Head of School

Autistic Girls Network; England; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A neuro-affirmative online school in the UK seeks a Head of School to lead Teaching & Learning and manage daily operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in senior leadership, proven success in teaching and learning, and a deep understanding of safeguarding practices. This role blends strategy and hands-on leadership, emphasizing a compassionate approach in a supportive and inclusive environment. The position offers a 4-day week with opportunities for ongoing professional development.

Benefits

Ongoing CPD in inclusive education

Flexible working hours

Values-led team environment

Qualifications

• Strong track record in improving Teaching & Learning.
• Experience in safeguarding and compliance management.
• Proven understanding of trauma-informed and neuro-affirmative practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operation aligned with ethos and safeguarding.
• Develop and deliver the School Development Plan.
• Oversee teaching and curriculum management.

Skills

Senior leadership success

QTS

DSL experience

Digital fluency

Excellent communication

Education

QTS qualified

Tools

Google Workspace

VLE/LMS knowledge

Job description

About The Haven

The Haven is a neuro-affirmative, trauma-informed online/hybrid school for neurodivergent girls and non-binary people aged 12–17 who need a different kind of safety, structure, and belonging to thrive. We design flexible timetables, relational pedagogy, and evidence-led support that meet young people where they are - then grow from there. The Haven is a not-for-profit provision which is part of Autistic Girls Network charity.

The Role

We’re recruiting a Head of School to lead Teaching & Learning, hold the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) remit, and run the day-to-day operation of our growing provision. You’ll build coherence across curriculum and practice; coach and line-manage educators; and ensure that safeguarding, inclusion, and quality are rock-solid in a live online environment.

This role blends strategy with hands-on leadership. You’ll be the person who quietly keeps the whole system calm and consistent for a highly sensitive cohort - protecting language, pacing, and expectations so that every interaction builds trust.

Progression: As the school grows, there is a clear pathway for this post to expand subject to scope and scale.

You’ll lead

Strategic leadership

• Own the daily operation in line with our ethos and safeguarding commitments.
• Develop and deliver the School Development Plan (intent → implementation → impact).
• Prepare for Ofsted (registration/inspection) and align practice to the EIF & Independent School Standards.
• Hold the DSL function; coordinate with DDSLs, SENCo, and DPO.

Teaching, Curriculum & People

• Quality-assure Teaching & Learning across subjects; coach and line-manage educators with reflective supervision.
• Embed learner voice, trauma-informed practice, and neuro-affirmative design in curriculum and assessment.
• Coordinate moderation, progress tracking, and use of digital artefacts/portfolios.
• (Subject to need) teach up to 6 lessons/week in a non-core area.

Safeguarding, Governance & External

• Lead safeguarding in line with KCSIE 2025; ensure swift, proportionate responses.
• Maintain policy compliance (KCSIE, ISS, online safety, data protection).
• Communicate clearly and sensitively with families and external partners, including Local Authorities/commissioners.

You’ll bring

• Senior leadership success (Head/Deputy or equivalent) in secondary, AP, or hybrid/online.
• QTS and a strong T&L track record, including coaching/QA of staff.
• DSL (or DDSL) experience with deep working knowledge of KCSIE 2025.
• Proven understanding of trauma-informed and neuro-affirmative practice.
• Confidence preparing for Ofsted/ISS in a non-traditional, online context.
• Excellent communication, empathy, and boundary-holding - especially with a cohort who have experienced barriers to education.
• Digital fluency (e.g., Google Workspace; VLE/LMS; live-class tools).

What we offer

• A values-led team where compassion and high standards coexist.
• 4-day week with defined DSL availability and flexible non-DSL hours.
• Ongoing CPD in trauma-informed and inclusive education; reflective supervision and wellbeing support.
• The chance to help reimagine education for learners who need it most.

Person specification

Essential

• Proven senior leadership in secondary/AP/online (Head/Deputy/HoD or programme lead) with line-management and coaching of staff.
• Current/recent DSL (or DDSL) experience; confident with KCSIE 2025, online safety, Threshold of Need, early help, and multi-agency working.
• Deep understanding of trauma-informed and neuro-affirmative practice; skilled at pacing, co-regulation, and protective language.
• Track record of improving Teaching & Learning (QA cycles, instructional coaching, curriculum coherence, moderation).
• Experience working with SEND/EHCPs, reasonable adjustments, and graduated response.
• Clear, compassionate communication with young people and families; professional boundaries under pressure.
• Evidence of safeguarding-first decision-making (accurate records, chronology, risk assessment, secure information sharing).
• Organised, systems-minded, and calm in live online environments; able to prioritise and follow through.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and reflective supervision for self and team.

Desirable

• Ofsted/ISS prep or inspection experience in a non-traditional or online setting.
• Experience with AP/medical tuition/EOTAS/LA commissioning pathways.
• Experience designing hybrid timetables and portfolio-based assessment.
• Coaching qualifications (e.g., instructional coaching, clinical supervision) or mental-health first aid.
• Experience setting up safeguarding audits, Section 175/157 returns, or governor reporting.

Technical skills & systems

Essential

• Live-class platforms: confident running lessons/briefings on Google Meet/Zoom/Teams; knows how to manage waiting rooms, chat, breakout rooms, captions, and safeguarding settings.
• Learning platforms: working knowledge of a VLE/LMS (e.g., Canvas) and a live whiteboard/classroom tool (e.g., Pencil Spaces or equivalent).
• Google Workspace: Drive, Docs, Sheets (including filters, lookups, protected ranges), Forms for registers/referrals, and basic dashboards.
• Safeguarding systems: secure digital record-keeping, chronology building, incident/risk logs, CP plans, and information-sharing protocols (with DPO awareness).
• Data & QA: able to set up light-touch T&L QA cycles (learning walks online, pupil voice, work sampling), and track curriculum/assessment data for governor/LA reports.
• Accessibility & inclusion: applies UDL principles; uses captions, alt text, reading order; aware of WCAG basics for documents and slides.
• Policy literacy: operationalises KCSIE, Online Safety, Prevent, Low-arousal/behaviour, Attendance, Safer Recruitment, Complaints.

Desirable

• Canvas admin (roles, sections, gradebook setup, rubrics, blueprint courses).
• Pencil Spaces (rooms, permissions, resource embedding, session exports); or similar tool administration.
• Light automation in Sheets/AppScript for attendance summaries/alerts; dashboard experience desirable.
• Familiarity with Stripe/Xero style workflows, or school MIS/CRM reporting to LAs/commissioners.
• Basic understanding of data protection by design (DPIAs, retention schedules, secure sharing).
• Experience curating digital portfolios (evidence of learning/outcomes for LAs/EHCP reviews).

How to apply

Please complete The Haven Safer Recruitment Application Form: https://forms.gle/ftay38kuwnhzQB9b6.

We do not accept CVs alone. You may add a brief personal statement (max 2 pages) or a 3-minute video on your alignment with our ethos.

Shortlisted candidates will complete:

• an online values & safeguarding interview, and
• identity, reference, online, and DBS checks in line with safer recruitment.

Interviews will take place in the weeks commencing 2nd & 9th December.

For an informal conversation, email [e-mail] by 20 November.

To learn more about the ethos which guides the development of both Autistic Girls Network and The Haven, visit www.autisticgirlsnetwork.org and www.thehavenacademy.school.

Registered charity number 1196655

Safeguarding Statement

The Haven is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS (with barred list where applicable), online searches, identity, reference, and right-to-work checks. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.