Head of School – SEMH (KS4)

Head of School - SEMH (KS4)
Full-Time, On-Site, Permanent
Location: South London
Salary: £70,000 per annum, plus equity eligibility

We are exclusively partnered with a sector-leading specialist in therapy and education
for children and young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences.
Since 2012, they have led the way in delivering therapeutic education. Their expert
team of teachers and therapists ‘work as one' with pupils aged 5 to 16 who benefit
from a therapeutic curriculum focused on meeting their social, emotional and mental
health (SEMH) needs.

They are now seeking a Head of School to lead and become part of a well-established,
growing group of independent schools. This is the most senior on-site role, with real
scope to reshape the curriculum, develop the team and prepare young people for life
after school.

The organisation has an exceptional track record. Recent Independent School
Inspectorate’s routine and material change inspections recognised a rare Significant
Strength across its schools. This is in addition to their previous outstanding Ofsted
reports which demonstrate the strength of their provision across all sites and the
success of their specialist therapeutic approach.


Key Highlights:

• Rare equity stake - highly unusual at this level
• Autonomy to lead
• Small school settings - meaningful impact on every pupil
• Strong wellbeing culture
• Exceptional staff retention (leaders with 10+ years’ service)
• Opportunity to join a growing organisation at the right time

​​​​​​​Thee organisation operates a relationships-first approach, moving away from traditional​​​​​​​ behaviour management and focusing on building consistent, positive relationships that enable pupils to thrive. It is a demanding position, but one where the impact is clear and the reward - both professionally and personally - is significant.


Key Responsibilities:

• Take operational responsibility for the site, with a visible, hands-on presence
• Lead and embed a relationships-first culture across the school, modelling professionalism and practice
• Take ownership of day-to-day leadership, operational management, and site performance, ensuring compliance with Independent School Standards (ISS)
• Lead the development of the Key Stage 4 curriculum, introducing more vocational options, strong careers education, work experience and post-16 preparation
• Act as Head of Centre for Year 10 and 11 qualifications
• Manage timetabling, teaching staff and support staff, and lead and develop a team
• Build strong relationships with families and local authorities
• Grow pupil numbers in line with agreed targets, working alongside the SLT
• Manage the site budget and drive improvement in teaching quality and pupil outcomes
• Maintain a calm, safe and organised environment, supporting pupils with the real-world challenges

About You:

• Qualified Teacher Status, with strong Key Stage 4 and exams/qualifications  experience
• Previous Head of Centre experience is not essential, but you must understand what the role involves
• Proven leadership experience, ideally in an SEMH, SEND or other challenging settings
• Resilient, solution-focused, and able to perform under pressure
• A natural relationship builder with pupils, families, staff and external professionals
• Motivated to be part of a growing organisation and contribute to its development
• A genuine commitment to safeguarding and to improving outcomes for young people

This is a rare opportunity to take on a meaningful leadership role, with the scope to
shape your school and contribute to a growing organisation that genuinely values both
its pupils and its staff.

Contact Detail:
To apply, or for more information and an informal confidential discussion please
contact Madeleine Crosley at 0161 507 5060 or [email protected]

Compass Associates Ltd is acting as a Recruitment Consultancy for this permanent
vacancy. We offer a £500 voucher for successful referrals following completion of
probation.