Overview
Deputy Headteacher of the Virtual School – OX1 1ND
Number of Positions: 1
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £63,576 – £67,003
Working Hours: 37
Location: Oxfordshire
Business Unit: Children’s Services
Leading system change to improve educational outcomes for children who need it most
Are you an experienced education leader committed to improving outcomes for children and young people facing additional challenges?
We are seeking a Deputy Headteacher to join Oxfordshire Virtual School and play a key strategic role within a high-profile, high-impact service. The Virtual School supports children we care for, previously cared-for children, children with a social worker and those in kinship care.
This is an opportunity to work at a system level, influencing practice across education, social care and partner services to ensure children and young people receive the education, stability and support they need to thrive.
About the role
As Deputy Headteacher, you will:
- Deputise for the Head of the Virtual School, providing leadership and continuity across the service
- Work across a complex multi-agency system, strengthening partnership working and shared accountability
- Support inspection readiness and external scrutiny, including Ofsted and ILACS
- Lead quality assurance, safeguarding oversight and statutory compliance, ensuring consistent, high-quality practice
- Lead, support and develop specialist staff, promoting strong performance and continuous improvement
- Oversee the effective and equitable use of funding to improve outcomes
About you
You will:
- Hold qualified teacher status (or equivalent) and have leadership experience in education, inclusion or children’s services
- Have a strong understanding of safeguarding, SEND and Virtual School responsibilities
- Be confident working at a strategic level, with the ability to influence across organisations
- Have experience of quality assurance, service improvement and leading change in complex systems
- Be analytical, resilient and able to make well-informed decisions in high-pressure situations
We would like to hear from you if you are:
- Always learning
You are an experienced and reflective leader with a strong understanding of education, safeguarding and multi-agency working. You use data, insight and professional curiosity to drive continuous improvement, strengthen practice and deliver assurance across complex systems. - Be kind and care
You are unwaveringly child-centred, with a deep commitment to your role as a corporate parent. You champion educational stability and improved outcomes for children we care for and other vulnerable cohorts, ensuring that practice is relational, inclusive and trauma-informed. - Equality and integrity in all we do
You lead with integrity, advocating for equitable access to high-quality education and provision. You are confident in challenge where needed, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interests of children and young people, and that statutory responsibilities are fulfilled with rigour. - Taking responsibility
You are confident operating with delegated authority, making sound, timely decisions in complex or high-risk situations. You take ownership for quality assurance, safeguarding oversight and system performance, ensuring that risk is identified early and addressed effectively. - Daring to do it differently
You are motivated to innovate and improve, driving forward change across the Virtual School as its statutory responsibilities expand. You influence partners, shape systems and embed new ways of working that lead to better, more consistent outcomes for children and young people.
Across all of this, you are a skilled collaborator and system leader, able to build trusted relationships, inspire others and lead through influence to secure strong, joined-up practice across education, social care, SEND and partner agencies.
For more information, click on the uploaded job profile below.
Why join us?
- Be part of a forward-thinking Virtual School at a time of national change and growth
- Help shape services supporting children and young people across Oxfordshire
- Work within a supportive leadership team focused on collaboration, inclusion and impact
- This role offers a valuable opportunity to make a meaningful, system-wide difference to the lives of children and young people.
Rewards and benefits
- Competitive salary
- Annual leave starting at 29 days per year (plus bank holidays)
- A comprehensive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Agile and flexible working
- Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support 24/7
- Childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme, electric car scheme, range of staff discounts including travel, holidays, insurance, food, health and leisure activities.
- Excellent learning and development opportunities.
- Explore more here
If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact Kim Wilson, Assistant Director of Schools and Settings (Standards, Performance and Effectiveness), at kim.wilson@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Our commitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.
Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes
As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.
Our commitment to:
Safeguarding
Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.
Our commitment to:
Flexible Working
We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, full time and part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.
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IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
