Virtual School Deputy Headteacher

Wollborg Michelson Personnel Service Inc; Brierley Hill; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council invites applications for Deputy Head Teacher - Virtual School. You will lead strategic direction for the Virtual School, champion the needs of looked-after children and those with social workers, and raise educational outcomes across education and children's services.

Reporting to the Head Teacher, you will use data to target support, collaborate with schools and partners, and deputise as required to secure positive outcomes for vulnerable learners.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with vulnerable children and multi‑agency teams.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and corporate parenting responsibilities.
• Ability to use data to identify priorities and drive improvement.
• Proven leadership with strategic planning and partnership development.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Virtual School and champion educational outcomes for looked‑after children.
• Lead initiatives across education, social care and partners to raise aspirations and achievement.
• Deputise for the Head Teacher as required and support statutory responsibilities.
• Use data to identify needs, target support and drive service improvement.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Data analytics

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Change management

Education

Degree-level qualification

Job description

Deputy Head Teacher - Virtual School

We are seeking an experienced, passionate and ambitious leader to join Dudley Virtual School as Deputy Head Teacher. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in improving educational outcomes and life chances for some of our most vulnerable children and young people.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council,

Deputy Head Teacher - Virtual School

We are seeking an experienced, passionate and ambitious leader to join Dudley Virtual School as Deputy Head Teacher. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in improving educational outcomes and life chances for some of our most vulnerable children and young people.

Job Summary

The Deputy Head Teacher will support the Head Teacher in providing strategic leadership for the Virtual School, championing the educational needs of children in care, previously looked after children, and children with a social worker. Working across education, social care and partner agencies, they will promote high aspirations, inclusion and achievement, ensuring education remains central to planning and decision-making for vulnerable learners.

The role will use data and evidence to identify need, target support and drive improvement, working collaboratively with schools, colleges and professionals to remove barriers to learning, improve attendance and engagement, and secure positive outcomes for children and young people.

As a senior leader, the postholder will contribute to the ongoing development of Dudley Virtual School by leading initiatives and partnerships that raise aspirations and improve outcomes. They will also deputise for the Head Teacher as required and support the delivery of the Local Authority's statutory responsibilities.

The successful candidate will have:

• Significant experience of working with vulnerable children and young people, including children in care, previously looked after children and/or children with social workers.
• Experience of leading initiatives that have improved educational outcomes, attendance, inclusion or engagement for disadvantaged learners
• A strong understanding of safeguarding, corporate parenting responsibilities, SEND and multi‑agency working.
• Experience of working strategically with schools, colleges, alternative provision settings and partner agencies to secure positive outcomes for children and young people.
• Excellent leadership, communication and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to influence practice and provide both support and constructive challenge.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to use data to identify priorities, measure impact and drive service improvement.
• Experience of leading projects, service development and improvement initiatives.
• A degree‑level qualification or equivalent professional qualification, alongside evidence of continuing professional development and leadership expertise.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward-thinking Virtual School and make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people across Dudley. If you are committed to educational excellence, passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable learners and keen to help shape strategic developments across education and children's services, we would love to hear from you.

Workplace Attendance: Working in the office 3+ days a week (pro-rata)

So that we can demonstrate Dudley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and to improve bias in the recruitment process that could create barriers for candidates. Your personal data will be anonymised when you apply, to ensure that you comply with our anonymisation process, please ensure you have removed your name and date of birth from any attachments prior to uploading them to your application.

All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove their right to work in the UK.

Please note: Dudley MBC does not currently offer sponsorship for candidates without the Right to Work in the UK.

The Council’s full Privacy and Disclaimer Statement can be accessed on the website at https://www.dudley.gov.uk/privacy-disclaimer-statement/

N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications

Attached documents

Deputy headteacher 2026 New version.docx

Employee Benefits List.pdf