Education Improvement Lead

Education Improvement Consultant
6‑month contract | Start ASAP
East Midlands Local Authority
£500-£550 per day
Inside IR35 (via umbrella)
Hybrid working – 3 days onsite per week
 
CVs are being reviewed immediately and interviews will be taking place week commencing 11 May 2026.
 
You will be stepping into an education service operating within a live inspection window, where improvement activity is already underway and now needs to be accelerated and embedded. As Education Improvement Consultant, you will work closely with the Head of Service and senior leaders to drive measurable improvement across education services (Inclusion, SEND, Attendance), ensuring stronger practice, greater consistency and better outcomes for children, young people and families. You will be reporting directly into the Director of Improvement for this role.
 
This role is about influence, credibility and pace. You will be supporting a well‑established education workforce that knows the system well but needs to be challenged and supported in new ways. Rather than direct line management, you will role‑model a questioning, coaching approach – coming alongside leaders and practitioners to help them reflect, improve and sustain change.
 
As Education Improvement Consultant, you will be highly visible, flexible and targeted in your approach, focusing your time and expertise where it will make the biggest difference. The context is demanding, expectations are high and scrutiny is constant – but this is a genuine opportunity to help an education service move confidently through inspection and beyond.
 
Your role as Education Improvement Consultant:

• Drive delivery of the education improvement plan during a critical inspection period
  • Provide targeted, wrap-around support to priority education services and settings
  • Role‑model high‑quality practice, using coaching and a questioning approach to embed improvement
  • Strengthen outcomes by improving systems, leadership grip and consistency of practice
  • Balance high support and high challenge, delivered with pace, resilience and kindness

 
Your previous experience as Education Improvement Consultant:

• Proven experience leading education improvement within a local authority or equivalent system
  • Strong operational and strategic knowledge across education services, including SEND, Inclusion and Attendance
  • Credibility with experienced education leaders, able to challenge established views of “good” practice
  • Track record of working under inspection pressure, delivering improvement at pace
  • Resilient, values‑led approach, combining challenge with empathy and influence

 
As Education Improvement Consultant, you will play a pivotal role in helping education services move from improvement activity to sustained impact – supporting leaders, strengthening practice and improving outcomes for children and young people.
 
If you’re interested in discussing this opportunity in more detail or know someone who this may be of interest to, please contact Max Driscoll or Sarah Williams on 0117 313 7110 or apply today.
 
(We offer a senior referral scheme upon successful placement of your recommendation, so please do get in contact.)
 
Our clients are passionate about creating and evolving a diverse workforce and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant. Recruiting decisions are based on experience and skills, and any reasonable adjustments will be fully supported throughout the application and hiring process.
 

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