Overview
Job Title: Deputy Head of Inclusive Learning (High Needs)
Salary: Commencing at £45,471 with progression to £48,232 per annum
Closing Date: 2026-08-03
About the Role
Leeds City College are recruiting for a Deputy Head of Inclusive Learning (High Needs).
As Deputy Head of Inclusive Learning (High Needs), the post holder will support Luminate Education Group in the implementation of the SEN Code of Practice and in ensuring the Group meet legal and statutory requirements for High Needs and EHCP learners.
They will support the Head of Inclusive Learning (High Needs) in all aspects of delivery in relation to the central High Needs function, ensuring the department is outward-looking and collaborative in its approach to working with cross-college teams.
They will work collaboratively across Leeds City College to drive and embed practices that
deliver an outstanding experience for High Needs learners, and by extension those with SEND and/or additional vulnerabilities or disadvantages, ensuring that all learners and apprentices have a quality learning experience with outcomes comparable to their peers.
What You Will Do
- Support the development, delivery and maintaining of outstanding service and provision within the Inclusive Learning (High Needs) department at Leeds City College, prioritising the student experience and delivering positive outcomes and transitions for students.
- Empower High Needs Operational Leads to support Campus Principals, Heads of Department, College Managers and other staff to fully embed the SEND agenda, in order to provide an outstanding, inclusive, and aspirational experience for students and staff.
- Alongside the Head of Inclusive Learning (High Needs), develop and lead strategies and projects, including work with external stakeholders to support outstanding outcomes for High Needs learners, including how to prepare for adult life, supported internships, apprenticeships, traineeships, work and further learning.
- Support exceptional High Needs provision by acting as a central advisor; advise and guide curriculum teams to consistently meet learners’ needs and deliver positive outcomes, without directly managing delivery staff.
About You
We are looking for someone who has:
- Previous experience of working positively with young people and adults.
- Thorough and up to date knowledge of Government policy in relation to SEND and education and skills, including its funding and curriculum / qualification reform.
- Expertise, knowledge and understanding of the Sector.
- Proven experience of successfully managing staff in an educational setting.
- Previous experience managing and utilising data to inform quality improvement and guidance, including planning, monitoring and reviewing.
- Able to foster a culture of reviewing and improving current practice, using reflection to identify areas for development for self, colleagues and service provision.
Benefits
The group offers a range of excellent benefits, including:
Annual leave:
Curriculum and Management: 44 days plus bank holidays
Curriculum support and business support: 39 days plus bank holidays
Pension schemes with generous employer contributions:
Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Local Government Pension Scheme
People’s Pension Scheme
CPD opportunities:
Annual staff conference plus 2 additional staff development days.
Qualifications including PGCE, Apprenticeships, Leadership and Management courses.
Employee wellbeing initiatives: Family Friendly Policies, discounted onsite spa (Printworks) and gym (Park Lane).
Travel and commuting: Discounted travel available through Metro card, Northern Rail, First Bus, Arriva Bus and Cycle to work schemes.
Flexible and hybrid working opportunities: Please speak to the recruiting manager regarding flexible opportunities as these differ between roles.
About Us
Luminate Education Group is a collective of education providers based in Yorkshire with one clear purpose: to make a positive difference to people’s lives through genuinely transformative education and training.
We offer a wide range of job vacancies across our business support functions – Finance, Human Resources, ITSS, Marketing, Communications, Executive Support, Estates and Food Services. Our large size and diverse range of member organisations means there are always exciting opportunities to progress.
As an education provider, we are committed to lifelong learning and investing in our workforce, and you’ll have access to a broad variety of training and professional development designed to help you continually develop and grow.
Join us on the journey to being the best that we can collectively be for our students, apprentices, staff and our stakeholders.
Luminate Education Group consists of; Harrogate College (HC), Keighley College (KC), Leeds City College (LCC), Leeds Conservatoire (LC), University Centre Leeds, Leeds Sixth Form College and Yorkshire Centre for Training & Development.
SAFEGUARDING
At Luminate Education Group we are committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our students including children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow the Safer Recruitment requirements and best practice as set out within Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance. All successful applicants will be required to complete mandatory pre-employment checks which include an enhanced DBS check, online checks and must have two satisfactory references. Please be aware that it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
We recognise, value and champion diversity & Inclusion. As we engage with a diverse student population we want to ensure we reflect that in our staff population too. For us diversity is about building happy teams, full of people that want to learn and be inspired by each other, by our different experiences and backgrounds. It is important to us that both staff and students achieve their full potential. Diversity is important to us, but inclusion is equally, if not more important. It’s not just about having the representation but also providing the people we recruit with opportunities and valuing everyone’s contributions and perspectives.
RECRUITMENT AGENCIES
We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not forward any unsolicited CVs in relation to any of our advertised roles or speculatively. If we require support with any of our vacancies we will get in touch with agencies directly.
- We do not recognise submissions of unsolicited or speculative CV applications from recruitment agencies.
- We shall not be liable for any fee / commission in the event we employ a candidate that may have been submitted as an unsolicited/speculative application from an uninstructed recruitment agency.
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.
