Job title: Principal – Petty Pool College, Cheshire
Salary: £60,677 – £69,629
Hours: Full-time/Term Time
Main geographical location of role: Petty Pool College, CW8 2DR
Closing date: 16 June 2025
Where do applicants need to apply (preferred option): joanne.palmerino@pettypool.org.uk
Where do applicants need to apply (secondary option): nicole.macdonald@pettypool.org.uk
Job Description
Location: Petty Pool Trust, Cheshire
Reports to: Deputy CEO
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Salary: £60,677 – £69,629
Level: Executive Leadership Team
To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter detailing how your experience and values align with this opportunity to Joanne Palmerino – joanne.palmerino@pettypool.org.uk
Closing date: 4pm Monday 16th June 2025
Interviews will be held at Petty Pool on the 30 June 2025, all day.
About Petty Pool College
Petty Pool College is a sector-leading specialist further education provider for young people aged 16–25 with learning disabilities and difficulties. As part of Petty Pool Trust, the College is central to a wider organisation that includes inclusive community day services and an outdoor education centre. Our mission is to empower every learner to lead a life full of opportunity, purpose, and independence. Through a curriculum designed around personalised pathways and real-world outcomes, we are redefining what’s possible for neurodiverse young people — creating real pathways into work, independence and a life of choice and opportunity. Following a period of sustained growth, innovation, and national recognition, we are seeking an outstanding, strategic, and values-driven leader to take on the role of Principal.
The successful candidate will continue to build on the College’s achievements, lead the development of a new alternative education offer for 14–16-year-olds, and help us take our place in the sector as a SEND centre of excellence.
Purpose of the Role
The Principal will provide visionary leadership and strategic direction for Petty Pool College, embedding a culture of high aspiration, innovation, and person-centred excellence. The postholder will be responsible for the quality of education, learner experience, curriculum
development, staff leadership, and external engagement.
As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Principal will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the Trust’s strategic ambitions and driving forward our commitment to social justice, inclusion, and employment for all. They will champion Petty Pool’s unique position as a leader in securing sustainable employment and meaningful outcomes for neurodiverse young people.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic and Organisational Leadership
- Lead the continued development of Petty Pool College as a nationally recognised centre of excellence for specialist education.
- Champion the Trust’s mission, vision and values in all aspects of leadership, culture and delivery.
- Provide inspirational leadership to staff, learners and stakeholders, fostering a culture of empowerment, inclusion, and high expectations.
- Drive a strong focus on employment pathways, employer engagement, and real-world progression, placing meaningful destinations at the heart of the curriculum.
- Lead the strategic development and launch of a new alternative provision offer for 14–16- year-olds, ensuring a clear focus on engagement, progression, and outcomes.
- Build external partnerships that widen opportunities and improve long-term life chances for learners.
- Contribute to the broader strategic direction of Petty Pool Trust as part of the Executive Leadership Team.
- Quality, Curriculum and Outcomes
- Oversee the design and delivery of a broad, ambitious and purposeful curriculum tailored to the aspirations and needs of neurodiverse learners.
- Ensure alignment with the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and other relevant quality standards.
- Use learner voice, performance data, and feedback to drive a robust cycle of continuous improvement.
- Work collaboratively with the Head of Quality and Standards to ensure high-quality provision and readiness for inspection or external review.
- Promote high aspirations and progression to employment, supported internships, or meaningful community outcomes.
- Inclusion and Learner Experience
- Uphold a deeply inclusive culture where emotional wellbeing, communication needs, and person-centred planning are embedded throughout the learner journey.
- Ensure excellence in EHCP processes, target setting and outcomes tracking.
- Work in partnership with internal teams (including pastoral, therapy and safeguarding leads) to ensure a consistent, supportive learner experience.
- Safeguarding and Learner Welfare
- Ensure that safeguarding remains a core organisational priority and that all learners are safe, well-supported and able to thrive.
- Provide executive leadership and oversight for safeguarding, ensuring policies, procedures and culture meet statutory guidance and sector best practice.
- Work closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and safeguarding team to ensure high standards and appropriate escalation of concerns.
- Foster a culture of vigilance, care and responsibility at all levels of the organisation.
- People and Resource Management
- Lead, inspire and develop a skilled and motivated multi-disciplinary team.
- Oversee staff structures, recruitment, development and performance, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and organisational culture.
- Manage delegated budgets and resources efficiently, ensuring value for money and effective use of funding streams.
- External Engagement and Partnerships
- Build strong partnerships with local authorities, schools, commissioners, employers, awarding bodies and other stakeholders.
- Represent the College in national and regional networks, influencing the sector and championing best practice.
- Proactively promote Petty Pool’s provision to prospective learners, families, referrers and strategic partners.
- Sector Leadership and Development
- Act as a regional and national ambassador for Petty Pool College, raising the profile of specialist FE and inclusive education.
- Engage with national policy conversations and drive sector innovation.
- Model personal growth and leadership development, both for the internal team and through wider networks.
- Contribute to the development of the next generation of SEND leaders across the region.
Person Specification
Essential
- Significant senior leadership experience in a specialist FE, SEND, or inclusive education setting.
- Demonstrable success in leading high-quality provision for learners with SEND.
- Strong knowledge of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, post-16 funding, curriculum design and performance frameworks.
- Experience of EHCP oversight, inclusive learning strategies and progression planning.
- Proven ability to lead teams, manage change and foster a high-performance culture.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills.
- A passion for inclusion and a commitment to improving outcomes for neurodiverse young people.
Desirable
- Experience of developing or leading alternative education or re-engagement provision.
- Teaching qualification and/or NPQH, NPQEL or similar leadership qualification.
- Experience of acting as inspection nominee.
- Familiarity with Databridge or similar MIS/quality systems.
What We Offer
A unique opportunity to lead a thriving, inclusive and sector-leading specialist college.
A values-led charity with a clear mission to improve lives through education and opportunity.
A dynamic, supportive and forward-thinking Executive Leadership Team.
Competitive salary, pension and generous leave entitlement.
Access to continued professional development and national leadership networks
Staff Benefits
- Working 41 weeks per year (term time) 11 weeks holiday
- On-site parking
- Company Sick pay (after passing probationary period)
- Employee Assistant Programme
- Free meals when commuting by car sharing, walking, or cycling
- Bike rack
- Eye care vouchers
- Company pension
- Smart casual dress