Head of School

Head of School – Aurora Linemere

Location: Backwell, Bristol

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Hours: 40 hours per week

Salary: £71,330 - £78,702 (L14 – L18)

Start Date: February 2025

Closing Date: 11th November 2025

Aurora Linemere is opening its doors in Summer 2026, and we’re looking for an exceptional Head of School to help lead and develop this exciting new provision. This is a rare opportunity to be part of something truly transformative.

Aurora Linemere will be a nurturing, inclusive and ambitious school for children and young people aged 5–19 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. With a capacity of 96 students, our vision is to create a safe, enriching and aspirational environment where every learner can thrive.

The role:

As Head of School, you’ll work closely with the Principal to assist in the development of Aurora Linemere in accordance with its shared values and school development plans. You’ll play a key role in shaping the school’s ethos, culture and strategic direction from the ground up. You’ll be responsible for:

• Leading operational excellence and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of pupils, staff and visitors.
• Driving pupil attendance, progress and achievement.
• Building a resilient, skilled and positive staff team.
• Ensuring compliance with Independent School Standards and Aurora’s high expectations.
• Championing a culture of enrichment, inclusion and high standards of behaviour.

Please see the following link for our full job description: Head of School Linemere Oct 25.docx

Experience:

We’re looking for a passionate, experienced and visionary leader who:

• Has a strong track record in school leadership, ideally within specialist education.
• Is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
• Can inspire and lead a team with empathy, clarity and purpose.
• Understands the unique needs of students with ASD/SEMH and is driven to deliver outstanding outcomes.
• Is confident in managing school improvement strategies, curriculum development and quality assurance. 

To achieve in this role you will be someone who inspires creativity and collaboration, a strong leader and a passionate advocate for your students, finding ways to deliver educational outcomes that make a real difference to them.  

It is an exciting time to be part of Aurora and this is a unique career opportunity to make your mark on our growing services.

For further information or to arrange an informal chat with our Operations Director; please email our Recruitment Partner: adele.richard@theauroragroup.co.uk

🌟What’s on Offer at Aurora?

We believe in supporting you as much as we support the children and young people in our care. Here’s a snapshot of the fantastic benefits waiting for you:

📚 Grow with Us – Training & Development

Learning never stops at Aurora! We offer a wide range of training programmes and career development opportunities to help you build your skills and reach your goals.

💸 Save Money on Everyday Essentials

With the rising cost of living, our Perkbox app helps you stretch your money further:

• Discounts on groceries, phone plans, internet, dining out, gym memberships & more
• Access to our Cycle to Work and Car Scheme

💰 Competitive Pay & Reward

We regularly benchmark our pay and benefits to stay ahead of the curve. You’ll enjoy:

• Enhanced Annual Leave
• Company Sick Pay
• Enhanced Pension
• Life Assurance

🩺 24/7 GP Access – For You & Your Household

Need a doctor? No problem. Book a phone or video appointment anytime, day or night. This service covers everyone in your household.

🦷 UK Health Cash Plan

Cover everyday healthcare costs like dental and optician bills. You and your children are included in the scheme, and you can upgrade to add your partner too!

🧠 Employee Assistance Programme

Your wellbeing matters. Get confidential support on a wide range of issues, including:

• Freephone counselling (available 24/7)
• Online tools and resources

👯‍♀️ Refer a Friend – Earn £1,000!

Know someone who’d be a great fit? Refer them and get rewarded!
(*Terms apply)

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 Adele in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at Adele.richard@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.