Head of School

Head of School

Location: Rockshaw Road, Chaldon, Surrey
Contract Type: Permanent, full-time
Salary:  £73,539 - £80,857 (FL16 – FL20)
Hours: 40 hours per week

Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 5pm 4th July 2025

Aurora Chaldon School 

As part of our growth strategy, The Aurora Group are really pleased to be opening a brand new SEND Secondary School in September 2025 in Merstham, Surrey for young people aged 11-16 who require support with social communication, emotional regulation and sensory processing, typically associated with Autism. All our students have access to a broad and exciting curriculum, allied to the national curriculum, personalised to meet their needs, interests and passions. With a model of small classes, high levels of classroom support and a supernumerary multi-disciplinary intervention team we are able to give students “every opportunity to achieve”

We are seeking a talented, passionate and driven individual, to be our Head of School, to provide highly effective leadership of Aurora Chaldon School and satellite site Caterham Education centre.

The main purpose of the role:

The Head of School will take a leadership role in assisting the Principal to develop the school in accordance with its shared values and school development plans.

To learn more about this amazing school, please follow this link – Chaldon School 

Key duties:

• Establish and sustain the school’s ethos and strategic direction together with the Principal and governing board and through consultation with the school community.
• Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies so the school can operate effectively.
• Identify problems and barriers to school effectiveness, and develop strategies for school improvement that are realistic, timely and suited to the school’s context.
• Make sure these school improvement strategies are effectively implemented.
• Monitor progress towards achieving the school’s aims and objectives.
• Allocate financial resources appropriately, efficiently and effectively.
• Undertake safeguarding duties supported by the Principal which will entail reporting and following up incidents in a timely manner and where appropriate liaising with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Work in close partnership with the Principal in actively and demonstrably promoting enrichment, entitlement and achievement through building and implementing agreed school policies and practices.

Duties will vary, you must expect to diversify and lend a hand wherever is required. Please see the link below for our full job description:

Job Description – Head of School

Successful candidate qualities:

• QTS or equivalent

• NPQH desirable or willingness to undertake 

• Successful leadership and management experience in a school.
• Teaching experience within an SEN setting
• Involvement in school self-evaluation and development planning
• Demonstrable experience of successful line management and staff development
• Data analysis skills, and the ability to use data to set targets and identify weaknesses.
• Understanding of high-quality teaching based on evidence, and the ability to model this for others and support others to improve.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to build effective working relationships.
• A commitment to getting the best outcomes for all pupils and promoting the ethos and values of the school.
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality at all times.
• Commitment to safeguarding and equality, ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways that exploit the position.

Be part of our successful team and also benefit from a generous package that includes:

• Life assurance
• Competitive Pension
• Perkbox - offering high street discounts
• Employee assistance programme
• Car lease scheme
• Fully funded training and qualifications
• Bike to work scheme
• Free membership to our Health cash back plan - Claim back money on services such as dental, optical, physio and many more.
• Free parking

How to apply:

Please complete an online application form in full, remembering to include all employment and education details.  If you need any assistance or would like any more information, please contact Liz in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at liz.hudson@theauroragroup.co.uk

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.

This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled. 

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.