Job Description

Headteacher of The Hawthorns School commencing Easter or September 2025.

The Hawthorns School opened its doors in our newest school building in January 2023, for children with autism. The School is currently in temporary accommodation, and preparing to move into a permanent purpose-built school and bespoke residential facility in January 2025, when we will expand our provision to 50 pupils in KS2 and KS3. Then, in September 2025 we will complete our final stage of growth to 70 pupils which will include KS4.

The current Headteacher and her team have already established a therapeutic, dedicated, tight-knit and supportive team, which prioritises the needs of the pupils through an evolving curriculum with the development of social communication at its core.

In this role the successful candidate will lead the work to shape the future of the School, enabling pupils to develop the skills necessary for their next steps, together with the SEAX Trust CEO and Director of Education, Hawthorns' current Leadership Team and Local Governance Group.

Our model is holistic and bespoke to the individual child, within the inevitable constraints of a school setting, and we are therefore seeking a forward-thinking, creative Headteacher who recognises that adapting and trialling different methods may be necessary before goals are realised. We are committed to developing pupil achievement through the aims of personal growth, participation and preparation for adulthood and our core offer forms a key part of this. We seek someone with a combination of leadership experience and an understanding of autism, to ensure that this is the focus of all who are in, or with, the school.

This role will be challenging at times, as all the best jobs are, and the successful candidate will be fully supported by the current dedicated and dynamic team. In addition, The Hawthorns is one of a community of Special Schools, supported by the well-established and highly regarded SEAX Trust. The Trust respects and trusts each school to evolve its unique identity, whilst providing layers of support and networking at all professional levels. Together, in close partnership with Essex Local Authority, The Hawthorns School could not be in a better position to continue fulfilling its aims of personal growth, participation and preparation.

If you are a current leader who is looking for a new challenge, has a can-do attitude and a keen sense of humour, then we'd like to hear from you!

We can offer you professional fulfilment, development, care and attention to wellbeing, a highly supportive and dedicated team and a delightful pupil community.

Information about the School

Established in 2015 The SEAX Trust is a multi academy trust of five academies, each with their unique style and specialism. Our schools span Essex: from Brentwood, to Chelmsford and on to Colchester. They serve over five hundred wonderful young people with a range of special educational needs: from moderate learning difficulties; speech language and communication needs; social, emotional and mental health needs as well as meeting the needs of a significant group of pupils in all of our schools with an autism diagnosis. Another aspect of our work is providing support to mainstream schools around meeting the needs of young people with autism and the Mid- Essex Autism Hub.

We are proud to be a Trust that is continually evolving to meet the changing needs of young people with special educational needs. The successful opening of The Hawthorns, our fifth school, has expanded our specialist provision for young people with autism, and in September 2026 the school further enhanced its offer with the launch of its EBSA provision, Hawthorns Connect. As a forward-thinking Trust, we remain committed to developing innovative services and expanding opportunities to ensure every young person receives the education and support they need to achieve their full potential.

SEAX Trust is a Disability Confident Employer.