Deputy Headteacher - Specialist SEND School | North London

North London
Full-time | Permanent
Competitive salary, dependent on experience
QTS essential

I am recruiting a Deputy Headteacher for a small specialist SEMH school in North London.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who is confident taking real operational responsibility across a school day, while also maintaining a strong focus on safeguarding, teaching quality, SEND provision and staff development.

The successful Deputy Headteacher will work closely with the Headteacher and act as the most senior operational leader in their absence. This is a predominantly non-class-based position, although occasional teaching, intervention or cover may be required.

The role

The Deputy Headteacher will provide visible, calm and decisive leadership across the school.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Deputising for the Headteacher when required

• Leading daily staff briefings and overseeing school routines

• Coordinating timetabling, staffing, interventions, cover and deployment

• Line managing designated middle leaders

• Chairing leadership meetings and ensuring actions are followed through

• Working closely with business, curriculum, pastoral and SEND colleagues

• Supporting whole-school improvement priorities

• Maintaining high professional standards across the school

The role carries significant responsibility for making sure the school runs effectively day to day while also supporting longer-term development.

Safeguarding and pastoral leadership

A major part of this role is safeguarding.

The successful candidate will act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, overseeing safeguarding concerns, referrals, records, staff training, quality assurance and multi-agency working.

You will also provide senior oversight of:

• Behaviour and emotional regulation

• Pastoral care and pupil welfare

• Attendance and persistent absence

• Reintegration and emotionally based school avoidance

• Online safety and emerging digital risks

• Complex parent concerns and escalations

This requires someone with excellent professional judgement who can remain calm and clear when managing sensitive or complex situations.

Education, SEND and quality of provision

The Deputy Headteacher will also have senior oversight of teaching quality, curriculum, assessment and pupil progress.

You will work closely with SEND and therapy colleagues to ensure pupils receive appropriate support and that EHCP provision, adaptive teaching and reasonable adjustments are embedded effectively.

Responsibilities will also include oversight of pupil transitions, preparation for adulthood, careers, educational visits and wider pupil pathways.

Leadership and staff development

This role requires someone who can lead adults as effectively as they lead pupils.

You will:

• Develop and support middle leaders

• Provide coaching, supervision and appropriate challenge

• Contribute to appraisal and performance management

• Support staff induction and professional development

• Help implement school improvement priorities

• Model high standards of professionalism and inclusive leadership

• Work effectively with families and external professionals

The school is looking for someone visible, organised and approachable who can create clarity and consistency for staff.

What we are looking for

Essential:

• Qualified Teacher Status

• Substantial successful school leadership experience

• Staff management experience

• Strong safeguarding judgement

• Willingness to undertake and maintain appropriate DSL training

• Good understanding of SEND and therapeutic practice

• Understanding of curriculum and quality assurance

• Excellent organisation, communication and decision-making skills

Desirable:

• Previous DSL or DDSL experience

• Leadership experience within specialist SEND or SEN provision

• SENCO experience

• Experience overseeing attendance

• Experience with post-16 pathways

• Whole-school timetabling experience

• Experience overseeing educational visits

These requirements are taken directly from the school’s person specification.

Why consider this role?

This is a strong opportunity for an experienced senior leader who wants a role with genuine influence across the whole school.

Rather than being limited to one area of leadership, you will have involvement across operations, safeguarding, SEND, curriculum, staff development, pastoral care and school improvement.

It could particularly suit an experienced Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, SENCO or senior leader who is ready to take broader whole-school responsibility within a specialist SEND environment.

Parker Smith Inclusion

Parker Smith Inclusion specialises exclusively in SEND recruitment.

We take the time to understand both the setting and the candidate, providing honest information about the role before interview and transparent support throughout the recruitment process.

If you are an experienced school leader with QTS and a strong background in safeguarding, SEND and staff leadership, I would be very interested in speaking with you.

Safeguarding: The successful candidate will be subject to appropriate safer recruitment checks, including satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and barred list checks where applicable.

Please contact Zack on 02030114848 or email zack@psinclusion.co.uk