Deputy Headteacher - Full Time - Special Needs Position - Full-time - Special Needs Position

Life Skills Manor for Autism, Sandwich

• Ref:KCC886-6168-60L
• Posted:12/05/2026
• Pay:£68,068-£71,329
• Start Date:September 2026
• App Close Date:15/05/2026 at 22:00
• Interviews:Week Starting - 18.06.2026

Advert

Life Skills Manor for autism , is seeking an experienced, motivated and compassionate Deputy Headteacher to join our leadership team at our independent special school supporting pupils with autism and additional needs.

As we expand further, this is an exciting opportunity for a strong leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for pupils with SEND, and who thrives in a school that prioritises personal development, wellbeing and life skills.

Working closely with the Headteacher and other senior leaders, the Deputy Headteacher will play a key role in driving school improvement, ensuring high standards of safeguarding and supporting pupils, families and staff to achieve the very best outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Lead Safeguarding as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Support delivery of the School Development Plan and Self Evaluation Form (SEF)
• Lead on Careers, work experience and preparation for adulthood
• Oversee pupil attendance, reduced timetables and pupil wellbeing
• Support Children in Care (CIC) and Children in Need (CIN) provision
• Develop strong family support and outreach relationships
• Coordinate multi-agency work with local authorities and professionals
• Lead on SMSC and personal development across the school
• Support marketing, publicity and website development
• Ensure compliance with Data Protection, Health and Safety and Independent School Standards

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• Strong experience working with SEND
• Leadership experience in a school environment
• Excellent safeguarding knowledge
• The ability to build strong relationships with pupils, families and professionals
• A commitment to inclusive, nurturing and aspirational education

What We Offer

• The opportunity to play a key role in a growing specialist school
• A supportive leadership team
• The chance to make a genuine difference to pupils’ lives
• A collaborative and positive working environment.

Pension

• Peoples Pension scheme applied as 3% Employee and 6% Employer contributions.The employee will also receive between £3000-£5000, at Executive Principal's discretion, as a non-pensionable flex fund to be used towards your pension contributions, or for other purposes at your discretion.

Information about the school

The journey for Life Skills Manor for Autism started in 2015, proposed as a Special Free School. The original proposer team consisted of parents with children with autism and educational experts that had a range of SEND experience.

During the original proposal, the steering group formulated a Life Skills curriculum based upon the views of parent led groups. Unfortunately, the project was shelved pending political obstacles associated with Free Schools.

In 2020, we were able to proceed with the Life Skills Manor vision as a self-governing provision. We are delighted to report that we are now a registered independent special school with the Department for Education. Furthermore, we are taking strides to be at the forefront of special needs education.

Our school has been in the making for many years and we opened our doors in January 2022 to deliver our curriculum that embeds ‘skills for life’. In 2025, Ofsted rated Life Skills Manor as 'Outstanding'.

Our curriculum intent is to,

•Deliver a double-stranded curriculum at KS3 that is principally skills based with the inclusion of core academic subjects such as Maths, English and Science.

•Ensure every pupil will leave with employer recognised accreditations, certifications, qualifications, and social skills that will provide them with a solid platform to go onto further education or employment.

•Ensure Life Skills lessons will be taught every day to foster independent living, employability, healthy living, and participation in society.

Our pupil cohort will,

•Have a primary diagnosis of autism or in process of receiving a diagnosis.
•Have an EHC Plan.
•Be from the Catchment Districts of Thanet, Dover or Canterbury.
•Have Moderate Learning Difficulties or are High Functioning Autism.

Job Contact Information

• Name:Paul Barrett
• Address:Life Skills Manor, Baypoint Sports Club , Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9QL
• Telephone: 01304 747464
• Email: paul@lifeskillsmanor.co.uk

Documents

Below are documents that have been added to this vacancy.

• Deputy Head Job Description and Spec