Headteacher

Overview

The Headteacher will:

Support the School’s Governing Body to establish and sustain the school’s ethos and strategic direction and serve in the best interests of the pupils, staff and wider community through clear leadership and professional conduct to foster a positive culture
Fulfil the requirements and duties set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document relating to the Conditions of Employment of a Headteacher
Ensure the school effectively and efficiently operates within the required regulatory frameworks, meets all statutory duties and that staff understand their professional responsibilities and are held to account
Have ambitious expectations for all pupils with SEN and disabilities and make sure the school works effectively with parents, carers and professionals to identify additional needs and provide support and adaptation where appropriate
Ensure the school fulfils statutory duties regarding the SEND Code of Practice
Have experience of managing a Specialist Secondary school setting with Exam accreditations
Keep up to date with developments in education and seek training and continuing professional development to meet the needs of all staff members
Develop strategies for school improvement that are realistic, timely, suited to the school’s context and are effectively implemented, monitored and measured
Promote and safeguard the welfare of all children and young people and the wellbeing of staff within the school
Establish and sustain high expectations of behaviour for all pupils, built upon relationships, rules and routines which are understood clearly and consistently applied by staff and pupils
Establish curriculum leadership, high quality teaching with formative assessment and use valid, reliable and proportionate approaches to assessing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum
Ensure rigorous approaches to managing Health and Safety, Compliance, Risk, Financial management and robust Governance

Embody the school values that aim to prepare pupils for Positive Futures

Personal attributes

Person Specification:

Please note, sources of evidence for fulfilled criteria: Application form = A; Interview = I, Reference = R
Qualifications, Training and Experience	Essential or Desirable	Evidence
Qualified Teacher Status	E	A, I
Degree	E	A, I
NPQH	D	A, I
SEND / SEMH Qualification	D	A, I
Successful school leadership, management and staff development experience with the ability to inspire others	E	A, I
A commitment to getting the best outcomes for all pupils and promoting the ethos and values of the school	E	A, I
An experienced Teacher of SEND / SEMH pupils with the ability to model high-quality teaching for others to ensure consistency throughout school	E	A, I
Understanding of current educational provision, wider school strategies and systems	E	A, I
Ability to set and articulate a clear vision within the desired strategic direction of the Governing Body	E	A, I
Successful management of an SEMH provision and applying the SEND Code of Practice	E	A, I
Experience of managing a Secondary school in accordance with examination accreditation protocols	E	A/ I
Experience of school self-evaluation, development planning and improvement monitoring	E	A/I
Ability to manage competing priorities, delegate appropriately and remain calm under pressure	E	A, I
Pupils, Staff and School Community	Essential or Desirable	Evidence
Commitment to safeguarding and equality, ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways that exploit the position	E	A, I
Ambitious standards and high expectations for pupils and staff	E	A, I
Excellent understanding of high-quality teaching of SEMH pupils	E	A, I
Effectively manage behaviour in school, consistently and proactively	E	A, I
Identify and develop talent and effectively succession plan	D	A, I
Foster an inclusive, supportive culture within school and the wider community	E	A, I
Ensure the safety of pupils and staff at all times	E	A, I
Experience of conducting robust performance management and ability to challenge under-performance and promote excellence	E	A, I
Train and empower staff to distribute leadership and manage specialisms throughout the school whilst retaining accountability	E	A, I
Collaborate and communicate effectively with Pupils, Staff, Parents & Carers, Governors, Local Authority, External Agencies, relevant Professionals and other Educational settings to develop strong working relationships, networks and strategic partnerships	E	A, I
Systems and Processes	Essential or Desirable	Evidence
Adherence to Legislative requirements policies and protocols relating to Governance, Risk, Financial management and Compliance	E	A, I
Experience of effective budget management to ensure value for money and appropriate use of public funds in the best interests of pupils	E	A, I
Experience of utilising school-based MIS and applications	E	A, I
Utilisation of data to drive performance improvements and outcomes for pupils and staff	E	A, I
Commitment to uphold the 7 principles of public life at all times	E	A, I
Employment Checks
The following employment checks are required prior to firm offer: Identity Check Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 Children’s Barred List Section 128 Check Prohibition from Teaching Check Enhanced DBS Check (with Barred List) Evidence of entitlement to work in the UK Childcare Disqualification Declaration (where applicable) Evidence of Essential Qualifications Two satisfactory professional references (including current or most recent employer) Employment History Social Media screening Confirmation of medical fitness/ clearance for employment Professional Registration with appropriate bodies (where applicable) Lived or worked abroad declaration (where applicable)

Salary & Benefits

School Group: 5

Age Range: 9 -16 years

Number on Roll: 106

Indicative Pay Range:

L18 – L31

£78,702 - £107,131

Location

High Well School
Rookhill Road
Pontefract
West Yorkshire
WF8 2DD

Supporting documents

Deadline and how to apply

If, after reading this Headteacher Recruitment pack you feel you would like to arrange a tour of the school, or a confidential conversation about the role please contact Sandra Beedle, School Business Manager sandrabeedle@highwell.org.uk or Tel: 01924 571200. School Tours will take place on Monday 2 March 2026 and Friday 6 March 2026. Alternatively if you have the necessary skills, qualifications and experience to undertake the role we would be delighted to receive your completed application form which should be submitted to recruitment@highwell.org.uk no later than 13 March 2026 at 16:00

Application forms are available to download from the High well School website:

High Well School - Vacancies

or via Wakefield Council jobs portal: Search for Jobs

Equal opportunities

Wakefield Metropolitan District Council is committed to promoting equality, inclusiveness and social justice for all its citizens and staff. We will work positively to achieve this by challenging all forms of discrimination, exclusion and injustice. The Council values the rich social and cultural diversity of the district's communities. We will make sure that our workforce and our services reflect that diversity and community needs.

To assist Wakefield Metropolitan District Council to monitor and evaluate its effectiveness in relation to equal opportunities, and for no other reason, applicants are requested to complete and return the Recruitment Monitoring Form. The details supplied are held in confidence and are not used in anyway in the recruitment and selection process.

As a Disability Confident Symbol User Wakefield Metropolitan District Council is committed to interviewing all disabled applicants who meet the minimum (essential) criteria.

Job reference: HR HT FEB2026