Lead Officer Alternative Engagement Pathway (Tailor-Made Programmes)

Derbyshire County Council; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Derbyshire County Council's Inclusion Support Service is seeking a strategic Lead Officer for the Alternative Engagement Pathway (Tailor-Made Programmes). You will lead development and delivery across Derbyshire, ensuring high-quality educational provision for children who cannot attend school due to medical or exceptional needs.

You will build strong partnerships with schools, families and partner agencies, drive improvements, and shape personalised learning pathways that support reintegration

Qualifications

• Strong commitment to inclusion and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
• Experience of leading and developing education services or teams.
• Excellent partnership-working skills and the ability to influence across a range of stakeholders.
• A sound understanding of SEND, inclusion and alternative provision.
• Proven ability to drive improvement, innovation and positive change.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Derbyshire's Alternative Engagement Pathway provision (Tailor-Made Programmes) to provide high-quality educational support.
• Ensure suitable tuition outside of school for pupils identified by the Local Authority.
• Provide leadership, management and support to teaching staff, promoting excellence in teaching, assessment and curriculum planning.
• Collaborate with schools, families and partner agencies to co-produce and share best practice.
• Drive continuous improvement with focus on quality, impact and outcomes for children and young people.
• Champion inclusive practice in line with SEND Code of Practice and Derbyshire strategies.
• Lead service development and contribute to ongoing transformation of Derbyshire's Alternative Pathways.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Partnership working

Inclusion and SEND

Education service leadership

Education

Experience leading education services

Job description

Closing date: 04 October 2026

Lead Officer Alternative Engagement Pathway (Tailor-Made Programmes)

Permanent Contract | Full Time

Inclusion Support Service

Applications for alternative hours will be considered for this role.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Derbyshire County Council's Inclusion Support Service as Lead Officer Alternative Engagement Pathway (Tailor-Made Programmes). We are seeking an experienced, passionate and strategic leader to join our newly evolving Alternative Pathways Team from 1 January 2027.

This role will lead the development and delivery of Derbyshire's Section 19 offer for children and young people who are unable to attend school due to medical needs or other exceptional circumstances. The post holder will be expected to work across Derbyshire as required.

The Alternative Pathways Team brings together our established Out of School Tuition and Tailor-Made Programmes teams and is currently undergoing a significant period of transformation. As we broaden and develop our offer, this is a unique opportunity to play a key role in shaping services that improve outcomes, strengthen inclusion and better meet the diverse needs of children and young people.

About The Role

As Lead Officer, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the Alternative Engagement Pathway (Tailor-Made Programmes) ensuring that children and young people receive high-quality educational provision when they cannot attend school. You will work collaboratively with colleagues across Inclusion Support Services, schools, partner agencies and wider Children's Services to champion inclusion and drive positive change for children with additional, and often complex, needs and vulnerabilities.

You will be committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people and will play a pivotal role in developing effective, personalised pathways that support engagement, progress and successful reintegration wherever appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Derbyshire's Alternative Engagement Pathway provision (Tailor-Made Programmes) ensuring high-quality educational support for pupils who are unable to attend school.
• Ensure that children and young people identified by the Local Authority as requiring tuition outside of school receive effective, timely and appropriate educational provision, delivered individually or in group settings where appropriate.
• Provide leadership, management and support to teaching staff, promoting excellence in teaching, assessment, target-setting, recording and curriculum planning.
• Work collaboratively with schools, families and partner agencies to co-produce and share best practice.
• Drive continuous improvement by maintaining a strong focus on quality, impact and outcomes for children and young people.
• Champion inclusive practice in line with the SEND Code of Practice, the Derbyshire SEND Strategy and the Derbyshire Graduated Response.
• Lead service development and contribute to the ongoing transformation of Derbyshire's Alternative Pathways offer.

About You

We are looking for a skilled leader who has:

• A strong commitment to inclusion and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
• Experience of leading and developing education services or teams.
• Excellent partnership-working skills and the ability to influence across a range of stakeholders.
• A sound understanding of SEND, inclusion and alternative provision.
• A proven ability to drive improvement, innovation and positive change.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people across Derbyshire by ensuring they access the right support, at the right time, through high-quality alternative learning pathways.

Provisional Interview Date: 15th October 2026

Due to this post having access to children and/or vulnerable adults, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining this post, as all cases are judged individually according to the nature of the role and information provided.