HOW TO APPLY
You must complete our official application form. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and our safeguarding procedures, we are unable to accept CVs in place of a completed application form. Applications submitted without a fully completed application form will not be considered for the role.
ABOUT THE OUTDOORS SCHOOL
The Outdoors School is an Independent Special School that is based solely outside in a woodland setting for learners with SEMH and ASD needs. We believe in developing the whole learner, not just their academic ability. We use a project-based method, allowing the learner to be completely autonomous, whilst contributing to a well-rounded education based on skills for lifelong learning and personal development. The school caters for KS2, KS3 and KS4 learners and aims to provide a space for learners to develop skill sets and a growth mindset that they have been unable to in previous settings. We work closely with learners’ and their support networks, both professional and familial and try to create a holistic and engaging place for learners to grow.
The Outdoors School opened in September 2019 and due to its successes, we are increasing learner numbers and therefore looking for more people to join our team. We are currently looking for an enthusiastic Head of School to join our dynamic team. We offer an alternative way to educate which delivers a unique and innovative education to learners. Our approach to learning allows learners to feel empowered and appreciated.
For all our roles, a DBS and reference checks are required. The Outdoors Group Ltd is committed to the safeguarding of all staff, children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in its activities and in promoting their welfare.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Assistant Headteacher – Site & Strategic Portfolio Lead is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of an allocated school site or area, ensuring high-quality provision, effective staff practice and positive outcomes for all learners.
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will lead the development of a safe, inclusive and purposeful learning environment, supporting staff to deliver high-quality education that meets the needs of learners with SEMH and SEND.
The role will ensure that staff, systems and processes operate effectively to support learner progress, wellbeing and safeguarding, while promoting the school’s ethos, values and commitment to inclusive education.
The role operates through a shared strategic portfolio model. The Assistant Headteacher retains SLT accountability for the strategic direction, policy, standards and quality assurance of the designated portfolio, while working in partnership with allocated middle leadership team portfolio partner(s) to embed effective practice across staff teams and learners.
Special Demands
- Resilience to working outside in all weathers
- Resilience to working in an emotionally challenging environment
- Resilience to working with learners with complex SEMH needs
- A solution-focused approach
Addition to Job Description
Shared Portfolio Model and Role Balance
The Assistant Headteacher will contribute to the strategic development and continuous improvement of the school through an agreed portfolio area. This responsibility will be agreed annually in discussion with the Head of School and Executive Leadership Team and will reflect the strategic priorities of the school.
The expected balance of the role is approximately 40% strategic portfolio and quality assurance, and 60% site or area leadership and management. This balance may flex according to school priorities, safeguarding requirements and agreed portfolio need.
Each SLT portfolio area will be shared with an identified MLT portfolio partner or partner group. During the portfolio element of the role, the Assistant Headteacher and MLT colleague will work shoulder-to-shoulder to ensure strategy, systems, staff practice and learner-facing intervention are aligned.
As a member of SLT, the Assistant Headteacher will set the strategic direction for the portfolio in line with statutory guidance, current industry practice and educational research. They will oversee policy, practice, quality assurance and the operational standards of the school at site or area level, and will strengthen strategy, processes and staff practice so that other leaders and managers can lead effectively.
The model is position-based rather than person-dependent. MLT partners and areas of responsibility may change over time, including where MLT roles develop into cross-school sources of portfolio expertise.
The portfolio may include, but is not limited to:
- Safeguarding and Family Support
- Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
- Inclusion and Belonging
- Personal Development
- Operational Management
Detailed expectations, responsibilities and success measures for each portfolio area are outlined in a separate supporting document.
For this role, we are currently looking for a Assistant Headteacher to manage the Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment portfolio, more information here- Curriculum Pedagogy and Assessment Portfolio appendix.docx
The postholder will be expected to:
- Lead the development and implementation of their designated portfolio area.
- Monitor, evaluate and quality assure the impact of provision within that area.
- Report to the Senior and Executive Leadership Team.
- Support leadership and managementcolleagues across sites to develop consistent practice.
- Work in partnership with allocated MLT portfolio partner(s) to translate strategic priorities into practical staff guidance, intervention practice and quality assurance activity.
- Use Lead Tutor Competencies to identify development needs through QA, supervision and line management, supporting directly where appropriate and signposting to MLT colleagues for targeted modelling, coaching or intervention support.
The specific responsibility may change periodically to reflect the needs and priorities of the school.
Core Areas of Responsibility
Strategic Portfolio Leadership and MLT Partnership - Set the strategic direction for the designated portfolio area, drawing on current industry practice, statutory guidance, evidence and research.
- Lead the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of agreed policy, practice and standards within the portfolio area.
- Quality assure the impact of the portfolio through evidence from practice, learner outcomes, staff feedback and stakeholder voice.
- Work shoulder-to-shoulder with allocated MLT portfolio partner(s), maintaining SLT accountability while enabling MLT to lead practitioner development and learner-focused intervention within their portion of the portfolio.
- Ensure the shared portfolio model remains flexible enough to respond to changes in MLT personnel, role structures or cross-school portfolio expertise.
Safeguarding, Attendance and Stakeholder Engagement
- Promoting a strong safeguarding culture across the site.
- Supporting the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in managing safeguarding concerns and ensuring compliance with statutory guidance.
- Ensuring staff understand KCSIE requirements.
- Responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns and referrals. Promote equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring all learners have equitable access to opportunities and support.
- Analyse learner progress attendance and engagement data to drive improvement and inform strategic decision-making.
- Work collaboratively with external agencies including social care, health professionals and local authorities to support learner needs.
- Maintain effective communication and partnerships with parents and carers to support learner engagement and wellbeing.
Site Leadership
- Provide day-to-day leadership and management of the allocated school site.
- Allocate approximately 60% of working time to site or area leadership and management, ensuring operational standards, safeguarding, staffing, provision and compliance are consistently maintained.
- Ensure the site operates effectively, safely and in line with school policies.
- Maintain a calm, purposeful and positive learning environment.
- Oversee operational systems and processes that support effective delivery.
- Ensure safeguarding procedures are consistently implemented.
- Ensure staff deployment effectively meets learner needs.
- Maintain high expectations of behaviour, engagement and progress.
- Ensure compliance with health and safety procedures and risk management processes across the site.
- Monitor and review risk assessments relating to learners, staff and the learning environment.
- Ensure consistent implementation of agreed approaches and standards across the site.
Leadership of Staff
- Line manages allocated Lead Tutors.
- Line management, coordination or strategic partnership with allocated Cover Tutors, Lead Competency Tutors and MLT colleagues, as agreed within the current school structure and portfolio model.
- Lead and support Lead Tutor competency development, using QA and supervision to identify needs and signpost staff to MLT colleagues where specialist practice or intervention support is required.
- Work collaboratively with MLT portfolio partner(s) to empower staff, build consistency and strengthen the implementation of agreed portfolio processes.
- Lead staff supervision, appraisal and performance management.
- Identify and support staff professional development needs.
- Promote effective behaviour management approaches.
- Support staff wellbeing and maintain a strong team culture.
- Engage with HR and outside agencies on support and guidance.
- Contribute to recruitment, induction and retention of staff.
- Coach, mentor and develop staff through regular feedback, modelling and challenge.
Leadership of Learner Provision
- Ensure high-quality provision for all learners on the allocated site.
- Support staff to meet the needs of learners with SEMH and SEND.
- Monitor learner wellbeing, engagement and progress.
- Ensure learners receive consistent support and positive experiences of learning.
- Ensure provision meets statutory expectations including EHCP requirements where relevant.
- Use insights from learner outcomes to inform provision refinement.
- Monitor the quality of learning and curriculum delivery.
- Support staff to deliver engaging and effective learning experiences.
- Ensure curriculum delivery reflects the school’s ethos and approach.
- Support curriculum development and innovation.
- Ensure portfolio strategy and MLT practitioner support help staff enable learner access to the constructivist PBL model.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Improvement - Contribute to the Head of School Report.
- Contribute to the School Improvement Plan and ensure its priorities are appropriately implemented and upheld.
- Contribute to and engage with the Core services team.
- Lead and undertake robust quality assurance activities, triangulating evidence from practice, outcomes and stakeholder voice to evaluate and improve provision.
- Use data and evidence to inform improvement planning.
- Undertake and support investigations/reviews of personnel and systems within the school.
- Support inspection readiness and external accountability processes.
- Lead and implement a coherent approach to quality assurance across the site.
- Triangulate evidence from learning walks, observations, learner voice and data to evaluate provision.
- Ensure QA activity results in clear actions that improve practice and outcomes.
- Provide high quality developmental feedback to staff.
- Translate QA findings into targeted staff development priorities using the Lead Tutor Competencies.
- Design, deliver and facilitate CPD in response to identified needs at individual, team and whole site level as agreed through SLT.
- Coordinate CPD and practice support with MLT portfolio partner(s), ensuring staff development reflects both site QA findings and portfolio-wide priorities.
- Support a culture of reflective practice, professional curiosity and continuous improvement.
- Monitor the impact of CPD on staff practice and learner outcomes.
- Contribute to whole school QA and CPD systems as part of the Senior Leadership Team.
Other Duties:
- Uphold the professional standards expected of school leaders and act as a role model for staff and learners.
- Undertake any other duties reasonably requested by the Head of School or Executive Leadership Team consistent with the nature and level of the role.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
- Leading/developing a team operational with strategic input
- Delivering training to staff
- Able to build a vision and communicate a clear purpose and sense of direction with the curriculum
- Knowledge of Primary / Secondary Curriculum and Assessment
- Excellent behaviour management and knowledge of needs-based education
- IT confident and competent
- Reflective and responsive to the needs of the team, recognising potential barriers to learning and seeking to overcome these
- Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral)
- Good knowledge and understanding of on-going curriculum, education, teaching and learning developments
- An understanding of how target setting, and the effective use of data can raise standards
- Leading change, creativity and innovation
- Able to adapt to difficult situations and circumstances
- Competence in a range of project methodologies, utilising a variety of tools.
- Experience of developing and embedding a new system or school change, in the implementation model.
- Experience of the people side of project implementation, including a broad range of stakeholder communications.
- Demonstrable capability to work on several projects simultaneously with cross functional teams, resources and third parties.
- Ability to lead within a shared portfolio model, working in partnership with MLT colleagues to translate strategy into consistent practice.
DESIRABLE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
- Knowledge of behaviour intervention and support practices
- Knowledge of inter-agency working.
- Experience of working with learners with challenging behaviour outdoors
- Strong knowledge of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and experience of the inspection process
- Successful recent experience of working with Primary or Secondary learners with SEMH difficulties and ASC/PDA
- Previous experience working within outdoor education or Forest School settings
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
- Minimum of 5 GCSEs grade A–C (or equivalent)
- Degree
- Willingness to undertake relevant training required by the organisation
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
- Outdoor, Adventure or Forest School specific paediatric First Aid
- Project management qualification
- Safeguarding Level 3
- Degree
- Forest School Leader L3
- NPQSL
ESSENTIAL PERSONAL QUALITIES
- Demonstrate a commitment and passion for the Forest school ethos
- Resilience to working outdoors in all weathers
- Enthusiasm and drive for improvement
- Ability to work successfully as part of a team
- Commitment to improving outcomes for children and families
- Commitment to safeguarding and safe practice
- Commitment to Equal Opportunities
- Determination and the highest expectations of work and behaviour
- Values the education and personal development of every individual learner and Staff member, protecting their wellbeing.
DESIRABLE PERSONAL QUALITIES
- Sense of humour
- Strategic thinking
