Pathways Learning Centre - Deputy Headteacher
32.5 hours per week, All Year Round, Permanent.
Salary point L12.
Do you have the passion and vision to transform the lives of children and young people who thrive best in a setting beyond mainstream education?
Pathways Learning Centre (PLC) is an innovative and dynamic Alternative Provision Academy, providing excellent education and support for children and young people aged 5-16 with a broad range of needs.
We are a short stay school for students who may be temporarily unable to attend their home school for a variety of reasons, and a long-term placement for students including some with EHCPs, who will benefit from the specific specialist support provided by PLC. Most students are supported to return to their home school, or transition to a new school or setting. A small number of students stay with us long term to complete their education. We work closely with many partners including parents/carers, schools, SEND teams, CAMHS, Educational Psychology, FYPS, Youth Offending Team, Health Services and Social Care to provide the best support possible.
We are proud of our exceptional, highly skilled staff, who build deep and nurturing relationships with every student. Our teams strive to ensure individual needs are met and that each young person develops the tools and confidence they need to succeed in the next stage of their education.
Due to the successful promotion of the current Deputy Headteacher to the post of Headteacher, the Governors and Trustees are seeking to appoint a dynamic and experienced professional to support the Headteacher in leading PLC into the next phase of development.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who can:
- Support the Headteacher in developing, implementing, and evaluating the school’s strategic priorities and long-term improvement plan.
- Contribute to the Trust wide AP strategy, ensuring PLC remains an exemplar of high-quality short stay provision.
- Oversee the strategy related to the design, development, and implementation of a curriculum tailored to the needs of pupils with complex trauma, SEMH needs, and disrupted educational experiences.
- Oversee the strategy related to leadership across SEND, safeguarding, behaviour, and inclusion to ensure equitable access and strong outcomes for all pupils.
- Oversee the strategy related to staff Continued Professional Development (CPD) strategy ensuring whole school consistency and accountability
- Oversee the strategy related to multi-agency and partnership working
- Oversee the strategy related to systems oversight, to ensure the effective assessment, monitoring and reporting of pupils’ progress and for the reporting and analysis of key data to LGB and associated groups
- Support the Headteacher in the development of the strategic direction of PLC and be open to flexibility in terms of role responsibilities. For example, changes to Trust wide responses to strategic direction, as a result of any alternations to national standards and / or statutory requirements (eg. Schools White Paper - Feb 2026).
If you’d like to have a conversation about the role or ask any questions, please contact Pathways Learning Centre directly to arrange a call or a visit.
Thank you for your interest in this role and we look forward to hearing from you.
Interviews are due to take place Thursday 30th April 2026.
Application process:
Applications are made via Eteach. The supporting statement section of the application must explain how you meet each requirement of the Person Specification using examples of your skills and experience. This may include experience from employment, education, or during career breaks. The supporting statement must be not more than 1000 words.
Enable Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Suitability to work with children and young people will form part of the selection process. Short-listed applicants will be asked to complete a self-declaration of their criminal record or information that would make them unsuitable to work with children and young people. We will carry out online searches on all short-listed applicants, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education, Part 3, Safer Recruitment. Where given permission to do so, references will be requested for short-listed candidates prior to interview. Candidates attending an interview should expect the interview panel to explore issues relating to safeguarding. All successful applicants will be required to undergo security and vetting checks appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and an enhanced DBS check. Applicants must be aware that it is an offence to apply for a role if barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children and young people.
Equality information:
We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.