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Forest School or outdoor learning Leader

The Cavendish School

Salary

£29,269 - £31,364 FTE

Contract

Term time + 4 weeks

Start Date

January, 2025

Apply By

January 12, 2025

Email

Salary

£29,269 - £31,364 FTE

Contract

Term time + 4 weeks

Start Date

January, 2025

Apply By

January 12, 2025

Email

Are you a passionate or aspiring Forest School Leader who is committed, energetic and enthusiastic, looking to play your part in transforming the lives of children and young people with autism? 

There are few schools in the country where an outdoor leader’s ability to change lives is so evident.

The Cavendish School (TCS) is an Autism Specialist school, newly opened in September 2021 as part of Eastern Learning Alliance.  The school has excellent facilities for academic progression with fully equipped Specialist rooms, which include a science laboratory as well as bespoke designed facilities, such as a sensory integration room to support the therapeutic needs of the pupils. Through our mission of enabling-the-self, our aim isto be an outstanding and inspiring learning community that is truly inclusive, innovative, impactful, and international.  You can find more information about us on our website: https://thecavendishschool.org.uk/

We are looking for passionate and enthusiastic Forest School Leader to be a part of our team.  This position allocates responsibilities for amazing resources including a shared site Orchard and Specialist Horticulture room, as well a specific outdoor learning budget.  As a trauma informed practice school, we would welcome applications from therapeutically minded practitioners who either hold or are willing to work towards therapeutic qualifications, such as wilderness therapy.  Passionate people with a thirst to support neuro-diverse young people and a desire to do this through nature is what we are looking for.


Our ideal candidate will be an aspirational, creative, innovative, and caring practitioner who share our vision and core values. 

You will be:

  • Eager to challenge yourself to deliver the excellent progress and development for our students.
  • A forward thinking, innovative practitioner.
  • Proactive in the development of relationships with parent and carers to involve them in the education and learning community of their children.
  • Open minded, resilient and with a good sense of humour that you want to contribute to a close-knit team.
  • Able to effectively risk assess and ensure all health and safety requirements are met.
  • Compassionate, considerate, and hardworking.

We offer you:

  • A minimum of 15% non-contact time (equivalent to 2/3 of a day) and an additional supervision session for therapeutic work.
  • A vibrant and supportive community of staff and parents.
  • Support from a wide therapeutic team and close working relationships with our colleagues in health.
  • A Well-being directory for all staff offering financial supports and to improve wellbeing and work-life balance.
  • Free school meals are provided for dining with our pupils.
  • A 50% discount to our trust sports centre membership
  • A brand new and autism-friendly innovative learning environment
  • A forward looking, evidence informed, CPD programme with Trust wide CPD which includes reduced contact time and collaborative time for teachers (every Friday afternoon).
  • Being part of a forward thinking, supportive and collaborative trust.
  • Opportunities for sponsorship on university or professional qualifications.
  • An additional bookable holiday “Eastern Family Day” for you to take when you require.

TCS is a place where you will be valued supported and have the opportunity to achieve success.  We are confident that when joining TCS and the ELA Trust you will feel welcomed from the outset.  We welcome and encourage visits from any prospective applicant, these can be booked via Steph Smith:

What can ELA offer you?

ELA offer a sector leading staff benefits offer alongside bespoke, high quality CPD programmes, cross-trust events, and exceptional opportunities for career development within our innovative family of schools.

  • ELA know that our strength is our people, so we prioritise staff wellbeing, retention and development. Over 95% of ELA staff say they’re proud to work in their school.
  • ELA are firm believers in the power of recognising, celebrating, and rewarding talent: our track record in terms of retention, internal promotion opportunities and wider career development is excellent.
  • ELA staff enjoy a sector leading staff benefits package alongside bespoke, high quality CPD programmes, cross-trust events, and exceptional opportunities for career development within our innovative family of schools.
  • You can find out all about our Trust and staff offer here.

ELA staff benefits include: 

  • Reduced contact time to enable professional development;
  • EAP with access to counselling & physiotherapy; 
  • Health care cash plan; 
  • Paid annual family day; 
  • Extensive discount club access; 
  • Cycle to work & electric car lease schemes; 
  • Enhanced parental leave; 
  • Flexible work practices; 
  • Laptop & mobile phone payment plans; 
  • Ticket ballots for high profile events; 
  • Generous annual leave allowance for support staff; 
  • Discounted gym membership for all staff. 

Our Trust is committed to equal opportunities, to safeguarding and the promotion of the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.  All staff are expected to share this commitment and undergo the appropriate checks.  All positions within the Trust are subject to enhanced DBS checks and satisfactory references along with a Certificate of Good Conduct if applicable.  Only applications submitted on using the ELA application form will be accepted.  We do not accept applications by CV.  You can view our safeguarding policy here.

Please send a completed application form and covering letter to: Lisa Lincoln, The Cavendish School, Park Drive, Impington, Cambridgeshire, CB24 9LY or e-mail: . Due to the high volume of applicants, we receive for certain roles, we reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier that the advertised date if we have received applications that reach the criteria.

All shortlisted applicants should expect to be called for interview no more than 5 working days after the closing date. If you have not heard from us by then you can expect that your application to be unsuccessful. Visits to The Cavendish School are welcome. 

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