Amanda Savage

School Improvement Lead, Education Senior Leadership, SEN Advisory Services and Training

Talent

GBMember since May 31, 2026

LeadershipCoachingMentoringAdvisingAdvocacySchool leadershipSEN strategyInclusionTrauma Informed PracticeAttachment Aware TeachingRelational Policy and PracticeBritish Sign Language

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LeadershipCoachingMentoringAdvisingAdvocacy

About

School leadership, SEN strategy, Inclusion, Trauma Informed Practice and Attachment Aware Teaching, Relational Policy and Practice. Expertise in leadership, coaching, mentoring, advising and advocacy.

Experience

Executive Head - Haringey Council

(2025-12 - 2026-04)

Supporting schools that require improvement and prepare them for their next OFSTED inspection under the new framework. Working closely with school leaders, Principal Advisors and Assistant Director for Education to ensure standards are raised and high quality of education, safeguarding and attainment are maintained, using a relational and trauma informed approach. Oversee the quality of SEND and review inclusive practice, offering advocacy, advice and guidance to SENCOs and Head teachers.

School Improvement Partner and Coach to the Head teacher - Birtley House Independent Special School

(2025-10)

Recommended by another school to offer immediate support to the school and new Head (two weeks in post) after it dropped category to Requires Improvement in their OFSTED inspection. The Head is an experienced leader of large secondary mainstream schools but had not worked at a small, primary special school. Work involves supporting her to lead the school using the transferrable skills she has as a Head teacher.

Offer reflective discussions, undertake learning walks and model how leaders need to be identifying priorities and take prompt action for the school to move forward.

Termly visits

School Improvement Partner - Maidstone and Malling Alternative Provision

(2024-09)

Supporting a Pupil Referral Unit in their improvement journey, working to empower and reflect with the senior leaders about the direction they would like to take the provision in and working on key areas for improvement. In March 2025, following four visits to the school, helped them to prepare and present the achievements of the academic year to the OFSTED inspectors.

Termly visits

Highly specialist SENCo, SEN strategic lead and mentor to new SENCOs - Brentwood County High School, Essex - Essex

(2025-02 - 2025-12)

Supporting a new SENCO in a mentoring and coaching capacity to manage her workload, plan her schedule and prioritise tasks. Holding a caseload of the most complex cases, where the students are out of education due to EBSA or need a more specialist education provision. Successfully worked with parents and other stakeholders to resolve the presenting issues.

Freelance consultancy

Head of SRP for hearing impaired/deaf/Specialist SENCO and Assistant Head - Illuminate Minds Academy Trust, Bexley - Bexley

(2025-01 - 2025-07)

The school had experienced a difficult time with a large turnover of SENCOs and consequently, there was a significant backlog of work that needed to be addressed. Undertook a review and evaluation of SEND practice across the Trust, implementing changes, streamlining procedures and introducing systems for more effective provision and driving forward a clear vision where expectations are high and positive outcomes are achieved for the most vulnerable students. Line managed the support staff and ran training for teachers and teaching assistants on adapted teaching and SEN friendly approach.

Led the SRP for deaf learners and the SEN department through a successful OFSTED inspection, being interviewed by the inspector for SEN.

Part time and interim

Interim SENCO - Doddinghurst Junior School, Essex - Essex

(2025-04 - 2025-07)

Due to the success of work at BCHS for the Osborne Trust, asked to take on the interim role of SENCO in one of their primary schools. Concluded this role by supporting the school to recruit a permanent SENCO, helped to induct into the school and provided a detailed handover.

Part time and interim

Head of Centre (SEN) - Stone Lodge School, Dartford, Kent - Dartford, Kent

(2024-07 - 2025-01)

Commissioned to establish a brand-new SEN unit for 15 students with complex and moderate learning needs, as well as a range of neurodiversity including Down Syndrome, ADHD, ASC and SEMH needs. Had responsibility to report on inclusive practice within the school and lead on improving outcomes. Chaired annual reviews and liaise with the local authority regarding admissions, funding and tribunal cases.

5 month contract

Deputy Head/Interim Senior Leader - Medway Green Special School, Rochester, Kent - Rochester, Kent

(2024-02 - 2024-07)

Deputy Head of a special school that catered for 85 students with social, emotional and mental health needs aged between 9 years to 16 years old. Line managed a team of 13 teachers and worked to support a first time Head teacher to strategically lead the school. Main responsibility was to oversee the Quality of Education. Chaired annual reviews and liaised with the local authority regarding admissions and tribunal cases.

5 month fixed term contract

Assistant Head/Interim Senior Leader - Unified Academy, Dorking, Surrey - Dorking, Surrey

(2023-09 - 2024-02)

Assistant Head of a special school that catered for 70 students with identified social, emotional and mental health needs. Member of senior leadership team, supporting a first time Head teacher to line manage 10 teachers and strategically lead the school, raising standards of behaviour and education. Acted as the SENCO for the school, liaising with the local authority and making applications for access arrangements.

5 month temporary contract

Assistant Head/Interim Senior Leader - Parkwood Hall Special School, Swanley London Fringe - Swanley London Fringe

(2023-04 - 2023-07)

Part of an interim leadership team commissioned to support a special school that catered for over 300 students with a range of special educational needs, mainly Down Syndrome, severe learning needs and autistic spectrum condition. Oversaw the pathway for 100 students with complex needs. Line-managed 5 teachers all at different stages in their careers, from undertaking on-the-job training to experienced teachers.

Each class team was made up of up to 10 members of support staff responsible for training, mentoring and coaching. Worked closely with the multidisciplinary team of Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Music and Sports Therapists. Was part of the Senior Leadership Team that steers the strategic development of the school.

Chaired annual reviews and represented the school at tribunal. Visited schools and homes to carry out pre-admission assessments.

3 month temporary contract

Head of Education - TACT largest charitable fostering agency in the UK - Remote covering all of the UK

(2019-04 - 2023-04)

Role was to establish a brand-new Education Service within the charitable fostering agency across 11 offices across England, Scotland and Wales. Grew a team of Advisory Teachers so that the Education Service consistently provided high quality educational advice, advocacy and training to foster carers, social workers and schools to ensure that care experienced young people achieve positive outcomes. Was mentored and coached by the CEO.

Worked alongside directors to coach the agile working groups that informed the 5-year strategic plan. Led the group revisiting the organisation's visions.