School Improvement Partner

Esteem Multi Academy Trust; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 77,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS Pension

Generous holiday entitlement

Westfield Health membership

Access to National College CPD

Job summary

Esteem Multi Academy Trust is seeking a School Improvement Partner to join the Central Education Team and drive outstanding leadership, teaching, and learning across academies with a focus on SEND and alternative provision. Regular travel across the trust will be required.

You will work with school leaders to deliver ambitious, inclusive practice and lead CPD and coaching to raise outcomes for vulnerable learners.

Qualifications

• Substantial leadership experience (minimum 3 years) at Headship/ Head of School level in multiple Special School settings.
• Extensive expertise to support school improvement strategy for challenging environments and vulnerable pupils.
• First-hand knowledge of SEND codes and placement/commissioning procedures.

Responsibilities

• Lead and shape school improvement across Esteem MAT to raise leadership, teaching, and learning standards.
• Support Headteachers and senior leaders to implement evidence-informed classroom practice.
• Lead and deliver impactful CPD and coaching across academies.
• Contribute to trust-wide research/innovation in pedagogy and curriculum design for AP provision.

Skills

Leadership

SEND Expertise

Strategic Planning

CPD Delivery

Collaboration

Job description

Job Title: School Improvement Partner

Location: Esteem Multi-Academy Trust (Central Team). With regular travel to Academies across the Trust

Grade/Scale: Leadership Pay Scale L17 - L21 (£76,772 - £84,699 per annum)

Contract: 37 hours per week, all year round

About the role

This new post within the Central Education Team is an exciting opportunity to join our expanding team of School Improvement Partners as we continue to build our offering to our Academies and to organisations beyond Esteem MAT. This post will support our Trust growth strategy and support our commitments to ensure Every Child is Achieving and Thriving in line with the aspirations of the DfE RISE programme and Whitepaper.

This is a pivotal role within our Trust. As a School Improvement Partner, you will work closely with school and Trust leaders to drive forward excellence in leadership, teaching and learning, and effective resource management and pedagogy.

You’ll play a key role in shaping strategy and practice across Esteem MAT, ensuring that every classroom and every learner benefits from consistently high-quality provision. From supporting Headteachers and senior leaders to model outstanding leadership, pedagogy and effective teaching, to delivering impactful CPD and coaching across our schools, your expertise will directly influence the outcomes and experiences of some of the most vulnerable pupils in our region.

You will:

• Have the ability to work flexibly andadapt to working in different schools with a particular specialism and extensive first‑hand experience of Special School environments.
• Support school leaders to deliver ambitious, inclusive, and evidence‑informed classroom practice.
• Have a good track record of impactful professional development and improvement projects.
• Contribute to trust‑wide research and innovation in pedagogy and curriculum design to meet the complex needs of students attendingalternative provision.
• Helpprepare and support schools with a specialism of SEND and Alternative Provision through OFSTEDinspections and performance reviews.
• Play an active part in the Esteem Central Education Team, driving continuous improvement and collaboration across the Trust

This is an exciting opportunity to make a tangible difference at scale — working across a diverse and forward‑thinking family of schools, where your ideas and leadership will have real impact.

About You

You are a credible, experienced, and passionate leader, with a proven track record of school improvement and expertise in SEND, with knowledge and experience of supporting pupils with complex learning difficulties and health needs. You have first‑hand, extensive experience of what excellent leadership looks like within various special school settings and how to implement structures and systems strategically to ensure impact and consistency across different contexts.

You’ll bring:

• Substantial leadership experience (minimum 3 years) at Headship/ Head of School level in multipleSpecial School settings.
• Extensive expertise to support school improvement strategy for schools in challenging environments/ situations, supporting the most vulnerable children in society and those with complex health needs
• First‑hand knowledge and experience of current educational legislation and initiatives, including SEND Code of Practice, and organisational arrangements/ procedures surrounding special school placement planning and commissioning.
• A successful track record of improving teaching and learning,curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment, and leading CPD in specialist provisions
• The ability to build trust, inspire confidence, and support others to grow.
• A flexible, collaborative approach and the resilience to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving Trust environment.
• The ability to problem solve and forecast using cause and effect analysis, and action solutions in collaboration with key stakeholders.

Why Join Esteem MAT?

At Esteem Multi Academy Trust, we are united by a shared purpose to ensure every child and young person, whatever their background or starting point, thrives and succeeds. We drive this ambition through our values of: Working Together, Celebrating Difference, Enjoying Learning, and Being Brave.

We are a dynamic and growing Trust, bringing together a family of special schools, alternative provisions (APs), and a mainstream primary school with specialist provision across the East and West Midlands. Our schools support pupils with a wide range of additional needs including SEND and SEMH, offering high‑quality, inclusive education that changes lives.

• We are a values‑led Trust that places people and purpose at the heart of everything we do.
• The chance to shape and influence improvement across multiple schools and provisions.
• Supportive, forward‑thinking colleagues within an ambitious Central Team.
• Ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities.
• The reward of knowing your work directly improves outcomes for children who need it most.

Benefits Include:

• Teacher's Pension Scheme / LGPS Pension Scheme (16.6% employer contributions)

• Generous holiday entitlement

• Access to Westfield Health membership scheme including cashback schemes for health and retail benefits, discounted gym memberships, and free confidential advice.

• Access to National College CPD platform.

For further information, please contact Sabrina Hobbs (Director of Education) on [e-mail]

We reserve the right to interview suitable candidates upon application and may close the application process prior to this date.

Esteem is open to Flexible working opportunities.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status.

Perfectionis not required, if you are excited by the role and our organisation, but not sure if you meet 100% of the criteria, we would still love to hear from you!