Head Of Deaf Support Service

Westfield Secondary School; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Westfield Secondary School is seeking an experienced Teacher of the Deaf to lead the Sheffield Deaf Support Service. The role focuses on enabling access to education, participation and positive outcomes for deaf learners across home, early years, school and college settings.

You will champion the needs and rights of deaf children and young people, working closely with families and partners in education, health and social care to improve transitions and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher of the Deaf with current registration and experience in deaf education.
• Experience leading specialist teams and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Knowledge of SEND, equality, HR requirements and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for integrated deaf services.
• Lead and develop a high-performing specialist workforce.
• Champion inclusive practice and equitable support across settings.
• Support early language and communication development and transitions for learners.
• Build partnerships with families, health and social care, and schools.
• Contribute to service planning, quality assurance and budget management.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Staff development

Collaborative partnership

Inclusive education

Education

Qualified Teacher of the Deaf

Job description

Help us make a difference for deaf children and young people across Sheffield

We are looking for an experienced and inspiring qualified Teacher of the Deaf to lead and develop Sheffield Deaf Support Service. The Service supports deaf babies, children and young people, and children and young people with hearing loss, across home, early years, school and college settings.

At the heart of the role is ensuring children and young people can access education, participate fully and achieve positive outcomes. You will champion their needs and rights, working in partnership with families, education settings, health and social care, and local authority colleagues.

What you will be doing

• provide strategic and operational leadership for integrated resource provisions and the specialist peripatetic team;
• lead, support and develop a high-performing specialist workforce and a culture of continuous improvement;
• ensure high-quality, equitable support, including early intervention, family guidance and effective transitions;
• strengthen inclusive practice through specialist advice, support and constructive challenge to settings;
• build strong partnerships and ensure effective contributions to statutory assessment, review and transition processes; and
• lead service planning, quality assurance, budgets and resources, using evidence and national standards to improve impact and shape sustainable deaf support across Sheffield.

About you

We are looking for a qualified Teacher of the Deaf who combines strong specialist knowledge and teaching experience with collaborative leadership. You will understand progress, achievement and attainment, and how specialist support removes barriers to learning, participation and inclusion.

• leading, motivating and developing specialist staff to achieve high standards;
• working collaboratively with families, education settings and health and social care professionals;
• supporting early language and communication, family-centred intervention and transitions;
• using specialist approaches, signed communication and assistive technology effectively;
• using service, caseload and outcomes information to evaluate impact, set priorities and improve services; and
• applying SEND, safeguarding, equality and HR requirements, managing budgets and communicating complex information clearly.

What matters to us

We want a leader who puts children, young people and families at the heart of the Service and brings high expectations, strong professional values and a commitment to inclusion, openness, honesty and partnership.

Interested?

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.