Deputy Headteacher

Summary:

Deputy Headteacher opportunity at a school with a strong focus on SEMH and trauma-informed practice.

About the School:

A school that offers a rich, ambitious curriculum enabling all pupils to access high-quality education and support. It fosters a culture of safety, security, and equality, with a strong emphasis on emotional wellbeing and academic achievement.

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a Deputy Headteacher to provide strategic and operational leadership across a school dedicated to supporting pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs. This is a pivotal role in shaping a trauma-informed, emotionally safe, and academically rigorous environment for all learners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and deliver the school’s vision, values, and long-term strategic plan.
• Lead on whole-school priorities relating to SEMH provision, therapeutic practice, and relational approaches.
• Analyse school performance data and oversee targeted interventions to improve outcomes for all learners.
• Promote a culture of high expectations, inclusion, emotional safety, and equality of opportunity.
• Embed a whole-school relational behaviour approach grounded in attachment theory and trauma-informed principles.
• Lead staff in the use of co-regulation, predictable routines, and developmentally sensitive strategies.
• Support staff to understand behaviour as communication and respond in ways that build trust and connection.
• Work closely with therapeutic professionals to integrate holistic support around each child.
• Lead teaching and learning across the school, ensuring lessons meet the needs of pupils with SEMH, ASD, ADHD, and communication differences.

Qualifications & Skills:

Required

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• Substantial leadership experience in mainstream, SEMH, or trauma-informed settings.
• Deep understanding of child development, attachment, neurodiversity, and trauma-informed schooling.
• Ability to lead a relational behaviour culture and staff team with empathy, clarity, and consistency.
• Experience working with multi-agency partners around complex safeguarding and SEND.

Preferred

• NPQSL or NPQH (or working towards).
• Training in trauma-informed practice, restorative approaches, or specialist therapeutic models.
• Experience with curriculum design in SEND/SEMH contexts.
• A deep understanding of leading and coaching teams for the overall success of pupils.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional development and leadership growth.
• Support for ongoing safeguarding and relational practice training.