Headteacher

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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 more than a Headteacher role, it's an opportunity to shape futures, inspire a dedicated team, and create life-changing opportunities for children with autism and additional needs.

At Bradford Beacon School, we believe every child deserves the chance to thrive. We're looking for an exceptional, visionary leader with specialist expertise in primary education and autism to lead our school into its next exciting chapter. You'll create an environment where children feel safe, understood and empowered to achieve more than they ever thought possible, while building a culture where staff are inspired, supported and able to flourish.

As part of Outcomes First Group, one of the UK's leading providers of specialist education, you'll have the freedom to lead with creativity and ambition, backed by the support of an experienced regional leadership team, sector-leading professional development and a network of specialist schools committed to delivering exceptional outcomes.

This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact, not only on the lives of the children and families you serve, but on the future of a growing specialist primary school. If you're an ambitious, compassionate leader with a proven track record in primary autism education, and you're ready to build something extraordinary, we'd love to hear from you.

What You’ll Be Doing

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

About you

We're looking for an exceptional 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 within a specialist Primary school or 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 to meet the needs of autistic pupils.
• A proven track record of driving school improvement and raising standards.
• Experience leading, developing and inspiring 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. As the school grows to 42 pupils over the next two years, there 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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