Assistant Headteacher - SENCO
Helena Romanes School, Great Dunmow, Essex, CM6 2AU13 days remaining to apply
Earliest start date
22 April 2025
Latest start date
1 September 2025
Closing date
8 January 2025 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
10 December 2024
Job details
Job role
- Teacher
- Assistant headteacher
- SENDCo (special educational needs and disabilities coordinator)
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Early years, Key stage 1, Key stage 2, Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Working pattern
- Full time: Full - Time, Permanent (Flexible working options considered). Teaching Periods to be agreed with the successful candidate.
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- L12-16
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are seeking to appoint a talented individual to join us as an Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for SEND at Helena Romanes School. We are an inclusive school where every student is valued and has the opportunity to shine. Helena Romanes School is a mixed state, all through school, catering for students from ages 4 through to 18. This role involves overseeing SEND provision across all phases of the school, ensuring students with SEND have a seamless transition from primary to secondary to Sixth Form. This role is a unique opportunity for a leader who is passionate about, and committed to, cultivating an excellent educational provision for every child.
This position would be most suitable for a candidate who is already a SENCO, looking to
expand the reach of their influence and take on a new leadership challenge. We welcome
applications from candidates who have either primary or secondary experience.
The precise teaching load associated with this role will be agreed with the successful
candidate. However, it is envisaged that they will deliver interventions to support pupils in
the primary and secondary phase such as reading, numeracy, literacy or Functional Skills.
What the school offers its staff
This is an exciting time to join the school:
- The Department for Education is currently building us a state-of-the-art, carbon neutral school building, close to our current location in Great Dunmow. There will be a separate primary building and a Secondary/Sixth Form building. The SEND facilities will be impressive, including a suite of SEND rooms and a sensory room.
- In September 2021, the school began its journey as an all-through school, providing education for children aged 4-18. As well as having an established secondary and Sixth Form phase, the primary phase now comprises a reception, Year 1, Year 2 and mixed aged Year 3-5 class. From September 2025, reception will expand to include two reception classes.
- Ofsted visited the school in October 2023 and recognised us to be ‘Good ’in all areas.
- We are a member of the successful Saffron Academy Trust and work closely with a team of talented SENCOs across the trust to share best practice and learning.
Benefits from working at Helena Romanes School include:
- The school is a popular and successful all through comprehensive situated in the beautiful North Essex countryside with good communication links to London and the South East and is approximately 7 miles from Stansted Airport.
- We are proud to offer our staff a 50% discount on wraparound care for their children in the primary school, helping to support work-life balance. This benefit provides significant savings on before and after school care for children, ensuring that our team can feel confident and supported both at work and at home.
- The school is currently located adjacent to the town’s leisure centre and we have ample on-site parking.
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
Please download the application form using the link below, and once completed send to eball@hrs.education
CVs are not accepted.
Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Helena Romanes School
- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 18
- Education phase
- Through
- School size
- 1287 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
- School website
- Helena Romanes School website (opens in new tab)
- Email address
- eball@hrs.education
- Phone number
- 01371 872560
Helena Romanes School is a mixed state all through school catering for students from ages 4 through to 18. Set in leafy Great Dunmow, the school prides itself on being a school for the community whilst providing students with a broad range of enriching experiences to prepare them for their future lives. We value every aspect of our students, not just their academic success, and foremost of our values is kindness. In whatever capacity you join our school, as teacher, parent, student or support staff, you will be joining a friendly and inclusive community where your individuality is valued.
Students can join us at any stage of the journey. The primary phase opened in 2021 and currency consists of years R-5, with plans to expand to a two-form entry in 2025. Staff with a child in the primary school benefit from a 50% discount in wraparound care fees and the knowledge that their child is learning happily nearby.
Students in KS3 benefit from a broad range of subjects which include the core subjects of English, Maths and Science (double and triple award is offered), as well as a number of humanities subjects, including Religious Studies, History, Geography and Classical Civilisation. In addition there are numerous practical subjects such as PE, Design and Technology (including Textiles and Timber), Music, Art and Drama. We have impressive facilities: a large sports hall, specialised dance studio, extensive playing fields and astro turf, as well as a large library and well-equipped performing arts facilities. At KS4, students typically opt for between nine and ten GCSE subjects.
Many students choose to remain with us to continue their learning as valued members of the 6th form. Although we have a dedicated 6th form teaching block (complete with Costa cafe), lessons also take place in the main school building. Most Sixth Formers take at least three A-levels and may choose the EPQ and other qualifications in addition.
Students of all ages benefit from the passion and dedication of their teachers who give so generously of their time to help our students. Departments frequently run trips and excursions to extend and enrich students’ classroom learning, and many of our Year 13s go on to continue their learning at universities or further education establishments. Helena Romanes School is committed to educating the whole person, and to this end we run co-curricular activities such as Duke of Edinburgh and adventurous trips with companies like World Challenge: in 2025 some students and a few lucky staff members will be going to Cambodia.
Helena Romanes School is committed to developing not only its students but also its staff. We welcome Early Careers Teachers and have a number of experienced mentors on our staff. ECTs and their mentors work with our Appropriate Body - Saffron Teaching School Hub - and receive in-house training as well as the statutory entitlements during their induction period. The senior leaders of Helena Romanes prioritise staff wellbeing; staff training and social events are organised with this in mind.
Benefits from working at Helena Romanes School include:
● The school is a popular and successful all through comprehensive situated in the beautiful North Essex countryside with good communications to London and the South East and is approximately 7 miles from Stansted Airport.
● The school is currently located adjacent to the town’s leisure centre and we have ample on-site parking.
● We are proud to offer our staff a 50% discount on wraparound care for their children in the primary school, helping to support work-life balance. This benefit provides significant savings on before and after school care for children, ensuring that our team can feel confident and supported both at work and at home.
This is an exciting time to join the school:
● It is confirmed that Bowmer & Kirkland will commence our new school building shortly, funded by the Department for Education. This building will be to the highest specification with brand new equipment and a fully resourced technology area. The school is set to open to the primary phase in 2025 and the secondary and sixth form phase in 2026.
● Helena Romanes has made excellent progress with the support of Saffron Academy Trust towards being judged by Ofsted as a Good school (Oct 2023). Working with the talented senior leadership team that is in place across all phases of the school, and drawing on the commitment from staff to provide the best possible outcomes for the pupils.
Arranging a visit to Helena Romanes School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email eball@hrs.education.
School location
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