience)
Start Date: 1 September 2026
Contract: Temporary to Permanent (end date TBC)
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, with the option for one day working from home
Five Education is recruiting a Head of Provision for a new specialist SEMH Alternative Provision opening in Wellington.
The provision supports a cohort of up to 15 learners, each receiving 100% one‑to‑one support through highly personalised teaching and therapeutic intervention. Students have complex Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and often present with Tier 4 risk, including suicidal ideation and self‑harm. The mission is to provide a safe, nurturing and aspirational environment where they can rebuild confidence, engage with learning and achieve outcomes that may once have seemed impossible.
This role is an opportunity to establish a flagship provision that will help shape the future of education for children in care and young people with SEND.
About The Role
As Head of Provision you will provide strategic and operational leadership, overseeing a multidisciplinary team of up to six staff, including therapeutic professionals. You will create a culture of high expectations, compassion and consistency, ensuring every young person has the opportunity to succeed academically, emotionally and socially.
This role suits someone confident in handling situations involving children with complex and acute mental health needs and significant barriers to learning.
You Will Be Responsible For
- Leading the day‑to‑day running of the provision.
- Developing an outstanding culture of teaching, learning and personal development.
- Managing and inspiring a multidisciplinary staff team.
- Embedding trauma‑informed and therapeutic approaches across the school.
- Building strong relationships with carers, local authorities and external agencies.
- Maintaining high standards of safeguarding, attendance and behaviour.
- Driving continuous improvement while establishing the vision for a brand‑new specialist provision.
- Working collaboratively with therapeutic professionals, families and external agencies.
About You
You are an experienced, inspirational and ambitious leader who believes every child deserves the opportunity to thrive. You will have significant leadership experience, ideally with a background as a Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher or SENCO.
You will be fanatical about achieving positive outcomes and striving for better in all aspects of teaching and learning.
You Will Also Have
- A strong understanding of the educational barriers experienced by children in care and those from disadvantaged inner‑city communities.
- Extensive experience supporting young people with complex SEMH needs.
- Confidence working with children who present with significant emotional distress, self‑harm or suicidal risk.
- The ability to remain calm, resilient and solution‑focused in challenging situations.
- Exceptional organisational and leadership skills.
- The ability to inspire, coach and develop others.
- An unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable young people.
You'll Benefit From
- Opportunity to shape a brand‑new specialist provision from its inception.
- Multidisciplinary working alongside experienced therapeutic professionals.
- Excellent opportunities for professional development and future progression.
- Potential to progress into wider senior leadership roles as the organisation expands to additional sites.
Salary and Benefits
- Leadership Scale L15–L21, dependent on experience.
- Monday to Friday working pattern with one day working from home.
- Multidisciplinary working alongside experienced therapeutic professionals.
- Excellent opportunities for professional development and future progression.
Desirable Qualifications
- National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)
- Demonstrable experience supporting children with SEMH and complex needs.
Essential Requirements
- PGCE
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- Significant senior leadership experience (Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher or SENCO).
- Strong knowledge of safeguarding and trauma‑informed practice.
- Ability to lead and inspire high‑performing teams.
Right to work in the UK – we are unable to offer sponsorship or accept Skilled Worker visas.
Able to provide two recent references (from the last two years).
Hold a current DBS check registered on the Update Service, or be willing to apply for one. If you do not have a Non‑Voluntary Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, we will need to help you process a new one at a cost of £62.70. This will be refunded after 20 days of work with us.
Equal Opportunity
We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as they are currently under‑represented at this level.
Contact
Contact Joseph at 0117 422 6167 or joseph@fiveeducation.co.uk for more information.
