Key Role Information

Salary
£72162.00 - 79475.00
Job type
Full Time
Contract type
Permanent
Closing
02/06/2025 12:00
Interview
w/c 16 June 2025
Contract term
AYR - All year round
Pay grade
Leadership | L16 - L20
Department
Leadership (MAT)
Hours per week
32.44
Weeks per year
52.000
Visa sponsorship
No

Your Role

Start date: 1 September 2025  

Closing date: Noon, 2 June 2025

Interview Date: W/C 16 June 2025

Salary: L16 - L20 £72,162 - £79,475 


Thomas Bewick School, part of Prosper Learning Trust are seeking two passionate and dedicated leaders with a proven track record of success in a similar setting to join the team from 1st September 2025.


The successful candidates will:

  • Be dynamic and professional leaders
  • Have substantial experience in leadership within a similar setting
  • Be able to demonstrate experience and expertise in specific age phases in order to lead on the day-to-day operational management at specific school sites (Either Early Years through to Upper Key Stage 2 or Upper Key Stage 2 through to Post 16)
  • Demonstrate expertise in supporting pupils with SEND and Autism
  • Be strategic thinkers with the ability to inspire and motivate others
  • Share our commitment to providing a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where every pupil can thrive


Thomas Bewick School is a specialist school for up to 360 children with autism aged 3-19 based in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The school opened in September 1999 and joined Prosper Learning Trust in April 2019 with the aim of becoming a recognised centre of excellence both locally and nationally. The school is based over three sites, two in West Denton and one at Broadwood Primary School in Denton Burn. The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum with personalised pathways and specialised teaching inspiring pupils to learning success, supported by high quality pastoral care. The school’s main priority is to address the autism-specific barriers to learning so that pupils are able to take advantage of multiple learning opportunities.


As Deputy Headteacher at Thomas Bewick School, you will:

  • Work closely with the Headteacher to lead on curriculum development, quality of education and leadership while ensuring the school meets its ambitious goals for pupil achievement and well-being
  • Be able to motivate staff
  • Set high expectations and promote achievement
  • Facilitate rigorous and continuous self-evaluation
  • Be skilled in working collaboratively with stakeholders and partner organisations to maximise the educational opportunities for children and young people with autism


This is an exciting opportunity. Thomas Bewick School is a well-established and highly regarded provision and plays a leading role in the SEND service for Newcastle and neighbouring communities. It has grown rapidly in recent years to help meet the escalating demand for specialist autism places. You can be at the heart of its continuing development, supporting the headteacher to lead the school through the next exciting phase in its journey to excellence. You will be involved in strategic leadership and lead the day-to-day operational management at one of the school sites. The aim will be to ensure that every pupil has an outstanding educational experience with individual pupil progress and care at the core of the offer.


We can offer:

  • An exciting and diverse learning environment where hard work and achievement are appreciated, acknowledged and celebrated
  • A curriculum that is relevant to the needs of our pupils
  • A well-resourced learning environment
  • Further professional development appropriate to the role


The Trust currently has 5 schools in the region: 

  • Newcastle Bridges School – Alternative Provision academy offering education to pupils unable to access mainstream school due to medical needs including hospitalised children and young people (3-19 years) 
  • Mary Astell Academy – Alternative Provision academy offering education to permanently excluded pupils and pupils who are struggling in mainstream school (11-16 years) 
  • Thomas Bewick Special School – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (3-19 years) 
  • Harry Watts Academy – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (5-16 years) 
  • Gilbert Ward Academy – Special School academy for pupils with SEMH or a diagnosis of autism (11-16 years) 


Prosper Learning Trust was also recently named as the lead partner in the opening of a new Free School in Jarrow, South Tyneside. This school will be a Special School academy for pupils with SEMH (4-11 years).


The successful candidate will be deployed initially at Thomas Bewick School but will be expected to work at any Prosper Learning Trust site should the need arise.


Benefits of working for Prosper Learning Trust 

The Trust is proud to say that we match the Real Living Wage and we also offer successful candidates:

  • A friendly and supportive team of staff who are willing to share expertise and learn from one another 
  • Opportunities for career development and support with development through Trust wide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes 
  • Access to an Employee Assistance Programme and support from the Trust's Wellbeing Network Group 
  • Access to either Teacher's Pension or Local Government Pension Scheme, each with favourable employer contribution rates.  
  • Employee centred policies that support you in and beyond the workplace 
  • Funded eye tests for DSE users (subject to T/Cs) 
  • Cycle to work scheme 


For more information on why we think you should work for us, see our Trust website, where you will also find videos of what our current staff think. 

Please note that all successful candidates will be required to complete an online pre-employment medical questionnaire.


If you are ready to take the next step in your career and help shape the future of Thomas Bewick School, we would love to hear from you.


Visits and Further Information

Visiting dates: 19 and 20 May 2025. To arrange a visit or request a confidential phone call with the Headteacher, please email admin@thomasbewick.newcastle.sch.uk

To learn more about Thomas Bewick School and Prosper Learning Trust, please visit our websites.


Prosper Learning Trust was established in January 2018 to help vulnerable young people succeed against the odds. Four core values underpin everything we do as a Trust, these are Aspiration, Integrity, Resilience and Kindness. We are looking for staff who share those values and want to support our young people.  

Qualifications

DFE recognised teaching qualification and QTS or equivalentessential
Evidence of relevant professional development at senior leadership levelessential
Evidence of recent relevant professional development and training in specified area of job roleessential
Recent safeguarding trainingdesirable
Working towards NPQHdesirable
Commitment to further develop own professional knowledge and skillsdesirable

Skills

Abilities, Skills and Knowledge

Knowledge and understanding of issues around equality, diversity and well-beingessential
Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills, both written and oralessential
Able to prioritise and organise the demands of being a Deputy Headteacher and being able to delegate effectivelyessential
Able to provide effective and inspirational leadership that inspires confidence and motivates staff, parents and pupilsessential
Ability to manage change and meet competing deadlinesessential

Experience

Evidence of implementing effective whole school safeguarding policies and practiceessential
Knowledge and experience of the common inspection framework in a leadership and management role (Ofsted)essential
Experience of working successfully with governors, parents, local authority or other stakeholdersessential
Experience of contributing to the planning and evaluation of a School or Departmental Development Plan or sections thereofessential
Experience of managing and leading a wide range of staffessential
Experience of innovative curriculum design that reflects the needs of the pupilsessential
Experience of change managementessential
Experience of collaborative working with vulnerable families and multi-agency teams to support pupils and their familiesessential
Substantial experience of successful leadership as a senior leader in a specialist provisionessential
Experience with SEN pupilsessential
Experience of leading on change management
Experience managing an extended school curriculum
Experience as a lead for appraisal
Successful experience of working with a diverse community
Experience of being the designated Lead for Safeguarding or the Deputy Designated Lead for Safeguarding
Has undertaken the role of Designated Teacher for Children in Care and Previous Children in Care

Experience/Knowledge

Secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding proceduresessential
Clear understanding of the role of self-evaluation in the continuous improvement of the School essential
Knowledge and understanding of pupils with a wide range of moderate and complex educational needsessential
Knowledge and understanding of legal issues, including equal opportunities
An understanding of the role of extended school activities and the role they play in the community
Experience of managing transitions to the next setting

Personal Attributes

Ability to make difficult decisions based on putting pupils firstessential
Dynamic and reflective leadership qualities that ensure the continual drive towards excellence for all pupils essential
Exceptional role model with the highest standards of integrity, who is approachable and demonstrates a strong and collaborative leadership styleessential
Willingness to ask for advice and support where necessaryessential

Thomas Bewick School

Katy Harrison

admin@thomasbewick.newcastle.sch.uk

Linhope Road
West Denton
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Tyne and Wear
NE5 2LW

Safeguarding Information

Prosper Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, as well as vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to apply for Disclosure from the DBS.

 

The Trust actively promotes equality of opportunity with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates. The Trust selects all candidates for employment based on their skills, qualifications and experience, in comparison against the person specification.

 

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If you are invited for interview, you will be required to disclose convictions that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. Certain spent convictions and cautions will be ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed. Full details on protected convictions and information about which convictions must be declared during job applications can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. You will be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this self-disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure and Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed. This role will include Regulated Activities and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure is required for this post. Please note that in all cases written references will be taken up and made available to interviewers before the final selection stage; even if you indicate otherwise.


Online vetting checks will be carried out for candidates who are shortlisted.


Job roles, specifically for Newcastle Bridges School, that are located within The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust sites, will be subject to an additional layer of safer recruitment / pre-engagement checks managed by the NHS, under their Honorary Contract Policy.  An employee of Newcastle Bridges School may be required to work across more than one site.