Start date: 1 September 2025 or earlier through discussion with successful candidate. The Heights Academy Auckland Drive Solihull B36 0DD Telephone number: 0121 809 0885 Contact email: recruitmentfet.ac Contract type: Permanent Are you an experienced leader ready to inspire and transform education? Here at The Heights Academy, we are seeking a highly effective, creative and inspirational Assistant Headteacher who has a proven track record in either enhancing the Quality of Education or leading SEND and Inclusion. This is an exciting and unique opportunity Being involved at the beginning of the journey of a new school is not something that presents itself very often. The Heights Academy opened in September 2023 in a brand-new build, and this is an opportunity to be part of the next stage of our journey. Now in our second year of opening, we have a PAN of 64 across Key Stage 2, Year 7 and Year 8. Over the next few years, we will grow to a PAN of 116 pupils across Key Stage 2, 3 and 4. All our pupils have an EHCP with a diagnosis of Autism with possible associated SEMH. In our endeavour to meet the wide ranging educational and social needs of our pupils, we provide an appropriate, aspirational curriculum, which encompasses and extends the National Curriculum. Our values as a school underpin everything we do and will be at the centre of the development of this role: Successful Learners, Respectful Citizens, Confident Individuals For Quality of Education Leaders: We are looking for an exceptional leader to spearhead initiatives that enhance the curriculum, teaching and learning across the school. Implement strategies that ensure high standards and expectations driving engagement and pupil progress. Make a real difference in the lives of our students, as you inspire and mentor both staff and pupils alike For SEND and Inclusion Leaders: An outstanding leader to drive the development and implementation of transformative SEND policies and procedures that ensure every pupil thrives in a safe and supportive environment. In this pivotal role, you will lead innovative pastoral programs that champion mental health, build resilience, and foster positive relationships throughout our vibrant school community. It is essential that you are: an outstanding leader and teacher who has experience of working with children with special educational needs committed to engaging and inspiring our pupils and have the ability to make a real difference to their learning and general well-being able to demonstrate real capacity to work in a setting supporting children with Autism able to work to a high standard and be receptive to developmental feedback a driven and inspiring practitioner who leads the way in terms of innovation and thinking for yourself happiest when contributing to creating a collaborative environment in which pupils and staff thrive resilient, supportive, kind, aspirational In return you will enjoy: exceptional support from Forward Education Trust a friendly and inclusive working environment with a commitment to creating work life balance and promoting staff wellbeing excellent remuneration package and benefits opportunity to continue your professional development journey the opportunity to make a huge contribution to the education and lives of children who respond very positively to high quality teaching and support Forward Education Trust is an established MAT of seven special schools based in the West Midlands, covering areas in Sandwell, Birmingham and Solihull. We are committed to recruiting and retaining the highest quality staff. To do this, we have an employee value proposition offering a range of benefits to help our staff on a personal and professional level, which includes: Teacher’s Pension Scheme or Support Staff Local Government Pension Scheme employer contribution FET HUB – all employee information all in one place paid for health cash plan - employee and dependent children benefit, with option to add partner employee questionnaire - consultation with staff on a range of issues and ideas salary sacrifice scheme cycle to work scheme access to the NHS approved Thrive app, supporting mental health and wellbeing comprehensive induction and probation support and an ongoing performance management and appraisal system easy purchase scheme, salary deduction Smart Tech in association with Currys enhanced Employee Assistance Programme free, totally confidential advice with face-to-face consultations personal and professional learning and development, including FLICK online learning access to discounts and offers from Reward Gateway and MyPerks occupational health service to support the needs of individual staff staff recognition, e-cards to celebrate success among colleagues, awards throughout the year in line with Trust behaviours and values Mental Health First Aiders policies being developed to support positive health and wellbeing, family friendly working, special leave of absence, flexible working and menopause If you feel that we may be the right place for you, we hope you will consider applying for the post. Visits to the school are encouraged, so that you can see first-hand what The Heights Academy has to offer. To arrange a school visit, please contact the office on 0121 269 6000. You may wish to discuss your suitability for the role informally, as well as clarify how your specific skills and experience match our options for appointing with specific responsibility for leading Quality of Education or for SEND and Inclusion. Shortlisting date: 13 February 2025 Interviews: 25 February 2025 We reserve the right to close this vacancy sooner if necessary. Candidates are encouraged to return their application as soon as possible. How to apply For more information, and to request an application pack, via the link. This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to all necessary pre-employment checks, including: an enhanced DBS; Prohibition check; Childcare Disqualification (where applicable); qualifications (where applicable); medical fitness; identity and right to work. All applicants will be required to provide two suitable references. Applicants please note: This post is not part of the City Council and the successful candidate will not hold a Birmingham City Council Contract of Employment. Please use the contact details in the advert for information on actual employment conditions. Rehabilitation of offenders: This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. Which means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. An online search will also be carried out as part of due diligence on all short-listed candidates.