Strategic Lead Equalities, Access and Inclusion
Ealing Council is one of the highest performing local authorities and education partnerships in the country with educational outcomes above the national across all education phases and high levels of commitment from schools to local ambitions for children and young people.
Through Ealing Learning Partnership, school leaders directly commit to driving forward local priorities through wide-ranging collaborative structures. All our schools are connected to each other and to the council in pursuit of our core mission No learner left behind; no school left behind. Ealing Learning Partnership 2023 - 2026 (egfl.org.uk)
This new opportunity, Strategic Lead for Equalities, Access and Inclusion, has been created in recognition of the importance of developing an integrated SEND, inclusion and Alternative Provision system with clear standards to meet the needs of children and young people earlier, reduce preventable exclusions and ensure that every learner has access to suitable provision so that they can reach their potential.
Following a review of SEMH provision in 2021, Ealing schools have pledged their committed to an area-wide programme of workforce development called therapeutic thinking to support schools in responding more effectively to children and young people’s needs. This programme has had a significant impact on whole school approaches to behaviour and has huge potential to reduce exclusions.
Ealing is one of small number of councils to invest in a Race Equality Commission recommending systemic changes to tackle structural inequalities experienced by residents. A new Citizens Tribunal has been established to oversee the commission’s demands and we are proud that our schools have accepted the challenge to serve our black heritage learners better so that they enjoy the same successes as their peers and have equally ambitious life prospects About the Commission – Do Something Good
About you
You will have direct experience of working with headteachers and local authority services to promote the highest expectations for inclusion.
You will have the highest level of credibility with schools through your ability to communicate a clear and unequivocal vision for inclusion that ensures that every learner is well served.
You will have a deep understanding of systemic inequalities and be able to engage leaders in critical examination of systems and cultures that perpetuate inequality with a particular focus on race.
Your starting point for building on success and driving continuous improvement will be to cultivate deep leadership commitment across all education providers to respond flexibility to the needs of children and young people.
You will place the highest value on the voice of the parent, child and young person so that they have agency and are placed at the centre of designing improvements that affect their lives.
What can we offer you?
You will be working in a vibrant, nationally regarded and well-established locality-based education partnership driven by its mission No learner left behind; no school left behind. You will enjoy working with strong local providers of Alternative Provision, strong social care teams and new leadership for SEND that is determined to better integrate services around the needs of children. You will enjoy working with elected members who are passionate about empowering communities, tackling inequality and maintaining the strongest relationship with schools.
Enquiries to Julie Lewis: jlewis@ealing.gov.uk
To apply please visit Strategic Lead Equalities, Access and Inclusion – Ealing council
