Please note: This role commences in September 2026

About The Role

Avanti Meadows is seeking a committed and experienced Assistant Principal – SENDCo to join our senior leadership team. This is a significant leadership role with responsibility for shaping and driving inclusive practice across the school, ensuring that all students, particularly those with SEND, receive a high-quality and well-coordinated education.

You will lead on strategy, systems and provision, while maintaining a strong operational presence to ensure that support is effective, consistent and impactful.

Working closely with the Head of School and senior colleagues, you will have the opportunity to influence whole-school priorities, develop staff expertise and embed strong practice in classrooms. You will oversee identification, intervention and progress, ensuring that provision is both ambitious and responsive to students’ needs. This role offers real scope to refine and strengthen existing systems, build capacity within the team and drive measurable improvements in outcomes.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and thoughtful leader who is looking to take the next step or further develop their impact at senior level, in a role where they can shape provision, lead people and make a lasting difference across the school.

School visits are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact the school to arrange a suitable time.

Interviews will be held on 19th May 2026

Avanti Meadows is a brand-new primary school in Bishop’s Stortford. Surrounded by fields and new housing estates, the school is a centre for the new community developing in the north of Bishop’s Stortford. The school is rated “good” with “outstanding” in personal development.

Avanti Meadows is a non-faith, community school that embraces inclusion and diversity. “From the very start, pupils develop the deep consideration for others, self-reflection and kind relationships that are at the heart of this school.” Avanti Meadows Ofsted Inspection Report, March 2024

Our school is a vibrant, exciting place to be that is open to big ideas and creativity, all with a genuine focus on pupil and staff wellbeing.

“Through our yoga sessions, children are learning to self-regulate, they are learning that they have the ability to control themselves, to try and calm themselves down and to be in the moment” - Sara Thompson, Yoga Teacher

Our staff are inspired and passionate about their roles, the vision of the school, and providing the most fulfilling learning experience for pupils. Learning is a quest to discover each student’s unique gifts and potential, and to lay the foundation for their lifelong journey of learning.

“We have the most amazing staff members; it’s really evident that the team are very close to one another, and there is a real synergy in their approach to children’s learning.” - Sally Allan, Executive Principal

What will you do?

• Provide strategic leadership as Assistant Principal and SENDCo, leading inclusive practice and ensuring high-quality provision and outcomes for students with SEND.
• Oversee identification, assessment, intervention and progress tracking for students with additional needs, working closely with staff, families and external agencies.
• Lead, develop and manage the SEND team, ensuring effective use of resources, strong staff practice and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Promote a culture of high expectations, inclusion and achievement, ensuring all students are supported to succeed academically and personally.

Why should you apply

Avanti exists to help each person become a well-rounded human being through intellectual, moral and spiritual growth, and so make the world a better place.

You will be working in a fantastic environment, with:

• Great opportunities for professional development
• Teacher pension scheme (subject to eligibility)
• O2 discounts, Specsavers corporate eye test vouchers
• Eligible for NUS Card and CSSC membership
• Well-being programs (retreats, yoga, wellness apps)
• Cycle-to-work Scheme

What are we looking for?

• The ability to lead and manage the school team effectively and efficiently and work with other professionals and agencies
• Communication skills, oral, written and presentational
• Qualified Teacher Status
• How to plan, deliver, monitor and evaluate lessons and learning as part of the school curriculum
• Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all students

Please view the full Job Description for more information on the responsibilities and essential criteria required for this role.

Further information

Pre-employment checks

Avanti Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates are required to have an Enhanced DBS check unless internally appointed and still within the cycle of DBS re-checks.

Any appointment subsequently made will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks.

Diversity and Inclusion

We want to make sure we are attracting the widest possible range of people and ensure that they are accepted, understood and treated equally when they work here. This means we will work hard to understand that each employee is unique and ensuring that individuals or groups are not treated differently or less favourably on the basis of specific characteristics.

Such characteristics include (but are not limited to) age, disability, gender including transgender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and how the school supports pregnant women and new parents.