Opportunity with us
Merstone and Forest Oak Schools

Dear applicant

I am delighted you are interested in becoming the Executive Head Teacher of Forest Oak and Merstone Special Schools. You will have the opportunity to lead our great schools, both operationally and strategically, as we continue our journey to transform the lives of our pupils and young people.

I am fiercely proud to be associated with these fantastic Schools. Our highly committed and skilled team of caring staff do all they can to support our pupils and help them to learn and to achieve their individual potential but what happens in these 2 ‘special Schools” goes way beyond that.

We are busy but friendly schools with lots going on but the pupils, their families and the whole school community are at the heart of everything we do. Pupil and Staff wellbeing is the golden thread that runs through our schools.

We are well respected within our local community and have great links with a variety of stake holders. We particularly value working closely with parents and carers because we know that when we work together, pupils always achieve more.

We are excited about the potential at our schools and are committed to their continued improvement. Joining Forest Oak and Merstone Schools is a great opportunity for the right person, and I am proud to be the Chair of Governors. For a confidential discussion, to discuss making an application or to arrange to visit our schools to see them for yourself, please contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership on 07736791138 or martin.blair@hays.com.

I wish you well and look forward to receiving your application.

Antoinette Fisher

Chair of Governors, Merstone and Forest Oak Schools

Forest Oak & Merstone are local authority maintained coeducational special schools situated in Smith’s Wood, Solihull.

Merstone School is an SLD school for pupils aged 2-19. There are currently 137 pupils on roll. Forest Oak School is an MLD school for pupils aged 4-18 and there are 181 pupils on roll. Over the past 7 years the numbers at each school have grown considerably, with Merstone increasing by 45% and Forest Oak by over 50%.

The schools are co-located in a building which was purpose built in 2006. Merstone also has a nursery provision, Pebbles Nursery, for 2-4 year olds and which has places for pupils with additional needs. In 2016 it relocated from the main site into a building 2 minutes’ walk from the main site.

Forest Oak School has a 6th form provision for students aged 16-18yrs. In 2019 it relocated from the main site into the local mainstream college, Solihull College Woodlands Campus, located less than a mile away.

The schools entered a Hard Federation agreement in February 2009. They are governed by a single Governing Body and have some shared staff including Headteacher, finance and site team. The schools have a number of specialist teaching spaces such as Life skills, Music, ICT , Food Technology, Art, Warm water pool and Sensory rooms, these areas are shared between the two schools.

Pupils mainly reside in the Chelmsley Wood/Smith’s Wood Ward and the fringes of Birmingham. Some pupils reside in the South of Solihull. The socio-economic indicators for Solihull as a borough are favourable when compared to national statistics whilst the same socio-economic indicators for the area surrounding the school in the North of Solihull are less favourable.

The schools have made significant investment in recent years to support the mental health and wellbeing of staff and pupils. Based around the NHS 5 areas for mental health & wellbeing, the SMILE Project was originally developed at Forest Oak and is now used across both schools. It has also been adopted by other schools further afield.

Executive Head Teacher

• To support the Local Governing Body in providing strategic leadership for both Forest Oak and Merstone schools and constantly striving for success and continuous improvement and ensuring high quality education for every pupil.
• With the Local Governing Body provide professional leadership which secures the success and improvement of the school.
• To ensure high quality education and care for the pupils so that they are safe and happy at school, enabled to be successful learners and thus achieving high standards.
• To drive forward and promote the shared vision and values of the schools and ensure that robust systems and structures are in place to enable all staff to meet the needs of every pupil.
• To relentlessly strive to raise standards.

Salary: L33 – L38, starting salary negotiable dependant on experience

Timeline

Closing date – 8am, Monday 21^st February

Interviews – 8^th and 9^th March

Start date – September 2022

How To Apply

For further information, an informal and confidential discussion about the role or to discuss the application process please contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership Appointments.

Martin Blair

Hays Leadership Appointments

M: 07736791138

E: martin.blair@hays.com

Key Documents

Job Description

Person Spec

SLT Overview