Secondary Lead Teacher

North East Ambition; Ashington; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A special educational needs school in Ashington is seeking a passionate Secondary Lead to drive innovative teaching and learning for students with special needs. You will mentor staff and design Individual Learning Plans, ensuring every student achieves their potential. The role offers a supportive environment with small class sizes and substantial benefits, including a pension contribution and enhanced parental leave. This position calls for a leader ready to make a real impact in young people's lives.

Benefits

Small class sizes

Term-time plus 5 working patterns

School lunches for £1/day

Regular school trips

20% pension contribution

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Company sick days

Qualifications

• Experience supporting students with behavioural challenges.
• Ability to motivate and develop teaching staff.
• Commitment to safeguarding and clear enhanced DBS.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-quality teaching and mentoring of staff.
• Monitor student progress and coordinate interventions.
• Design and oversee Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).

Skills

Supporting children and young people with SEN

Team leadership skills

Agility and creativity

Delivering high-impact teaching

Proactive hands-on approach

Education

QTS or QTLS

Job description

Join Our Team

GUST Independent School are seeking a dynamic Secondary Lead who is passionate about transforming the educational experience for young people with special educational needs. This is your opportunity to shape the future of our secondary provision, champion progressive teaching and make a lasting impact in a forward‑thinking, supportive environment where every day is different.

About GUST

GUST is a vibrant special educational needs school and registered charity based in Ashington, Northumberland. We are a dedicated team offering a truly personalised approach to education. Our learners pursue a diverse curriculum including vocational qualifications, English and Maths GCSEs & functional skills, and ASDAN accredited courses in ICT, Science, Geography and History. We pride ourselves on our nurturing ethos, close‑knit community and unwavering commitment to helping every student thrive – academically, socially and emotionally.

The Role

As Secondary Lead, you will be at the heart of our mission to deliver outstanding, individualised education for every learner. You will drive innovation, lead the secondary team and ensure our secondary students are empowered to achieve their very best – both in and out of the classroom.

Key Responsibilities

• Champion high‑quality teaching and learning by mentoring staff, modelling engaging lessons and fostering a culture of creativity and continuous improvement.
• Use assessment data to monitor progress, identify those who need extra support and coordinate targeted interventions that unlock their potential.
• Design, implement and oversee Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).
• Share and embed strategies for differentiation, classroom management and student engagement across the team.
• Lead initiatives that build a vibrant, positive learning culture, organising enrichment across the team.
• Set and uphold the highest standards for behaviour, attendance and punctuality, supporting staff to apply our behaviour policy with consistent compassion.
• Run behavioural interventions and restorative practices, tailoring support to meet individual needs and fostering resilience and respect.
• Build strong partnerships with parents, carers and external agencies to address the social, emotional and behavioural needs of our learners.
• Safeguard every student by ensuring robust practices, managing concerns and maintaining up‑to‑date risk assessments for those with additional needs.
• Prepare reports on student progress, behaviour and wellbeing, contributing to multi‑agency meetings and whole‑school strategy.
• Coordinate and lead off‑site educational visits, including PE and enrichment activities, ensuring safety and compliance at every stage.
• Orchestrate group events, trips and enrichment opportunities.
• Report to SLT on all aspects of secondary provision, including safeguarding, risk and student outcomes.
• Be a role model for professionalism, respect and the GUST ethos, fostering a strong sense of identity and belonging.
• Drive whole‑school initiatives to advance teaching, learning, behaviour and safeguarding.

The Person

We are looking for an ambitious, innovative leader who thrives on challenges and is committed to making a real difference in the lives of young people with SEN.

We’re looking for:

• Proven experience supporting children and young people with SEN, particularly those with behavioural challenges.
• Confident team leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, develop and unite teachers, tutors and teaching assistants.
• Agility and creativity – comfortable thinking on your feet and adapting the school day to meet the evolving needs of our learners.
• QTS or QTLS, with a passion for delivering high‑impact teaching.
• Commitment to safeguarding and child protection with a clear enhanced DBS (or willingness to obtain one).
• A proactive, hands‑on approach – ready to lead by example and be a visible, positive presence through the school.
• Determination to make the secondary provision your own, setting the standards for excellence and inclusion.
• A genuine role model for staff and students.

Desirable

• Additional training to further enhance our offers i.e. Forest School Leader, Bikeability instructor, Thrive Practitioner etc or a willingness to identify other opportunities and go through training.
• Ability to drive a 17‑seater school bus.

What We Offer

At GUST, you’ll find a supportive, innovative environment where your ideas are valued, and your professional growth is championed. We believe in investing in our people as much as our pupils.

Benefits of joining our team

• Small class sizes (typically 3‑5 students), allowing for truly personalised teaching and meaningful relationships.
• A term‑time plus 5 working patterns, supporting a healthy work‑life balance.
• School lunches available for just £1 per day.
• Regular school trips and days out, bringing learning to life beyond the classroom.
• 20% pension contribution.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• Company sick days.

To Apply

Please complete an application form and send this to [e-mail].