Lead Officer Alternative Learning Pathway (Out of School Tuition)
Closing date: 22 November 2026
Applications for alternative hours will be considered for this role.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Derbyshire County Council's Inclusion Support Service as Lead Officer Alternative Learning Pathway (Out of School Tuition). We are seeking an experienced, passionate and strategic leader to join our newly evolving Alternative Pathways Team from 1 January 2027 (although Teacher's T & Cs and contractual notice period will be respected).
This role will lead the development and delivery of Derbyshire's Section 19 offer for children and young people who are unable to attend school due to medical needs or other exceptional circumstances. The post holder will be expected to work across Derbyshire as required.
The Alternative Pathways Team brings together our established Out of School Tuition and Tailor-Made Programmes services and is currently undergoing a significant period of transformation. As we broaden and develop our offer, this is a unique opportunity to play a key role in shaping services that improve outcomes, strengthen inclusion and better meet the diverse needs of children and young people.
About The Role
As Lead Officer, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the Alternative Learning Pathway (Out of School Tuition) ensuring that children and young people receive high-quality educational provision when they cannot attend school. You will work collaboratively with colleagues across Inclusion Support Services, schools, partner agencies and wider Children's Services to champion inclusion and drive positive change for children with additional, and often complex, needs and vulnerabilities.
You will be committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people and will play a pivotal role in developing effective, personalised pathways that support engagement, progress and successful reintegration wherever appropriate.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop Derbyshire's Alternative Learning Pathway provision, ensuring high-quality educational support for pupils who are unable to attend school.
- Ensure that children and young people identified by the Local Authority as requiring tuition outside of school receive effective, timely and appropriate educational provision, delivered individually or in group settings where appropriate.
- Provide leadership, management and support to teaching staff, promoting excellence in teaching, assessment, target-setting, recording and curriculum planning.
- Work collaboratively with schools, families and partner agencies to co-produce and share best practice.
- Drive continuous improvement by maintaining a strong focus on quality, impact and outcomes for children and young people.
- Champion inclusive practice in line with the SEND Code of Practice, the Derbyshire SEND Strategy and the Derbyshire Graduated Response.
- Lead service development and contribute to the ongoing transformation of Derbyshire's Alternative Pathways offer.
About You
We are looking for a skilled leader with Qualified Teacher Status who has:
- A strong commitment to inclusion and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
- Experience of leading and developing education services or teams.
- Excellent partnership-working skills and the ability to influence across a range of stakeholders.
- A sound understanding of SEND, inclusion and alternative provision.
- A proven ability to drive improvement, innovation and positive change.
This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people across Derbyshire by ensuring they access the right support, at the right time, through high-quality alternative learning pathways.
If you would like to discuss this post further, please contact Louise Rhodes louise.rhodes@derbyshire.gov.uk Tel: 01629 535203
Provisional Interview Date: 11th December 2026
