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Head of School - Full-time - Special Needs Position

The Beacon, Folkestone And Walmer

  • Ref:KCC886-7043-197L
  • Posted:01/04/2021
  • Pay:L23-L27
  • Start Date:September 2021
  • App Close Date:21/04/2021 at 23:45
  • Interviews:27th / 28th April

Advert

We are looking for a visionary school leader with a strong commitment to valuing everyone in our learning community to help us move towards a new Beacon.

As a Cooperative Trust school, we have a strong commitment to our cooperative values, ethos and culture, building on personalised learning to ensure all students thrive within school and beyond. We are driven by our shared moral purpose to do all that we can to improve educational outcomes and life chances for all our young people. We believe strongly that the best way to do this is through the partnership, collaboration and a commitment to work together to achieve excellence in all we do and are looking for a Head of School who can lead that passionate quest for collective excellence

We expect the highest possible standards of ourselves and of each other, believing that in this way we can maximise learning for our pupils through the development of a truly committed, reflective learning community.

Working alongside the Executive Headteacher, the Head of School will be responsible for leading The Beacon Folkestone, catering for 380 pupils with Profound Severe and Complex needs as well as a small 10 place satellite provision hosted by Castle Hill Primary School also in Folkestone.  We have recently opened an extensively refurbished early years/ Key Stage 1 satellite provision, currently catering for 24 pupils, in Walmer, Deal.  The plan is for the Deal site to undergo significant refurbishment to be a purpose built, 240 pupils, 4-19 provision for students with complex needs and autistic spectrum conditions, at which point we will be appointing a Head of School for that site.

An Ofsted Outstanding school, we offer a child-centred ‘needs led’ curriculum, which incorporates elements of the EY Foundation Stage, National Curriculum and external accreditation as appropriate, including Life Skills and Social Skills.

The school provides extensive support for mainstream schools through the Specialist Teaching and Learning Service team managed by the school. This team offers support, training, outreach advice and guidance to our mainstream colleagues and regularly hosts nationally renowned speakers on its courses.

If this sounds like the kind of environment in which you would thrive, then we look forward to hearing from you.

Information about the school

The Beacon is a multi site, all age specialist school (4–19 years) providing high quality education for 480 pupils with complex needs, profound and severe learning difficulties, and physical and sensory impairments. Our main site is located on Park Farm Road in Folkestone, our newest provision in Walmer opened in September 2025. We also operate a 10 place satellite provision at Castle Hill Primary School and work collaboratively with Beacon Plus as an extended partner of the school.

The Beacon is built on a strong culture of cooperation and a commitment to personalised learning. Our child centred, needs led curriculum draws on the EYS Foundation Stage, the National Curriculum, and relevant accreditation pathways, with an emphasis on Life Skills, Social Skills, and holistic development.

As a centre of expertise, we also deliver training and support for mainstream schools through our outreach team. This dedicated team provides professional development, advice, and guidance to colleagues across the region. Our conference and meeting facilities regularly host nationally recognised speakers and professional learning events.

We are also home to a Multi Agency Support Hub, one of four centres across the county, bringing together NHS professionals, paediatricians, speech and occupational therapists, nursing teams, children’s social care, and portage services. This integrated approach strengthens the support available to children and families across the Folkestone and Hythe district.

At The Beacon, our shared moral purpose is to improve educational outcomes and life chances for all young people. We believe excellence is achieved through partnership, collaboration, and reflective practice. Our peer to peer coaching model and staff led learning communities help ensure consistently high quality teaching and a culture of continuous improvement. We expect the highest standards from ourselves and all stakeholders, creating an environment where every learner can thrive.

If you share our values and are inspired by our mission, we look forward to hearing from you.

Job Contact Information

  • Name:Sasha Gooding
  • Address:Park Farm Road, Folkestone, Salisbury Road, Walmer, Folkestone And Walmer, Kent, CT195DN CT147QJ
  • Telephone: 01303 847555
  • Email: HR@thebeacon.kent.sch.uk

Documents

Below are documents that have been added to this vacancy.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our students. You are advised that this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and therefore this post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Please be aware that schools are also required to undertake online recruitment checks on shortlisted candidates under changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education.