Assistant Headteacher - SEN provision

Maple Ridge School, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 5SX

12 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 September 2026

• Closing date

  13 May 2026 at 12pm (midday)

• Date listed

  1 May 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Assistant headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Key stage: Early years, Key stage 1, Key stage 2
• Working pattern: Full time: Fulltime Monday- Friday.
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: L3: £54,394 – L9: £63,070

What skills and experience we're looking for

The Assistant Headteacher is to take a central role in assisting the Headteacher, Leadership Team and Governing Body to develop our school in accordance with its shared values and our school development plans. They will work in close partnership with the Leadership Team. The Assistant Headteacher is to be a teacher with experience across the primary age range; an experienced curriculum and team leader, a leader in assessment for learning and assessing pupils’ progress and a key person in the senior leadership team. The Assistant Headteacher will take a pastoral lead and manage teaching and learning in the Team 1/Team 2/Team 3 classrooms. The functions and specific responsibilities below are to be undertaken in conjunction with the duties of an Assistant Headteacher as defined in the Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.

What the school offers its staff

Information will be provided in the application pack.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Specific Responsibilities

The Assistant Headteacher will be class based for the equivalent of 2.5 days per week, although this may vary at times according to school needs. When required they will model good practice, develop relationships, support training and development and ensure ‘quality teaching first’ and secure the smooth running of the school.

The Assistant Headteacher will take lead responsibility for ensuring the best possible curriculum on offer, provision, wellbeing, progress and achievement for all children in Team 1/Team 2/Team 3. The Assistant Headteacher will be a model professional setting an excellent example to teaching and support staff. They will work in close partnership with the Headteacher and Leadership Team in actively and demonstrably promoting enrichment, entitlement and achievement through building and implementing agreed school policies.

The Assistant Headteacher will lead by example of their practice, and by positively encouraging and supporting all members of staff. They will work with the Headteacher and other teachers to ensure that the school offers a high quality, exciting, engaging, well resourced, differentiated and well matched curriculum for all children. In particular, the Assistant Headteacher will be required to: Leadership and Management:

1. Work in very close partnership with and support the Headteacher and other Assistant Headteachers in the effective day to day management of the school and school community including recruiting and inducting staff, developing and implementing health and safety policies, leading assemblies and staff meetings, hosting and organising whole school events such as open days, afternoons and evenings, and responding to the views, needs and requests of children, staff, parents, governors and visitors as required.

2. Work with the Headteacher and Leadership Team, staff and governors in the development, implementation and review of school development plans including regular monitoring and evaluation of standards and quality of provision, supporting school governance by attending meetings where appropriate and ensuring that all governors are able to play an active and informed part in school management and development.

3. Work with the whole staff to develop a strong learning environment that has at its centre high expectations of learning and a commitment to ‘Working together to secure the most relevant education for all and believing anything is possible’.

4. Take a leading role in the senior leadership team by having special responsibility for ensuring that the school assesses and monitors the progress and achievement of all children and groups of children. This includes co-leading in AFL, Teacher Assessment and all forms of national and local assessment and reporting requirements. The Assistant Headteacher will be responsible for collating evidence for specific sections of the school’s Self Evaluation Form especially those relating to progress, standards and attainment.

5. Together with the Headteacher and other Assistant Headteachers, provide leadership in the development and management of all teaching and learning and in the creation and maintenance of high quality, stimulating, well-resourced and child friendly learning environments.

6. With the Headteacher and Leadership Team, share responsibility for the induction and deployment of new staff, voluntary help, work experience students, trainee teachers and students working in classrooms and throughout the school ensuring all safeguarding requirements are met and that their work in school supports the learning and well-being of all children.

7. With the Headteacher and Leadership Team, effectively manage the school's budget and resources to achieve the schools stated aims, meet its targets and sustain high achievement.

8. Work with the leadership team in setting, nurturing, promoting and maintaining a very high standard of behaviour, attendance and mutual respect throughout the school, in line with children’s needs and abilities, ensuring that all staff play an active role in the pursuit of these standards.

9. Ensure that there is a very safe, secure, effective and pleasing environment for all users. Be aware of Health and Safety regulations, carry out regular risk assessments and support the School Business Manager to keep the school’s Health and Safety policy at all times current, under review and accessible to and used by all staff.

10. Maple Ridge School 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 requires HCC safeguarding training at DSL level and for the post holder to perform the duties of a Deputy DSL.

Teaching and learning: Determine, organise and implement a diverse, flexible curriculum and implement an effective assessment framework.

1. Ensure that learning is at the centre of strategic planning and resource management and lead and support the teaching and learning of all children within Team 1/Team 2/Team 3, providing and promoting models of excellent classroom practice through whole class and group teaching, coaching, mentoring and supported self-evaluation for teaching and learning staff.

2. Establish creative, responsive and effective approaches to learning and teaching and ensure a culture and ethos of challenge and support where all pupils can have a voice, achieve success and become highly engaged in their own learning and be enabled to actively support the learning of others to the best of their ability.

3. Design, develop and implement systems for the collection of useful, timely, and accurate assessment/behaviour/attendance data to track the progress of individual and groups of children in order to inform planning, evaluate performance, track progress and secure raised achievement across all key stages, particularly Team 1/Team 2/Team 3. This will include agreeing and articulating high expectations and setting stretching targets for the whole community.

4. Monitor, in Team 1/Team 2/Team 3, the effectiveness of teaching and learning including teachers’ planning, monitoring planning, work sampling and scrutiny, lesson observations, supporting auditing and reporting outcomes, successful or otherwise, and planning next steps and future actions.

5. Take responsibility for the development of an effective timetable which meets the needs of pupils within the statutory frameworks and the resources available.

6. Liaise with our local schools and other service providers including extended service providers and community resources to enrich and expand our provision and secure partnerships, collaborations, enrichment opportunities and expertise which bring benefits to all children and our school community.

7. Take a strategic role in the development of new and emerging technologies to enhance and extend the learning experience of pupils.

Additional and special educational needs and disabilities

1. Promote a culture and practices that enables all pupils to access the curriculum.

2. Have ambitious expectations for all pupils with SEN and disabilities

3. Make sure the school works effectively with parents, carers and professionals to identify additional needs and provide support and adaptation where appropriate.

4. Make sure the school fulfils statutory duties regarding the SEND Code of Practice.

Securing Accountability

1. Support the governing body in meeting its responsibility to account for the performance of the school;

2. Work alongside the Headteacher to secure improvement through Performance Management; take responsibility for the performance and line management of identified staff;

3. Support staff in understanding their own accountability, and develop approaches to its review and evaluation.

4. Use a range of data sources to set realistic yet challenging targets for pupils, analysing outcomes for individuals and groups; use this information to implement appropriate curriculum pathways and intervention programmes;

5. Develop and present accurate accounts of school performance to a range of stakeholders.

Strengthening Community

1. Promote and model good relationships with parents and carers, which are based on partnerships to support and improve pupils’ learning and achievement.

2. Contribute to the development of the school as a community within the community; strengthening partnerships with families, neighbours, our local and wider community, other schools, services and the local authority.

3. Seek opportunities to invite parents and carers, community figures, businesses or other organisations into the school to enhance and enrich the school and its value to the wider community. Contribute to the development of the education system by sharing effective practice, working in partnership with other schools and promoting innovative initiatives.

4. Build our understanding of the diversity of the school community and support the partnership of our school to secure and enhance community cohesion.

5. Contribute to policies and practices which promote equality of opportunity and tackle prejudice and discrimination, support staff well-being and work-life balance and help to ensure we provide access to opportunities for growth, achievement and success for all adults and children in school.

6. Contribute to the development of a curriculum which provides pupils with opportunities to enhance their learning within the wider community; to achieve economic well-being and to make an active contribution.

Other duties and responsibilities Please note that this is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the Assistant Headteacher will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role.

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 job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Maple Ridge School

• School type: Special school, ages 4 to 11
• School size: 104 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Maple Ridge School website
• Email address: e.copestake@mapleridge.hants.sch.uk
• Phone number: 01256 323639
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/maple-ridge-school

Maple Ridge School continues to be a GOOD school. Parents describe the school as ‘amazing’ because they see their children make such strong progress. The talented staff team are proud to work at the school. (OFSTED October 2022)
We are a school for pupils aged 4-11 years old. All of our children have learning difficulties, and most have autism, and we are currently developing our provision for children with more severe and complex learning difficulties in response to the level of need in our local area.
At Maple Ridge School, we aim to make a difference to all of our pupils and their families by ensuring that children are happy, feel safe and enjoy their school experience.
We provide an individually tailored education to prepare them for life ahead, by enabling children to have the confidence and self-esteem to be ready to learn. We focus on developing self-awareness, social interaction and communication skills.
Our vision is to provide all children with the opportunity to reach their potential and be as independent as possible, equipped with the necessary skills to be positively included in the local community and the wider society.
Maple Ridge has an extremely effective Home/School support provision. Maple Ridge provides outreach for mainstream provisions in the community.

At Maple Ridge we aim to:
• Provide opportunities for the staff to further develop their skills and expertise
• Reward achievement, however small
• Teach children to reflect on their own actions and successes
• Be role models in the way in which we behave towards each other
• Be approachable and accessible to children and their parents
• Maintain regular contact with parents and keep them informed of their child’s progress
• Ensure effective teamwork within school and effective partnerships within the community
• Be a centre of expertise providing support to the wider community

We aim to provide a curriculum which will:
• Enable pupils to interact and communicate with a wide range of people, teaching communication support systems where necessary
• Encourage pupils to apply their learning into real life situations
• Increase pupils' awareness and understanding of their environment and the world
• Comprise suitably differentiated and achievable work activities
• Enable pupils to express preferences, communicate needs appropriately, make choices and make decisions

Arranging a visit to Maple Ridge School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email e.copestake@mapleridge.hants.sch.uk.

School location

Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed

Find more school jobs in Basingstoke and Hampshire