Role: Deputy Headteacher - SENDCo and Inclusion
Location: St Matthias Academy, Bristol and Bath
Start Date: September 2026
Hours: 32.5 hours per week
Salary: Leadership 8 - Leadership 12 £61,534 - £67,898
Are you an enthusiastic and proactive individual with a passion for creating a safe and well-maintained environment for students and staff? St Matthias Academy is looking for a Deputy Headteacher to join our team.Please note this roll requires you to travel and work regularly across our 3 sites (Brentry, Fishponds, Bath) There may also be times where you are required to teach across the curriculum as needed
About Us:
St Matthias Academy is a special school that serves students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties. We are dedicated to providing a supportive and engaging learning environment where every student can thrive. This role is a key part of our commitment to ensuring our students are taught to the best standards alongside the national curriculum. At St Matthias Academy, we have three school sites, Fishponds, Brentry and Bath. You will be expected to travel between sites at times.
The Role:
We’re looking for a reliable and hardworking Deputy Headteacher to join our team. You will Lead on SENDCo and Inclusion.
What you’ll be doing:
● To support the Headteacher in providing outstanding specialised leadership for St Matthias, ensuring its continued success and sustainability as a special provision.
● To assist in supporting pupils with diverse and complex needs towards successful transitions to appropriate onward destinations.
● To lead on specific areas related to the quality of specialised education, personalised development, behaviour and attitudes tailored to pupils with SEND, and outcomes for the school, as designated by the Headteacher.
● To build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders, including other special schools, the Local Authority SEND teams, and external partners and organisations, to promote positive outcomes for all pupils with SEND.
● To work with the Headteacher to ensure that every child with SEND receives a high-quality, personalised education and achieves academic and social success.
● To support the engagement of the community, including families of pupils with SEND, in all aspects of the school.
● To assist in the efficient and effective management of specialised school resources, ensuring value for money.
● To support the Headteacher in ensuring consistency and standards of excellence across all three sites, with a focus on specialised provision.
● To actively contribute to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of all vulnerable pupils.
Key Relationships:
The Deputy Headteacher establishes and maintains effective working relationships with:
● The Trust
● The School’s Governing Body
● The Local Authority SEND teams
● Specialist therapists and health professionals
● Families of pupils with SEND
● Other special schools and provisions
● All relevant support agencies.
● Relevant safeguarding agencies.
Key areas of responsibility:
Strategic direction and development of the school:
● To support the strategic leadership that secures the school vision, tailored to the specific needs of pupils with SEND.
● To assist in the design and implementation of personalised learning programmes and interventions.
● To assist in ensuring that all aspects of specialised school performance are monitored and evaluated, including progress against EHCP & promote best outcomes for individuals
● To ensure that the school improvement plan reflects the unique needs of the pupil cohort. ● To ensure the school provides a safe and nurturing environment that meets the complex needs of the pupils.
● To contribute to the creation and maintenance of a strong safeguarding culture, with an acute awareness of the vulnerabilities of pupils with SEND.
Leadership and Management:
● To assist in the development of staff expertise in specialised teaching strategies and interventions.
● To ensure that every child’s individual needs are met through personalised learning pathways.
● To lead on the implementation of EHCPs and other statutory requirements. ● To line manage staff, providing specialised guidance and support.
● To assist with the development of systems that aid in the complex recording of pupils' progress.
● To deliver high quality lessons, and to aid in the development of best teaching practices within the school.
● To ensure that all staff are trained in safeguarding practices relevant to pupils with SEND.
● To develop effective working relationships with mainstream schools to ensure the smooth transition of pupils between schools
Teaching and Learning:
● to teach high quality lessons across the curriculum, adapting as required for individual needs within a cohort.
To coach and develop other teachers across the school to promote high quality teaching and learning in line with school and trust guidance
To ensure that the curriculum is adapted and personalised to meet the diverse needs of pupils & promote best outcomes for individuals.
● To promote the use of a range of technologies and other specialised resources.
● To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of specialised teaching strategies.
● To deliver training so staff can teach high quality lessons, and to aid in the development of best teaching practices within the school.
● To promote a learning environment where vulnerable pupils feel safe and are encouraged to communicate concerns.
Finance & Resources:
● To assist in the allocation of resources to support specialised provision.
● To ensure that funding is used effectively to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Staffing:
● To assist in the recruitment of staff with specialised skills and expertise.
● To lead on the professional development of staff in SEND-related areas.
● To ensure safer recruitment practices are followed with the awareness of the pupils' vulnerabilities.
Parents and the Community:
● To build strong partnerships with families of pupils with SEND.
● To provide specialised support and guidance to families.
● To collaborate with external agencies to support pupils and their families.
● To promote open communication with parents regarding safeguarding concerns, with heightened sensitivity to the needs of vulnerable families.
Pupils:
● To ensure that all pupils with SEND have access to a high-quality, personalised education. ● To advocate for the needs of pupils with SEND.
● To monitor and evaluate the progress of pupils against their individual goals.
● To be highly vigilant in identifying and responding to any signs of abuse or neglect, with a particular focus on the vulnerabilities of pupils with SEND.
Governors:
● To provide the governing body with specialised information and advice on SEND-related matters.
● To keep the governing body informed of safeguarding policies and procedures, and any related concerns.
St Matthias Academy 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.We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.
