16 days remaining to apply

  • Start date details

    September 2026

  • Closing date

    13 May 2026 at 11:59pm

  • Date listed

    27 April 2026

Job details

Job role

  • Deputy headteacher

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Working pattern

Full time

Contract type

Permanent

Full-time equivalent salary

£78,702.00 - £88,951.00 Annually (FTE) Medway L18 - L23

Deputy Headteacher job summary

Join Danecout School as a Deputy Headteacher! Lead with purpose. Shape the future. Transform lives through inclusive education.

Hours: 27 hours per week Contract: Permanent Term Time Only Role: 39 weeks per year Start Date: September 2026 Actual Salary: L18 - L23 About the Role

This is a rare and exciting opportunity for an experienced senior leader to join Danecourt School at a pivotal moment in its journey.

We are seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking Deputy Headteacher to join our senior leadership team and play a key role in shaping the future of our provision — including an ambitious expansion to extend our age range from 11 to 19, with a new secondary provision opening in 2028.

Danecourt is a large, well-established primary special school supporting almost 300 pupils with complex needs across three sites. We are committed to delivering high-quality, inclusive education through innovative, personalised approaches that meet a wide range of learning, communication and sensory needs.

This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role, where you will:

  • Support the Headteacher in driving school improvement, strategy, and governance

  • Lead the pastoral provision and whole-school wellbeing strategy, ensuring a coherent and high-quality approach across all phases

  • Contribute to curriculum development, assessment, and personalised learning across primary and the developing secondary provision

  • Provide operational leadership across multiple sites, ensuring consistency in standards, safeguarding, and behaviour

  • Lead, coach, and develop staff, modelling excellent practice and building leadership capacity

  • Play a key role in the planning and phased development of the new secondary provision

  • Build strong partnerships with families, therapists, and external agencies

You will be a visible, inspiring leader who champions inclusive practice and is committed to achieving the very best outcomes for children and young people with complex needs.

Who you Are
We are looking for an exceptional leader who:

  • Has proven senior leadership experience within special education

  • Has experience of leadership within a secondary setting

  • Has a strong understanding of curriculum design, assessment, and personalised approaches for pupils with complex needs

  • Can lead and inspire teams across multiple sites with clarity, empathy, and high expectations

  • Is committed to safeguarding, inclusion, and improving life chances for pupils

  • Has strong organisational and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to lead change and manage complex projects

  • Is resilient, reflective, and values-driven, with a passion for making a meaningful difference

What We Offer
Danecourt offers a welcoming, ambitious and inclusive environment where leaders are empowered to make a genuine difference. As part of the Maritime Academy Trust, we provide meaningful career opportunities, strong collaboration and the chance to shape exceptional provision for pupils with complex SEND.

Here’s what you can expect:

  • A supportive, experienced leadership team, working collaboratively across multiple sites and provisions

  • A unique opportunity to lead and shape a growing school

  • Meaningful impact at scale, where your leadership will directly influence outcomes, provision and life chances for children and young people with complex needs

  • Clear professional development pathways, with access to Trust-wide leadership networks and executive support

  • The opportunity to lead innovation in SEND education, contributing to curriculum development, pastoral provision and inclusive practice

  • Strong multi-disciplinary working, collaborating with therapists, families and external professionals to deliver holistic support

  • Access to specialist facilities and resources, including sensory environments, outdoor learning spaces and therapeutic provision

  • A culture of continuous improvement and professional learning, with high-quality CPD and leadership development opportunities

  • A strong sense of purpose, where your leadership will shape staff development, school culture and pupil outcomes

  • The opportunity to be part of a school recognised for excellence, including being winners of the Medway Parents and Carers Forum SEND Awards

Ready to Make a Difference?

We’d love to welcome you for a visit — come and see what makes Danecourt so special. Please contact the school office on 01634 232589 to arrange or call to speak to Lou Elliott about the role.

You’ll find more about the role, school, and Trust in the Candidate Information Pack attached. Apply now via My New Term — we may interview and appoint as applications are received, so don’t delay!

Danecourt School and the Maritime Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We embrace diversity and equal opportunity, striving to build a team that reflects a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The more inclusive we are, the stronger we become. All appointments are subject to an Enhanced DBS check and online checks in line with the latest safeguarding guidance.

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.

Commitment to safeguarding

Maritime Academy Trust is committed to recruiting with care and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS and pre-employment checks.

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.

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About Danecourt School

School type
Academy, ages 4 to 11
School size
257 pupils enrolled
Age range
4 to 11
Ofsted report
View Ofsted report
School website
Danecourt School website
See more jobs
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/danecourt-school

Danecourt is a special school catering for primary aged children who have special educational needs. The school caters for children with a wide breadth of need including complex learning difficulties, autism and social emotional mental health needs.

At Danecourt our mission is to provide all pupils with a “stimulating learning environment that allows children to explore through a personalised curriculum to become STARS!

Self reliant Team Player Aspirational Resilient Successful

The highly trained staff teams maintain high expectations of what each individual pupil is able to achieve, striving to ensure that they all achieve their maximum potential; celebrating difference and encouraging curiosity and creativity. Staff work collaboratively with families and a range of other agencies in order to meet the pupils needs and as a result, they make strong progress academically, emotionally and socially. Pupil achievement is hugely valued and celebrated in a manner that is meaningful and appropriate for each pupil.

School location

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