Headteacher

Full Job Description

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Job Title:  Headteacher
Location:  Bradford Beacon School, Rooley Lane, Bradford, BD5 8LJ
Hours:      40 hours per week | Monday - Friday | 8.30am - 4.30pm
Salary:      Up to £85,000 per annum (depending on experience, not pro rata) 
Contract:  Permanent | Term Time Only
Start:        ASAP
UK applicants only – no sponsorship available

About the Role

Lead with Purpose. Inspire Excellence. Transform Lives.

This is a Headteacher role with a clear focus: leading a school that supports children with autism and additional needs, so pupils can feel safe, understood and able to achieve their potential. You will be responsible for setting the direction of Bradford Beacon School, developing a high-performing staff team and maintaining strong standards of safeguarding and compliance.

Bradford Beacon School opened in September 2025. It is a purpose-built, thoughtfully refurbished specialist independent school for pupils aged 4 to 11. You will help shape its culture and ensure that every child receives the right support to make meaningful progress academically, socially and emotionally.

What you will be doing

• Provide inspirational leadership by setting the vision and strategic direction for the school.
• Lead a specialist primary curriculum, ensuring pupils with autism can flourish academically, socially and emotionally.
• Drive continuous improvement through strong teaching, high expectations and evidence-based practice.
• Create a calm, nurturing and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe, supported and able to achieve their potential.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, promoting collaboration, accountability and continuous professional development.
• Champion safeguarding and ensure the highest standards of pupil welfare, compliance and quality.
• Build effective partnerships with families, local authorities and external professionals to secure the best possible outcomes for pupils.
• Oversee operational, financial and strategic management to support sustainable growth and excellence.

About you

We are looking for an experienced and committed leader who has:

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a recognised teaching qualification (PGCE or equivalent).
• National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) — essential.
• Significant leadership experience in a specialist primary school or a primary SEND setting.
• Extensive experience leading and developing provision for children with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).
• A strong understanding of specialist primary education, including adapting curriculum and teaching approaches for autistic pupils.
• A proven track record of driving school improvement and raising standards.
• Experience leading, developing and motivating high-performing teams.
• Strong strategic, operational and financial leadership skills.
• An excellent understanding of safeguarding, curriculum leadership and statutory compliance.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills with pupils, families, local authorities and multidisciplinary professionals.
• A relentless commitment to inclusion, innovation and ensuring every child achieves their full potential.

About Us

Bradford Beacon School, opened in September 2025, is a brand-new specialist independent school for children aged 4–11 with autism and associated complex needs. Set in a purpose-built, thoughtfully refurbished environment, the school provides a safe, nurturing, and inclusive setting where every child feels valued. Pupils follow a broad, enriched curriculum that develops communication, social, emotional, and life skills alongside academic achievement. With personalised teaching and therapeutic support from a dedicated staff and clinical team, every child’s individual needs are met. We cater to 42 pupils, this is an exciting opportunity to help shape its inclusive, supportive culture. Bradford Beacon celebrates every step of progress, empowering pupils to reach their full potential and thrive.

For over 19 years, Options Autism has provided specialist care and education for children, young people, and adults with autism, complex needs, and learning difficulties. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are pioneering innovative, evidence-based approaches that deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes for everyone in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2025 Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

Why Join Us?

We place pupils and vulnerable young adults at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real difference. 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.

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase contributions
• “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
  • Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity/paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support

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

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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