Headteacher, Alternative Provision (Founding Leadership Role)

Pathway Group; Brown Edge; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Pension

Other benefits

Job summary

Pathway Group’s Pathway AcademyZone in the Midlands is seeking a Deputy Head ready to take on the first headship and build a school from the ground up. You will shape the curriculum, staffing, safeguarding culture and growth strategy while working toward Independent School Standards registration.

You’ll balance day-to-day leadership with strategic development, engaging with local authorities and commissioners to secure placements and funding as the school expands into an independent provision.

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher Status required with senior leadership experience (Deputy/Assistant Head)
• Experience in AP, SEMH, SEND or settings supporting at-risk youth
• Strong safeguarding knowledge, DSL experience or training
• Confident with Ofsted frameworks; knowledge of Independent School Standards is a plus
• Entrepreneurial mindset: able to spot opportunities and drive growth
• Hands-on and resourceful, able to work without a large team
• NPQH desirable but not essential; focus on demonstrated impact over letters

Responsibilities

• The school: curriculum, teaching quality, behaviour, attendance and outcomes for every young person
• Safeguarding: acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and building a safeguarding culture
• Independent school registration: Application for Ofsted has been put through
• Growth: building relationships with schools, SENCOs, Inclusion Leads and local authorities, converting referrals into placements
• The team: recruiting, developing and keeping great staff as we grow
• The numbers: occupancy, budget and reporting to the proprietor and governors

Skills

Leadership

Safeguarding knowledge

Entrepreneurial mindset

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Qualified Teacher Status

NPQH desirable

Job description

Job Description

If you think you are the right match for the following opportunity, apply after reading the complete description.

Are you a Deputy Head or senior leader who’s ready for your first headship, and wants to build something rather than inherit it?

Pathway AcademyZone opened six months ago in Burslem. We've got young people attending, a growing referral pipeline, and a clear plan: grow our Alternative Provision and become a registered independent school. We need a Headteacher who can lead the school day to day and grow it like a business.

This is a chance to put your name on a school from the start. It'll mean wearing a lot of hats. One morning you'll be leading a safeguarding meeting, the next you'll be walking a SENCO round the building, and by the afternoon you'll be working through the Independent School Standards. If that sounds exciting rather than exhausting, keep reading.

About Us

AcademyZone is part of Pathway Group, a Birmingham-based family of businesses working across skills, care, fostering and education. We provide trauma-informed Alternative Provision for young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, with personalised learning pathways and vocational learning alongside core subjects. We're an Approved Alternative Provision with Cheshire East Council and we're working towards registration as an independent school with the Department for Education.

What you’ll lead

• The school: curriculum, teaching quality, behaviour, attendance and outcomes for every young person
• Safeguarding: acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and building a culture where safeguarding is everyone’s job
• Independent school registration: Application for Ofsted has been put through
• Growth: building relationships with schools, SENCOs, Inclusion Leads and local authorities, converting referrals into placements, and getting us onto council frameworks
• The team: recruiting, developing and keeping great staff as we grow
• The numbers: occupancy, budget and reporting to the proprietor and governors, so you always know where the school stands

Who you are

• Qualified Teacher Status, with experience at senior leadership level, ideally as a Deputy or Assistant Headteacher
• Experience in AP, SEMH, SEND or a setting supporting young people at risk of exclusion
• Strong safeguarding knowledge, with DSL experience or training
• Confident with Ofsed frameworks; knowledge of the Independent School Standards is a real plus
• An entrepreneurial mindset: you spot opportunities, you're comfortable selling the school to commissioners, and you're energised by growth
• Hands-on and resourceful. You'll roll your sleeves up when it's needed and you don't need a big team around you to get things done
• NPQH desirable but not essential; we care more about what you've done than the letters after your name

What we offer

• Your first headship in a school with real backing and a clear growth plan
• The freedom to shape the culture, curriculum and team from the ground up
• Performance-related bonus linked to the school’s growth
• Support from a wider group with experience in skills, care and education
• A long-term leadership role as AcademyZone grows into an independent school and beyond
• [Holiday entitlement, pension, any other benefits]

Safeguarding

Pathway AcademyZone is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check with barred list check, a section 128 prohibition from management check, satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. We follow safer recruitment practice.