Head of Alternative Provision

Head of Alternative Provision

Location:

Northampton, Northamptonshire
Salary: £42,123-£54,927 per annum

Contract:

Full-time, Permanent

Start Date:

January 2027 or sooner

Are you an experienced school leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for young people and believes every learner deserves the opportunity to succeed?

We are seeking an ambitious, compassionate and forward-thinking Head of Alternative Provision to lead our specialist provision in Northampton. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced senior education professional to shape the future of a setting where education, personal development and equestrian-based learning come together to transform the lives of young people.

You do not need equestrian experience to apply. We are looking for an individual with strong school senior leadership experience, a proven ability to drive improvement and, ideally, experience of working in partnership with local authorities. You will bring the educational expertise, leadership skills and vision needed to help our provision thrive.

Working in partnership with schools and local authorities, our equestrian-based programmes support young people to re-engage with education, develop essential life skills and achieve measurable personal progress. As a British Horse Society (BHS) Approved Centre, we deliver structured, nationally recognised programmes that combine education, wellbeing and practical achievement in a unique and supportive environment.

About the Role
- As Head of Alternative Provision, you will provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management of the provision, ensuring that every learner receives a high-quality, personalised educational experience. You will lead a dedicated team, drive standards and create a positive culture in which young people feel safe, valued, supported and motivated to achieve their potential.

You will play a pivotal role in developing the provision, strengthening partnerships with schools and local authorities, and ensuring that our approach delivers meaningful educational and personal outcomes.

This is an opportunity to lead a distinctive provision where success is measured not only through academic progress, but also through improved engagement, confidence, resilience, independence and readiness for the next stage of life.

Key Responsibilities
- Strategic leadership:
Provide clear, effective leadership, setting high expectations and establishing a culture of ambition, inclusion and continuous improvement.
Quality of education:
Oversee curriculum planning, teaching, learning and assessment, ensuring programmes are engaging, appropriately differentiated and responsive to individual needs.

Safeguarding and welfare:
Ensure robust safeguarding practices and promote the safety, welfare and wellbeing of all learners, staff and visitors.

Learner progress:
Monitor attendance, engagement, behaviour and achievement, using evidence to measure progress and inform targeted support.
Team development:
Lead, support and develop staff, fostering a collaborative, reflective and high-performing team.

Partnership working:
Build and maintain effective relationships with local authorities, commissioning teams, mainstream schools, families and other professionals to support successful learner outcomes.

Provision development:
Drive the continued development of the provision, identifying opportunities to improve services, strengthen partnerships and enhance the learner experience.

Equestrian-based learning:
Champion the benefits of practical and equestrian-based activities in developing responsibility, communication, confidence, resilience and essential life skills. Previous equestrian experience is not required.

Compliance and improvement:
Ensure the provision meets relevant statutory requirements and applicable regulatory expectations, while driving continuous improvement across all aspects of the provision.

About You
- The ideal candidate will be an experienced school leader who is ready to take on an exciting leadership opportunity within alternative provision. You will understand the challenges faced by young people who struggle to engage with mainstream education and be committed to creating opportunities for them to succeed.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have:

Senior leadership experience within a school, with a track record of leading teams, improving standards and achieving positive outcomes for pupils.
Experience working with local authorities, ideally involving partnership working,…