Deputy Headteacher - Inclusion

Airedale Academy, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 3JU

25 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  Summer Term 2026, or negotiable depending on successful candidate.

• Closing date

  23 February 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  29 January 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 - £86,803.00 Annually (FTE) Full-Time, L18-L22

Deputy Headteacher - Inclusion job summary

We are seeking an outstanding Deputy Headteacher - Inclusion to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our Academy. Are you an ambitious, compassionate, and strategic leader with a relentless commitment to inclusion and excellence for every pupil?

We are looking for a leader who can champion high expectations, remove barriers to learning, and ensure that all pupils achieve exceptional outcomes academically, socially and personally.

About the Role

The Deputy Headteacher - Inclusion will provide strategic leadership of the Academy’s inclusion agenda, ensuring our provision is ambitious, evidence-informed and aligned with Ofsted and statutory requirements. You will lead the SEND and inclusion teams and model excellent practice in inclusive curriculum design, safeguarding and pupil support.

This is a key leadership position for a leader with a deep commitment to equity, exceptional professional standards, and the drive to deliver school improvement at scale. You will work closely with the Headteacher and Trust Executive Leaders to shape the Academy’s strategic direction and ensure the highest possible standards for every pupil.

We are looking for someone who can:

• Provide strategic leadership for inclusion across the Academy
• Oversee high‑quality SEND provision, ensuring compliance with statutory duties and the SEND Code of Practice
• Line manage the SENDCo and ensure robust oversight of the resourced provision
• Lead on inclusive curriculum design and evidence-informed approaches to removing barriers to learning
• Work with families and external agencies to secure the best outcomes for pupils
• Drive a culture of high expectations, ambition and equity for all
• Use data and research to evaluate the impact of inclusion strategies and interventions
• Support the Headteacher in whole‑school planning, SEF preparation and quality assurance
• Contribute to the Academy’s strategic improvement priorities
• Take a lead role in day-to-day Academy management, including behaviour, safeguarding and staff leadership

You will be:

• An experienced senior leader with a proven track record of improving outcomes for pupils with SEND and additional needs
• Knowledgeable in national inclusion policy, Ofsted requirements, safeguarding, and SEND legislation
• An excellent communicator who can build strong relationships with staff, governors, families and external partners
• A strategic thinker with the ability to inspire, challenge and empower colleagues
• A tenacious, values-led leader committed to excellence for all.

What can you expect from us?

As a valued leader within our Trust, you can expect:

• Unwavering support and a culture of collaboration: you will benefit from exceptional support from our executive leaders, leadership teams, and dedicated Trust specialists across key areas including curriculum development, safeguarding, inclusion, governance, HR, finance, estates, IT, and compliance. At Castleford Trust, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do - your success is our shared success.
• Wellbeing and Community: from Day 1 your wellbeing matters to us. You will have access to our Employee Assistance Programme for you and family members. Throughout our local community, you will be able to join local fitness and swimming facilities at a discounted rate, and each year be able to take advantage of our onsite health checks. We regularly review and update our services to meet the needs of colleagues at all stages in their life and careers.
• Working together to achieve excellence for all: all the academies within the Trust have a strong moral purpose and seek to have a positive impact on the communities that they serve and to support families to overcome any social disadvantage. We are deeply committed to our values of Care, Aspire and Succeed and have very high expectations and aspirations for pupils and colleagues alike.

Closing Date for Applications: Monday 23rd February 10:00am

Shortlisting and Interviews: Shortlisting will take place following the closing date, with a target to interview 26th and 27th of February 2026

References: References will be taken up shortly after shortlisting and prior to interview using the contact details you supply on your application.

Equal Opportunities: Castleford Trust is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnership. Castleford Trust welcomes applications from anyone who meets the criteria for the role.

Safeguarding and DBS Clearance: Castleford Trust are committed to promoting safeguarding and the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Therefore, all appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks and an enhanced DBS check.

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

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.

About Airedale Academy

• School type: Academy, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 1063 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Airedale Academy website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/airedale-academy

We’re situated in the former industrial heartland of Yorkshire, close to the junction of the M62 and A1 and its transport links. The Trust currently comprises four schools across the primary and secondary phases, with plans for future growth and the opportunities that brings.

Our ethos is children first and we’re here to transform the lives of children, helping them reach their full potential. Working in our schools can be challenging, but hugely rewarding in terms of the difference you can make to children’s futures.

Airedale Academy itself is a good school, with solid finances and rising pupil numbers over the next few years. Talk to our staff or pupils and you’ll find out how proud we are of our school, its supportive atmosphere and strong team ethos.

School location

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