Assistant Headteacher - Pastoral and Personal Development

Full Job Description

How would you like to get paid for five days, but only work four?

At Outcomes First Group, we believe in better work/life balance — and we’re putting wellbeing first.

That’s why we’re proud to be part of a 4-Day Working Week (4DWW) trial, where you can work one day less each week (or equivalent hours), while still receiving your full-time pay.

Many of our schools have already introduced the 4DWW — and others are preparing to roll it out as soon as they reach full staffing. So, whether it’s already in place or just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to join #teamOFG.

Job Title: Assistant Headteacher 

Location: Options Trent Acres, Kings Bromley, Staffordshire, DE13 7HR
Salary:     £45,000 per annum (not pro rata)
Hours:     40 hours per week | Monday – Friday | 8am – 4pm
Contract: Permanent | Term Time Only
Start:       November 2025

UK applicants only – this role does not offer sponsorship.

Join Us in Transforming Lives

At Options Trent Acres, we believe that outstanding pastoral care and personal development are the foundation of every pupil’s success. We’re seeking an Assistant Headteacher – Pastoral & Personal Development who can lead with vision, empathy, and purpose to nurture a school culture where every young person feels safe, valued, and inspired to grow.

This is more than a leadership role - it’s an opportunity to shape hearts as well as minds, guiding a community built on respect, resilience, and belonging.

About the Role

As Assistant Headteacher – Pastoral & Personal Development, you’ll be at the heart of shaping the ethos, wellbeing, and behaviour culture of our school. Working as part of our dynamic Senior Leadership Team, you’ll partner with the Headteacher and Deputy Head to ensure that every pupil thrives — socially, emotionally, and academically.

You’ll lead on key areas such as pastoral strategy, behaviour systems, safeguarding, and wellbeing, helping to create a supportive, trauma-informed environment that empowers students to achieve and belong.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and shape the pastoral vision, embedding a culture of care, respect, and high expectations.
• Champion pupil transition, ensuring every student’s journey into school life is smooth, supported, and celebrated.
• Oversee safeguarding, taking proactive responsibility for the welfare and protection of all pupils.
• Drive attendance and engagement, using data and insight to build early intervention strategies.
• Promote inclusive practice, ensuring every member of staff is equipped to meet the needs of pupils with SEND and SEMH challenges.
• Model excellence, creating a school ethos where wellbeing, behaviour, and learning thrive together.

This is a hands-on leadership role — one that combines strategic influence with daily connection to pupils, staff, and families.

Key Responsibilities

• Be a visible and consistent leader, modelling high expectations across the school community.
• Analyse key data (attendance, behaviour, exclusions) and turn insights into tangible improvement.
• Coach and develop middle leaders, empowering them to grow in confidence and effectiveness.
• Chair key meetings and initiatives that strengthen whole-school development.
• Collaborate with families, external agencies, and partners to create joined-up pastoral support.
• Deliver impactful staff training and CPD that embeds inclusive and trauma-informed practice.
• Teach up to 10 lessons per week, maintaining direct relationships with pupils and the classroom experience.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re searching for a compassionate, strategic, and inspiring leader who believes deeply in the potential of every young person.

You’ll be:

• A strategic thinker with a proven understanding of pastoral and behaviour systems
• Calm under pressure, yet dynamic, positive, and full of belief in young people
• Experienced in supporting pupils with SEND and SEMH needs
• Emotionally intelligent, empathetic, and a strong communicator
• Confident using data to drive improvement and inform decisions
• A passionate advocate for inclusion, wellbeing, and continuous school development

Join us, and help shape a school where every child feels seen, heard, and capable of greatness.

About the school

Options Trent Acres School is currently undergoing development and increasing its pupils numbers transitioning from 30 pupils to 60 pupils recently and with approval to open an Early Years Unit and extend our Primary provision. Due to this exciting time for the School the job roles currently advertised are all new as part of this development.

The school is purpose built, modern and welcoming with a range of specialist learning areas including an indoor and outdoor riding school and outdoor gymnasium. Children also have the opportunity to work with our horses, donkeys, goats, alpaca and chickens. Learning outside of the classroom is a fundamental part of life at Trent Acres. We have a dedicated staff team who are focused on the delivery of high quality, child centred, bespoke packages of care and education.

Our service is in within easy reach of Stoke, Derby, Telford, Stafford, Lichfield, Burntwood, Rugeley, Burton-on-Trent, Tamworth, Uttoxeter and surrounding towns. 

For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to children, young people and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. As part of Outcomes First Group we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Why join Options Autism?

We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit.*

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.

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