[260708C] Headteacher
The Springfields Academy, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 0DS16 days remaining to apply
Start date details
January 2027 or Sooner
Closing date
20 August 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
9 July 2026
Job details
Job role
- Headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £93,424.00 - £108,202.00 Annually (Actual) Leadership Scale L25 - L31
[260708C] Headteacher job summary
Post: Headteacher
Location: The Springfields Academy, Curzon Street, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 0DS
FTE Salary Range: Leadership Scale L25 - L31; £93,424 - £108,202
Contract Type: Permanent, full time
Contract Hours: 1 FTE Monday to Friday
To view our applicant pack, please use the following link:- Headteacher & Head of School Applicant Pack
Lead Inclusive Excellence. Shape the Future. Transform Lives.
This is a rare opportunity to join Reach South Academy Trust at a pivotal moment of growth, innovation and national significance in SEND education.
We are seeking exceptional leaders to take up highly influential roles across our specialist provision, including this key post as Headteacher at The Springfields Academy.
These are not traditional leadership roles. They are system leadership positions within a Trust that is redefining inclusive education, locally, regionally and increasingly nationally.
Across Reach South, our specialist schools are built on a simple but powerful model: when children feel safe, experience success and build trust, they learn, achieve and thrive. At Springfields this is realised through the vision for all pupils to lead ‘safe, independent lives’.
Aligned to the DfE White Paper “Every Child Achieving and Thriving" (2026), our work contributes to strengthening inclusive provision, outreach and capacity across the education system.
At the heart of this work is The Springfields Academy, recognised for exceptional practice and positioned amongst the very strongest specialist provisions nationally.
“At Springfields, the opportunity is to lead, elevate and innovate a true Centre of Excellence for autism and SEND, delivering exceptional provision alongside outward-facing system leadership.”
Nicola Whitcombe, Regional Director
About the Role
Springfields is a nationally recognised specialist school for pupils with autism, with a strong track record of high-quality provision and outcomes.
- Established reputation for exceptional practice and impact
- Clear ambition to be a Centre of Excellence for autism and SEND
- Significant outreach work supporting the wider school system
- Highly skilled staff and deeply embedded inclusive culture
This is a career-defining opportunity to:
- Lead a sector-leading school into its next phase
- Strengthen its role as a beacon of excellence in SEND
- Expand regional and system-wide influence through outreach
- Shape innovative, research-informed practice at scale
The Opportunity
As part of Reach South’s specialist education leadership team, you will:
- Lead and inspire a high-performing multidisciplinary team
- Deliver exceptional outcomes for pupils with complex needs
- Contribute to a regional SEND hub model, driving system improvement
- Shape inclusive practice beyond your school through outreach and partnerships
Why Join Reach South?
- Be part of a growing, ambitious Trust
- Work within a collaborative regional model
- Influence Trust-wide SEND strategy
- Lead innovation grounded in values, research and inclusion
Who We’re Looking For
We are seeking an exceptional leader who:
- Has a strong track record in SEND leadership and school improvement
- Is strategic, values-driven and system-minded
- Combines educational excellence with deep compassion
- Is ready to lead beyond their own school and influence the wider sector
School Background:
The Springfields Academy is an academy based in Calne. We aspire to build safe independent lives for autistic young people through support, understanding and enablement. Additionally, we hold the National Autistic Society Advanced specialist award and are recognised as an Ofsted good school. We are an acknowledged centre of excellence for Autism; we are highly reflective in our practices, and are continually working to improve our provision and practices. We provide a personalised curriculum journey that enables our autistic learners to develop skills in areas of need and to overcome their barriers to learning. The drive to build ‘safe Independent lives’ shapes this curriculum and everything else that we do. The Academy has a PAN of 250.
About the Trust:
We are a family of schools working in partnership for the benefit of all our pupils and students. We believe our charitable aim, to advance education, is best achieved through collaboration, both within the Trust and beyond.
We operate 21 academies across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, serving learners aged 3 to 19. Alongside our primary, all-through and technical provision, we are proud to include a strong and integral network of seven special schools and one alternative provision setting.
These settings are a vital part of our community, providing inclusive, high-quality education for pupils with a wide range of needs, including complex learning profiles, autism, and social, emotional and mental health needs, as well as those who benefit from a more personalised approach. Together, we are committed to helping every young person thrive.
Next Steps
If you think this role may be for you and want to be involved at this exciting time in our development and have any questions about the position, please get in touch by calling the Recruitment team on 07759365064 or emailing us at recruitment@reachsouth.org.
Closing date: for applications is 20th August 2026
Interview Process: All shortlisted candidates will be required to visit The Springfields Academy as part of the interview process. This visit is a vital part of the process and provides an opportunity to experience the culture and ethos of our Trust first-hand. Shortlisted candidates will be given availability to arrange a visit to the school, unless the candidate has already visited the school during the application stage.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an Assessment Day between 16 - 18 September 2026 at The Springfields Academy, Wiltshire.
Successful candidates from the Assessment Day (Day 1) will be invited to Day 2 interviews at The Springfields Academy on 24 September 2026.
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our online application form by clicking ‘apply now’ on the advert.
Opportunities and Benefits
We offer a competitive salary plus TPS pension, great career progression and development opportunities, access to our Employee Assistance Programme with many other benefits.
We’re proud of how we support our staff in order that you have high levels of job satisfaction, are aware of the difference you are making for the children and families you work with and can see your contribution towards our community. There are regular opportunities for professional development and training, and a wider community of staff to network with within Reach South Multi Academy Trust. You will have the chance to visit other local schools, work alongside a range of outside professionals and take part in a variety of e-learning and face-to-face training.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Each post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Reach South Academy Trust has an Equal Opportunities Policy for selection and recruitment. Applicants are requested to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring section of the application form before submitting.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About The Springfields Academy
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 4 to 19
- Size
- 267 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
School location
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