Headteacher Opportunity
at Hallmoor School
View detailsWelcome from Simon Dilkes, CEO Forward Education Trust
It’s my pleasure to welcome you to Forward Education Trust (FET) and thank you for your interest in working with us as Headteacher at Hallmoor School.
Our aim is to create a cohesive team of Trust Central staff and school staff, working together as a single organisation, fiercely loyal to each other. We are committed to developing local school identity and ethos, adopting strategies for school improvement that build on and enhance local reputation, raise standards and respond to the needs and aspirations of those we serve. We care about our staff, their learning, development and well-being and we respond to feedback from our employee surveys on a wide range of matters relating to communication, workload, personal & professional development and wider support to our staff.
Our Headteachers have a critical role in our organisation, they have empowerment and the flexibility make decisions and be creative, while being aligned to the ambitions we have for all our schools within our Trust.
Our schools clearly articulate our values and give unequivocal evidence that people can see them in the decisions we make and the things that we do. Mutual respect must pervade all our relationships and together our staff will learn, practice and collaborate – a sense of team will identify how we nurture our talent, for the benefit of our young people. At all times, our schools are a safe place for our children, because our staff will know that this is their top priority.
Anyone joining the Trust must share our values and live them in their daily lives. They are not just words - this is what we do. You will be supported to ensure that the well-being and education of our students is at the centre of everything we do. We will also value you, your professional and personal development, and your well-being.
I would welcome the opportunity to talk to you about being our next Headteacher at Hallmoor School.
Simon Dilkes
CEO, Forward Education Trust
About Hallmoor School
Hallmoor School is FET’s biggest school. It is an inclusive, forward-thinking and popular specialist school for pupils aged 5 to 19 years with a range of diagnosis including Learning Difficulties, Autism and Complex Needs. The number on roll has increased to almost 300 children in recent years with further growth expected.
We are considering some exciting possibilities for the future, which can only be delivered by an exceptional Headteacher. The school has been through significant change and improvement in recent years under the stewardship of incumbent Headteacher, Paul Donkersloot, culminating in it being graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted in December 2023. You can see the inspection report here.
Children at Hallmoor may transition through 4 distinct phases: primary (including early years), middle & upper schools and 6th Form. Some children spend their whole education at Hallmoor, whereas others may join at any point in their school life. The Senior Leadership Team, currently comprising Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and 2 Assistant Headteachers is supported by Phase Leaders. Hallmoor has a broad range of experience across teaching staff and teaching assistants, supported by a Pastoral Manager and Family Support Worker.
Hallmoor is a special place because it is an inclusive, multi-faith, multi-cultural community which celebrates the diversity of children, staff and the wider community. It has a strong emphasis on pupil voice and the understanding of democracy and British values.
Embedded in the culture of the school is an enjoyment of learning and discovery which is founded on respectful relationships.
The dedicated and settled staff team have a clear vision for the role of the school now and in the future. They are an optimistic team which embraces change and challenge in a positive way.
The school enjoys outstanding relationships with parents and is proving to be the first-choice school for many parents across the city. The attitude and behaviour of the pupils and the positive relationships between adults and pupils is a real strength which contributes to a calm and purposeful learning environment.
At Hallmoor School we aim to provide the confidence and competence to maximise the living of independent lives.
About the Trust
The Trust is an established and developing MAT of 7 special schools. The schools are located in Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell and cover the widest spectrum of Special Educational Needs students and work across all age ranges. It has a talented and committed staff group who strive to provide a safe and supportive environment to care for and educate the children.
The Trust believes that its staff and leaders are its most important asset and that valuing them and utilising their many talents will deliver the best experiences for pupils. You will join supportive and well-established collaborative networks, where colleagues support each other and we learn from each other. The Trust will have a real interest in your future and will be keen to explore ways that you can develop personally and professionally.
The Role of Headteacher
Our new headteacher will bring strong leadership skills coupled with a clear and transparent communication style. They will have a flexible and dynamic approach to leadership.
We’re looking for someone who is driven by the need to adapt and develop the organisation within the culture and values of our Trust, within the local context, who is able to see barriers as a challenge and problems as an opportunity.
A successful candidate will be somebody who can articulate and share a vision with the whole school community (children, parents, stakeholders) and who has the gravitas and confidence to lead with credibility into the next exciting stage of the school's development.
It goes without saying that you will be someone who is likely to have experience of leadership in a large and diverse educational setting. You will be used to working with local governance and may have experience of working within a multi-academy trust.
As Headteacher at Hallmoor your future aspirations will include to continue to develop innovative teaching and leadership strategies as well as to play a leading role in the city’s commitment to inclusive strategies for all pupils with SEND.
There are attractive possibilities to explore future developments around early years and post-16 provision and support services to mainstream schools.
Salary
L24-L30. Negotiable dependent on experience
Timeline
Closing date: Friday 20th September 2024 at 9am
Interviews: Thursday and Friday 26th/27th September 2024
Start date – January 2025
Visits and How to Apply
Contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership for a confidential discussion, to arrange a visit to the school or to discuss making an application. Visits to school are warmly encouraged, when you will meet the school team and have an informal discussion with our CEO.
Safeguarding
FET and Hallmoor School value equality and diversity and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment practises including satisfactory references and the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Martin Blair
Hays Leadership Appointments
Tel: 07736791138
Email: martin.blair@hays.com
