Headteacher

Overview

As Headteacher, you will provide clear, inspiring and effective leadership to ensure the school delivers outstanding outcomes for children and young people. You will be responsible for the overall performance, development and success of the school, creating a culture where pupils thrive, staff feel motivated and excellence is the shared ambition.

• Deliver outstanding outcomes for children and young people that reflect their individual needs, abilities and aspirations
• Create and sustain a safe, supportive and nurturing environment for pupils and staff
• Ensure full compliance with statutory requirements and regulatory frameworks, achieving the highest possible inspection outcomes
• Lead, motivate and develop a highly skilled staff team committed to continuous improvement and professional growth
• Secure the commercial success of the school through strong occupancy, effective cost management and strategic growth planning
• Drive effective strategic and operational planning, including self-evaluation and school improvement
• Establish and promote a clear, shared vision aligned with Acorn Education & Care that inspires pupils, staff and the wider school community
• Lead the assessment, planning and delivery of personalised educational and developmental programmes that enable children and young people to achieve their full potential
• Ensure pupils leave the school equipped for fulfilling lives and positive contributions to society
• Take overall responsibility for the success and performance of the school
• Line manage all staff, including volunteers and contractors, fostering high standards and accountability
• Maintain robust health and safety policies, procedures and systems and ensure they are consistently applied
• Work closely with Acorn Education & Care to implement best practice across the school
• Maintain rigorous systems for monitoring, recording and responding to incidents and concerns

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent
• Completion of the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)
• Commitment to ongoing personal and professional development

This role is suited to an ambitious and values-driven leader who can balance educational excellence, staff development and strategic growth while keeping children and young people at the heart of every decision.

At Outcomes First Group, we believe in better work/life balance and are piloting a 4-Day Working Week (4

DWW) trial, where you can work one day less each week (or equivalent hours) while still receiving full-time pay. Many of our schools have already introduced the 4

DWW and others are preparing to roll it out as soon as they reach full staffing.

Job title:

Dibden Park School is a brand-new independent specialist school based in Southampton. We provide inclusive education within a safe and nurturing environment for students with complex needs, including SEMH challenges, communication and interaction difficulties, and associated behaviours. We are part of Acorn Education and can offer opportunities to develop your career. Acorn Education is the UK's leading provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs.

As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in delivering innovative approaches that achieve measurable outcomes. In 2025, Outcomes First Group was certified as a "Great Place to Work" for the sixth year running.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to safeguarding checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS. Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll receive a reward package including life assurance, pension options, wellbeing support, and access to our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, with a wide range of health, wellbeing and insurance benefits, discounts, cycle to work, electric car purchase schemes and family growth support.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

• You'll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, with 4
  
  DWW subject to probation and not a contractual benefit.
• Outcomes First Group is committed to fair, thorough and efficient recruitment in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. The compliance process may affect timescales and is subject to safeguarding checks.