College Vice Principal / Deputy Head of College

Web Recruit Ltd; South Hams; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

An established leadership recruiting firm seeks a College Vice Principal to provide operational leadership and pastoral care in a specialist educational setting. The role involves driving quality improvement, ensuring student support from school to adulthood, and collaborating closely with the CEO and Principal. Candidates should possess QTS or equivalent, have significant experience in Further Education, particularly with learning disabilities, and demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills.

Benefits

50 days annual leave

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Experience in raising quality standards within Further Education.
• Track record of achieving outstanding student outcomes.
• Significant experience with learning disabilities, particularly autism.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations and pastoral programs.
• Design and manage quality assurance systems.
• Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Strategic thinking

Safeguarding knowledge

SEN expertise

Education

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent

Degree in Education

Job description

College Vice Principal / Deputy Head of College

Dartington, Totnes

Salary: L1 £43,260 – L3 £45,963

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year (50 days’ annual leave per annum)

We are seeking a dedicated and operational Vice Principal to join our leadership team. Working alongside the Charity CEO & College Principal, you will be instrumental in shaping the vision of the College, driving a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring every student achieves their full potential.

This is a unique opportunity for a leader who thrives on pastoral care, safeguarding, and operational management within a specialist setting. You will champion the needs of our students, ensuring they are supported from their transition from school right through to adulthood.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational & Pastoral Leadership:
  • Take full responsibility for the development and management of Pastoral and Tutorial programmes, ensuring a safe environment where students thrive.
  • Lead the day-to-day operations of the college, ensuring high-quality service delivery.
  • Manage the transition of students, both responding to prospective student assessments and managing transitions out of FE into adulthood.
  • Line manage College Tutors and lead regular team meetings to foster an open, positive culture.
• Safeguarding & SEND (Crucial to this post):
  • Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for the College and contribute to the Charity Safeguarding Forum.
  • Serve as the College SEN Coordinator, maintaining ownership of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
  • Act as the primary link to 0-25 Local Authority SEND teams, ensuring all statutory paperwork and reviews are completed in a timely manner.
• Quality & Strategy:
  • Support the CEO & Principal in shaping the curriculum, staff development, and the college’s strategic direction.
  • Ensure compliance with Ofsted, ESFA, and Local Authority requirements, including leading on the Self-Assessment Report (SAR) and Quality Improvement Plans.
  • Deputise for the CEO & College Principal in her absence.
  • Identify risks and implement control measures to ensure health, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Who we are:

Since 1996, we've been empowering people with learning disabilities in Devon to achieve their dreams and build fulfilling lives. Our core values of kindness, respect, and positivity guide everything we do.

Lifeworks College is a small FE provision based in Dartington (near Totnes). We have a small group of students, and our staff are focused on delivering personalised and tailored education to 16-24-year-olds with learning disabilities.

Working hours:

The hours for this role are 37.5 hours per week over 5 days, 52 weeks per year. You will receive 50 days' (10 weeks) leave per annum to be taken outside of term time. Please note that there will be a requirement to take part in activities outside of your regular working hours, such as residential trips, DofE, or parents’ evenings.

What we're looking for:

• Qualified Professional: A qualified teacher (QTS or equivalent) with a degree in Education
• Sector Leadership: A proven record of outstanding leadership and management within Further Education, with experience in raising quality standards and achieving inspirational student outcomes.
• SEN Expertise: Significant experience working with young people or adults with learning disabilities (e.g., autism), combined with a deep understanding of safeguarding specific to vulnerable adults.
• Regulatory Knowledge: A thorough understanding of the Ofsted regulatory framework for specialist colleges, alongside knowledge of Post-16 education drivers.
• Strategic Vision: The ability to demonstrate strategic thinking and an ambitious vision, coupled with the confidence to make clear, well-judged decisions.
• Stakeholder Management: Experience building and managing effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including commissioners, local authorities, funders, and families.
• People Management: Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to lead, motivate, and develop teams to secure continuous professional development.
• Communication & Values: A passionate belief in equal opportunities, supported by excellent verbal, written, and IT communication skills.

Building a diverse and safe team:

At Lifeworks, we're committed to fostering a workplace that reflects the diversity of our community. As a Disability Confident Employer, we actively encourage applications from individuals with disabilities who meet the job criteria, and we guarantee qualified candidates with disabilities an interview.

However, ensuring a safe environment for everyone we support is our top priority. Therefore, all staff undergo pre-employment checks, reference checks, and an enhanced DBS check.

Selection:

The closing date for applications is Thursday 8th January 2026.

Interviews will take place on Thursday 15th January and Friday 16th January 2026, so please ensure you are available on these dates.

So, if you want to become our next College Vice Principal, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.