Headteacher

Key Dates

Deadline for Applications: 9AM Thursday 16th October 2025
Interview Date: Week Beginning 20th October 2025

Our children come from a wide range of backgrounds, but all have Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH). Many will also have other Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) such as Autism, ADHD, and communication difficulties.

The work we do is both varied and challenging and, as a trauma and attachment informed organisation, all staff are provided with extensive therapeutic training and support.

Our closely triangulated approach places the child at the centre of decision making, ensuring that education and therapy professionals, parents/carers, local authority teams and, most importantly, our students can work together to secure outstanding outcomes for all.

The Role                                                 

We are looking for an experienced and aspirational Headteacher to lead our committed and highly skilled team. The successful candidate will work as part of a supportive, highly achieving family of school leaders and multi-disciplinary professionals, both regionally and nationally. 

Compass Community School Cledford Park is a small and highly specialised therapeutic provision. We secure exceptional academic, vocational, social and emotional outcomes for primary and secondary aged pupils with SEMH difficulties and other SEND. This means that our leavers move on to meaningful destinations with real opportunity for them and their families, despite their starting points or educational journey to date. 

We want to build on the wonderful work that the current Headteacher and their strong and supportive SLT have done. The successful candidate will have a strong foundation in special educational leadership, as well as being able to demonstrate their commitment to driving continual strategic school improvement whilst being operationally robust in responding to day-to-day situations that arise in the course of supporting children who have complex needs. 

We require someone who will lead with passion and compassion – supporting a dedicated team to do a demanding job, whilst ensuring that all are performing to the highest possible standards.

The role reports to the Deputy Director for Education Services.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with a proven record of good or outstanding teaching practice
• Have, or be undertaking, NPQH or other relevant professional qualifications/development in leadership.
• Have experience working with children with SEMH & SEND, with an understanding of crisis-management, managing behaviour that challenges and supporting children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences.
• Be able to meaningfully quality assure and drive quality in teaching and learning from primary to GCSE level, with appropriate experience in vocational BTEC, Functional Skills or ELC pathways.
• Have experience in designing and delivering creative and academically engaging curriculums, with excellent management skills and the ability to work with various professional networks.
• Be driven to engage in all aspects of school life, with the passion and resilience to make a difference to the lives of their pupils. 

As a trauma informed organisation, all our staff are provided with extensive therapeutic training and support. As a Headteacher with Compass Community Schools, you’ll be part of a passionate team of professionals, benefitting from:

• Staff laptop and mobile phone
• Competitive salary
• Extensive training and professional qualification opportunities
• Small class sizes with specialist TA support
• The chance to be part of an expanding, national organisation that recognises skill, effort and potential and grows its own leadership teams
• Enhanced occupational sickness scheme
• Flexible pension
• Regular therapeutic and supportive supervision
• Employee benefit service with access to wellbeing services, salary sacrifice schemes, high street vouchers, money off eating-out and takeaways

We regularly review applications and reserve the right to close an advert early if we identify suitable candidates.

Safeguarding

Compass Community Schools are highly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All staff will be expected to hold or be willing to obtain Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced check for Regulated Activity with the Disclosure & Barring Services(previously the Criminal Records Bureau) and undergo due diligence checks on social media use.

All school-based staff have the responsibility for promoting the safeguarding and welfare of children.  All school staff should be aware of the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and work in accordance with this document at all times.

Compass is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As we continue to grow, we know that we must have the most talented employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences to support our children and young people.