Role: Assistant Headteacher – ARBs & Specialist SEND Development

Closing Date: 11^th March 2026 at 4pm 

Interview: 17^th March 2026

Salary: L9 

Contract: Full time, permanent

Base: Pencalenick School (with weekly travel across four Area Resource Bases) - Falmouth Primary, Mt Charles, Brannel & Bude.

Pencalenick School is seeking an ambitious, values-driven Assistant Headteacher to lead our Area Resource Bases (ARBs) and to further develop specialist SEND practice across the school.

This is a key senior leadership role, working closely with the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team to ensure consistently high-quality education, care and wellbeing for pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping the future direction of our specialist provision, supporting staff development and ensuring pupils thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

About the School and Trust
Pencalenick School is part of the Special Partnership Trust, an ambitious and inspirational partnership committed to outstanding learning. The school supports secondary-aged pupils with complex SEND needs on its main site and through four Area Resource Bases embedded within mainstream schools across Cornwall.

The Role
The Assistant Headteacher will:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the ARBs
• Develop and embed high-quality specialist SEND practice across the school
• Ensure strong teaching, learning and assessment, including robust baseline and moderation processes
• Line manage and support Team Leaders, teachers, HLTAs and support staff
• Work closely with parents, carers and multi-agency partners
• Contribute to whole-school self-evaluation, improvement planning and strategic leadership
• Promote pupil wellbeing, safeguarding and positive behaviour in partnership with the DSL

The Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a leader who:

• Holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• Has leadership experience, ideally within a special school or SEND context
• Is an outstanding practitioner who leads by example
• Can inspire, motivate and support pupils and staff
• Has strong organisational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates a clear commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and equality

A relevant leadership qualification and experience of leading change in complex settings are desirable.

Our Total Reward Offer:

The Special Partnership Trust recognises the importance of developing a properly implemented People Strategy to underpin the overall strategic aims of the Trust.

Our People Strategy is designed to help us attract prospective high calibre candidates, as well as drive engagement, productivity and retention of our high performing and high potential employees. It reflects our belief in putting our people first. This does not mean putting our learners second. It is based on the philosophy that if we create a positive and rewarding work environment, if our staff feel motivated, well managed and well supported, they in turn will provide the best possible outcome for our learners.

We recognise that our total reward offer, has got to consist of more than just money. We seek to provide our staff with a diverse range of benefits that support their day to day needs both at work and outside of work. These include generous leave entitlements and pension scheme as well as access to health/wellbeing tools, training & development, career pathways and opportunities to ensure they feel valued.

For further information, click here to visit the Special Partnership Trust website for our People Strategy and Benefits.

Are you ready to make a lasting impact? Join us today.

Contact Us

If you would like to discuss the role in confidence please email secretary@pencalenick.org

Please visit the school website www.pencalenick.org for further information and an application pack.

Completed applications should be returned to secretary@pencalenick.org for the attention of Mrs L Wills not later than 4pm on 11/03/2026.

In addition to your application form, please click on the following link to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring form Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Safeguarding:

The Special Partnership Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to the satisfactory completion of checks and references, including an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In accordance with guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education; the Trust will undertake an online search of all shortlisted candidates.