Assistant Principal – Curriculum in England

The Assistant Principal for Curriculum is a senior leadership role responsible for driving the quality of education across Petty Pool College and ensuring learners with SEND receive an ambitious, inclusive and impactful curriculum experience. This role provides strategic leadership for curriculum development, teaching, learning, learner progress and destinations across the college. The successful candidate will lead Curriculum Managers and the Careers & Futures Lead, supporting them to deliver high-quality provision that prepares learners for adulthood, independence, employment and meaningful next steps.

Working closely with the Quality & Standards Lead and wider Senior Leadership Team, the Assistant Principal will play a key role in self-assessment, quality improvement and ensuring the college remains inspection ready and aligned with the expectations of the Ofsted Further Education and Skills Inspection Toolkit. The role requires a visible, values-driven leader who can balance strategic thinking with operational oversight, whilst developing a positive culture of accountability, support, innovation and high expectations. The successful candidate will be passionate about improving outcomes for young people with SEND and committed to ensuring learners achieve the very best outcomes possible from their time at Petty Pool College.

Role Purpose

The Assistant Principal for Curriculum is a senior leader responsible for driving the quality of education across Petty Pool College and ensuring learners with SEND receive an ambitious, inclusive and impactful curriculum that prepares them for adulthood, independence, employment and meaningful futures. The role provides strategic leadership for curriculum design, teaching, learning, assessment, learner progress, destinations and quality improvement across the college. The Assistant Principal will lead Curriculum Managers and work closely with the Quality & Standards Lead to ensure the college remains inspection ready, evidence-informed and aligned to the expectations of the Ofsted Further Education and Skills Inspection Toolkit. The Assistant Principal will champion a culture of high expectations, accountability, innovation and continuous improvement, ensuring learners make strong progress from their starting points and achieve the very best outcomes possible.

The role focuses on five key areas:

• Strategic Curriculum Leadership
• Quality of Education
• Leadership & Staff Development
• Learner Progress & Outcomes
• Careers, Destinations & Preparation for Adulthood

The Assistant Principal will play a key role in shaping the future direction of Petty Pool College as the organisation continues to grow following independence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Curriculum Leadership
   • Provide strategic leadership for the design, implementation and continuous development of an ambitious and progressive curriculum offer for learners with SEND.
   • Ensure the curriculum:
   • Prepares learners effectively for adulthood, independence and employment
   • Reflects learner aspirations, EHCP outcomes and preparation for adulthood priorities
   • Responds to local labour market intelligence, employer needs and Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs)
   • Promotes meaningful destinations including employment, supported internships, volunteering, independent living and further learning
   • Embeds Functional Skills meaningfully across the curriculum
   • Remains innovative, relevant and responsive to emerging national priorities and opportunities
   • Lead curriculum planning and review processes to ensure curriculum pathways remain purposeful, coherent and impactful.
2. Quality of Education & Inspection Readiness
   • Lead and quality assure teaching, learning and assessment across the college, ensuring a consistently high-quality learner experience.
   • Work closely with the Quality & Standards Lead to:
   • Drive continuous quality improvement
   • Monitor the impact of teaching and learning
   • Analyse learner progress and outcomes
   • Evaluate curriculum effectiveness
   • Lead self-assessment and improvement planning processes
   • Prepare for external inspection, audit and awarding body activity
   • Ensure leaders and staff understand and deliver against the expectations of the Ofsted Further Education and Skills Inspection Toolkit, particularly around:
   • Curriculum, teaching and training
   • Achievement and learner progress from starting points
   • Inclusion
   • Safeguarding
   • Behaviour and attitudes
   • Participation and development
   • Preparation for adulthood and destinations
   • Oversee:
   • Learning walks and quality assurance activities
   • Curriculum reviews and deep dives
   • Standardisation and moderation processes
   • RARPA and non-accredited provision
   • Internal verification and awarding body compliance
   • Quality improvement actions and impact monitoring
   • Ensure all curriculum areas remain inspection ready at all times.
   • Leadership & Staff Development
     • Line manage Curriculum Managers and the Careers & Futures Lead, ensuring strong leadership, accountability and support across curriculum and learner progression functions.
     • Develop a positive leadership culture where:
     • Staff feel supported, challenged and valued
     • Expectations are clear and consistently applied
     • Professional development is prioritised
     • Learner-centred practice remains at the heart of decision-making
     • Support Curriculum Managers to effectively lead:
     • Teachers and Learner Mentors
     • Curriculum quality and learner progress
     • Staff wellbeing and performance
     • Attendance, behaviour and safeguarding responses
     • Timetabling and operational delivery
     • Lead and coordinate curriculum-related CPD and professional development aligned to:
     • College priorities
     • Inspection findings
     • Emerging SEND and FE practice
     • Staff development needs
     • Act as a visible and credible leader across the college.
   • Learner Progress, Outcomes & Inclusion
     • Lead robust systems for monitoring learner progress, attendance, behaviour, achievement and destinations across the college.
     • Ensure:
     • Learners make strong progress from their starting points
     • Learners at risk are identified early and supported effectively
     • EHCP outcomes meaningfully inform curriculum planning and review
     • Vocational, Functional Skills and non-accredited outcomes are tracked rigorously
     • Learner voice informs improvement activity
     • Learners receive ambitious support and challenge regardless of need
     • Use data intelligently to identify strengths, trends, risks and areas for improvement, ensuring swift and effective intervention where required.
     • Work collaboratively with safeguarding, inclusion and pastoral teams to ensure learners receive joined-up support that enables them to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
   • Careers, Destinations & Employer Engagement
     • Provide strategic oversight of careers education, transitions and destination planning through the line management of the Careers & Futures Lead.
     • Ensure learners receive high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance that:
     • Raises aspirations
     • Supports informed decision-making
     • Reflects Gatsby Benchmarks
     • Prepares learners for adulthood and employment pathways
     • Oversee destination planning and progression processes to ensure learners transition successfully into:
     • Employment
     • Supported internships
     • Volunteering
     • Further learning
     • Independent or supported living opportunities
     • Support the development of strong employer and community partnerships that enhance learner opportunities and experiences.
     • Promote a culture where employment and meaningful futures are viewed as achievable outcomes for all learners.

Culture & Benefits

At Petty Pool, our culture is rooted in respect, collaboration and belief in potential, both for the people we support and for one another. We are a values-led organisation where compassion and professionalism go hand in hand. Our teams work closely across services, sharing knowledge and supporting each other to achieve the very best outcomes for learners and families. We are ambitious for the people we support and equally committed to creating a positive, inclusive and supportive working environment for our staff. We encourage openness, creativity and continuous improvement. Everyone’s contribution matters, and we celebrate the impact we make together.

Staff Benefits

• Working 41 weeks per year (term time) 11 weeks holiday
• On-site parking
• Company Sick pay (after passing probationary period)
• Employee Assistant Programme
• Free meals when commuting by car sharing, walking, or cycling
• Bike rack
• Company pension
• Smart casual dress

Essential

• Qualified teacher status or recognised teaching qualification
• Leadership experience within FE, SEND or inclusive education
• Strong understanding of the SEND Code of Practice and Preparation for Adulthood agenda
• Experience of leading curriculum quality improvement
• Experience of managing staff teams and developing middle leaders
• Strong understanding of teaching, learning and assessment
• Experience of analysing data to drive improvement
• Knowledge of the Ofsted FE & Skills Inspection Toolkit
• Experience of self-assessment and quality improvement planning
• Excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills
• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and high expectations

Desirable

• Leadership or management qualification
• Experience of inspection leadership or nominee activity
• Experience within specialist SEND provision
• Knowledge of supported internships, careers education and employment pathways
• Experience of curriculum innovation and employer engagement