Head of Years 8 & 9 within a Special School
The Abbey School, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8DY19 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2025
Closing date
13 May 2025 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
23 April 2025
Job details
Job role
- Head of year or phase
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 1, Key stage 2, Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Working pattern
- Full time: Monday to Friday, term time
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- £33,074-£50,470 Corem1-Excelm3
Additional allowances
Plus TLR 2A (£3,391) plus SEN1 (£2,679)
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are an outstanding special secondary school for pupils with learning difficulties and are seeking an inspirational Head of Years 8 and 9 to join our highly motivated and dynamic staff team. The role is available following the promotion of the existing postholder to Assistant Headteacher. This position would be particularly suitable for an aspiring senior leader with a real interest in developing their pastoral expertise. It is also a fantastic opportunity for somebody who would like to learn more about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and a range of CPD opportunities will be provided to support this.
You will work extremely closely with our Pastoral Support Team that consists of our Inclusion Manager, Home School Link Worker, Student Welfare Coordinators, Pastoral Support Worker and is led by our Assistant Head Teacher (Pastoral). You will also work closely with the school safeguarding team, developing your knowledge of current safeguarding procedures and legislation and other Heads of Year. For candidates who are interested there will be the opportunity to undergo DSL training in the near future. You will demonstrate the ability to lead, manage and deliver outstanding lessons that are differentiated to meet the needs of pupils working below national standards. You will be creative, innovative and imaginative.
The successful candidate will have a strong academic background, be an excellent classroom practitioner who is capable of inspiring and motivating students and have experience of working with children with special educational needs (please note this does not need to be within a special school setting). We are keen to receive applications from mainstream colleagues too. We welcome applications from both primary and secondary qualified teachers. We have a great mixture of both within our school - something that greatly enhances our curriculum offer! The majority of our students are working at a KS1 and KS2 level with a small number studying GCSEs in English, Maths and Art. We would like to invite you to come and meet us and see our fantastic students and staff in action prior to placing your application.
What the school offers its staff
The Abbey can offer:
- Amazing students who want to learn
- An additional 2 days holiday each year with our wellness (long) weekend in November
- Westfield Health Cash Plan
https://www.westfieldhealth.com/individual/health-cash-plan
This includes reimbursement towards the cost of dental, opticians, physiotherapy and other medical appointments. Your dependants are included at no extra cost to you!
- External leadership/NPQ opportunities, including supporting masters’ applications and aspiring senior leader’s development programme
- Opportunities to collaborate across a range of mainstream and specialist provision schools within the Weydon MAT
- A well-equipped and modern English classroom
- Excellent IT facilities in a modern school fit for 21st century teaching
- A range of CPD opportunities to support professional development inside and outside the classroom
- A range of evidence-informed strategies to support teaching and learning inside the classroom
- On site car parking
- A consistent approach to behaviour which ensures learning is not disrupted.
- A welcoming and supportive staff community
Further details about the role
Main purpose
The role will be to oversee the pastoral care of students across Years 8 and 9. The Head of Years 8 and 9 will ensure that students in their year groups make excellent progress and that they are supported, encouraged and challenged both in and out of the classroom. They will assure that the daily, termly and yearly experience of their year groups are positive, that the students are motivated, attend school regularly and lessons on time, they are offered and take part in extra-curricular opportunities and their voice is heard.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Abbey is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff to share this commitment. Enhanced DBS, Children’s Barred List and Right to work in the UK checks are required for all posts. further details including relevant policies are available on the school website: https://www.abbey.surrey.sch.uk/1209/key-information/category/42/safeguarding-and-esafety
Applying for the job
Please download the application form using the link below, and once completed send to recruitment@abbey.surrey.sch.uk
CVs are not accepted.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About The Abbey School
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 16
- School size
- 145 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- The Abbey School website
- Email address
- recriuitment@abbey.surrey.sch.uk
- Phone number
- 01252 725059
Located in south Farnham, The Abbey is an outstanding secondary special school with just over 130 students who have learning and additional needs (LAN). About 40% of our students have autism or other social communication difficulties, a quarter have speech and language needs and others have physical challenges or complex health care needs. Expectations for student outcomes are high, but helping them overcome barriers to learning is an equally important part of our role.
The school has been part of the Weydon MAT since 2018. Over the next 2 years The Abbey will be undergoing significant investment as we expand from a 2 to 3 form entry school to support Surrey County Council’s SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2020 – 2025.
Our staff are our greatest asset and we are extremely proud of our whole school ethos.
Our 20 teachers and 35 associate staff are highly motivated, mutually supportive and come from all walks of life.
Arranging a visit to The Abbey School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email recriuitment@abbey.surrey.sch.uk.
School location
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