Head of School

Dovetail & Slate; Greater London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Dovetail & Slate Ltd in London is seeking a Head of School – Foundation Learning to provide strategic and operational leadership across specialist provision for learners with mild to complex needs. You will lead curriculum and support teams, drive high-quality teaching, learning and assessment, and work to improve outcomes across Foundation Learning.

Start date August 2026, permanent role. The role requires proven SEND/High Needs FE leadership, team management experience, and a Level 5+ teaching

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience within SEND/High Needs FE provision.
• Experience managing and developing teams.
• Strong knowledge of SEND curriculum and quality frameworks.
• Experience with quality improvement, self-assessment and curriculum development.
• A Level 5+ recognised teaching qualification.
• Strong communication, strategic and partnership-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing curriculum and support teams.
• Driving high-quality teaching, learning and assessment.
• Leading SEND/High Needs curriculum development and quality improvement.
• Improving learner achievement, retention, attendance and progression.
• Leading on self-assessment, performance data and improvement planning.
• Developing partnerships with Local Authorities, schools and external agencies.
• Managing staff, resources and budgets effectively.

Skills

SEND Leadership

Team development

Curriculum knowledge

Quality frameworks

Quality improvement

Strategic communication

Partnership building

Education

Level 5+ teaching qualification

Job description

Head of School - Foundation Learning

Permanent

Location: London

Salary: £53,656 per annum

Are you an experienced FE leader with a strong SEND and High Needs background?

About the Role

A school in London is seeking a Head of School – Foundation Learning to provide strategic and operational leadership across specialist provision for learners with mild to complex needs.

You'll lead curriculum and support teams, drive high-quality teaching, learning and assessment, and work to improve outcomes for learners across the Foundation Learning provision. This is a senior leadership role with a start date of August 2026.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and developing curriculum and support teams.
• Driving high-quality teaching, learning and assessment.
• Leading SEND/High Needs curriculum development and quality improvement.
• Improving learner achievement, retention, attendance and progression.
• Leading on self-assessment, performance data and improvement planning.
• Developing partnerships with Local Authorities, schools and external agencies.
• Managing staff, resources and budgets effectively.

What We're Looking For

Essential:

• Proven leadership experience within SEND/High Needs FE provision
• Experience managing and developing teams
• Strong knowledge of SEND curriculum and quality frameworks
• Experience with quality improvement, self-assessment and curriculum development
• A Level 5+ recognised teaching qualification
• Strong communication, strategic and partnership-building skills

This is an excellent opportunity to take a senior leadership role within a specialist Foundation Learning provision and make a real impact on learner outcomes.