Deputy Headteacher and Head of Chestnut

Devon County Council; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Devon County Council is seeking a Deputy Headteacher for Mayfield School's Chestnut provision in Brixham, to lead day-to-day culture, drive teaching quality and pupil progress, and contribute to senior leadership across the site.

You will work with families, schools and local agencies to secure safeguarding, inclusive practice and ambitious outcomes for children with SEMH and SEND, while developing staff and partnerships within the school community.

Qualifications

• Experience leading school or provision improvement.
• Strong leadership of teaching and curriculum.
• Proven safeguarding practice and SEMH knowledge.
• Ability to inspire and lead adults through complexity.
• Excellent communication with families and professionals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the culture, development and day-to-day leadership of Chestnut.
• Drive excellent teaching, curriculum, assessment and pupil progress.
• Oversee safeguarding, attendance, behaviour and pupil pathways.
• Develop staff and their professional growth.
• Build strong partnerships with families, schools and agencies.
• Support Mayfield's outreach and 6 Day Provision.
• Contribute to significant whole-school priorities as a senior leader.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Curriculum leadership

Staff development

Partnership building

Communication with families

Job description

It is an opportunity to lead Mayfield Chestnut, our distinctive specialist SEMH provision in Brixham, while playing a significant part in the strategic leadership and future development of Mayfield School. High expectations. Strong relationships. Life-changing education. At Chestnut, we work with children whose social, emotional and mental health needs can create significant barriers to learning, attendance, relationships and inclusion. Our response is calm, relational, trauma-informed and ambitious. We believe safety, belonging and regulation are the foundations for learning, not alternatives to high expectations. That means understanding the child behind the behaviour while remaining relentlessly ambitious about what they can learn, achieve and become. We need a leader who can do both. Someone who can bring warmth without lowering expectations. Someone who understands SEMH, trauma, attachment and neurodiversity, but who is equally passionate about excellent teaching, curriculum, progress and outcomes. Someone who can build a calm and consistent culture, develop excellent staff, make difficult decisions when required and keep children firmly at the centre of them. And someone ready to think beyond one provision and make a genuine contribution as a Deputy Headteacher of Mayfield School.

• the culture, development and day-to-day leadership of Chestnut
• excellent teaching, curriculum, assessment and pupil progress
• safeguarding, attendance, behaviour and pupil pathways
• the development, deployment and professional growth of staff
• strong partnerships with families, schools, the local authority and other agencies
• Mayfield's linked outreach and 6 Day Provision
• significant whole-school priorities as a member of the senior leadership team.

Who are we looking for?

You may already be a successful Deputy Headteacher. You may be an experienced Assistant Headteacher, Head of Provision or senior leader who is ready for the next step. What matters most is that you can show that you have made things better for children.

• successful school or provision improvement
• excellent leadership of teaching and curriculum
• strong knowledge of SEMH and SEND
• rigorous, child-centred safeguarding practice
• the ability to inspire, support and challenge adults
• confident leadership through complexity and change
• excellent communication with families and professionals
• ambition for children whose educational journeys have not always been straightforward.