Headteacher

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Supporting documents

Employer

Location

Head Teacher

Contract: Full-Time

Salary: Competitive and dependent on experience

Start Date: ASAP or September 2026

Apply by: 13th March 2026 @ 11:59PM

Are you a sensitive, committed and dedicated educational leader? Do you have a passion for supporting students with special educational needs (SEN)? Could you fit in with our ethos of ‘nurture’, ‘respect’ and ‘belonging’? We are seeking an exceptional Head Teacher to lead our nurturing and inclusive school community.

About the School

We believe Lake Haven is a ‘Special Place to Learn’, nestled within 83 acres of beautiful Warwickshire countryside. We are an Independent Specialist School who offers a capacity of up to 40 pupils within a safe and supportive environment for pupils with an Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) from 7 to 16 years old with a range of communication and interaction needs. We believe in nurturing a positive and supportive environment where every child feels valued, respected, and most importantly, they feel that they can belong. Our commitment to a holistic approach ensures that academic progress is complemented and achieved by emotional well-being first and foremost alongside personal growth.

Our School is currently graded as ‘Good’ overall by OFSTED with three of the four areas within the old OFSTED inspection framework, as ‘Outstanding’ which we are incredibly proud of this achievement. Our school strives on high standards and we only wish for these high standards to continue.

Lake Haven School offers places for autistic learners who have very often experienced Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) and high levels of anxiety due to unmet needs within a school environment. The children are placed and funded by the Local Authority. Lake Haven is a quiet and calm environment for our children to be able to fall back in love with learning in a school that feels safe, welcoming and relaxed. We have plenty of animals, forest areas and a brilliant sensory room to support learner regulation and to bring our learning or movement to an outside space when needed. Our children are academically able with no overt SEMH needs. They are a brilliant group of children that on the whole enjoy school and want to learn.

The team is well established and all are fabulous ambassadors for Lake Haven School and in particular for our children in supporting their SEND requirements including meeting the children’s individual Section F of their EHCP. You have a dedicated pastoral team who are highly skilled in supporting the children with their emotional literacy and in turn support our families. All classrooms have a fully qualified teacher who each leads core subjects with additional adult support who all bring their own expertise to their teaching spaces. A SENCO who is the most organised and methodical person we know! Alongside the exceptional team, you will have two very passionate proprietors who set up Lake Haven School in a battle to secure suitable education for children that didn’t quite fit the mold! Both Alex and Lindsay are completely dedicated to the school, team, children and families and this will be extended to you. Being a Headteacher can be a lonely place, but at Lake Haven, we are a team and this will always remain the case.

About you

This position is for a very special someone who has a passion for education but understands that the mainstream school model does not work for all children. This special person needs to love our children, families and all the wonderful staff within the school and want to create the best school environment for our young learners. As the Head Teacher, you will be a forward-thinking leader, who will play a pivotal role in continuing to build Lake Haven School. You will be supported by an amazing team of people who hold our school in very high regard. You will need to be calm, supportive and have an understanding of how best to approach learning for children with SEND. You will be able to think outside the box and have the ability to go against the grain when it comes to our children and how they learn best. The most important factor for leading our school is you need to be focussed, professional, understand the curriculum, love animals, be prepared to get muddy and cold but most importantly, you are kind, gentle and nurturing.

Key Responsibilities

Educational Leadership: Continue to lead and develop our brilliant team of teachers and staff by driving the curriculum to meet the aspirational levels desired by our teachers, children and their parents. Be able to steer the secondary curriculum of the school which children will be able to access and be successful to enable great placements for their Post 16 options. Be able to lead the school to consistently meet the requirements of the Independent School Standards and the Education Inspection Framework.

Safeguarding; Acting as the Designated Safeguarding lead and collaborating with safeguarding partners, manage and report all concerns appropriately and put in place policies and procedures to develop a robust safeguarding culture in the school. We work across six different Local Authorities and each have their own guidelines and procedures.

Curriculum Enhancement: Adapt and tailor the curriculum to meet the diverse needs of our students in particular the secondary curriculum, ensuring a stimulating and engaging learning journey preparing pupils for their next steps. Good working knowledge of the exam process and other non mainstream qualifications for example, ASDANS or BTECs would be beneficial.

Pastoral Care and SEN Advocacy: Champion a nurturing pastoral approach, emphasizing and prioritising emotional well-being, mental health, and social development. Advocate for the rights and needs of our SEN students, aligned with EHCP objectives, within the wider educational community.

Staff Development: Support and mentor staff, promoting continuous professional growth and fostering a collaborative team spirit.

Community Engagement: Build strong relationships with parents, carers, and external partners to create a cohesive support network, ensuring the growth and development of the school.

Qualifications and Experience:

* Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with Primary/Secondary (preferred) teaching experience.

* Experience working with SEN students and a deep understanding of their unique requirements including the understanding of an EHCP.

* Proven leadership skills, including the ability to inspire and motivate others. Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply today.

Join us on this exciting journey to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children.

Please visit our Facebook page- 'Lake Haven School' to see what our learning week looks like

Lake Haven School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.