Associate Assistant Head - Assessment & Data

We are seeking an inspirational and experienced leader to join our senior leadership team as an Associate Assistant Headteacher. This is a key role supporting the strategic direction of the school while ensuring the highest standards of teaching, learning, and pastoral care for our pupils. The successful candidate will work closely with the Headteacher and senior leaders to drive school improvement, champion inclusive practice, and support staff development across the school., School-wide assessment systems, data processes, quality assurance, statutory compliance, moderation, and supporting staff to use assessment effectively to improve outcomes Role Purpose

• Lead, refine and quality-assure the school's assessment systems to ensure they are robust, purposeful and aligned to the school curriculum.
• Ensure assessment practice is accurate, consistent, and meaningful, supporting teachers to use assessment to improve teaching, inform planning and raise outcomes.
• Maintain compliance with statutory assessment requirements, ensuring all deadlines, submissions and processes are met.
• Lead whole-school approaches to progress tracking, data analysis, target setting and moderation, ensuring that leaders and teachers have clear, timely information to drive improvement.
• Ensure assessment supports the progress of all learners in all pathways (pre-formal, informal, semi-formal, formal).
• Lead on the development, implementation and evaluation of the whole-school assessment strategy, ensuring alignment with curriculum design and school improvement priorities.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practice, qualifications, assessment frameworks and relevant guidance.
• Ensure assessment systems support clear progression, equality of access and meaningful reporting to stakeholders.
• Oversee whole-school data collection cycles.
• Produce clear, purposeful data reports for SLT, governors and external reviewers.
• Analyse data to identify patterns, gaps and areas for intervention at whole-school, phase and curriculum block level.
• Support staff to understand and use data to refine teaching and intervention.
• Lead robust moderation processes within school and across external networks to ensure accuracy, consistency and reliability of judgments.
• Provide guidance, modelling and feedback to staff on assessment accuracy.
• Ensure staff are using the school's assessment frameworks, rubrics and tools correctly.
• Deliver training and professional development on assessment for learning, progress measures, effective feedback and pathway-specific assessment approaches.
• Work with teachers to embed high-quality formative assessment practices that inform planning and improve classroom learning.
• Provide individual and group support to staff who need help with assessment processes, accuracy or workload management.
• Ensure the school meets all statutory responsibilities where relevant, including:

EYFS Profile Phonics Screening (where applicable) Multiplication Check (mainstream KS2) End-of-Key-Stage assessments (mainstream) Required submissions for specialist pathways / local authority reporting

• Liaise with exam officers, moderators, local authorities and external agencies as required.
• Work closely with pathway leads, SENCO, pastoral leads and therapy teams to ensure assessment reflects pupils' holistic needs.
• Support leaders with evaluating progress within their areas.
• Contribute to pupil progress meetings, identifying pupils at risk of underachievement and appropriate interventions.
• Maintain efficient assessment systems (digital platforms, trackers, reporting tools).
• Ensure data is stored and handled securely in line with GDPR.
• Develop and refine user-friendly tools that minimise workload while maximising insight.
• Support staff with accessible and meaningful reporting to parents/carers.
• Provide clear assessment information to governors, trust partners, Ofsted and external professionals.
• Contribute to the development of pupil-centred progress evidence. (e.g., communication milestones, engagement, independence skills)., * Hydrotherapy Pool - excellent changing facilities (hoist access into the water)
• Rebound Therapy Room
• Low Impact Gym
• Library - a home for sensory stories, fiction and non-fiction promoting a love of reading.
• Food Technology Room
• Therapists Room
• Medical Room
• Family Room
• Life Skills Flat
• Relaxation room with acoustic water bed
• Project Spaces
• Soft play
• Traditional Sensory room and Immersive Room

The campus wide facilities are open to the community outside school hours and will increase participation in sport and accessibility for all.

The school also aspires to be a venue and training centre for SEND and host events and training by bringing the experts to West Cumbria and enhancing capacity to meet the needs of the area.

• Holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• Has leadership experience
• Is passionate about education
• Has experience working within a special school or specialist provision
• Has strong knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice
• Has excellent communication and organisational skills
• Is passionate about inclusion and improving outcomes for vulnerable learners

Mayfield is a new build and unique special school located on the West Coast of the Lake District close to the historical Georgian town of Whitehaven. The school has been transformed as part of the new development, Campus Whitehaven which represents a 32-million-pound investment in the future of Education and Community facilities for West Cumbria. The new school offers amazing learning spaces and is purpose built to the needs of the wide range of pupils. The bespoke design has created the best possible learning environment with spacious classrooms and a wide range of specialist facilities. The design was developed around the best examples from schools around the country and the result is amazing. Careful preparation and involvement ensured that pupils have made the transition exceptionally well and are responding to the new opportunities for learning. They are very proud of their new school. Spacious classrooms have been created with small group rooms, mobility equipment bays, storage, cloakrooms and toilet access. Each room has a full coverage hoist system linking directly into the assisted changing rooms. This means that staff time can be focused on learning. The specialist facilities are state of the art and the school is everything that was hoped for and more., Mayfield is one of 6 special schools in Cumbria and meets the needs of pupils aged 4 - 19 years. The school population has risen from 87 to 274 in the last 8 years and there is a constant demand for places at the new school. All pupils have an Educational Health Care Plan reflecting either severe or profound learning needs or additional needs. Co-existing conditions are typical and 54% of the pupils have a diagnosis of ASD. The school was deemed outstanding by Ofsted in November 2023 recognising the high aspirations and achievement of the pupils. There is a positive culture of reflection and development throughout the school following the "Everyone Thinking, Everyone Learning" vision. Mayfield staff and governors are relentless in the pursuit of excellence for all and use the latest research information technologies and strategies available to unlock the potential of every learner. The school strives to lead the way in learning for pupils with special educational needs. Mayfield is a school with close links to the Local Authority and works in partnership with many organisations to improve outcomes for pupils across the locality. The school has an established team of highly skills staff and a good balance of ECT / more experienced teachers. The school is strongly committed to the MOVE (Movement Opportunities via Education) programme with 2 staff trainers. Team Teach is the approach used for behaviour management and all staff are trained as priority. There are 5 trainers in school. Mayfield is well supported and has high profile in the local community. In September 2023, 6th form and year 11 pupils have moved to a new site in Cockermouth.