An exciting opportunity for an experienced and specialist education leader to take on a Head Teacher role within a dual specialist school setting, supporting children with learning disabilities, autism, SEMH and complex needs. This role is ideal for a professional who thrives in highly structured environments, enjoys solving complex learning and safeguarding challenges, and is motivated by building high‑quality provision within an independent specialist education and residential care context. The right person will recognise this Head Teacher role as a natural next step based on their leadership experience, inspection readiness and career stage.
Why This Role
This dual school role offers the opportunity to shape and lead developing specialist schools with a maximum of 12 children per school, allowing for genuinely personalised, high‑quality education. You will have direct exposure to registration and inspection readiness, with the autonomy to embed strong standards, culture and curriculum from the ground up. This role is centred on founding impact, values‑led leadership and long‑term quality within an integrated education and residential care model.
The Role
In this role, you will spend most of your time leading the schools’ educational direction, standards and culture, ensuring an outstanding experience for every pupil through a personalised curriculum, high‑quality teaching and learning, and effective pastoral wraparound. You will champion safeguarding‑first practice for children with learning disabilities, autism, SEMH and complex needs, enabling them to make exceptional progress from their individual starting points. Working closely with teaching teams, residential care colleagues, senior leaders and external professionals, you will be responsible for delivering outcomes linked to inspection readiness, Independent School Standards compliance and continuous school improvement. This Head Teacher role balances strategic leadership with a visible, hands‑on presence, providing clarity, stability and consistency from day one.
What You’ll Bring
- You will hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or a recognised FE teaching qualification, alongside a SEN qualification, both of which are required for this role. You will have experience leading a school at Deputy Headteacher level or above, with clear evidence of senior leadership responsibility within a specialist or SEN setting.
- You will bring proven experience working with children and young people who have complex learning difficulties and autism, supported by strong, current knowledge of SEND practice, the National Curriculum and personalised, engagement‑based learning models. You will also have demonstrable experience working with Ofsted and the DfE or Estyn, applying specific regulatory and quality standards within a school setting.
- You will be confident leading and developing staff teams, working in effective partnership with parents, carers and external professionals, and maintaining momentum within a newly registered or developing school. Your leadership style is calm, resilient and child‑centred, with the professional judgement required to lead under pressure while creating a warm, structured and welcoming learning environment.
Benefits & Environment
Benefits for this role include a competitive salary package, funded professional development and leadership qualifications, and the opportunity to progress within a growing specialist education and residential care group. You will work in an environment that values safeguarding, emotional resilience, teamwork and child‑centred decision‑making, with the autonomy to lead without unnecessary bureaucracy.
If this Head Teacher role sounds like a strong match for your experience and career goals, we encourage you to apply. Submit your application via the link provided, and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss next steps.
Since 1951, Drake International has connected people with meaningful work across the UK and globally. We are committed to inclusive, equitable hiring and a respectful recruitment process in line with the Equality Act 2010. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by our recruitment team for an initial conversation.