About the job

Key information

• Full time, permanent
• Leadership L36 – L40 (£117,601- £129,673) starting salary dependent on skills and experience
• From: September 2025, or sooner if available
• Closing date: 15th January 2025
  Interviews: 23rd and 24th January 2025

The Blackdown Education Partnership is seeking a highly experienced and inspirational individual to join our team in leading our secondary school improvement strategy and delivering impactful school improvement across our schools.

What will I be doing?

In this pivotal role, you will lead our secondary school improvement strategy, reporting to and working closely with our central school improvement team and reporting directly into our Deputy CEO who is the Executive Lead for the Secondary Phase. Although the post is based at our Trust Headquarters, you will spend considerable time working directly in each of our secondary schools, providing support and challenge and driving our strategic objectives.
A central responsibility will therefore be balancing both support and accountability to foster an environment where our leaders feel both empowered and responsible for driving improvements. We seek someone who can skillfully navigate this dynamic, fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and high expectation.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

We are particularly interested in candidates who bring substantial experience in school leadership and improvement, ideally having had significant impact in one or more secondary schools and/or with Ofsted. The successful applicant will not only have a proven track record of raising student outcomes but will also understand how to create and nurture an environment where sustainable improvements flourish.

We are looking for an individual who:
• Possesses substantial experience in school improvement, either as a Headteacher, System Leader, School Improvement Partner and/or through roles with Ofsted
• Has a proven track record of raising standards in secondary education
• Demonstrates the ability to build strong cultures of continuous and sustainable improvement
• Can effectively evaluate school performance across a range of metrics and leverage extensive knowledge to close gaps and uplift outcomes for vulnerable students
• Can inspire and lead complex changes across schools, fostering collaboration and high expectations
• Can build trust with Headteachers and school leaders and deliver challenge clearly, ethically and with regard to the wellbeing of colleagues.

What is in it for me?

You will be joining an ambitious, committed and hardworking team of staff who offer amazing support to schools and to each other and who are relentless in their drive to make a genuine difference to and lasting impact on our young people, families and the wider community.

We take staff wellbeing seriously and take active steps to reduce workload. We have a wellbeing offer which ranges from gym membership and support with personal fitness to talking therapies and subscribe to Carefirst. We also allow employees personal days to enable everyone to enjoy some flexibility over attendance and participation in events that they might not otherwise be able to.

We are always willing to consider flexible working requests and job-shares and pride ourselves on a family friendly approach across our schools. The best resource we can provide for pupils is highly skilled, happy and fulfilled staff.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US:

• Eligibility to join excellent pension scheme
• Option to make additional voluntary contributions to pension for local government pension scheme members which can help boost retirement benefits
• Access to a range of continuous professional development opportunities
• Trust wide charity events designed to encourage our people to participate in meaningful activities
• Access to wellbeing provision which offers information and advice on a range of workplace and personal issues
• Flexible working opportunities
• Enhanced special leave provision, including additional time off as part of our ‘Personal Day’ entitlement which supports employees to achieve a better work/life balance
• Free car parking
• On site catering facilities, all of which provide healthy and nutritious meals at a low cost
• Gym membership. Many of our schools have on-site gyms, the use of which is available to employees at a discounted rate
• Cycle to work scheme which enables employees to purchase a bike and accessories for their commute to work
• Free tea and coffee.

DBS check

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure Certificate.

Supporting documents and information

If you are keen to find out more about the role, our CEO will be holding a series of information sessions over Teams where she will outline the key requirements of the post and be available to answer any questions. You can book into one of these slots by contacting Paula Gibson: gibsonp@bep.ac

Times available are;
• 18th December – 9.30 – 10.30am
• 18th December – 4.00 – 5.00pm
• 8th January – 9.30 – 10.30am
• 8th January – 4.00 – 5.00pm

CVs are not accepted, please complete the application form in full. If you can meet the requirements of this role, we would love to hear from you. All applications should be made by completing the online application form via E-teach available at www.bep.ac/vacancies and include evidence of how you meet the person specification for the role. For full details of the role, please see the job description and person specification.

Director of Secondary Education Recruitment Pack compressed 4

Apply on the The Blackdown Education Partnership website

Apply now