School Principal

Olive Recruit; Billingshurst; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development opportunities

Supportive leadership structure

Leadership role with growth potential

Employee Assistance Programme

Health and wellbeing support

Leadership training and development

Competitive Leadership Scale salary

Job summary

Olive Recruit for Ingfield Manor School, a specialist education setting, seeks an experienced School Principal to lead a growing multi-site provision with a strong focus on education, safeguarding and regulatory compliance.

As Principal, you will drive occupancy, oversee budgets, staffing, and governance, while developing new services and partnerships to ensure the school remains a first choice for students, families and local authorities.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience within specialist education or SEND settings, ideally across multiple provisions.
• A recognised management qualification (Level 5 or equivalent minimum) and relevant educational qualifications (NPQH or a Master’s in Education would be advantageous).
• Extensive knowledge of OFSTED requirements, safeguarding, SEND legislation, and specialist education frameworks.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, managing budgets, and driving organisational improvement.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience in strategic planning, business development, bids, tenders, or service growth.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage effectively with parents, governors, commissioners, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• A proven track record of developing high-performing teams, managing change, and creating a positive culture focused on continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead across multiple educational provisions and maintain their identities while aligning with strategic objectives.
• Oversee operational performance, financial management, staffing, safeguarding, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with Regional Divisional Director, Governors, parents, commissioners, and multidisciplinary teams to drive occupancy and growth.
• Support new services development and ensure provision remains first choice for students and authorities.
• Inspire and direct large multidisciplinary teams through change to deliver outcomes for children with additional needs.
• Promote outstanding educational outcomes and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership experience

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Commercial awareness

Education

Level 5 management qualification

NPQH or Master’s in Education (advantageous)

OFSTED knowledge

Job description

School Principal

Job Types: Full time, Permanent

Hours: 40 hours per week

Salary: Leadership Scale L17–L20

Location: Ingfield Manor School, Five Oaks, West Sussex

Job Scope:

We are looking to recruit an experienced Principal for Ingfield Manor School, a specialist education setting within a well-established care and education provider. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a growing multi-site educational provision, delivering strategic leadership while maintaining the highest standards of education, safeguarding, and operational excellence.

As Principal, you will provide leadership across multiple educational provisions, ensuring each service maintains its unique identity while working collaboratively to achieve shared strategic objectives. You will oversee the school's operational performance, financial management, staffing, safeguarding, health and safety, and regulatory compliance, while driving continuous improvement and supporting future growth.

Working closely with the Regional Divisional Director, Governors, parents, commissioners, and multidisciplinary teams, you will develop strong partnerships, promote outstanding educational outcomes, and contribute to the long-term strategic development of the campus. You will also play a key role in supporting occupancy, developing new services, and ensuring the provision remains a first choice for students, families, and local authorities.

This role requires an inspirational leader with extensive experience in specialist education, strong commercial awareness, and a proven ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams through change while delivering exceptional outcomes for children and young people with additional needs.

Do you have?

• Proven leadership experience within specialist education or SEND settings, ideally across multiple educational provisions.
• A recognised management qualification (Level 5 or equivalent minimum) and relevant educational qualifications (NPQH or a Master's in Education would be advantageous).
• Extensive knowledge of OFSTED requirements, safeguarding, SEND legislation, and specialist education frameworks.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, managing budgets, and driving organisational improvement.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience in strategic planning, business development, bids, tenders, or service growth.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage effectively with parents, governors, commissioners, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• A proven track record of developing high-performing teams, managing change, and creating a positive culture focused on continuous improvement.

Benefits:

• Excellent opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Supportive leadership structure within a growing education and care organisation.
• Opportunity to lead an established specialist school with excellent facilities.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health and wellbeing support.
• Ongoing leadership training and development.
• Competitive Leadership Scale salary.
• The opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and young people with additional needs.

The successful applicant will undergo a free enhanced disclosure from the disclosure barring service & other compliance checks required.