Pathway Lead & Classroom Teacher (for students with Autism)

We are seeking an inspiring, dedicated practitioner to join our middle leadership team as the Pathway Lead and Classroom Teacher for Students with Autism. In this pivotal role, you will work alongside the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to develop, lead, and evaluate an effective Curriculum Pathway tailored for SEND students whose EHCP primary need is largely Autism.

You will combine classroom teaching with strategic leadership, line managing pathway staff and implementing pedagogically rich approaches to ensure every student achieves maximum progress and prepares for life beyond school.

Key Responsibilities

Curriculum & Provision Leadership: Design, lead, and monitor a stimulating, accessible, and high-impact curriculum pathway for students with Autism.

• Excellence in Teaching: Consistently deliver strong, high-quality lessons and lead a subject across the wider academy curriculum.

• Team Management & Development: Line manage teachers and classroom support staff, providing mentoring, coaching, performance management, and induction support.

• Assessment & Outcomes: Embed robust assessment and feedback systems to evidence progress and implement targeted interventions.

• Holistic Support & Partnerships: Coordinate multi-agency work and establish strong, trusting relationships with parents and families.

• Safeguarding & Environment: Prioritise student safety, ensuring all safeguarding practices are robustly maintained while fostering a supportive learning environment.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven track record of strong classroom practice and delivering strong student outcomes.

• Deep commitment to SEND education and expertise in strategies supporting students with Autism.

• Strong leadership and coaching capabilities to inspire, support, and hold team members to account.

• Excellent communication skills for liaising with families, SLT, and external agencies.

Please note we are enhancing our provision and in addition to Pathway Lead & Classroom Teacher for Autism, we are also seeking another two Pathway Lead & Classroom Teachers (one students with SLD and one for students with Complex Autism).   You are welcome to take a look and apply for any of our opportunities.

Should you have any questions regarding this role, or our other roles or would like an informal discussion with the Academy, and/or would like to arrange a visit, please contact: View email address on tes.com

This role is customer facing and therefore in line with the Immigration Act 2016; all applicants must be able to demonstrate fluency of the English Language to the level defined in the .

Why us?

Co-op Academy Southfield offers an inclusive and inspirational learning experience for pupils aged 11-19 with a wide range of complex educational and medical needs. The academy supports pupils and pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The academy is advancing its curriculum design. The staff team is working incredibly hard to implement an ambitious, purposeful and enriching curriculum which supports the individual needs of all of our pupils as they progress towards adulthood. The successful candidate will have a pivotal role in the next stage of progress.

Co-op Academy Southfield is part of The Co-op Academies Trust and is co-located with Co-op Academy Grange, a mainstream secondary Academy in Bradford, West Yorkshire, just 15 minutes from Bradford centre.   

Co-op Academy Southfield caters for over 400 pupils and we are one of the largest special schools in the country. We have on-site support from other professionals including Speech and Language Therapists, the School Nursing team, Physiotherapy teams as well as support from Social Care and other services. We enjoy close links with education, leisure, sporting and commercial organisations across the locality and we are keen to actively promote these partnerships for the benefit of the children in our care.

All our values are based upon the values of the Co-op Group, which will inform our behaviours.

Self-help: We do not expect to be spoon fed – we will try to do things for ourselves in the right way and at the right time.

Self-responsibility: Everyone should act in a responsible way around the academy site and in the local community. We take responsibility for our own learning; we want to become independent learners.

Equality: We are proud to be part of a very multicultural academy, with students from all over the world; it is important that we treat each other with respect and accept that others may be different from ourselves. We should all have equal chances to succeed.

Equity: We want to look for the best in each other. Rewarding others fairly to encourage all types of achievement.

Democracy: We will contribute our ideas to make the academy a success.

Solidarity: We can achieve more by working together, rather than as individuals.

Our Values

Being part of the Co-operative Group, we are both guided and driven by the Co-op values which are embedded in everything that we do within our Academy - We strive to demonstrate the following ethical values in everything we do - they are our ‘Ways of Being’:

Succeed together

Do what matters most

Be yourself, always

Show you care

So, if you believe in our values, we would love to hear from you! 

We offer a wide range of benefits and rewards to recognise the part you play in our success:

Benefits include:

Our employee benefits package includes:

• You’ll get being a Co-op member, you’ll get a Co-op colleague discount card. This gives you a 10% discount in our Co-op Food stores.

• Co-operative flexible benefits (discounted line rental and broadband package, family care advice and cycle to work scheme)

• Discounted gym membership and leisure activities which includes discounts on Merlin Entertainments (Sea Life, Legoland etc), Virgin Experience Days, SuperBreak and many more!

• Co-operative Credit Union: save directly from your salary and receive a competitive dividend. Borrowers can benefit from very competitive interest rates & terms (in comparison with other high street lenders)

• Co-op Funeralcare benefit

• Season ticket and rental deposit loans

• Free access to a confidential 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

• Co-op Academy Trust Reward & Recognition scheme

• Investment in CPD every week

• Free onsite parking

• Weekly wellbeing sessions such as:

  • Cafe & cakebar - listen to some good tunes whilst chatting with colleagues over a coffee and tasty bites

  • Hydro pool Swimming - increase fitness, strength & stamina

  • Yoga sessions - to energise and relax you

And More!