WELCOME FROM TRUSTEES

Dear Candidate

Thank you for your interest in the Headteacher position at Cumbria Academy for Autism (CAA). We would like to take this opportunity to tell you all little about our unique school and to highlight the significance of this important appointment. Cumbria Academy for Autism is a brand new, aspirational special free-school. It will serve the boroughs of Allerdale and Copeland in West Cumbria, providing a unique educational experience for 56 students between the ages of 4 to 19 years old.

We will deliver high quality education and intervention in a learning environment which will enable children to achieve their full potential in their future lives. We are passionate about improving the life chances of autistic children and young people in West Cumbria. We have now been given approval by the DfE, with local authority support, to open in September 2019 and hope to appoint a new Headteacher to take up post before then to lead the pre-opening phase.

Our immediate priority is to recruit for this key position of Headteacher. The Headteacher will be pivotal at the outset of our new school as the lead in recruiting an exemplary and highly energetic leadership group and staff team that will quickly establish CAA as a centre of excellence for autism learning. They will work closely with the Governors to recruit teaching, support staff and a team of therapists to support our pupils. Another exciting early challenge will be to liaise with the LA to deliver an admissions and transition programme for each new pupil in preparation for opening. Planning permission has recently received for our new purpose built school in Lillyhall and the Headteacher will shape it for readiness to open.

We are looking for a Headteacher who will have a positive contribution towards an open and trusting culture, who can bring a collaborative and ‘can do’ solution-focused attitude and who know that the only way to achieve excellence is to maintain and motivate high-performing teams across the school. The successful candidate will demonstrate their enthusiasm, drive and dedication to make CAA a school that can guarantee to maximise pupil progress and achievement through an outstanding learning experience.

We hope you will find the information on this site of interest and you can also learn more at www.cumbriaacademyforautism.org.uk. If you feel you can meet the needs of all our students without limitation, and are excited to support CAA on its journey, then we look forward to hearing from you.

Please contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership on 07736791138 or at martin.blair@hays.com for a private and confidential discussion about the role. We would also be delighted to discuss our plans further with you and that can be arranged by contacting Martin Blair.

We look forward to receiving your application.

On behalf of the Members and Governors, Cumbria Academy for Autism