Key Role Information

Salary
£58,569.00 - 64,691.00
Job type
Full Time
Contract type
Permanent
Closing
21/09/2026 12:00
Interview
w.c 28th September
Contract term
AYR - All year round
Pay grade
Leadership Group (National) | L6 - L10
Department
SEND
Key stage
Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4
Hours per week
32.50
Weeks per year
52.000
Visa sponsorship
No

Your Role

Assistant Headteacher: Curriculum, Teaching, Learning & Assessment

An Exciting Opportunity for the Right Leader

This is a unique opportunity for an ambitious, values-driven leader to join the Senior Leadership Team at The Maple School, Blackpool during a pivotal period of growth and development. As a specialist SEMH school serving pupils from Years 5 to 11, we are seeking an exceptional leader who is passionate about transforming life chances and committed to delivering outstanding outcomes for every child.

As Assistant Headteacher, you will play a key strategic role in shaping and leading curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment across the school. Working alongside the Head of School, you will drive innovation, inspire colleagues and ensure every pupil benefits from an ambitious, engaging and inclusive education that enables them to thrive both academically and personally.

This role offers genuine opportunity to influence the future direction of the school. We are looking for a leader who can think creatively, challenge convention and bring energy, expertise and vision to our improvement journey. Most importantly, you will share our unwavering belief that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their starting point or barriers to learning.

Why Join The Maple School?

At The Maple School and Synergy Education Trust, we invest heavily in our people because we know that exceptional staff create exceptional outcomes for young people. You'll join a supportive, collaborative and forward-thinking organisation where professional growth and staff wellbeing are genuine priorities.

✅ Teachers' Pension Scheme with valuable employer contributions.

✅ Extensive professional development and career progression opportunities, including funded leadership qualifications and specialist SEND training.

✅ Access to a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme offering 24/7 emotional, practical, financial and legal support.

✅ Opportunity to shape and influence a growing specialist SEMH provision.

✅ Work within a values-led Trust committed to innovation, collaboration and excellence.

✅ Supportive leadership team and a strong culture of coaching, mentoring and professional challenge.

✅ Purpose-built school environment with specialist facilities and therapeutic support services.

✅ The chance to make a genuine and lasting difference to the lives of children and young people.

Join Us

If you are an inspirational leader with the vision, determination and passion to help shape the next chapter of The Maple School, we would love to hear from you.

Visits to the school can be arranged w.c 14th September, please contact the school direct.

Join us and help build a school where every pupil feels valued, every success is celebrated, and every child is empowered to achieve beyond expectation.



Qualifications

Evidence of recent training and experience in whole school leadership and management. essential
Degree in a relevant subjectessential
Hold a leadership qualificationessential
Qualified Teacher Statusessential
SEND qualificationdesirable

Skills

Experience

Successful experience of teaching pupils in more than one key stageessential
Experience of improving teaching and learningessential
Experience of analysing data to monitor pupil progress, identify trends and drive improvementessential
Strong behaviour management skills which foster a safe, therapeutic and purposeful learning environmentessential
Experience of working with pupils presenting complex SEMH needs and challenging behavioursessential
Experience of coaching, mentoring and developing staff essential
Experience of successfully leading, developing and holding staff to accountessential
Knowledge and experience of safeguarding, child protection and safer working practicesessential
Experience of leading curriculum development and improvement.essential
In-depth knowledge and understanding of SEMH, SEND and trauma-informed practiceessential

Leadership

Strong leader in the delivery of excellence in teaching and learningessential
Ability to drive strategic leadership, empowering all staff and students to excelessential
Brings innovation, energy and strategic thinking to school improvementessential
At least 2 years’ experience at Senior Leadership levelessential
Experience of providing leadership and management across a whole school settingessential
Lead whole-school improvement priorities relating to curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment. essential
Promote a culture of high aspirations and achievement for all pupils, regardless of their starting points or barriers to learning. essential

Personal Attributes

Ability to work collaboratively and lead a teamessential
Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders both verbally and in writingessential
Strong ICT skillsessential
Resilience, adaptability and emotional intelligence. essential
Commitment to high expectations and continuous improvement. essential
Strong organisational and analytical skills.essential

The Maple School

Karen Marlow

info@maple.seteducation.org.uk

Langdale Road,
Blackpool
Blackpool
Lancashire
FY4 4RR

Safeguarding Information

Introduction

Synergy Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its schools. The Trust complies with the statutory legislative requirements and guidance that seeks to protect children, including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ guidance. In order to meet this responsibility, we follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Safer Recruitment

Job descriptions and person specifications make reference to safeguarding and child protection. All posts are subject to satisfactory completion of enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate (DBS) checks. All advertisements include a safeguarding statement and commitment.

Application Stage

All applicants are scrutinised to verify identity and academic qualifications, Professional references are requested using our standard pro forma for short listed candidates. As a minimum, references should be from the two most recent employers. References are checked against previous employment history and gaps in employment. Professional references must be obtained from work email addresses. Our standard reference proforma makes reference to suitability to work with children and young people. The application form require applicants to complete a disclosure of any criminal convictions.

Short listing

Only those candidates meeting the criteria outlined in the person specification will be short listed. All short

listed candidates will be subject to an online search as part of our safer recruitment due diligence.

Interview

Shortlisted candidates will take part in an interview and selection process. Candidates will be asked to address any discrepancies or gaps in their employment history. Candidates will be reminded of their responsibility to disclose any criminal convictions if they have not already done so. Proof of identity, qualifications and right to work in the UK must also be provided at interview.

Appointment

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate (DBS) will be required for all appointed posts. Other pre employment compliance checks will be carried out. This post is subject to satisfactory references which will be requested prior to interview, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, online searches, medical check, evidence of qualifications plus verification of the right to work in the UK. For teaching positions, barred list checks and prohibition from teaching checks will also be carried out. For leadership positions, section 128 checks will be performed. All staff will receive a comprehensive induction programme covering all aspects of safeguarding and health and safety.

Probation

All new staff will be subject to the trust probation procedures for a period of 6 months. The probation period is to enable the assessment of an employee’s suitability for the job and which includes a review of the performance of new staff in relation to duties, skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the job description and person specification.

This will also include an employee’s suitability to work with children and young people and their commitment to safeguarding and child protection.

Equal opportunities

The Trust recognises the value of, and seeks to achieve a diverse workforce. We takes positive steps to create an employment culture in which people feel confident of being treated with fairness, dignity and respect, irrespective of their differences. The Trust is committed to the elimination of unlawful discrimination and to the promotion of good relations between all.


We are deeply committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All necessary safeguarding checks will be undertaken which must have satisfactory outcomes, otherwise the conditional job offer may be withdrawn. Details of the checks that will be undertake can be found at: Keeping Children Safe in Education, 2025 – KCSIE 2025. . No applicant will be disadvantaged or discriminated against because of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.