Principal

Principal

Job reference: REQ002504

Salary: Competitive salary plus benefits package.

Contractual hours: 37.5

Basis: Full Time

Region: London

Job category/type: SLT

The closing date for completed applications is Friday 17 January 2025.

Job description

Conisborough College is an 11-16 co-educational Secondary Academy in Lewisham, southeast London. After a period of declining standards resulting in a second Requires Improvement judgement in 2022, the school joined United Learning in April 2024 and has begun the process of rapid improvement. Staff and students are already benefiting from the wider support of the Trust, particularly in relation to curriculum development and securing improvements in teaching and learning.

After a period of turbulence for the school (as it transitioned to academy status), we are now looking to provide long term stability for the whole school community by appointing a substantive Principal. The new leader will be inheriting the school at an exciting time. There is a real willingness amongst the staffing body to make the most of the opportunities now available through becoming part of a large Trust. Staff already work hard for their students, and with the wider support now available are ready to embrace a new chapter in the school’s journey.

Students behave well at Conisborough College, but we know that with the right culture and ethos, they will be able to excel academically too. This is an opportunity for a new leader to really make their mark on the school, and bring to life their vision for a truly excellent school.

It is essential that the new Principal has the commitment, energy, determination and empathy to bring pupils, parents, staff and the wider community with them, as they strive to develop and then embed rapid improvement. They must be committed to the highest standards and expectations for all pupils, including and especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

United Learning is a big group of schools – with over 75,000 pupils and more than 10,000 staff – so we have the capacity to support you educationally and operationally. At the same time, we are values led and base all that we do on good relationships, so you will be joining a big family. Reporting directly to the Regional Director, you will be supported both personally and professionally, benefitting from the strength of a national Group who will support your development and that of your staff and school.

We are committed to fairness, diversity and inclusion. We are currently working hard to improve representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic leaders at headship level and to raise our proportion of women leaders to match their representation in our wider workforce. Whoever you are, if you have a strong track record of improving young people’s education and a drive to do more, we very much look forward to hearing from you.

We fully recommend that you take the opportunity to make an informal visit prior to making your application, to see the school for yourself. To arrange this, please contact the Regional Director for the school, Katie Gillam at Katie.Gillam@unitedlearning.org.uk

United Learning is a large, and growing, group of schools aiming to offer a life-changing education to children and young people across England.

United Learning schools work as a team and achieve more by sharing than any single school could. The subject specialists, Group-wide intranet, own curriculum, and online learning portal all help us share knowledge and resources, helping to simplify work processes and manage workloads for an improved work-life balance.

As a Group, we can reward our staff better: with good career opportunities, better pay, benefits, and ultimately, the satisfaction of helping children to succeed. We invest in our staff wellbeing. Our academies each have at least eight INSET days per year (with three of those solely dedicated to planning), and an ongoing group-wide wellbeing programme. It's an ethos we call ‘the best in everyone’.

We are working hard to become a more diverse organisation – which is key to our commitment to bringing out the best in everyone. We welcome applications from everyone committed to this ethos and would particularly welcome applications from black and ethnic minority candidates, who are currently under-represented in the Group as a whole. We always appoint on merit, and we are open to discussing flexible working options.

United Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All positions are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online check.

Here at United Learning, we are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued and appreciated. Because we are a group, we can reward you better than any school could alone, and this includes your employee benefits. Here is some information about the benefits available to United Learning.

We always appoint on merit, and we are open to discussing flexible working options.

To Apply

Please apply online by clicking on the following link: https://ce0374li.webitrent.com/ce0374li_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC179GF.open?WVID=928037CDmM&VACANCY_ID=924205Ftbg

Where teaching is better shared

United Learning comprises: UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee. VAT number 834 8515 12. Registered address: United Learning, Worldwide House, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB.