Head of Health and Therapeutic Services - The William Henry Smith School

Schools
Special Schools
The William Henry Smith School
Full time (during term time and management cover/holiday rota)
1
Calderdale and surrounding areas
Permanent
Leadership Spine L8-L16, plus a non-resident Deputy allowance as per JNCTRE scales
Leadership Spine L8-L16, plus a non-resident Deputy allowance as per JNCTRE scales

Kirklees Council are advertising this role on behalf of The William Henry Smith School.

Due to growth and expansion of services, this is a brand-new position and an exciting opportunity for an innovative and dynamic leader.

Are you a professional, enthusiastic and highly driven individual with leadership experience, who is passionate about the health and well-being of our whole community, and outstanding education, care and health outcomes for children and young adults?

Do you have the proven ability to work effectively at a strategic level and do you have a validated effective leadership track record which demonstrates impact?

Do you have knowledge and understanding of Trauma and Attachment Responsive Practice, and the experience and proven expertise in running and coordinating a successful multi-disciplinary clinical service?

Are you excited by the breadth of organisational health resources which spreads across Occupational Therapy/Speech and Language Therapy/Creative Arts Psychotherapy/School Nurses and Family Support?

Are you motivated by collaborative and integrated work across health and therapy, education and care, and the common drive towards outstanding health and well-being, shared care pathways, and improved quality of life?

Do you have the creative ability and recent practitioner experience to drive forward a service, managing it from early interventions and preventative strategies through to reactive services and interventions?

Are you excited by the rewards and challenges of working within a vibrant and diverse community, supported by a plethora of experience and expertise; do you want to play a substantive part in the continual development of our school and its expanding services?

‘Children’s physical and emotional health is exceptionally well supported through a coordinated, personalised approach. There is an excellent range of therapists in the school. They provide timely help to children and their families, and skilled advice to staff,’ (Ofsted 2022).

Our offer:

  • An attractive salary 
  • A Quality of Life and Well-being programme of activity and experiences
  • A competitive defined contribution pension scheme
  • An employee assistance healthcare cashback plan
  • Mobile Phone & Remote Working Technology 
  • A full induction programme, including an outstanding network of support 
  • A learning and development programme and CPD
  • BUPA Membership
  • Assistance with childcare savings and cycle to work scheme
  • Subscription to Head Space and Perks at Work online apps which offers hundreds of discounts and benefits
  • 50% towards the cost of branded workwear
  • Personal health and fitness training, and a financial advisory service

The Smith Foundation is a registered charity that operates our outstanding special school, a bespoke education, support and tuition service, and a children’s home, all for children and young adults experiencing social, emotional and mental health challenges (SEMH).

The William Henry Smith is a non-maintained residential special school for boys aged 5-19. Our students have a breadth of special educational needs, including learning difficulty and disability. We are a not for profit charitable organisation providing ‘Ofsted Outstanding’ education, health, therapy and care. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Opportunities for success are provided through a diverse programme of bespoke individual learning pathways and life skills across the 24-hour curriculum, which serve to develop resilience, skills and accreditation for life-long learning, happiness, and an improved quality of life. The school has a strong ethos and culture, built upon firm foundations that underpins all our work on improving quality of life outcomes for all our students and their families, through our strong focus on key working, developing relationships with students, and partnerships with parents and carers. 

The school operates across 2 sites, ‘the main school site’ and from our satellite provision in Elland. This provision – BEST (Bespoke Education, Support and Tuition) is an extension to the school, providing much needed ‘specialised’ support to children and young adults who are struggling to flourish as a consequence of complex needs, and/or significant time out of any school or education provision.

The school has a wealth and breadth of professionals which form an integrated team around students, including Creative Arts Psychotherapists, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapists, School Nurses, a Social Worker and a Family team. Residential Care and Teaching and Learning staff play a vital part in children’s lives, progress and quality of life.

Our recruitment process is further embedded, ensuring our commitment to Safeguarding and our alignment with the Safer Recruitment procedure. The process aims to create and maintain a safe workforce and contains robust vetting procedures. The successful applicant will be appointed subject to references and enhanced DBS check (this is a position working in regulated activity). The successful candidate will be subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process and must adhere to a strict code of conduct regarding behaviour at all times. Shortlisted candidates will also be subject to an online search in line with the KCSIE 2022 Guidance.

The successful candidate will have the appropriate skills to:

  • Take responsibility for the leadership, general management, deployment and organisation of health and therapy services, and develop further our multi-disciplinary approach to the health and wellbeing of the organisation.
  • Join the Senior Leadership Team to provide authentic, professional leadership within the health and therapeutic service and the wider school, to secure future success and improvement. 
  • Work alongside the Senior Leadership Team, embracing all areas of the school and the foundation’s services to ensure high quality provision. 
  • Provide strategic leadership and future vision to our well established and multi-disciplinary service of highly qualified professionals. 
  • Provide outstanding reflective practice.
  • Apply research and evidence-based best practice. 
  • Provide strategic direction and solution-focused forward-thinking to SLT in relation to research and changes within the wider health and therapeutic services through a holistic approach. 
  • Build relationships with key stakeholders including colleagues, local, regional and national partners to support the delivery of organisational priorities and opportunities.
  • Create an environment that empowers ownership that aligns with the culture of the William Henry Smith School and Charitable Trust.
  • To carry a caseload and have oversight of student progress, attainment and outcomes.
  • Develop and maintain positive relations with children and young people and adults; demonstrate compassion, and have an unconditional positive regard at all times.

The successful applicant will have:

  • Recent practitioner experience.
  • A Degree qualification and postgraduate CPD/learning.
  • Senior Leadership and management level experience.
  • Experience and proven expertise in running and coordinating a successful multi-disciplinary clinical service.
  • A highly motivated demeanour and ability to contribute to and champion collaborative working across Education, Health and Care.
  • Knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of complex trauma.
  • Experience of working alongside, and a good understanding of, creative psychotherapy and its relevance to working with complex trauma.
  • Awareness of current evidence based therapeutic approaches to working with complex trauma in order to support development of the therapy service.
  • An understanding of high risk behaviour and the impact of working with complex trauma and high risk cases.
  • Experience of managing high risk cases, i.e. Serious self harm and suicidal ideation, understanding of risk assessments and safety plans, working collaboratively with the team around the child.
  • Understanding of a robust mental health model. 
  • Creative ability to identify and implement opportunities to build and strengthen our offer.
  • The desire to understand the principles and practice of Pillars of Parenting and emotional warmth, and positive behaviour support.
  • A broad, solid knowledge and understanding across health and therapy.
  • Knowledge and experience in managing from early intervention and preventative strategies right through to reactive services and interventions.
  • The desire to challenge health inequalities, the vision to bridge the gap, and the drive to commission resources.
  • Knowledge and understanding of Trauma and Attachment Responsive Practice.
  • The ability to analyse data and trends.
  • A continuing desire to learn.
  • The ability to demonstrate exceptional attention to detail.

The school values equality and diversity across its workforce and aims to ensure our staff community is reflective of the diversity of the children and young people within our care. We are also committed to promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of both students and staff and one which reflects life in modern Britain.

For further information or to arrange an essential visit as part of the recruitment process, please contact Sonia Stewart (Head of HR) at the following email address: Sonia.stewart@whsschool.org.uk

Application packs can be downloaded from the school website or alternatively please contact reception on 01484 710123 (please note we do not accept CV’s).

Closing date for applications: Friday 10th February 2023.

Proposed interview date: w/c 27th February 2023.

10 February 2023, 11:55 PM

This vacancy is closed to applications.