Assistant Headteacher

About the role

As part of our continued growth, we now have a unique opportunity for a new Assistant Headteacher to be appointed to Breakspeare School. The successful candidate will join our forward-looking Sunflower Federation with the potential to access future career progression.

The Sunflower Federation is a unique school community of two different schools. We strongly believe that synergy and co-operation within the wider school community and with all our stakeholders brings the best outcome for everyone, but especially for our students.

This post is available due to our expansion plans. The Sunflower Federation has two separate provisions; Meadow Wood School, that caters for children with physical and neurological difficulties and Breakspeare School, that caters for children and young people with severe and profound learning difficulties.  Breakspeare School operates on three different sites (Abbots Langey, Bushey and West Watford); Meadow Wood School is located in Bushey.

Our new post holder will be working in Breakspeare School’s unit that is currently located in West-Watford.

The Assistant Headteacher will take the lead responsibility, ensuring the best possible curriculum offer, provision, well-being, progress and achievement for the pupils through careful monitoring and holding staff to account for the progress that their pupils make. 

This is a great opportunity for an Assistant Headteacher who is looking for opportunities to bring innovation and creativity to inspire learning in an SEN environment for pupils with a wide range of needs. 

The postholder’s key accountability is to provide Breakspeare School, West Watford unit with daily operational leadership for curricula with a passion and vision to achieve the best outcomes for all.

In partnership with our Executive Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team, you will deliver clear, authentic leadership as apart of our multidisciplinary team. You will establish and develop the federation’s aims and objectives, ensuring high quality and compliance, working collaboratively to develop and ensure appropriate, individualised programmes of learning for our pupils.

We can offer:

• A rewarding post which will make a real difference to the lives of our vulnerable children and young people
• An opportunity to join the Federation at an exciting stage of its future development and expansion
• A highly performing, skilled and supportive team who work collaboratively
• A commitment to your personal and professional development

• A supportive governing board
• Staff reward and wellbeing package

You are:

• always keeping the students’ best interest at the heart their working practice
• motivated to support the positive wellbeing of others
• a practitioner who inspires others
• a creative leader, with experience at a senior level
• excited to offer children an exceptional learning experience making a real impact on their progress and life opportunities
• able to build strong positive relationships with students, staff and external professionals
• exceptional communicator with interpersonal skills and a ‘can do’ attitude
• able to enhance the development of our schools
• innovative and strategic in your thinking
• willing to undertake CPD and training relevant to the post and the development of the organisation
• committed to become an advocate for the ethos of The Sunflower Federation in the wider community

Please contact us commencing 3rd September 2025 for further enquiries and to organise a school visit.

• contact Merja Paakkonen on 01923-263645 or 020-8420 4720
• email admin@breakspeare.herts.sch.uk

CVs alone or CVs submitted via agencies will not be accepted.  Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

The Sunflower Federation is committed to safeguarding the welfare of young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  This post will be subject to full employment checks, including an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service