Header

Mobile Navigation

Hero

Executive Headteacher opportunity at
Thriftwood
Academy

Welcome

Welcome from CEO

Thank you for considering applying for the role of Executive Headteacher of Thriftwood School & College – referred to as ‘Thriftwood Academy’ throughout this document. You will find details in this pack which will give you information about the Academy and which, I hope, will give you a sense of the exciting opportunities becoming Executive Headteacher will include.

SEAX is a Trust which has been through a period of change, as the result of changes in leadership and has developed a new and clear vision for the future. Our Trust vision can be summed up in our overarching statement:

We are a Trust:

which puts no limits on what we believe young people can achieve; creating opportunities and meeting individual needs so that our young people can live rich and fulfilled lives
which has the courage and drive to challenge and champion change to enable equal opportunity and equity for all
which influences, respects, listens and acts and which, in turn, is known as a voice to listen to, act upon and respect.

The Trustees and executive team, along with the Headteachers, have worked together to develop this vision and the six key drivers which we use to ensure that all our decisions are based on strong principles. Our six drivers are:

Ensuring an excellent education with a focus on meeting individual needs and where no limits are placed on achievement
Young people are prepared for the future; for meaningful and suitable employment, self- advocacy and independent living
Governance supports our academies and challenges them to better meet the needs of our children and young people
Leadership and professionalism at all levels drives continuous improvement
Collaboration and sharing are central to our belief that we all learn from each other
Financial decisions are always made with our children and young people at the centre of our thinking, which results in efficiencies of spend and value for money

We want school leaders who can share and embody this vision and our values in all of their work.

We see the Headteachers as the senior team for developing the educational vision with us and, as Executive Headteacher of Thriftwood Academy, you would have the opportunity to not only take it to a new level of excellence but also be an important influence on the direction of the Trust as we move forward.

We would expect the new leader of Thriftwood Academy to be able to review the work of the academy and develop a plan for improvement and development. In addition, we would expect them to work collaboratively with the Trust’s executive team and our other Headteachers, to ensure the best outcomes for our young people. We believe that the most important role of the Executive Headteacher is to review, develop and improve the experience our young people have in our academies. Our executive team will work with you to ensure that you can make this your priority whilst offering support and guidance around finance, IT, estates and HR issues. We want your great ideas, we want to add your experience to the experience of our other key staff and we will give you every opportunity to influence our future by giving you the time to think and work collaboratively within the Trust and beyond.

If you are interested in having a significant influence on an academy with enormous potential and in being part of a Multi Academy Trust which has the ambition, skills and infrastructure to ensure that every young person who is part of our family of schools has the best opportunities to succeed in life, then we would be extremely pleased to welcome you.

If you believe you are that person please get in touch with Martin Blair at Hays Leadership on 07736791138 or at martin.blair@hays.com for a private and confidential discussion about the role, to arrange to visit or have a conversation with me, or discuss making an application.

About us

Thriftwood Academy is an outstanding, inclusive and forward-thinking specialist academy for young people aged 5-19. The academy is on 2 sites in Chelmsford with the school, KS2 and 3, and college, KS4 and 5, 10 minutes apart. The academy caters for young people with a wide range of Special Educational Needs, including moderate learning difficulties, autistic spectrum condition, and additional complex needs. All have an EHCP. Student numbers have grown steadily in recent years and there are now 254 on roll across both sites. That is projected to continue with the total number on roll expected to increase to over 300 in the next few years.

Thriftwood has been graded by Ofsted as being ‘Outstanding’ for a number of years. This sustained success has been achieved by a committed team of staff working together to provide the best possible education for each individual student. The ethos is built on positive relationships, good communication, recognising and celebrating achievement and mutual support.

There is a shared vision to create a culture of:

Achievement and recognition
Participation and responsibility
Tolerance and respect

The Future

Thriftwood Academy is at the start of the next stage of its development. The need for places in the special schools in Essex is significant and there are pressures on the system to meet the needs of an ever more complex cohort. The Trust sees Thriftwood Academy leading the way in developing a wider offer to include more young people with a wider range of needs into its schools. This needs to be done with a clear plan to provide appropriate accommodation and to train and develop staff to meet these needs. The new leader of Thriftwood will work closely with the Trust CEO and Essex Local Authority to develop a plan for this new aspect of our work. Alongside this will be further strategic work at the academy to ensure there is a coherent offering and curriculum across both sites. This will ensure there is a seamless transition for young people and staff can work collaboratively to share best practice at all levels.

There is a strategic intent from the Trust to invest in ensuring that preparation for adulthood, work related learning and vocational opportunities are central to its development. There is a commitment to Thriftwood being at the core of these new developments. This aspect will be done with other academies in the Trust, as well as other schools in Essex, who the academy will collaborate with as this work develops.

Vacancy details

Role: