Head Teacher

Service Care Solutions; Oldham; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialist education provider in Oldham is seeking an experienced Headteacher to lead a new independent specialist school for students with diverse SEND needs. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in a SEND environment and a proven record of improving or establishing specialist schools. The role offers a competitive salary of £75,000 to £85,000, along with a comprehensive benefits package including occupational sick pay and ongoing professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Occupational sick pay

Christmas bonus

Blue Light Card

Referral scheme (up to 2500)

Life assurance

Financial wellbeing support

Tastecard

Ongoing training and leadership development

Therapeutic training and wellbeing support

Employee assistance programme

High quality CPD

Free eye checks

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a Headteacher in a SEND environment.
• Proven success in establishing or improving a specialist school.
• Deep understanding of SEND practice in primary and secondary.
• Strong operational and strategic leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the opening and ongoing performance of the school.
• Create and embed a strong safeguarding culture.
• Design and deliver a curriculum meeting diverse needs.
• Build and mentor a multidisciplinary staff team.
• Shape behaviour and wellbeing systems.

Skills

Leadership in SEND environments

Communication skills

Curriculum design for diverse needs

Staff performance management

Understanding of safeguarding

Education

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Job description

Headteacher

Location: Oldham

Salary: 75000 to 85000

Start: January or February 2026

Contract: Full time, Permanent

About

A new independent specialist school in Oldham is preparing to open after Easter 2026, and we are looking for an experienced Headteacher to lead it from the ground up.

The school will provide day education for pupils aged 5 to 16 with a wide range of SEND needs including social emotional and mental health needs, communication and interaction needs, trauma histories, and pupils requiring highly individualised learning pathways. The provision is designed for smaller class sizes, therapeutic input, structured routines, and a curriculum built around progress, regulation, and long term outcomes.

This is not a maintenance role. You will be responsible for establishing the culture, systems, curriculum, safeguarding framework, and operational standards from day one, supported by a wider senior leadership network from a national specialist education provider.

The role

This is a full leadership remit. You will:

• Lead the opening, development, and ongoing performance of the school
• Create and embed a strong safeguarding culture with robust compliance and reporting
• Design and deliver a curriculum model that meets the needs of a diverse SEND cohort
• Build, mentor, and performance manage a multidisciplinary staff team
• Shape behaviour and wellbeing systems that reflect a therapeutic, relational approach
• Lead the school improvement strategy with clear priorities, timelines, and accountability
• Ensure full compliance with Independent School Standards
• Establish quality assurance processes, data tracking, assessment cycles, and documentation
• Work closely with external professionals, commissioners, local authorities, and parents
• Drive a culture of high expectations for pupils while maintaining high support
• Prepare the school for inspection and work towards an outstanding rating
• Lead by example, modelling the values expected across the community

This is for someone who can manage complexity, drive standards, and stay calm when things aren't tidy.

What the ideal candidate looks like

You'll need to already understand the realities of leading a specialist provision. They want someone who has:

• Significant experience as a Headteacher in a SEND environment (not an aspiring Head)
• Proven success improving or establishing a specialist school
• Deep understanding of SEND practice across primary and secondary age ranges
• A track record of building effective staff teams and managing performanceStrong operational and strategic leadership skills
• Excellent understanding of safeguarding frameworks
• Thorough knowledge of the Independent School Standards
• Expertise in curriculum design for diverse and complex needs
• The resilience to lead through uncertainty, change, and growth
• A person centred leadership style with high challenge and high support
• Outstanding communication skills
• QTS

If your background is mainstream only, or you've never steered a SEND school through inspection or improvement, this won't be the right fit.

What's on offer

You will be joining a well established specialist education group with a high functioning senior leadership network, structured professional development, and strong operational support. Benefits include:

• Occupational sick pay
• Christmas bonus
• Blue Light Card
• Referral scheme (up to 2500)
• Life assurance
• Financial wellbeing support
• Tastecard
• Ongoing training and leadership development
• Therapeutic training and wellbeing support
• Employee assistance programme
• High quality CPD
• Free eye checks

If you want to shape a new specialist school from the ground up - with real autonomy and real responsibility - this is a rare opportunity to do it properly.