Primary Phase Lead - The Avenue School

Full time - Permanent - January 2027 start

The Avenue Special School is a vibrant and friendly school community which supports more than 250 pupils, aged between 3-19, with a range of severe or profound learning difficulties, some physical disabilities and autism.

We have small well-resourced classes and a real passion for supporting young people to have active and healthy lives through an exciting education both in and out of the classroom Working at The Avenue provides you with the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of young people with special educational needs.

It also allows you to progress in your career, taking on responsibilities and developing your passions and interests.

We care deeply about CPD and balancing workloads to allow staff to flourish, so we offer a full programme of training and mentoring, staff wellbeing days, and the chance to work in a supportive and encouraging team environment where your voice really does matter.

In order to strengthen our leadership capacity, improve consistency of practice and continue to raise professional standards across our school and support operational and strategic demands, we are excited to have created a new Primary Phase Lead role.

The Primary Phase Lead will provide strategic leadership and day to day operational management of the Primary department. This role will focus on ensuring that pupils make excellent progress towards communication, learning, independence, emotional regulation, whilst maximising readiness for the next stage of education.

It is essential that the Primary curriculum, assessment, and therapeutic approaches are aspirational, developmentally appropriate, holistic and highly personalised, with Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) outcomes firmly embedded.

The Primary Phase Lead will ensure each pupils’ Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) are embedded alongside the academic outcomes outlined in the curriculum frameworks. They will also play an integral role in designing and quality assuring a Primary curriculum for pupils with SEND, including early communication and language development, and early literacy and numeracy.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate experience of implementing initiatives at a strategic level, as well as being a good communicator and a proactive team member.

The successful candidate will be highly organised, a confident decision maker and compassionate with a passion for ensuring best outcomes for all young people in a dynamic environment.

To apply, please visit the vacancy page of our website www.avenue.reading.sch.uk and fill in the forms that you’ll find in the Leadership recruitment section, stating the role you are applying for.

All completed application forms must be returned to: [email removed]

For more information and to arrange a tour of the school, please call Vanessa Carrick on [phone removed]

Closing date for application: 9am, Monday 28 September 2026.