[261006B] Assistant Headteacher
ACE Schools Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 0AT12 days remaining to apply
Start date details
December 2026
Closing date
18 October 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
6 October 2026
Job details
Job role
- Assistant headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £63,070.00 - £71,330.00 Annually (FTE) Leadership Scale L9 - L14
[261006B] Assistant Headteacher job summary
Post: Assistant Headteacher
Location: ACE, Martins Gate, Bretonside, Plymouth, PL4 0AT
FTE Salary Range: L9 - L14, £63,070 - £71,330
Contract Type: Permanent
Contract Hours: 32.5 per week, Monday to Friday
For this role we are open to discussing the possibility of reduced hours, job share, compressed hours, or staggered hours. Please wait until the job offer stage before asking us about flexibility, and we will explore what’s possible for the role.
To see more about the school please see our applicant pack - Assistant Headteacher Applicant Pack
Inspire. Lead. Transform Lives.
Are you an experienced and ambitious school leader with a passion for improving outcomes for children and young people with complex social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs?
We are seeking a dynamic and committed Assistant Headteacher to join our established Senior Leadership Team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in leading a specialist multi-site provision, ensuring outstanding teaching, learning, safeguarding and pupil outcomes across our school community.
Working closely with the Executive Headteacher, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, supporting staff, driving school improvement and ensuring every pupil receives the highest quality educational experience.
About the role
As Assistant Headteacher, you will:
Lead and develop outstanding teaching, learning, safeguarding and SEMH provision.
Support the delivery of the school's vision, values and ethos across all sites.
Drive high standards of achievement, behaviour, attendance and personal development.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning, using data to inform improvement.
Lead, motivate and manage a multidisciplinary team including teachers, mentors, pastoral staff and administration colleagues.
Develop and implement improvement and development plans.
Ensure compliance with safeguarding requirements, school policies and JCQ examination regulations.
Oversee pupil admissions, transitions and provision planning.
Build positive relationships with parents, carers, commissioners and external agencies.
Lead staff appraisal, performance management and professional development.
Contribute strategically as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
About the successful candidate
We are looking for a resilient, compassionate and inspirational leader who:
Essential
- Holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
- Has successful experience in a middle leadership or senior leadership role.
- Has recent experience monitoring and improving teaching, learning and pupil outcomes.
- Has experience managing and motivating staff teams.
- Demonstrates excellent behaviour management skills and trauma-informed practice.
- Has a strong understanding of safeguarding responsibilities.
- Can work effectively with parents, carers and external agencies.
- Is highly organised, adaptable and able to manage competing priorities.
- Has a full, clean driving licence and is willing to travel between sites when required.
- Is committed to raising aspirations and securing the best possible outcomes for vulnerable learners.
Desirable
- NPQ, SENCO or SEND qualification (or currently working towards one).
- Experience working within specialist SEND, SEMH or alternative provision settings.
- Knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice and Children and Families Act.
- Experience of budget management.
About the School
Welcome to ACE schools. At ACE we are proud to provide education to young people aged from 4-16 who are not currently accessing mainstream or special school provision.
Our school supports young people from all over the region with provisions in Cornwall, Plymouth and Exeter. Our school prides itself on providing a trauma informed approach to all of our young people ensuring that everyone’s learning is tailored to them as individuals.
Our provisions are tailored to the specific needs of our young people with highly trained staff delivering group teaching, one to one support, and outreach into the community ensuring that we have an adaptability that makes us specialists in our field.
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.
Those we recruit those who can demonstrate that they share our values, are highly motivated to work with colleagues, within and beyond their school, to continuously develop their skills and pursue professional excellence.
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 18/10/2026
Interview Date: Interviews are provisionally booked for 21-22/10/2026
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our online application form by clicking ‘apply now’ on the advert.
We reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date. Therefore, an early application is strongly advised.
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 ACE Schools Plymouth
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 4 to 19
- Size
- 236 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Website
- ACE Schools Plymouth website
ACE Schools Plymouth AP Academy (part of ACE Schools Multi Academy Trust) was formally set up on 1st June 2016 with the aim of building on the solid foundation established by the previous PRU. ACE Schools Plymouth operates from thirteen sites around Devon & Cornwall and provides education and support services throughout the community to support pupils to access education in schools, community centres, medical facilities or their own homes.
We offer outstanding opportunities in education for young people aged between 4 and 18 who do not attend mainstream schools for a variety of reasons including; medical need, risk of exclusion, behaviour, mental health diagnoses and SEN. Our dynamic and ground-breaking approach ensures our young people become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens. ACE has grown rapidly into one of the largest and most successful AP Academy models in the UK.
If you have resilience and have the desire to help make a difference to young people’s lives then we would like to hear from you.
ACE Schools Plymouth is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and will be undertaken before a confirmed offer of employment is made to successful applicants.
You will be required to undertake positive handling training as part of your induction and essential qualification and person requirements should be met as per role profile to be considered for shortlisting.
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