Location: Wellington
Salary: Leadership Scale L15-L21 (dependent on experience)
Start Date: 1 September 2026
Contract: Temporary to Permanent (end date TBC)
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday (with the option for one day working from home)
Five Education are delighted to be recruiting a Head of Provision for an exciting new specialist SEMH Alternative Provision opening in Wellington this September.
This is a rare opportunity to become the Head of Provision for a pioneering new specialist school dedicated to transforming educational outcomes for children in care.
The provision has been designed for a cohort of just 15 learners, each receiving 100% one-to-one support through highly personalised teaching and therapeutic intervention. The children accessing the provision present with complex Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and are often at Tier 4 level, displaying significant risk, including suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviours.
Many of the pupils have experienced multiple care placements, disrupted education, developmental delay and trauma. The mission is to provide a safe, nurturing and aspirational environment where they can rebuild confidence, engage with learning and achieve outcomes that may once have seemed impossible.
This is more than a leadership role-it is an opportunity to establish a flagship provision that will help shape the future of education for children in care and young people with SEND.
About the Role
As Head of Provision, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the school, overseeing a multidisciplinary team of up to six staff, including therapeutic professionals.
You will create a culture where high expectations, compassion and consistency underpin everything you do. Through exceptional teaching, therapeutic practice and relational leadership, you will ensure every young person has the opportunity to succeed academically, emotionally and socially.
This role is suited to someone who is confident in handling situations children with complex and acute mental health needs, as well as significant barriers to learning
By providing specialist education closer to home, this provision allows young people to remain connected to their families and local communities while receiving exceptional therapeutic and educational support.
Unlike a traditional school setting, pupils are taught on an individual basis rather than in classes, allowing for truly personalised education. The Wellington provision will initially support around five students, growing to a maximum of 15.
You will be responsible for:
· Leading the day-to-day running of the provision.
· Developing an outstanding culture of teaching, learning and personal development.
· Managing and inspiring a multidisciplinary staff team.
· Embedding trauma-informed and therapeutic approaches across the school.
· Building strong relationships with carers, local authorities and external agencies.
· Maintaining high standards of safeguarding, attendance and behaviour.
· Driving continuous improvement while establishing the vision for a brand-new specialist provision.
· Working collaboratively with therapeutic professionals, families and external agencies.
About You
You are an experienced, inspirational and ambitious leader who believes every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their starting point.
You will bring significant leadership experience, ideally with a background as a Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher or SENCO role.
You will be fanatical about achieving positive outcomes and striving for better in all aspects of teaching and learning.
You will also have:
* A strong understanding of the educational barriers experienced by children in care and those from disadvantaged inner-city communities.
* Extensive experience supporting young people with complex SEMH needs.
* Confidence working with children who present with significant emotional distress, self-harm or suicidal risk.
* The ability to remain calm, resilient and solution-focused in challenging situations.
* Exceptional organisational and leadership skills.
* The ability to inspire, coach and develop others.
* An unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable young people.
You are not motivated by authoritarian approaches. Instead, you understand the importance of building trust, nurturing aspiration and modelling resilience. You know that lasting change comes through relationships, consistency and an unwavering belief in a young person's potential.
You will be ambitious-not only for yourself, but for every member of staff and every learner within the provision. You will cultivate a culture where determination, hope and excellence become contagious.
You'll benefit from:
This is an opportunity to become part of a movement that is redefining specialist education.
Working alongside highly skilled education and therapeutic professionals, you will help establish an innovative model of practice that has the potential to influence SEND provision nationally.
As the organisation expands to additional sites, there will be opportunities to progress into wider senior leadership roles.
Most importantly, your leadership will have a lasting impact on the lives of some of the country's most vulnerable young people, creating positive change that extends far beyond the classroom and into families, communities and future generations.
You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team of some of the sector's most experienced and dedicated professionals, helping to shape a new school at a defining moment for SEND. As we grow and expand across new sites, you'll have the opportunity to grow with us, with clear pathways into senior leadership for those ready to take the next step.
Salary and Benefits
* Leadership Scale L15-L21, dependent on experience.
* Opportunity to shape a brand-new specialist provision from its inception.
* Multidisciplinary working alongside experienced therapeutic professionals.
* Excellent opportunities for professional development and future progression.
Desirable Qualifications
* National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)
* Demonstrable experience supporting children with SEMH and complex needs.
Essential Requirements
* PGCE
* Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
* Significant senior leadership experience (Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher or SENCO).
* Strong knowledge of safeguarding and trauma-informed practice.
* Ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams.
Right to work in the UK - we are unable to offer Sponsorship or accept Skilled Worker visas.
Able to provide two recent references (from the last two years).
Hold a current DBS check registered on the Update Service, or be willing to apply for one*
*Please note, if you do not have a Non-Voluntary Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, we will need to help you process a new one at a cost of £62.70. This will be refunded after 20 days of work with us.
What can Five Education offer you?
- Check out our Google reviews for one of the best supply experiences in Bristol! We offer free specialised training in areas such as Team Teach, Makaton, PMLD/SLD Awareness, Autism Awareness, and more
- Free DBS (refunded when you work 20 days)
- Recommending a friend bonus scheme
- Specialist support/ mentoring while you are working
If you think this could be a job for you, please get in touch to find out more from Joseph at (phone number removed). We are always available for an informal chat if you want to find out more about whether this role is suited to you.
Pay: Five Education operates a PAYE payroll; this is the most transparent way to be paid with no hidden fees such as admin fee or employer's NI. Please note pay rate is for illustration and does include holiday pay.
Vetting:Five Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all of the staff we employ to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to undergo checks including reference checks, TRA checks and will need to have a DBS; there will also be an interview.
We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as they are currently under-represented at this level.
Contact Joseph on (phone number removed) / [(url removed)](mailto:(url removed))
Salary description
£73000.00 - £85000.00 per year