Deputy Headteacher
Castledon School, Wickford, Essex, SS12 0PW15 days remaining to apply
Job start date
13 April 2026
Closing date
28 January 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
13 January 2026
Job details
Job role
- Deputy headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 1, Key stage 2, Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Working pattern
- Full time: Full time 32.50 hours per week
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- Leadership L14-L18
What skills and experience we're looking for
Deputy Headteacher (Designated Safeguarding Leader) April 2026
Full time
Leadership pay scale 14-18
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”Mahatma Gandhi
Castledon School is a special school committed toUnlocking Potentialfor children and young people with additional needs. Guided by our values ofBelonging, Opportunity and Achievement, we are seeking an experienced leader to join the senior leadership team as Deputy Headteacher, with responsibility as the Designated Safeguarding Leader.
This is an exciting leadership opportunity for someone who believes that feeling safe, understood and valued is the foundation for learning.
The successful candidate will work collaboratively alongside the Headteacher and wider Senior team as part of a strong senior leadership team. They will play a central role in ensuring pupils are safeguarded and supported to thrive, contributing to both the strategic and operational leadership of the school.
Key areas of responsibility will be discussed at interview, and will include safeguarding, attendance, behaviour and safety, therapeutic provision, and support for Looked After and Previously Looked After Children.
Central to the role is the leadership of Castledon’s therapeutic, relational approach to behaviour, recognising the impact of trauma, attachment and additional needs. The Deputy Headteacher will champion positive relationships, emotional wellbeing and consistent practice, ensuring behaviour support is underpinned by care, understanding and high expectations.
As noted in the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection,“Staff support pupils’ behaviour exceptionally well… Pupils’ culture is incredibly positive and they treat each other with kindness and respect.”
The role requires a strong understanding of the complexities of a special school environment and a commitment to inclusive practice. Safeguarding, wellbeing and care will be embedded across all aspects of school life, enabling pupils to feel a sense of belonging, access meaningful opportunities and achieve their potential.
Job Description Core Purpose
The Deputy Headteacher shall play a major role under the overall direction of the headteacher in;
- Formulating the aims and objectives of the school;
- Establishing the policies through which they shall be achieved;
- Managing staff and resources to that end; and
- Monitoring progress towards their achievement;
The Deputy Headteacher shall undertake any professional duties of the headteacher reasonably delegated to him/her by the headteacher.
The Deputy Headteacher shall undertake the professional duties of the headteacher in the event of his/her absence from the school
Principle Accountabilities Management
Responsibilities will be discussed at interview and will be matched to your experience, strengths and development needs.
Safeguarding
Fulfil personal responsibilities, and support the headteacher in securing compliance by those working in school, for safeguarding as set out in the Children’s Act, Statutory Guidance and by the Local Children’s Safeguarding Board. These include:
- Operating a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, both in individual decisions and the development of services;
- Operating clear whistleblowing procedures,
- Sharing information, with other professionals
- Operating safe recruitment practices
- Ensuring appropriate supervision and support for staff, including undertaking Induction, safeguarding training and reviews of practice
- Operating and monitoring clear policies for dealing with allegations against people who work with children.
Specific Duties Teaching
- Plan and teach lessons to the classes they are assigned to teach within the context of the school’s plans, curriculum and schemes of work.
- Assess, monitor, record and report on the learning needs, progress and achievements of assigned pupils.
- Participate in arrangements for preparing pupils for external examinations.
- Whole school organisation, strategy and development
- Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of the school’s policies, practices and procedures in such a way as to support the school’s values and vision.
- Work with others on curriculum and/or pupil development to secure co-ordinated outcomes.
- Supervise and so far as practicable teach any pupils where the person timetabled to take the class is not available to do so.
Health, safety and discipline
- Promote the safety and well-being of pupils.
- Maintain good order and discipline among pupils.
Management of staff and resources
- Direct and supervise support staff assigned to them and, where appropriate, other teachers.
- Contribute to the recruitment, selection, appointment and professional development of other teachers and support staff.
- Deploy resources delegated to them.
Professional development
- Participate in arrangements for the appraisal and review of their own performance and, where appropriate, that of other teachers and support staff.
- Participate in arrangements for their own further training and professional development and, where appropriate, that of other teachers and support staff including induction.
Communication
- Communicate with pupils, parents and carers.
- Working with colleagues and other relevant professionals
- Collaborate and work with colleagues and other relevant professionals within and beyond the school.
The Governing Body is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
What the school offers its staff
VIVUP - EAP and discounts
Teachers Pensions
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
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Castledon School
- School type
- Academy, ages 5 to 19
- School size
- 238 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 5 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Castledon School website
- Email address
- jwinsor@castledon.org
- Phone number
- 01268 761252
Arranging a visit to Castledon School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email jwinsor@castledon.org.
School location
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