Head of High Needs & Learner Wellbeing
| Posting date: | 10 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £45,566 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 06 April 2026 |
| Location: | Somerset, South West England |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | Somerset Skills & Learning |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
Who we’re looking for:
SS&L is looking for an experienced and passionate Head of High Needs & Learner Wellbeing to lead our inclusive high-needs funding learning provision and safeguarding strategy.
This is a senior role responsible for overseeing our 16–25 high-needs provision, ensuring learners with additional needs receive high-quality support that enables them to thrive and achieve alongside their peers.
You will play a key strategic role across the organisation, leading learning support, managing high-needs funding, and working closely with the Local Authority and external partners to ensure learners receive the support they need to succeed.
This role also holds organisational responsibility as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), promoting a strong safeguarding culture and ensuring the wellbeing of all learners.
In order to be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate how you are able to meet SS&L’s core values: Collaboration, growth, excellence and innovation
Why work for us
We view our staff as an essential component in providing the very best learning opportunities and services to our learners and business partners. Here at SS&L, our aim is not just to provide the very best learning opportunities to all; we also want to offer the very best working opportunities for our staff.
If you choose to join our dedicated staff team, you will find that SS&L provides a supportive and well-balanced working environment in which we help our staff to develop and grow in their roles.
If you can offer us the qualities we’re looking for, we can offer you an excellent working environment where you will not only receive training and development opportunities, and excellent holiday and pension benefits, you will also be supporting the growth and development of the local communities in which we operate.
The benefits:
We're pleased to be able to offer you:
32 days annual leave (pro rata) + bank holidays + up to 3 gifted Christmas days and a day off for your birthday
Up to 2 paid volunteering days
Flexible working and opportunity to work from home*
Totum discount card
.45p mileage rate**
NEST Pension Scheme
On-site parking at certain venues
Contractual sick, maternity & paternity pay for up to one year (after qualifying period)
Shared parental leave
Continued Professional Development
Supportive culture with elected staff directors
Access to a free Employee Assistance Programme
*These opportunities will depend on the needs of the role.
**Rate change after 4000 miles p.a.
SS&L recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination
We welcome and encourage job applications from everyone
Join us and become a vital part of an organisation that supports the wellbeing and development of the region’s communities.
SS&L is committed to the protection of young people and vulnerable adults and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake a DBS check relevant to the role applied for
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974
SS&L is looking for an experienced and passionate Head of High Needs & Learner Wellbeing to lead our inclusive high-needs funding learning provision and safeguarding strategy.
This is a senior role responsible for overseeing our 16–25 high-needs provision, ensuring learners with additional needs receive high-quality support that enables them to thrive and achieve alongside their peers.
You will play a key strategic role across the organisation, leading learning support, managing high-needs funding, and working closely with the Local Authority and external partners to ensure learners receive the support they need to succeed.
This role also holds organisational responsibility as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), promoting a strong safeguarding culture and ensuring the wellbeing of all learners.
In order to be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate how you are able to meet SS&L’s core values: Collaboration, growth, excellence and innovation
Why work for us
We view our staff as an essential component in providing the very best learning opportunities and services to our learners and business partners. Here at SS&L, our aim is not just to provide the very best learning opportunities to all; we also want to offer the very best working opportunities for our staff.
If you choose to join our dedicated staff team, you will find that SS&L provides a supportive and well-balanced working environment in which we help our staff to develop and grow in their roles.
If you can offer us the qualities we’re looking for, we can offer you an excellent working environment where you will not only receive training and development opportunities, and excellent holiday and pension benefits, you will also be supporting the growth and development of the local communities in which we operate.
The benefits:
We're pleased to be able to offer you:
32 days annual leave (pro rata) + bank holidays + up to 3 gifted Christmas days and a day off for your birthday
Up to 2 paid volunteering days
Flexible working and opportunity to work from home*
Totum discount card
.45p mileage rate**
NEST Pension Scheme
On-site parking at certain venues
Contractual sick, maternity & paternity pay for up to one year (after qualifying period)
Shared parental leave
Continued Professional Development
Supportive culture with elected staff directors
Access to a free Employee Assistance Programme
*These opportunities will depend on the needs of the role.
**Rate change after 4000 miles p.a.
SS&L recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination
We welcome and encourage job applications from everyone
Join us and become a vital part of an organisation that supports the wellbeing and development of the region’s communities.
SS&L is committed to the protection of young people and vulnerable adults and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake a DBS check relevant to the role applied for
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.