Director of Education and Inclusion
Closing date:
Sunday, 16 February 2025
Up to £110,914 per annum
The role
The Director of Education and Inclusion is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of all educational services within and on behalf of the Council, ensuring inclusive education practices across all schools and settings, with a particular focus on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
This is the lead role for improving educational outcomes for all children and young people, promoting inclusion, and ensuring that statutory obligations under the Children and Families Act 2014 (and subsequent SEND Code of Practice) are met.
The Director of Education and Inclusion will work closely with school leaders, governors, local stakeholders, and national bodies to ensure that every child, regardless of background or ability, has access to high-quality, inclusive education and that the SEND provision is robust, responsive, and effective.
The role is vital in ensuring that the Council’s educational services are inclusive, forward-thinking, and meet the needs of all children and young people in the area. The Director will be a key figure in driving collaboration, strategic planning, and improvement across education and SEND services.
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Core Purpose
To lead, inspire and energise everybody to make a positive difference to people’s lives
For more information contact:
Carol Coyle at Penna on 07500 887849
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Amin Aziz at Penna on 07709 514141
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or to apply go to
Who we are
Cheshire West and Chester is a council that helps you to play your part to make a difference. We have a great reputation locally and nationally, made possible by amazing colleagues working together to achieve great things and with ambitious plans for the future.
We are a unitary authority formed in 2009, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined, serving a population of 357,000 with a workforce of just over 3,400. We are a council to be proud of, with high-performing children’s services, a strong economy, productive cross-border partnerships and integration with health.
However, there are further opportunities ahead of us, including our commitment to tackling climate change, enhancing the customer experience, extending life chances, and enabling an inclusive economy – all of which need innovative and empowering approaches to achieve our ambition. We have recently launched our new Borough Plan, and an exceptional Executive Director of Children’s Services with the necessary drive and leadership skills will be key to our success.
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The Council has a history of excellent financial management which has enabled the delivery of significant savings to the local taxpayer whilst still investing in priority services. It has continued to deliver significant savings year on year whilst maintaining delivery of high-quality services to its residents. This has recently been recognised in the feedback from the Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review.
There continues to be significant financial uncertainty and challenge for all local authorities due to high levels of inflation and increasing demand pressures, particularly in Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care. This makes planning for the future important and the Council is in the process of developing a four-year budget aligned to the Council Plan and a 10-year Capital Vision.
Welcome from Amanda Perraton,
Executive Director for Children and Families
Thank you for your interest in our new post of Director of Education and Inclusion here in west Cheshire. Having recently joined the organisation myself I can tell you first hand that this is a fantastic organisation and one that is well respected across the local government sector. This is a challenging but exciting time for us and a chance to make a real difference to our future. The council remain committed to delivering excellent services to our children and families and have invested significantly into the service to ensure we can deliver! I am delighted therefore to strengthen my team through the appointment to this extremely important role, someone to ensure we have effective systems, processes and plans in place to support and lead our talent workforce, and school partnerships, through the next stage of our journey. At Cheshire West and Chester Council, we are redefining Children’s Services, with Children, Young People and Families at the centre of our vision, making a real difference and improving lives across the borough. We are looking for visionary leaders to help us build a brighter future where all voices are listened to, heard and where everyone contributes to thriving, caring, and sustainable communities. As our Director of Education and Inclusion you will play a crucial role in supporting me and the broader leadership team to shape the future for children, young people and families in west Cheshire. You will have expertise in building and influencing local networks, regional and national partnerships. Working directly with myself, our Chief Executive and our members, you will support us to fulfil our statutory responsibilities and play a pivotal role in our leadership. This is your chance to make a lasting impact and to drive transformative change in a dynamic and supportive environment. You will understand the financial challenges and opportunities whilst being able to drive innovative solutions. Your strategic vision and leadership will be essential in delivering high-quality children’s services across education and SEND that prioritise the well-being, inclusion, development, and safety of every child in our community.
Further information
More about our Council and our Borough
Further useful information
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