Executive Headteacher

Full Job Description

At OFG we believe in creating a better work life balance

• Job Title: Executive Headteacher 
• Contract: Permanent, Full Time, Term Time Only 
• Location: Meadowcroft School (Wakefield - across four sites) 
• Salary: Competitive, depending on experience

About the Role: 

We are seeking an inspirational and experienced Executive Headteacher to provide strategic leadership across Meadowcroft School. 

This is a pivotal leadership role with responsibility for setting the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school, ensuring outstanding standards of education, safeguarding and compliance across all sites. 

This role is ideal for a senior educational leader who combines strong educational credibility with strategic, commercial and people leadership, and who is passionate about transforming the lives of vulnerable young people.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Educational Leadership

• Set and lead the vision, ethos and direction of Meadowcroft School across all sites
• Ensure consistently high-quality SEN provision, aligned with Ofsted, regulatory and Acorn/Outcomes First Group standards
• Monitor, analyse and improve school performance, pupil progress and engagement
• Ensure a broad, balanced and appropriate curriculum that meets the complex needs of pupils
• Lead inspection readiness and ensure successful outcomes for audits and regulatory visits

Leadership & People Development

• Provide strong leadership, challenge and support to Headteachers and senior leaders
• Drive high performance through effective appraisal, coaching and professional development
• Identify and develop talent, building succession plans and leadership capacity
• Champion high standards of teaching, learning and behaviour across the school

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Lead and model a robust safeguarding culture across all sites
• Ensure policies, procedures and practices meet statutory and regulatory requirements
• Oversee safeguarding concerns, allegations and investigations appropriately

Commercial & Operational Leadership

• Contribute to budget setting and ensure effective financial management
• Balance educational quality with commercial sustainability
• Support growth, reputation and referrals through strong stakeholder relationships
• Work collaboratively with Local Authorities, commissioners and external partners

About Meadowcroft School

Meadowcroft School is an independent specialist day school operating across four sites in Wakefield. We support pupils with complex SEMH needs and additional learning difficulties through small class sizes, personalised learning, and a nurturing, structured environment.

Our highly skilled teams work closely with families, therapists and external professionals to remove barriers to learning, celebrate progress and prepare pupils with the confidence, life skills and resilience they need for future success.

Why Join Outcomes First Group?

Acorn Education, part of Outcomes First Group, is a leading UK provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs.

We are proud to have been officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth consecutive year.

Benefits include:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with enhanced contribution options
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – mental health support and physical health checks
• Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista), including:
  • Health, wellbeing and insurance benefits
  • Hundreds of UK and international discounts
  • Cycle to Work Scheme & Electric Car Purchase Scheme
  • Critical illness cover
  • Enhanced maternity/paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support

Safeguarding

We are committed to 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 check.

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