RAVENSCLIFFE
HIGH SCHOOL & SPORTS COLLEGE
HEADTEACHER VACANCY
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in the Headteacher position at Ravenscliffe High School. Ravenscliffe is Calderdale’s only secondary special school, with a generic designation to accommodate students with a wide variety of SEND. We are very proud to have been recognised as Outstanding by Ofsted over four successive inspections, most recently in October 2022. The school has grown significantly over the last 5 years and will continue to do so as local demand for secondary special places is exceptionally high. We currently have 251 students on roll across two school sites.
At the school’s core is a partnership between an experienced and committed SLT and a dedicated and diverse staff team, all with genuine expertise in the field of SEND and related fields. School colleagues are further supported by a knowledgeable and highly skilled governing body who work closely with the SLT to ensure resources and strategy are directed at achieving the best possible outcomes for students.
In the summer of 2024, our current Headteacher, Chris Lingard, will retire after a period of significant change under her leadership at the school. We are seeking a new Headteacher to build on her legacy.
We must continue to develop as a school; investing, innovating, and changing to further improve how we support our students. Yet we must also maintain the school’s ethos and values, which so many people hold dear and which help shape what is so good about Ravenscliffe. It is an important balance, which our new Headteacher must embrace. We are therefore looking for an exceptional leader to further enhance the learning, development and future prospects of our incredible cohort of young people.
Our students are at the heart of everything we do, and so we asked them what qualities they are looking for in their new Headteacher. The School Council would like us to find someone who is kind, not too strict, thoughtful, fun, and helpful. They would like the new Headteacher to be interested in them, care for them, and listen to them.
If you an exceptional and experienced school leader who is ready for a challenging but hugely rewarding new role, we would be delighted to hear from you. More information about the position is available in this pack and around the recruitment website.
Candidates should contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership on 07736791138 or at martin.blair@hays.com for a private and confidential discussion about the role or to arrange a visit to the school.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Jill Grant and Brendan Heneghan
CO-CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
Background Information
Ravenscliffe High School is Calderdale’s only maintained secondary special school, catering for the needs of over 250 students aged 11-19 years. All students have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) identified in an EHC plan. As a school for students with generic learning difficulties, our students have a range of additional needs including moderate, severe, profound, and complex learning difficulties. Students may also have autism, speech, language and communication needs, physical/medical difficulties, visual, hearing and multi-sensory impairments, and social, emotional and mental health needs.
The school has grown significantly in recent years from 134 students in 2014 to the current 252 on role. Student numbers are predicted to continue to increase in future years. This expansion in numbers resulted in Ravenscliffe becoming a two-site school in September 2018, and further building work being undertaken at the main site. Generally, two thirds of our students’ transition from one of the two specialist primary settings: Highbury at Rastrick and Woodbank at Luddendenfoot, and a third from local mainstream primary schools, who wish take advantage of our bespoke curriculum and individual educational programmes. Around 81% of our students have English as their first language (mainly white British), and 19% have English as an additional language and approximately 35% of students are eligible for Pupil Premium.
In order to most effectively meet the needs of our diverse cohort of students, the curriculum requires a high degree of personalisation, flexibility and creativity, alongside rigorous intentional planning, effective implementation and regular evaluation of impact.
Ravenscliffe has five generic student outcomes. These are:
- Be strong communicators;
- Achieve their potential;
- Be interdependent/independent;
- Be well-rounded individuals &
- Be prepared for the future
Curriculum
RHS organises and delivers the curriculum according to the type and extent of SEND. It now has 4 learning pathways ensuring exceptional curriculum delivery for all types of needs i.e.
- Sensory - ‘Learning to Learn curriculum’ for students operating within Engagement Steps (was P1 – P4) and require their needs to be direct met through multisensory experiences.
- Emergent* - ‘Engage and Explore curriculum’ for students operating within Early Years Foundation Stages (was LP4 – 6) who require a multisensory curriculum, including structured communication and social activities.
- Semi-Formal - ‘Initiate and Investigate curriculum’ for students operating around reception /Yr 1 ARE, (was L P6 – NC1) who require some support to communicate/ apply basic skills.
- Formal - ‘Thinking with structure curriculum’ for students operating around Yr 2- 4 ARE (was NC L1-2+) who have a higher level of structured thinking, can communicate with relative fluency and can apply skills and knowledge learned.
Teachers have a firm and common understanding of the intent of the school’s curriculum and what it means for their subject practice in each of the four learning pathways. Lessons are coherently planned and sequenced according to students’ learning needs and potential future destinations. This provides an appropriate balance of the knowledge, skills and cultural capital students need to prepare for adulthood. As such, students achieve their potential well.
The School Ethos
Ravenscliffe’s Vision and Values are summarised as follows:
What…Ravenscliffe is an inclusive community that respects others, champions individuality and celebrates all achievement.
How…Ravenscliffe provides an engaging, inspiring, and ambitious personalised curriculum. This is delivered within a safe, supportive and holistic learning environment.
So that …Ravenscliffe prides itself in raising aspirations and maximising potential. This enables all students to thrive and prepare for a happy, successful and bright future.
Our overall objective is: Together we…. nurture, believe, achieve, succeed.
You can find lots of additional information at https://ravenscliffe.calderdale.sch.uk/
Skircoat Green Site
Post Code: HX30RZ
Spring Hall Site
Post Code: HX30AQ
Core Purpose
The headteacher will:
- Establish and sustain the school’s ethos and strategic direction together with the governing board and through consultation with the school community
- Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies so the school can operate effectively
- Identify problems and barriers to school effectiveness, and develop strategies for school improvement that are realistic, timely and suited to the school’s context
- Make sure these school improvement strategies are effectively implemented
- Monitor progress towards achieving the school’s aims and objectives
- Allocate financial resources appropriately, efficiently and effectively
- Make a pro-active positive contribution to the Local Authority re SEND provision
Salary: L33 – L37. The starting salary will be negotiable dependent upon experience.
Timeline
Closing date – 8am on Mon 12th February
Interviews – Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd
Start date – September 2024
How To Apply
For further information, an informal and confidential discussion about the role, to arrange a visit to the school or to discuss the application process please contact Martin Blair at Hays Leadership Appointments.
Martin Blair
Hays Leadership Appointments
Tel: 07736791138
Email: martin.blair@hays.com
