Headteacher

Blackfriars Academy; Newcastle-under-Lyme; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackfriars Academy seeks an exceptional Headteacher to provide inspirational and compassionate leadership for a diverse range of pupils with special educational needs. You will unite staff, families and partners to deliver a highly personalised education that supports communication, independence and wellbeing.

The role requires strategic vision, warmth and integrity, with a commitment to creating a safe environment where every pupil can flourish and achieve meaningful outcomes beyond school.

Qualifications

• Exceptional, values-led Headteacher
• Inspirational and compassionate leadership
• Experience leading a special school
• Ability to drive improvement and partnership working

Responsibilities

• Lead an ambitious special school with high expectations for every pupil
• Build strong relationships with pupils, families, staff and external professionals
• Drive continued improvement while ensuring a safe and positive environment
• Champion personalised, meaningful education and preparation for adulthood

Job description

We are looking for an exceptional, values-led Headteacher who understands what makes Blackfriars Academy such a special place and who will be an inspirational and compassionate leader, able to bring people together around a shared purpose. You will share our belief that education has the power to transform lives and have the vision and ambition to ensure that every pupil, regardless of their starting point or the barriers they face, receives a highly personalised, meaningful and enriching education.

Our pupils are extraordinary, individual and diverse. They have a wide range of special educational needs and disabilities, including autism, moderate and severe learning difficulties, physical disabilities, and complex sensory and medical needs. They require a leader who is passionate about ensuring that every young person is understood, valued and supported to achieve their potential.

We are looking for someone who can confidently lead an ambitious special school, while never losing sight of the individual child at the heart of every decision. You will recognise that progress looks different for every young person and be equally ambitious for their communication, independence, wellbeing, personal development and preparation for adulthood as you are for their academic and accredited outcomes.

You will be a visible, approachable and trusted leader who builds strong relationships with pupils, families, staff and the wide range of professionals who support our young people. You will understand that the very best specialist education is built upon effective partnership with families, health and social care professionals and the wider community, and will lead those relationships with empathy, warmth and integrity.

This is a role for someone who combines strategic leadership with genuine humanity - someone who can maintain high expectations, build upon the strengths of the Academy and drive continued improvement, while creating a safe, secure and positive environment in which pupils and staff are given every opportunity to flourish.

Above all, we are looking for a Headteacher who will embrace what makes Blackfriars special, champion our pupils with unwavering belief and ensure they develop the voice, confidence, independence and skills they need for life beyond Blackfriars.

If you would like to arrange a tour of the School or for a further discussion about the role, please email our National Education Director of Special and Inclusion, Ian Armstrong (contact details can be found on the advert attachment).

Blackfriars Academy is a truly exceptional place to learn and grow.

We are a vibrant learning community of around 120 students aged 11 to 16, supported by more than 90 dedicated staff, working together to enable young people with a diverse range of special educational needs to achieve their full potential.

At the heart of Blackfriars is the belief that education can transform lives. We provide an ambitious and highly personalised curriculum which recognises that success looks different for every pupil and which places communication, independence and preparation for adulthood at its heart.

Our established values and PRIDE in our school community reflect our determination to succeed while ensuring pupils experience the enjoyment of learning and life. We want every young person to have a voice, to experience success and to leave us better prepared for their next steps.

At Blackfriars, our young people do not simply attend school, they are known, valued, challenged and supported to flourish.

AtShaw Education Trust, we believe every role has the power to transform a life.Whether you're supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, orleading with vision, you will be part of something truly meaningful.

Ourvalues - opportunity, integrity, community, and equity -guide everything wedo. Our vision is "Opening doors to the world through the power oflearning." We bring this to life through our mission: workingtogether to inspire communities where every school is valued, every voicematters, and every learner thrives.

Weare a dynamic and growing family of primary, secondary, and special schools,proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury.

Ourpeople are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their developmentthrough high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent development programmes,and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled,confident professionals. We champion wellbeing, value every voice, and foster aculture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a realdifference.

Youwill join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and astrong professional community drive success. Every academy within our Trust hasan equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital role in shaping tailoredlearning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.

Ifyou have the passion, dedication, and drive to help shape lives and createfutures filled with promise, we would love you to join our team.

Together,let's make the remarkable happen.

Webelieve every child has the potential to be extraordinary.

Makea life-changing difference in one of our special schools

Ourspecial schools are inspiring, welcoming and truly life-changing places towork. Every day, our dedicated teams help children and young people with a widerange of special educational needs and disabilities to discover theirstrengths, achieve their ambitions and live happy, fulfilling lives.

Ourpupils include children and young people with profound and multiple learningdisabilities, complex medical needs, sensory impairments, moderate and severelearning difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Everypupil is unique, and every achievement and milestone is recognised andcelebrated.

Joinus and help transform lives, including your own.

ShawEducation Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching orSupport Staff employment:

• Anexcellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / TeachersPension (Teaching Staff)
• Support Staff only based onworking full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your firstday of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years'service including Bank Holidays)
• Accessto Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed tosupport your well-being.
• FreeDiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusivediscounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offersfrom hundreds of the biggest brands.
• FreeEye Tests
• Cycleto work scheme
• Access to our Institute ofEducation and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute andflourish in your role and in the Trust.

We know our people are the key to our success and so we'recommitted to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is arewarding one.

Colleagueswithin the Trust benefit from: Access to a full range of courses bothin-house and professionally accredited. These courses include a variety of theNational Professional Qualifications and the Early Carer Teacher Programmedelivered by Shaw Education Trust as a delivery partner for AmbitionInstitute.

• Experiencedleadership and subject-specific support.

• Guidancefrom former HMIs and serving Ofsted Inspectors within the Trust.
• Accessto the Trust's Institute of Education and SCITT.
• Opportunitiesto work with different schools within the Trust as a ProfessionalAdvocate.
• Participatingin peer reviews.
• Accessto a suite of online courses.
• Placementprojects within our family of schools.