School in North Petherton, Somerset

Job Location: Petherton Park School, North Petherton

Contract Type: Permanent – Term Time only

Salary: £60,000 per annum, 40 hours per week

We are seeking an exceptional and values-driven leader to join Petherton Park School as our Head of School. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a specialist independent school that supports up to 20 pupils aged 7-16 with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, Autism and Specific Learning Difficulties, helping them achieve outcomes that may once have felt beyond their reach.

We believe that every pupil deserves the opportunity to feel safe, valued and successful. Many of our pupils have experienced significant barriers to learning and education. Through therapeutic practice, positive relationships and highly personalised support, we help them rebuild confidence, develop resilience and discover what they are capable of achieving.

The school was rated 'Good' by Ofsted in July 2025, with two areas judged 'Outstanding', reflecting the strength of our provision, culture and commitment to ensuring every pupil can succeed.

You will be the substantive day-to-day leader of the school, providing visible, inspiring leadership across all aspects of school life. Working closely with the Executive Headteacher, who will remain the registered Headteacher and hold overall accountability for the school's strategic vision, curriculum and regulatory responsibilities, you will lead the operational delivery of that vision on site.

As Head of School, you will have significant autonomy and influence over the life of the school. You will help lead educational standards, safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, wellbeing and operational effectiveness, while directly line managing the school's two Deputy Headteachers and leading the wider team. You will play a pivotal role in creating an environment where pupils flourish academically, socially and emotionally, and where team members feel empowered to make a genuine difference every day.

This role represents an outstanding opportunity for an experienced Deputy Headteacher who is ready to take the next step in their leadership journey. It offers the chance to lead a successful and nurturing school, gain substantial Headteacher-level experience and develop strategic leadership skills, while benefiting from the support and guidance of an experienced Executive Headteacher. You will enjoy many of the rewards and responsibilities associated with leading a school, without the additional pressures of being the named registered Headteacher.

Our small school environment and high team member-to-pupil ratios allow us to deliver truly individualised learning experiences. Every aspect of provision is shaped around the needs of the child, from autism-friendly learning environments and attachment-informed practice to bespoke educational pathways, enrichment opportunities and therapeutic support. We are proud to offer a curriculum that extends beyond academic achievement, preparing pupils for successful, fulfilling and independent futures.

You'll help lead a strong safeguarding culture where the welfare, safety and wellbeing of pupils is everyone's responsibility. You'll ensure robust safeguarding practices, maintain compliance with statutory requirements and foster an environment where pupils feel secure, supported and able to thrive.

A critical part of our success is our close partnership with our Integrated Therapies Team, including Creative Arts, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Behaviour Support. Supported and led by an experienced Executive Headteacher, a strong coaching culture and a collaborative leadership team, this role offers an exceptional platform for a talented leader who is passionate about specialist education and wants to make a lasting impact.

It is the ideal opportunity for an ambitious Deputy Headteacher seeking broader leadership responsibility and a clear pathway towards future Headship, while leading a well-established school that already has a strong Ofsted profile.

If you are a compassionate, resilient and ambitious educational leader who believes that success looks different for every child, we would love to hear from you. Join us and help shape a school where relationships matter, potential is nurtured and every pupil is supported to achieve their very best.

A day in the life of a Head of School will involve:

• Lead the day-to-day operation of the school, ensuring high standards of teaching, learning and assessment while delivering an ambitious, personalised education that enables every pupil to achieve their full potential.
• Drive continuous school improvement, using data, self-evaluation and quality assurance processes to monitor performance, raise standards and secure positive outcomes for all pupils.
• Promote effective collaboration between education, therapy and support teams, ensuring a holistic approach to pupil development and achievement.
• Maintain a strong safeguarding culture, ensuring compliance with KCSIE and safeguarding legislation, supporting Designated Safeguarding Leaders and embedding best practice across the school.
• Lead on pupil welfare, behaviour, attendance and wellbeing, ensuring pupils feel safe, valued and supported to succeed both academically and personally.
• Inspire, develop and support team members, fostering a culture of accountability, professional development, wellbeing and high performance, while supporting recruitment, retention and succession planning.
• Build positive relationships with families, local authorities, commissioners and external professionals, acting as a visible ambassador for the school while ensuring safe, efficient and compliant operational leadership, including inspection and audit readiness.

To be a successful Head of School you’ll need:

• Qualified Teacher (QTS) with proven leadership experience in a school or specialist education setting, with a strong track record of driving teaching, learning and whole-school improvement.
• Extensive knowledge of SEND, SEMH and autism-informed practice, with experience supporting pupils with behavioural, emotional and communication needs in an inclusive, person-centred environment.
• Strong people leader with the ability to motivate, develop and inspire high-performing teams while fostering a positive school culture.
• Experienced in school improvement and quality assurance, using data, self-evaluation and operational leadership skills to deliver measurable outcomes and maintain high standards.
• Collaborative and relationship-focused professional with a thorough understanding of safeguarding and KCSIE requirements, able to work effectively with families, local authorities, commissioners, external professionals and senior leaders to achieve strategic priorities.

Holidays – You’ll get generous annual leave entitlement with a great work life balance.

Pension scheme – A generous pension scheme.

Learning & Development Opportunities – We provide comprehensive learning opportunities for team members to develop themselves.

Discounts – You’ll have access to brilliant discounts through the Blue Light Card and our own employee benefits platform.

Wellbeing Support – Your wellbeing is always our priority. You’ll have access to mental health and wellbeing support.

Cycle2Work - The cycle to work scheme enables you to buy a bicycle at a discounted rate.

DBS – As this role requires you to have an enhanced DBS carried out, we will cover this cost.

After 12 months service - You’ll also be eligible for our Medicash scheme which covers a wide range of medical, health and wellbeing expenses (Including immediate access to a GP!). You’ll get life assurance paid at x2 your annual salary, and even more high street discounts.

Please note that as part of our safer recruitment processes, successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check, and online and social media checks, and reference validation.

We remain committed to ensuring our teams can bring their true selves to work without risk or fear of discrimination.