Key Role Information

Salary
£55,000.00 - 60,000.00
Job type
Full Time
Contract type
Permanent
Closing
25/10/2026 23:00
Start
4 January 2027
Contract term
TTO - Term time only
Pay grade
£55,000 - £60,000
Department
Management
Key stage
Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4
Hours per week
40.00
Weeks per year
52.000
Visa sponsorship
No

Your Role

Role: Head of Centre

Salary: Up to £60,000


The Head of Centre is responsible for leading the overall operation, culture and strategic direction of the Norfolk Learner Centre, ensuring that all learners receive high-quality education, wellbeing support and opportunities to achieve their full potential. The role provides leadership across teaching, learning, safeguarding, SEND provision, staff development and Centre improvement, creating an inclusive and supportive environment where both learners and staff can thrive.


Working closely with families, local authorities, the Local Governing Body and the wider Red Balloon Educational Trust, the Head of Centre will drive continuous improvement, maintain high standards of compliance and safeguarding, and build strong partnerships that enhance outcomes for learners. This is a pivotal leadership role requiring a commitment to Red Balloon's values, educational excellence and the holistic development of every learner.


See Attachments further down to download the full job description and person specification.


Safeguarding Statement

Red Balloon Educational Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments will be conditional of the satisfactory completion of safeguarding training and pre-employment checks including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and barred list check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (and its amendments), and applicants must declare all convictions, cautions, or reprimands, including those considered ‘spent'.


Please see the 'Safeguarding Information' section of this advert for further information.


How to Apply

In line with safer recruitment practices, we are only able to accept applications via our application forms, which can be accessed by following the application link on our recruitment portal available here: Vacancies - SAMpeople Recruit. You can save your application at any point and come back to it at a later stage. 


●      All applicants will be contacted to advise if they have been shortlisted for an interview


Equal Opportunities

Red Balloon Educational Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to creating a diverse workforce.

 

We'll consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership.


Eligibility for Employment

Thank you for your interest in Red Balloon. Please note at this time, we are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa, therefore, all potential employees must be eligible for employment in the United Kingdom.


Details regarding the right to work can be found here: Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK

Qualifications

Degree in subject relevant to the school curriculumessential
Qualified Teacher Statusessential
Relevant safeguarding qualification and/or trainingessential

Skills

Experience

Experience as a Head of Centre or in a senior leadership roleessential
Experience of working with SEND and SEMH young people

Leadership

Strong leadership and motivational abilitiesessential

Personal Attributes

Excellent written and verbal communication skillsessential
Strong decision-making and complex problem solving skillsessential
Strong interpersonal skillsessential
Organisational and time managementessential
Commitment to professional developmentessential

About Us

RBET - Norfolk is a cohesive team of qualified teachers, wellbeing and therapy staff and everyone understands the ethos of our approach. We aim to restore our students’ sense of self-worth and faith in their peers, education staff and the education system as a whole. Our environment supports and encourages good role models so that students can develop relationships that are founded on active listening, speaking the truth, taking responsibility for their actions and acting with integrity. We treat all our young people according to their own unique and individual needs.


At Red Balloon, any adult working with our young people offers warm, non-judgmental support so that they feel accepted, valued, respected and appreciated for who they are. All children at our centre have had traumatic experiences, which means they will show their feelings in a range of ways. We understand that behaviour is an expression of feelings and we help them to express these appropriately, moving on to behaving in a respectful and considerate manner. Through our range of therapy and 1-1 mentoring, we encourage our young people to trust their own perception of what is happening, trust that they can manage their own behaviour and appropriately judge how to behave according to the situation presented.

Red Balloon Norfolk

Stacy Richardson - RBET HR Coordinator

hr@rbet.ac

76 Earlham Road
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 3DF
Stacy Richardson - RBET HR Coordinator
hr@rbet.ac

Safeguarding Information

Every learner has the right to flourish and be safe from harm and abuse. As a professional within Red Balloon Educational Trust; we all have a duty to keep our students safe and healthy.


Safeguarding is the action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. It means:

  • protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
  • preventing harm to children's health or development
  • ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
  • taking action to enable all children and young people have the best outcomes


Red Balloon Educational Trust has policies and procedures to ensure that every single learner, regardless of their age, disability, gender, race, religion, or belief, sex or sexual orientation, has a right to equal protection from harm. It's so important that everyone at Red Balloon Educational Trust knows what to look out for and how to report any concerns.


Safeguarding policies may be available at Trust level or be held by each Centre individually. All Safeguarding related policies and procedures are available on our website. Every Centre will ensure all staff complete training to ensure we all understand good practice and how to safeguard our learners and ourselves.


Due to the role involving engaging in regulated activity with young people, it is an offence to apply for the role if the you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. Safeguarding is Red Balloon Educational Trust's priority. No member of staff will have access to work with learners until all required training has been completed.