Assistant Headteacher: Inclusion

Contract: Full-time – Permanent
Salary: L12-L16

Are you an experienced leader with a passion for inclusion? Do you want to make a real difference to the lives of young people in a thriving, supportive secondary school?

Whickham School is a highly successful comprehensive school. We pride ourselves on our diversity and inclusive culture. We are seeking an outstanding individual to join our senior leadership team as an Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion. You will provide strategic leadership for inclusion across the school, ensuring that all pupils, particularly those with SEND and those eligible for pupil premium, are fully supported to succeed both academically and personally.

About the role:

• Lead and implement a clear, ambitious whole-school inclusion strategy, shaping provision in line with national developments and reforms in SEND and inclusion
• Be accountable for the outcomes of SEND and disadvantaged pupils
• Line manage the SENDCo and wider inclusion team, ensuring high-quality provision and support
• Oversee and drive the school’s pupil premium strategy, ensuring measurable and sustained impact
• Lead staff training and development to embed inclusive, adaptive teaching across the school
• Work in close partnership with pastoral, safeguarding and curriculum leaders to ensure a cohesive approach to supporting vulnerable pupils

What makes Whickham School special?

Whilst we are a high-performing school (Progress 8 of +0.26 in 2024 and 82% achieving grade 4+ in English and Maths in 2025), we are about much more than our academic performance. We are a community that values all of our stakeholders, recognising that our staff make the difference for our pupils. We therefore invest in our staff in a number of ways.

We support work-life balance in the following ways

• Reduced teaching hours to support planning and professional development
• Dedicated collaborative planning time – at least one hour every fortnight for each teacher to meet with their subject team to talk through upcoming learning episodes
• Flexible approach to work-life balance considerations
• Access to fitness facilities outside school hours

We invest in your growth 

• Join our established Leadership Group to shape whole-school practice
• Meaningful leadership development opportunities, including access to NPQ programmes and specialist courses.
• Evidence-based CPD that makes a real difference to your practice
• Coaching and mentoring support to help you thrive

The practical benefits:

• Salary sacrifice schemes including bicycle and electric vehicle leasing
• Higher priority for your children’s admission to our heavily oversubscribed school
• Modern facilities with the latest display technology in every classroom
• Supportive, collaborative staff community

Who you are

You are an experienced and passionate leader and teacher with:

• Experience of leading inclusion and/or SEND provision in a secondary setting, or other relevant leadership experience
• Strong understanding of statutory frameworks, including the SEND Code of Practice and safeguarding responsibilities
• Experience in successfully leading and developing a team
• Experience of working with external agencies and leading multi-agency support for vulnerable pupils
• A passion for developing others and building leadership capacity
• A track record of excellent teaching, with evidence of strong student progress and outcomes
• A deep understanding of adaptive teaching and how to support vulnerable learners to succeed
• Strong understanding of curriculum, assessment and the effective use of data to drive improvement
• A commitment to evidence-informed practice and continuous professional development
• Qualified Teacher Status and a degree in a relevant subject

Your personal qualities:

• You are committed to inclusion and providing the best possible learning experience for vulnerable learners
• You understand that great teaching is built on relationships, high expectations, and relentless focus on progress
• You’re reflective, solution-focused and committed to continuous improvement
• You can inspire and motivate both students and staff
• You’re committed to upholding our school values and creating an inclusive learning environment for all learners

Your impact

As Assistant Headteacher Inclusion, you will:

• Champion inclusion – create a culture where every pupil feels seen, supported and able to succeed
• Drive outcomes – ensure that SEND and disadvantaged pupils make strong academic progress and achieve well
• Lead strategically – develop, implement and evaluate a cohesive inclusion strategy aligned with whole-school priorities
• Develop provision – ensure high-quality, evidence-informed support for pupils with additional needs, including those with SEND and SEMH needs
• Empower staff – build staff confidence and expertise in adaptive teaching through high-quality CPD and coaching
• Strengthen systems – ensure robust identification, monitoring and intervention processes for vulnerable pupils
• Work collaboratively – build strong relationships with families, external agencies and stakeholders to secure the best outcomes for pupils
• Ensure accountability – use data intelligently to evaluate impact and drive continuous improvement

Are you ready to lead our team?

Want to see it for yourself? We actively encourage visits. Contact Rebecca Erskine at rerskine@whickhamschool.org (PA to the Headteacher) to arrange a time that works for you.

Application deadline: 9am on 26th April 2026

Submit to: recruitment@whickhamschool.org

Application forms: Download from the Whickham School website, where you’ll also find the full job description, person specification and further details about the school and role.

Whickham School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). We expect all staff to share our commitment to safeguarding.

What happens next?

1. 1. Download the full job description and person specification from our website
   2. Visit us (optional but highly recommended) – see our facilities, meet the team and experience Whickham
   3. Complete your application – tell us why you’re the person to lead on inclusion at Whickham school
   4. Submit by 9am on Sunday 26th April 2026

• Interviews will be held on Tuesday 5th May 2026

Questions – Contact Fraser Turnbull (Headteacher) at rerskine@whickhamschool.org (PA to the Headteacher)

Whickham School is 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.