# Assistant Headteacher & DSL at Esland > Location unclear · Unspecified · Other · open. Source: https://alderhq.app/jobs/pinpoint%3Aesland%3A573993 (read 2026-11-09). ## Facts (observed) - Company: [Esland](https://alderhq.app/companies/esland) - Location text: Shropshire School - Ditton Priors, Shropshire - Where it can be done from (inferred): Location unclear (evidence: "Location: Shropshire School - Ditton Priors, Shropshire") - Posted: already open when tracking began; date unknown - First seen by alder: 2026-11-04 · last verified: 2026-11-09 - Reposted: 0 times · edited: 0 times - Apply on the employer's site: https://esland.pinpointhq.com/en/postings/282a0814-bf1c-42c6-b46a-7d13daf03490 ## Pay and sponsorship - Posted pay: £52k–£54k per year (from the listing's pay field) ## Description (the employer's text) The Assistant Headteacher will support the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher in: • Communicating the school’s vision compellingly and supporting the headteacher’s strategic leadership • The day-to-day management of the school • Formulating the aims and objectives of the school • Establishing policies for achieving these aims and objectives • Managing staff and resources to that end • Monitoring progress towards meeting the school’s aims and objectives The Assistant Headteacher will also have a timetabled teaching commitment, complying with the Teachers’ Standards and modelling best practice for others. They may also be required to undertake any of the duties delegated by the Headteacher. ### Responsibilities Designated Safeguarding Lead The assistant headteacher will: • Maintain and review annually the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for the school. • Be the key advisor to staff regarding safeguarding, including online safety, supporting in recognising and acting on concerns. • Keep detailed, confidential records of all concerns, decisions, actions and referrals. • Monitor patterns in safeguarding referrals and risk indicators. Where required report trends and compliance to the School SLT, the Education Director and Governors. • Lead safeguarding audits and school self-evaluation, feeding into the school’s action plan. • Manage safeguarding referrals appropriately to external stakeholders including: Children’s Social Care, PREVENT and the Police. • Build and maintain effective working relationships with key staff from Children’s Social Care, the Police, CAMH’s and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). • Deliver, record and monitor annual safeguarding training for all school staff, including updates to key pieces of legislation such as Keeping Children Safe in Education. • Actively participate in Safeguarding strategy meetings and Child Protection conferences, which are held locally and nationally. • Promote a school-wide trauma-informed, emotionally safe environment, especially tailored to SEMH learners. • Advise on behaviour interventions and attendance strategies. School culture and behaviour • Create a culture where pupils experience a positive and enriching school life • Uphold educational standards in order to prepare pupils from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life • Ensure a culture of staff professionalism • Encourage high standards of behaviour from pupils, built on rules and routines that are understood by staff and pupils and clearly demonstrated by all adults in school • Use consistent and fair approaches to managing behaviour, in line with the school’s behaviour policy • Encourage high levels of pupil attendance and help to uphold a school culture of safety, enjoyment, and engagement with learning to support attendance ### Teaching, curriculum and assessment • Establish and sustain high-quality teaching across subjects and phases, based on evidence • Ensure the teaching of a broad, structured and coherent curriculum Establish curriculum leadership, including subject leaders with relevant expertise and access to professional networks and communities • Use valid, reliable and proportionate approaches to assessing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum • Ensure the use of evidence-informed approaches to reading so all pupils are taught to read. Additional and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) • Promote a culture and practices that allow all pupils to access the curriculum • Have ambitious expectations for all pupils with SEND • Make sure the school works effectively with parents, carers and professionals to identify additional needs, and provide support and adaptation where appropriate • Make sure the school fulfils statutory duties regarding the SEND Code of Practice. Organisational management and school improvement • Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies so the school can operate effectively and efficiently • Ensure staff and pupils’ safety and welfare through effective approaches to safeguarding, as part of duty of care • Ensure rigorous approaches to identifying, managing and mitigating risk • Ensure effective use of budgets and resources • 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 school improvement strategies are effectively implemented Staff management and professional development • Performance-manage designated staff, including carrying out appraisals and holding staff to account for their performance • Manage staff well, with due attention to workload • Ensure staff have access to appropriate, high-quality professional development opportunities • Keep up to date with developments in education • Seek training and continuing professional development to meet their own needs Governance, accountability and working in partnership • Work with the governing board as appropriate - Make sure the school effectively and efficiently operates within the required regulatory frameworks and meets all statutory duties • Work successfully with other schools and organisations Maintain working relationships with fellow professionals and colleagues to improve educational outcomes for all pupils. ### Other areas of responsibility Assistant headteachers may be required to lead on a particular area of school leadership, as outlined below. This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to change: Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) Pastoral Lead on the whole-school assessment strategy ### Skills Qualifications & Training: • Qualified teacher status (essential requirement under SEND Code of Conduct if duties include SENCO responsibilities) • A relevant Degree • Professional development in preparation for a leadership role • Additional qualifications in trauma informed practice, behaviour management, or therapeutic interventions • DSL and Safeguarding Level 3 trained and updated safeguarding training at least every two years (essential for those undertaking DSL responsibilities) ### Experience • Senior leadership experience or equivalent, ideally with a background in safeguarding, social work, education leadership, or SEMH contexts. • Experience managing inclusion, behaviour, or attendance in special education contexts. • Experience of working with or preparing for Ofsted or other inspection frameworks. • Teaching experience • Involvement in school self-evaluation and development planning • Line management experience • Demonstrable experience of successful line management and staff development • National Award for SEN Co-ordination, or a willingness to complete it within 3 years of appointment \[essential requirement under the SEND Code of Practice\] ### Skills & Knowledge • Understanding of high-quality teaching, and the ability to model this for others and support others to improve • Understanding of school finances • Thorough knowledge of statutory frameworks such as Keeping Children Safe in Education. • Effective communication and interpersonal skills • Ability to communicate a vision and inspire others ### Benefits - A competitive salary between £51,807 and £54,417, reviewed annually - Enrolment into the Esland education pension scheme, which is double matched up to 20%, meaning at total pension contribution of up to 30% - Company sick pay - Life insurance to the value of 4 times your basic salary - Comprehensive, paid induction training and ongoing training within the role - Fantastic opportunities for career development, we promoted over 100 colleagues last year - Cycle to work scheme - Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) including our Online GP 24/7, 365 days a year - Access to our Green Hybrid and EV car scheme - A £500 bonus via our 'Refer a Friend’ scheme - Monthly recognition awards - Access to big-brand deals and discounts via our employee benefits scheme E-Together - The opportunity to make a real difference to a child's life! --- Data: alder (https://alderhq.app). Cite https://alderhq.app/jobs/pinpoint%3Aesland%3A573993 and the date you read it. Observed facts come from the employer's own listing; location reach, level, family and skills are inferences.