Director of Education & Practice Standards

Director of Education & Practice Standards

Location: London (Regional Travel South London Required) Salary: Highly Competitive + Executive Benefits Package Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Lead Educational Excellence Across a National SEND Portfolio

We are seeking an exceptional and visionary education leader to join our senior leadership team as Director of Education & Practice Standards.

This is a high-impact executive opportunity for an experienced SEND professional who can drive excellence in teaching, learning, quality assurance and educational outcomes across a large portfolio of specialist educational settings. You will play a pivotal role in shaping educational strategy, supporting senior leaders, and ensuring the highest standards of practice for children and young people with additional needs.

The Role

As Director of Education & Practice Standards, you will provide strategic leadership across a network of specialist provisions, ensuring outstanding educational practice, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement.

Leading a team of educational specialists, you will work closely with senior leaders to develop and embed evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes for pupils with SEND while maintaining the highest standards of teaching, learning and safeguarding.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a forward-thinking education strategy.

• Drive consistency and excellence in teaching, learning and assessment.

• Lead educational improvement initiatives across multiple settings.

• Ensure the organisation remains at the forefront of SEND best practice.

Quality & Standards

• Monitor and evaluate educational quality across provisions.

• Lead quality assurance frameworks and school improvement activity.

• Ensure compliance with statutory, safeguarding and regulatory requirements.

• Analyse performance data to identify trends and drive improvement plans.

Curriculum & Innovation

Oversee the development of inclusive and personalised curriculum approaches.

Promote innovative educational practice and assistive technologies.

Embed evidence-based interventions that improve pupil outcomes.

Leadership Development

Coach, mentor and support Headteachers and senior leaders.

Design and deliver professional development programmes.

Build a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

Stakeholder Engagement

Develop strong relationships with local authorities, families and external agencies.

Represent the organisation at sector events and policy forums

Act as an ambassador for excellence in SEND education.

About You

We are interested in hearing from candidates who can demonstrate:

Essential Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience within SEND education.

• Experience leading educational improvement across multiple sites or regions.

• Proven success in raising standards and improving outcomes.

• Strong experience in quality assurance, curriculum development and staff development.

• Excellent knowledge of SEND legislation, SEND Code of Practice and EHCP processes.

• A track record of leading and inspiring high-performing teams.

Desirable

• Experience within specialist or therapeutic educational environments.

• Knowledge of assistive technologies and innovative SEND approaches.

• Experience operating at executive or director level.

What's On Offer?

• Executive-level leadership role with national influence.

• Opportunity to shape educational practice at scale.

• Collaborative and values-driven culture.

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

• Genuine opportunity to improve the lives and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.

Apply Today

If you are a strategic SEND leader with the vision, expertise and passion to drive educational excellence across a large and diverse portfolio, we would love to hear from you