Deputy Headteacher & Inclusion Lead (SENDCo) St Leonard's Primary (Lambeth)
St Leonard’s CE Primary School is seeking to appoint an ambitious, reflective and highly effective Deputy Headteacher and Inclusion Lead (SENDCo) to join our senior leadership team.
This is a significant leadership role at an exciting time for our school. We are building on the many strengths of an already wonderful, welcoming and inclusive school and are looking for someone who wants to play a central role in shaping its next chapter.
Our children are at the heart of everything we do. They are enthusiastic, curious and eager to learn, and we are ambitious for every one of them. We are looking for a Deputy Headteacher who shares that ambition and who will work closely with the Headteacher to strengthen teaching and learning, raise standards and ensure that every child — particularly those with SEND or additional barriers to learning — receives the support, challenge and opportunities they need to flourish.
Alongside their whole-school Deputy Headteacher responsibilities, the successful candidate will provide strategic leadership for SEND and inclusion, fulfilling the role of SENDCo and ensuring that inclusive practice is embedded across the school rather than sitting separately from high-quality teaching and learning.
The role offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader to make a real and lasting contribution to the future direction of St Leonard’s, while developing their own experience across the full breadth of senior school leadership.
We aim to serve our community by providing education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. Our Christian values, high expectations and commitment to children and adults are central to school life.
We are looking for someone who:
· Is an excellent classroom practitioner with a strong understanding of effective teaching and learning.
· Has a proven track record of successful leadership and school improvement beyond their own classroom.
· Is ambitious for every child and committed to removing barriers to achievement.
· Has a strong understanding of SEND, inclusion and adaptive teaching.
· Understands how curriculum, teaching and assessment work together to improve pupil outcomes.
· Has high expectations while understanding the importance of inclusion, wellbeing and positive relationships.
· Can inspire, motivate, challenge and develop others.
· Is confident in supporting and developing subject and middle leaders.
· Can build strong relationships with children, staff, parents, governors and the wider community.
· Is reflective, organised and able to make thoughtful, evidence-informed decisions.
· Is positive, resilient and solution-focused.
· Is willing to be highly visible and actively involved in the everyday life of the school.
· Identifies with and will actively support the Christian ethos and values of St Leonard’s CE Primary School.
· Has the ambition and potential to continue developing as a senior leader.
Ideally, you will hold the National Award for SEN Coordination or NPQ for SENCO, or be willing to undertake the appropriate qualification where required.
We can offer you:
· Wonderful children who are enthusiastic and eager to learn.
· A warm, welcoming and diverse school community.
· The opportunity to make a genuine difference at an exciting point in the school’s development.
· A close and supportive working partnership with the Headteacher.
· A committed staff team who care deeply about the children and the school.
· Supportive governors and Trust colleagues.
· The opportunity to influence and shape the strategic direction of the school.
· High-quality professional development and leadership opportunities.
· A school committed to strengthening teaching, curriculum, standards and inclusion.
· An environment where professional dialogue, reflection and new ideas are welcomed.
· The opportunity to develop your own leadership experience and aspirations.
Come and meet us
We believe that choosing the right school is important and strongly encourage prospective candidates to visit St Leonard’s before applying.
This will provide an opportunity to meet key members of staff see the school in action and, most importantly, meet some of our wonderful children.
If you are an ambitious leader who wants to make a difference and would relish the opportunity to help develop an already wonderful school, we would be delighted to hear from you.
St Leonard’s CE Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful candidate will be subject to satisfactory references and all appropriate pre-employment and safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS check and any other checks required under current statutory guidance
Please find below application pack including application form