Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion

Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion
6‑month contract | Start ASAP
£300-£320
Inside IR35 (via umbrella)
Hybrid working (2-3 days a week)  

CVs are being reviewed immediately and interviews will be taking place week commencing 15 June 2026.  

This is a pivotal opportunity to step into a high‑profile improvement role at a critical time for services. As Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion, you will sit within a safeguarding, quality assurance and improvement function and take real ownership for driving quality, learning and inspection readiness across education and SEND. Your work will shape practice, strengthen leadership confidence and ensure services are continuously improving for children, young people and families.   If you thrive in fast‑paced environments, enjoy influencing at all levels and believe quality assurance should lead to real change, this Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion role will give you the platform to make that impact.  

Your role as Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion:

• Design and embed a robust Quality Assurance Framework across education and SEND, building on existing activity and closing gaps
• Champion “what good looks like”, role‑modelling effective leadership and promoting a strong learning culture across the directorate
• Lead audit and QA activity, analysing findings, sharing excellent practice and driving consistency and improvement
• Translate learning into action, developing improvement initiatives, action plans and workforce development with managers and partners
• Strengthen inspection readiness, supporting services before, during and after DfE and OFSTED inspections and driving inspection improvement plans

You will work closely with service managers, senior leaders and partners, using evidence, co‑production and professional curiosity to ensure learning is embedded and impact is clearly demonstrated. As Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion, you will be a trusted expert, supporting teams to remain continuously inspection‑ready rather than reactive.  

Your previous experience as Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion:

• Demonstrable impact leading quality assurance and continuous improvement within education, SEND or Children’s Services
• Strong understanding of education and inclusion statutory responsibilities and inspection frameworks
• Proven ability to analyse complex information and present clear, influential learning to senior leaders
• Experience of driving change, embedding learning into frontline practice and recording
• Social work qualification desirable, though extensive QA experience in education will be fully considered

This role requires agility, confidence and resilience. You will respond to competing priorities, represent the service at key meetings and promote shared learning across internal and external partners. As Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion, you will be central to ensuring quality assurance is meaningful, purposeful and drives better outcomes. If you’re interested in discussing this role in more detail or know someone who would be a strong fit for the Quality Assurance Lead – Education & Inclusion please contact Lucy of Athena on 0117 3137110 or apply today.  

We offer a senior referral scheme upon successful placement of your recommendation.  

Our clients are committed to building a diverse workforce. Recruiting decisions are based solely on skills and experience, and any reasonable adjustments will be fully supported throughout the process.

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