Head of School
Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School), Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 1HA19 days remaining to apply
Start date details
August or January
Closing date
12 May 2026 at 3pm
Date listed
23 April 2026
Job details
Job role
- Assistant headteacher
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: 32.5 hours per week 52 weeks per year
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- Leadership Scale L17- L21 (£76,772 - £84,699 per annum)
What skills and experience we're looking for
We welcome applications from experienced senior leaders from both mainstream and specialist settings. You will be:
- An experienced and inspirational leader with a passion for SEND.
- Highly effective in overseeing the operational day‑to‑day running of a busy school, including the management of staffing, cover, HR processes, attendance systems and daily routines.
- Confident in coordinating practice across multiple sites and ensuring smooth, well‑organised operations.
- Values‑driven, emotionally intelligent and motivated by moral purpose.
- Ready to embrace innovation and lead Birch Wood Vale, Ashton House and Birch Wood College into the future.
What the school offers its staff
Professional Growth & Support
- Ongoing professional development opportunities.
- Access to learning networks and visits to other organisations.
- Supportive leadership and a highly committed team.
- Highly committed and motivated Team.
- A role which has the opportunity to make a real difference whilst having fun.
- A established Central Services Team who support schools and wider colleagues.
Work-Life & Wellbeing Benefits
- Flexible working options.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
- Defined benefit pension scheme.
- Be an integral member of the team in a vibrant school.
- Create an outstanding learning environment for the success of all of our children.
- Play a significant part in continuing to develop our school.
- Be part of a wider community of Discovery Schools Trust.
- Free childcare.
Additional Perks
- Free parking.
- Cycle-to-work scheme.
- Gym discounts.
- Eyecare vouchers.
- Dental support.
- Retail discounts.
- Annual incremental pay increases within the pay scale.
Further information about the job
You will:
Lead with Purpose
- Provide strong, visible leadership across all three sites.
- Coordinate daily operations, staffing and routines, ensuring smooth and consistent practice.
Drive Excellent Teaching & Learning
- Support a curriculum that enables pupils to achieve GCSEs, Entry Levels and meaningful qualifications.
- Ensure statutory responsibilities, assessment cycles and reporting are all delivered to high standards.
Champion Behaviour, Wellbeing & Safeguarding
- Lead behaviour culture using evidence-informed systems.
- Promote wellbeing for pupils and staff, working closely with families and agencies.
- Serve as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL).
Enhance Operations & School Life
- Ensure each site is safe, compliant and well‑managed.
- Oversee enrichment, events, transitions and wider opportunities for learners aged 11–19.
Strengthen Community & Partnerships
- Lead parental engagement and communication across sites
- Oversee admissions and transitions
- Represent Birch Wood within the community, the Trust and with external partners.
Monitor, Evaluate & Improve
- Track progress, attendance and behaviour for all learners across sites.
- Use feedback from pupils, staff and families to inform continuous improvement.
- Contribute to school development planning and long‑term strategy.
Commitment to safeguarding
Birch Wood School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and subject to a check being carried out at an Enhanced level by the Disclosure and Barring Service regarding any previous criminal record.
Applying for the job
Please complete the online application.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Apply for this jobAdditional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School)
- School type
- Special school, ages 4 to 19
- School size
- 245 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School) website
- Email address
- leesa@birchwoodschool.co.uk
- Phone number
- 01664 483340
Birch Wood Area Special School consists of two successful and vibrant special schools- Birch Wood Grange Drive (age 4-19 years) and Birch Wood Vale (age 11-19 years) which includes Ashton House a secondary specialist autism provision and our newly formed Birch Wood College Post 16.
Across all our sites our ENABLES ethos underpins our teaching and learning to help develop confident and happy young adults ready for their next steps in learning and life.
E Empowering students for independent lives
N Nurture
A Aspire and Achieve
B Belonging
L Love of learning grows
E Engage and interact
S Safe and happy
All students who attend the school have a Statement of Special Educational Need. In order to address the pupils special educational needs. We provide a broad and balanced curriculum which is based on the National Curriculum and equals schemes of work.
We are an outward looking maintained school, committed to our community in Melton Mowbray and the surrounding areas in Leicestershire. Birch Wood provides a highly specialised and completely unique learning environment, which aims to meet our pupils at their point of need to enable their success. We share a culture which is ambitious without limits for our children and young people and aim to provide a high quality, relevant and balanced education that focuses on individual, personal and academic achievement.
At Birch Wood students are taught in smaller groups, with more than one member of staff in attendance so that we can nurture, challenge and inspire them through to success. We are a well-resourced school with many in house specialists including our own commissioned Speech and Language Therapist and Occupational Therapists. We also offer a range of other therapies and additional support services including Music Therapy, Rebound Therapy and School Councillor.
Grange Drive
At Grange Drive we offer a tailored curriculum that is designed to meet the individual needs of each pupil. We cater to students with a wide range of needs, including those with autism, ADHD, learning difficulties, and physical disabilities. More information can be found: https://birchwoodschool.co.uk/birch-wood
Birch Wood Vale
Birch Wood Vale caters for students aged 11-19 with learning and cognition needs including autism. We offer a mainstream style curriculum, which is broad and balanced providing students with the opportunity to take a range of qualifications including GCSEs. More information can be found:
https://birchwoodschool.co.uk/birch-wood-vale
Ashton House
Ashton House is integrated into Birch Wood Vale School, ensuring students have opportunities to develop positive relationships with peers and skilful staff alike, as well as benefit from a wide range of specialist facilities through the Birch Wood Schools. More information can be found:
https://birchwoodschool.co.uk/ashton-house
Working for Us
Our teaching and support staff community has an unwavering passion and determination to continuously improve our school to provide the best outcomes for every pupil. In essence we are a reflective learning community, with the highest standards for our pupil’s care and education. We take great pride in our school and our ability to work together with parents and professionals to provide students with opportunities to progress and achieve, both academically and socially.
Arranging a visit to Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School)
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email leesa@birchwoodschool.co.uk.
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