ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER – SENCO (suitable for both Primary & Secondary backgrounds)
Start Date: April or September 2025
Salary: L12 - 16
Contract Type: Full Time - Permanent (Flexible working options considered)
Teaching Periods: To be agreed with the successful candidate.
Closing Date: Wednesday 8th January 2025 at 12 noon
Interview Date: Wednesday 15th January 2025
We are seeking to appoint a talented individual to join us as an Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for SEND at Helena Romanes School. We are an inclusive school where every student is valued and has the opportunity to shine.
Helena Romanes School is a mixed state, all through school, catering for students from ages 4 through to 18. Set in leafy Great Dunmow, the school prides itself on being a school for the community whilst providing students with a broad range of enriching experiences to prepare them for their future lives. We are a friendly and inclusive community where individuality is valued.
Students can join us at any stage of the journey. The primary phase opened in 2021 and currency consists of years R-5, with plans to expand to a two-form entry in 2025. Staff with a child in the primary school benefit from a 50% discount in wraparound care fees and the knowledge that their child is learning happily nearby.
This role involves overseeing SEND provision across all phases of the school, ensuring students with SEND have a seamless transition from primary to secondary to Sixth Form.
This role is a unique opportunity for a leader who is passionate about, and committed to, cultivating an excellent educational provision for every child. Benefits from working at Helena Romanes School include:
● The school is a popular and successful all through comprehensive situated in the beautiful North Essex countryside with good communications to London and the South East and is approximately 7 miles from Stansted Airport.
● The school is currently located adjacent to the town’s leisure centre and we have ample on-site parking.
● We are proud to offer our staff a 50% discount on wraparound care for their children in the primary school, helping to support work-life balance. This benefit provides significant savings on before and after school care for children, ensuring that our team can feel confident and supported both at work and at home.
This is an exciting time to join the school:
● The Department for Education is currently building us a state-of-the-art, carbon neutral school building, close to our current location in Great Dunmow. There will be a separate primary building and a Secondary/Sixth Form building. The SEND facilities will be impressive, including a suite of SEND rooms and a sensory room.
● In September 2021, the school began its journey as an all-through school, providing education for children aged 4-18. As well as having an established secondary and Sixth Form phase, the primary phase now comprises a reception, Year 1, Year 2 and mixed aged Year 3-5 class. From September 2025, reception will expand to include two reception classes.
● Ofsted visited the school in October 2023 and recognised us to be ‘Good ’in all areas.
● We are a member of the successful Saffron Academy Trust and work closely with a
team of talented SENCOs across the trust to share best practice and learning.
This position would be most suitable for a candidate who is already a SENCO, looking to expand the reach of their influence and take on a new leadership challenge. We welcome applications from candidates who have either primary or secondary experience.
The precise teaching load associated with this role will be agreed with the successful candidate. However, it is envisaged that they will deliver interventions to support pupils in the primary and secondary phase such as reading, numeracy, literacy or Functional Skills.
In order to apply for the position please complete an application form which can be found on our website
along with an accompanying letter (no more than two sides of A4) outlining how your skills and experience have prepared you for the role. Please also share your ideas about potential aspects of the post that you would be particularly keen to lead on and develop. Visits to the school to meet with our staff and pupils are warmly welcomed and encouraged.
Please contact Elle Ball, HR Officer, eball@hrs.education, to arrange an appointment and to submit your application form.