Head of School Inclusion and Improvement

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.

• Job Title: Head of School Inclusion and Improvement
• Job Location: Shire Hall
• Salary: £78,070- £86,366 per annum
• Hours per Week: 37.00
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Closing Date: 08/11/2026
• Job Requisition Number: 15051
• This post is open to job share

Are you an inspirational education leader who can bring partners together to improve inclusion, raise standards and secure better outcomes for every child and young person?

About the Team & Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join Gloucestershire County Council’s Education Directorate in a senior leadership role with significant influence across the county’s education system. As Head of School Inclusion and Improvement Service, you will lead a broad portfolio encompassing school inclusion and improvement, governance, specialist teaching, educational psychology, Gloucestershire School Improvement, Gloucestershire Music Service, and Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning.

Working with schools, single and multi-academy trusts, governing bodies, regional and national partners, you will shape a high-quality, joined-up offer that responds to the changing needs of children, young people and the education system. You will provide a clear strategic direction, strengthen mainstream inclusion and ensure that evidence, professional challenge and timely support drive sustainable improvement.

This is a visible and influential role in which you will advise senior leaders and elected members, oversee statutory responsibilities and lead talented teams through a period of significant national and local reform.

To ensure timely recruitment to this role, we are keen to explore opportunities for both interim and permanent arrangements.

About You

You will be an experienced and credible senior education leader with a strong record of improving services and outcomes for children, young people and families. You will understand the national policy and legislative landscape and be able to translate this into effective local strategy and delivery.

You will bring excellent partnership, communication and influencing skills, together with the political awareness required to work successfully in a complex system. You will be able to use data and intelligence to identify risk, make sound decisions and provide constructive support and challenge.

We are looking for an inclusive, collaborative and resilient leader who can inspire high-performing teams, manage significant resources and lead organisational and system change. You will be educated to degree level and hold a relevant professional qualification relating to services for children and young people, together with appropriate management training or experience.

About Us

At Gloucestershire County Council, we are committed to making a positive difference for the county’s children, young people, families and communities. We want Gloucestershire to be a place where every child can benefit from ambitious, inclusive and high-quality education, whatever their needs, circumstances or the school they attend.

We aim to be an employer of choice and provide an inclusive and supportive working environment in which colleagues can bring their whole selves to work and realise their potential. In return for your contribution, we offer:

• Flexible and agile working opportunities, where the needs of the role allow
• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days, rising to 30 days after five years’ continuous service
• Career development and qualification opportunities
• A supportive and positive working environment
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Access to our confidential Employee Assistance Programme, available online and by telephone 24 hours a day
• Cycle to Work and Green Car salary sacrifice schemes, subject to eligibility and terms and conditions
• Access to employee networks and opportunities to contribute to an inclusive workplace

The role will involve travel throughout Gloucestershire and occasional work outside normal office hours.

How to Apply

If you have the experience, skills and ambition to lead this important service and help shape the future of education and inclusion in Gloucestershire, we would be delighted to receive your application.

Please submit your application and personal statement by clicking the Apply Now button. Your personal statement should demonstrate how your leadership has improved outcomes, developed services and influenced partners across a complex education system.

For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Philip Haslett at philip.haslett@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-

Job Profile - Head of School Inclusion and Improvement Service

Due to the number of applications we received, we are unable to provide feedback at shortlisting stage and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Applications from any Gloucestershire County Council's employees who are currently on the redeployment register or at risk of redundancy will be considered first at shortlisting stage.

The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have a right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months' employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is subject to a DBS check

It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.