Assistant Head Teacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). Job in London Education & Training Jobs

We are seeking a committed, experienced and passionate Assistant Head Teacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to join our specialist SEN school, supporting pupils through an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Verbal Behaviour (VB) approach. You must be enthusiastic about improving the lives of pupils with autism and their families and be committed to learning and developing your own skills and abilities. This is a key leadership role, combining strategic school improvement responsibilities with the operational leadership of safeguarding. The successful candidate will play a vital role in ensuring the highest standards of education, behaviour support, and pupil welfare.

In addition, as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), you will take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the school in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and local safeguarding partnership procedures. Assistant Head Teacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead will use, develop and share knowledge and understanding of ABA/VB approaches and methodology within all teaching opportunities and ensure that personal knowledge of ABA/VB is kept up to date and share expertise with staff.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

• Build positive and respectful relationships across the school community.
• Create a culture where pupils experience a positive and enriching school life.
• Uphold educational standards to prepare pupils from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life.
• Encourage high standards of behaviour from pupils, built on rules and routines understood by staff and pupils and clearly demonstrated by all adults in school.
• Use consistent and fair approaches to managing behaviour, in line with the school's behaviour policy.
• Work effectively with parents, carers and professionals to identify additional needs and provide support and adaptation where appropriate, ensuring statutory duties regarding the SEND Code of Practice are fulfilled.
• Use valid, reliable and proportionate approaches to assess pupils' knowledge and understanding of the curriculum.
• Lead, model, and promote high‑quality teaching and learning across the school.
• Support curriculum development and assessment practices.
• Monitor and evaluate standards of teaching and pupil progress in designated areas.
• Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies so the school can operate efficiently.
• Ensure staff and pupils safety and welfare through effective approaches to safeguarding, including duty of care.
• Use rigorous approaches to identifying, managing and mitigating risk.
• Identify problems and barriers to school effectiveness, and develop realistic, timely strategies for school improvement suitable to the school's context.
• Performance manage middle leaders, including carrying out appraisals and holding staff to account for their performance.
• Manage staff well with due attention to workload.
• Ensure staff have access to appropriate, high‑standard professional development opportunities.
• Seek training and continuing professional development to meet your own needs.
• Work with the board of trustees as appropriate.
• Ensure the school operates within regulatory frameworks and meets all statutory duties.
• Take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection, including online safety, in accordance with KCSIE and school policies.
• Manage referrals to children's social care, the Channel programme, and other relevant agencies.
• Liaise with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and other safeguarding partners as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate, confidential, and secure safeguarding records and ensure effective information sharing with staff and external agencies.
• Lead, train, and support the safeguarding team, including Deputy DSLs.
• Provide staff training and updates on safeguarding matters and ensure all staff understand their safeguarding duties.
• Advise and support staff on child welfare and safeguarding concerns.
• Ensure safeguarding is embedded in the school's culture, curriculum, and policies.
• Report regularly to the Headteacher and Governors on safeguarding matters.
• Act as a Mental Health and Well‑Being Senior Lead across the school, managing the team of mental health leads and ensuring wellbeing of staff and pupils is the highest priority.
• Oversee transition opportunities to post‑16 provision.
• Oversee work‑related learning opportunities.
• Uphold the ethos, values, and policies of the school.
• Engage in professional learning and keep up to date with statutory safeguarding guidance.
• Undertake any other duties reasonably requested by the Headteacher.

Work Location: In person. Please note that this is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the Assistant Head Teacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead will carry out. The post holder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role.