Opportunities with
Forward Education Trust
View detailsWelcome from Forward Education Trust’s Chief Executive Officer
It’s my pleasure to welcome you to Forward Education Trust (FET) and thank you for your interest in working with us.
FET is an established and developing MAT of 7 special schools. As Chief Executive Officer I lead a talented and committed staff group as we strive to provide a safe and supportive environment for us to care for and educate our children. Dr Debbie Bailey, who is our Education Director has the experience and knowledge to harness the talents of our staff as well as engage with external partners, to support the stability and future growth of our Trust and schools.
Our aim is to create a cohesive team of Trust Central staff and school staff, working together, fiercely loyal to each other. We are committed to developing local school identity and ethos, adopting strategies for school improvement that build on and enhance local reputation, raise standards and respond to the needs and aspirations of those we serve. We care about our staff, their learning, development and well-being and we are responding to feedback from our first Trust-wide employee survey on a wide range of matters relating to communication, workload, personal & professional development and wider support to our staff.
Our values remain unchanged, but we want to articulate them better and give unequivocal evidence that people can see them in the decisions we make and the things that we do. Mutual respect must pervade all our relationships and together our staff will learn, practice and collaborate – a sense of team will identify how we nurture our talent, for the benefit of our young people. At all times, FET will be a safe place for our children, because our staff will know that this is their top priority.
Anyone joining the Trust must share these values and live them in their daily lives. We want to empower people to make decisions and to be creative. We are recruiting talented, experienced, ambitious and forward-thinking people who want to work as part of a team that is committed to our ethos of moving forward together, striving for and achieving opportunities to improve outcomes and provide stability and success for all. These are not just words, this is what we do. You will be supported to ensure that the well-being and education of our students is at the centre of everything we do. We will also value you and your development and well-being and we want our people to grow with us.
I would welcome the opportunity to tell you more about any of our fantastic leadership opportunities and hope that you might be motivated to be part of the exciting future plans we have for Forward Education Trust.
Best regards,
Simon Dilkes
CEO, Forward Education Trust
About Forward Education Trust
Forward Education Trust was established in March 2017 when the federation of Brays School (then on two sites at Sheldon and Tile Cross) and The Bridge School (Sutton Coldfield) academised. When the Trust was formed Hallmoor School (an all through provision) joined as a sponsored school.
The Trust has expanded and changed recently. On 1st September 2021, Brays School was de-amalgamated when the Sheldon site retained the Brays name and a new school called Leycroft Academy was established on the Tile Cross site. In addition, the former Skilts school was relocated by Birmingham City Council to a new site called Lea Hall Academy as a sponsor led academy joining FET on 1st September 2021.
High Point Academy (Secondary) was developed as a free school by the DfE and opened as an academy on 1st September 2021. Finally, we have now opened The Heights Academy free school, developed by the DfE jointly with Solihull MBC, which opened on 1st September 2023.
So, FET is now a Trust of 7 special schools across all age ranges, covering the widest spectrum of Special Educational Needs students. With close to 800 students and nearly 400 staff, FET is a strong force in special education in Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell.
Under the stewardship of Simon Dilkes, FET will concentrate on its established core values, with the major focus on the well-being and education of our students and, second only to that, to the recruitment, retention, development and well-being of staff. FET will be different in the future through small changes that will have a significant impact for students and staff. The schools will develop individual personalities, recognising their own particular characteristics and celebrating the many good things that happen day-to-day. School leaders will increasingly be able to make the right choices for their students, with support from the FET Central Team, the Board of Trustees and Local Academy Councils. Through this, FET aims to be a place that staff want to come.
Vision, Ethos and Values
Vision
To ensure the children in our schools receive the best possible education, care and life chances by being the West Midlands bespoke provider of choice for children with high levels of special educational needs.
Ethos
Moving forward together, striving for and achieving opportunities to improve outcomes and provide stability and success for all.
Values
The Bridge School
About the school
The Bridge School is a vibrant and popular special school for primary-aged pupils with complex and multiple needs including SLD, PMLD and ASC. Some also have additional needs including visual or hearing impairments. The school has 90 fantastic children on roll, highly likely to increase to 130 in September 2024 and is now looking for a new Headteacher who will build on its many strengths and lead it to even greater success so that the children receive the best possible education, care and life chances.
The school has been rated as Good at it last two inspections, the most recent in 2020. It has benefitted from a stable and committed staff team who care passionately about the school and the children and who continue to embrace new initiatives and ideas which will support improvements in their practice and ability to support the needs of the pupils. The new Headteacher will have the opportunity to harness this talent so that staff have opportunities to flourish and develop and may become the leaders of the future. Recent Trust investment has also improved outdoor and indoor facilities and upgrading the roof in a programme of works which extends over several years.
The school is part of Forward Education Trust, an established and developing MAT of 6 special schools in Birmingham and Sandwell. The Trust is working through a period of positive change with a new CEO and Deputy CEO recently appointed and plans for future expansion including a new school opening in Solihull in September ‘23. Central to the Trust’s development will be a commitment to ensuring its schools develop individual personalities, recognising their own particular characteristics and celebrating the many good things that happen day-to-day.
The Trust believes its staff and leaders are its most important asset and valuing them and utilising their many talents will deliver the best experiences for pupils. You will be empowered to make decisions and to be creative and must be committed to the trust ethos of moving forward together, striving for and achieving opportunities to improve outcomes and providing stability and success for all. Your professional development will also be a key priority and you will have the support of a network of highly skilled and experienced senior leaders alongside the opportunities that will inevitably present themselves from being part of a developing trust.
The successful candidate will be an exemplary leader, teacher and role model with experience of working with children with complex special needs. They will be an innovative, proactive and motivated leader with vision and energy which will inspire, enthuse and motivate pupils, staff and the wider school community. They must have the ability to initiate and lead change in a positive way which makes a real difference to learning and above all, share the school’s commitment to ensuring the pupils are safe and happy and achieve their full potential.
View location on the map below
Brays School
About the school
Brays School is an inclusive, forward thinking and popular special school for primary-aged pupils with a range of physical, learning and sensory difficulties. The school is part of Forward Education Trust (FET), an established and developing MAT of 6 special schools in Birmingham and Sandwell. This is an exciting time for the school and the Trust and for a new Headteacher to build on the many strengths and provide the strategic and operational leadership which will deliver on the commitment to ensuring the children receive the best possible education, care and life chances.
The school, rated as Outstanding in 2020, has high standards of teaching and learning and is a National School of Creativity. The committed, talented and caring staff team have sought and embraced new ideas and are ambitious to further develop the curriculum, particularly the pre-formal curriculum. The new Headteacher will have the opportunity to harness this talent and ambition so that staff have opportunities to flourish and develop and may become the leaders of the future.
FET is working through a period of positive change with plans for future expansion including a new school opening in Solihull in September ‘23. Central to the Trust’s development will be a commitment to ensuring its schools develop individual personalities, recognising their own particular characteristics and celebrating the many good things that happen day-to-day. Alongside this is a belief that its staff and leaders are its most important asset and valuing them and utilising their many talents will deliver the best experiences for pupils.
FET has invested in facilities in school including the creative space, light & sound room, soft play area and therapy pool. Investments in technology are planned to unlock and enhance the learning experiences for children. Other capital projects are in motion, in particular a planned refurbishment of the nursery. School is fortunate to have an on-site NHS medical team including physiotherapists and other professionals working to support the needs of our children.
The Trust believes its staff and leaders are its most important asset and valuing them and utilising their many talents will deliver the best experiences for pupils. You will be empowered to make decisions and to be creative and must be committed to the trust ethos of moving forward together, striving for and achieving opportunities to improve outcomes and providing stability and success for all. Your professional development will also be a key priority and you will have the support of a network of highly skilled and experienced senior leaders alongside the opportunities that will inevitably present themselves from being part of a developing trust.
The successful candidate will be an exemplary leader, teacher and role model with experience of working with children with complex special needs. PMLD experience is preferred but not essential. They will be a dynamic, innovative, proactive and motivated leader with vision and energy which will inspire, enthuse and motivate pupils, staff and the wider school community. They must have the ability to initiate and lead change in a positive way which makes a real difference to learning and above all, share the school’s commitment to ensuring the students are safe and happy and achieve their full potential.
View location on the map below
Leycroft Academy
About the school
Leycroft Academy is an inclusive and vibrant specialist primary school with 176 pupils on roll. The children all have a diagnosis of ASC with the trend towards an increasingly complex cohort expected to continue. The school is part of Forward Education Trust (FET), an established and developing MAT of 6 special schools in Birmingham and Sandwell. This is an exciting time for the school and the Trust and for a new Headteacher to provide the strategic and operational leadership which will deliver on the commitment to ensuring the children receive the best possible education, care and life chances.
FET is working through a period of positive change with plans for future expansion including a new school opening in Solihull in September ‘23. Central to the Trust’s development will be a commitment to ensuring its schools develop individual personalities, recognising their own particular characteristics and celebrating the many good things that happen day-to-day. Alongside this is a belief that its staff and leaders are its most important asset and valuing them and utilising their many talents will deliver the best experiences for pupils.
FET want the new Headteacher to develop Leycroft’s individual character and there is a fantastic opportunity to work with a committed and talented staff team. You will be empowered to make the right choices and to develop a long-term vision which ensures the pupils receive the best possible education, care and life chances.
This is an important time for the school and the new Headteacher must be a skilled and motivated leader who understands the needs of the pupils at Leycroft Academy. The school has benefitted from significant investment in the last year, including a complete internal refurbishment, two new playgrounds, improved sensory & movement rooms and installation of a sensory pathway around school. Further work is planned to improve curriculum resources, in conjunction with a balanced professional multi-disciplinary team providing support around speech & language, behaviour and occupational therapies. The Trust are committed to fully supporting the new Headteacher to further enhance the curriculum, explore innovative approaches to develop classroom practice and to raise standards. Your professional development will also be a key priority and you will have the support of a network of highly skilled and experienced senior leaders alongside the opportunities that will inevitably present themselves from being part of a developing trust.
Candidates should be able to demonstrate recent, successful and sustained impact as a senior leader along with significant experience of working with children and young people with autism. You will be empowered to make decisions and to be creative and must be committed to the Trust ethos of moving forward together, striving for and achieving opportunities to improve outcomes and providing stability and success for all. You will have a positive attitude which will inspire, enthuse and motivate pupils, staff and the wider school community. Above all, you will share the school’s commitment to ensuring the students are safe and happy and achieve their full potential.
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The Heights School
About the school
The Heights Academy will open in Solihull in September 2023 for up to 116 children and young people aged 7 to 16 with a diagnosis of complex autism with SEMH needs. The Academy will be located in a redevelopment of the former Bosworth Infant and Junior School off Auckland Drive, Solihull in the West Midlands. The Department for Education have appointed Tilbury Douglas to complete the construction of a new SEND school, which will come into the control of Forward Education Trust upon opening. The school will meet a shortage of places for junior and secondary age students in the Borough and surrounding area.
The new school will be designed and built to inspire new ways of teaching, focused on providing high quality education. It will provide pupils with a variety of accommodation to support the counselling, sensory, therapy and one-to-one support rooms. The new school building will have a contemporary feel over two storeys.
The recently appointed Headteacher will take up post in January 2023 and we are now looking for a Deputy Headteacher to join them at the same time, to work with them and the Trust on all aspects of the final development and opening of this new school, prior to its opening in September 2023.
Forward Education Trust has developed a lot of experience in opening new schools. In September 2021 we opened High Point Academy, Wednesbury a free school development with the DfE and Tilbury Douglas within the Borough of Sandwell. Also, in September 2021 we opened Lea Hall Academy, Kitts Green, Birmingham developed in conjunction with Birmingham City Council. Lea Hall Academy was the successor school to Skilts School. This has enabled us to build knowledge quickly that will give our new team a head start to developing this new school.
This is a fantastic opportunity to become Deputy Headteacher, and to work with the Headteacher and Trust to build the culture from the ground up, recruiting all staff prior to opening and delivering on the Trust commitment that all of the pupils receive the best possible education, care and life chances and that we move forward together, striving for and achieving opportunities to improve outcomes and provide stability and success for all.
The successful candidate will be an exemplary leader, teacher and role model with experience of working with children with autism and SEMH needs. Experience of working with primary aged children is desirable but not essential. They will be a dynamic, innovative and proactive leader; a change agent who is able to develop and grow The Heights into an outstanding school that meets the needs of all of its pupils in an ever-changing educational landscape. We are seeking a motivated leader with vision and energy who can initiate and lead change in a positive way which makes a real difference to learning.
View location on the map below
