Principal

Compass Associates; Horsham; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free Online GP access

Flexible pay with Wagestream

Job summary

Compass Associates in the United Kingdom seeks an experienced Principal to provide strategic and operational leadership across a campus-based specialist provision serving children and young people with neurological motor impairments and related needs.

The role focuses on driving educational quality, safeguarding, regulatory compliance and long-term development, with responsibility for budgets, staffing and stakeholder relationships with governors, Local Authorities and families.

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience within SEND, specialist education or complex settings.
• Experience leading multi-site services with responsibility for quality and improvement.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, education regulation, governance and risk management.
• Proven track record developing large multidisciplinary teams and leadership capability.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness including budget management, occupancy and service development.
• Ability to build credible relationships with governors, Local Authorities, commissioners and families.
• Strong track record driving continuous improvement and positive outcomes for children with complex needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across campus-based provisions, driving quality and growth.
• Lead school/college improvement planning with high standards for teaching, safeguarding and outcomes.
• Ensure full compliance with statutory, regulatory and inspection requirements.
• Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams and promote accountability and development.
• Oversee budgets, resources, occupancy and operational performance.
• Collaborate with Local Governing Body, authorities, commissioners, families and external professionals.
• Recruit, develop and retain high-quality staff with succession planning.
• Ensure educational, physical, emotional and safeguarding needs of students remain central to development.

Skills

Senior leadership

SEND experience

Multi-site management

Safeguarding knowledge

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Continuous improvement

Job description

Are you an experienced senior education leader looking for an opportunity to lead a complex and growing specialist provision?

I’m currently supporting a specialist education organisation with the appointment of a Principal to provide strategic and operational leadership across multiple educational provisions based on one campus.

This is a substantial senior leadership position with responsibility for the overall performance, quality and future development of the provision. The setting supports children and young people aged 3–19 with neurological motor impairments, including Cerebral Palsy, alongside associated medical and sensory needs.

The Role

As Principal, you will hold overall responsibility for the strategic direction, educational quality and operational performance of the provision.

• Provide strategic leadership across multiple educational provisions based on one campus, driving quality, performance and future growth.
• Lead school and college improvement planning, ensuring consistently high standards of teaching, learning, safeguarding and student outcomes.
• Ensure full compliance with statutory, regulatory and inspection requirements.
• Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams, creating a culture of accountability, development and continuous improvement.
• Hold oversight of budgets, resources, occupancy and operational performance, ensuring effective and sustainable service delivery.
• Work closely with the Local Governing Body and build strong relationships with Local Authorities, commissioners, families and external professionals.
• Recruit, develop and retain high‑quality staff, with a strong focus on internal talent and succession planning.
• Ensure the educational, physical, emotional and safeguarding needs of students remain central to the continued development of the provision.

You will bring

• Significant senior leadership experience within SEND, specialist education or complex educational environments.
• Experience leading complex, multi‑provision or multi‑site services, with responsibility for quality and improvement.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, education regulation, compliance, governance and risk management.
• Proven experience leading and developing large, multidisciplinary teams and building strong leadership capability.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, including budget management, occupancy, service development and sustainable growth.
• Ability to build credible relationships with governors, Local Authorities, commissioners, families and external stakeholders.
• A strong track record of driving continuous improvement and achieving positive outcomes for children and young people with complex needs.

Package

• Free Online GP access
• Flexible pay with Wagestream