Executive Director of Primary Education

Our vision is to be a key provider for quality education so that all of our students leave us as highly qualified, confident and articulate young people with a wealth of experience. This vision is under-pinned by moral purpose – a desire to do more to improve the quality of education for all children and young people – and a commitment to schools working together to secure an inclusive, ambitious, collegiate and high-quality offer in the regions we serve, and (through school to school support) within the wider school system.

The Role 

We are seeking an Executive Director of Primary Education with a primary background to join our Trust and lead on shaping our teaching and learning frameworks, strengthening our cross-organisational culture and driving an ethos of continual educational improvement.

The Executive Director of Primary Education post will be situated across different primary schools in our Trust, with a portfolio of work that supports the aims of the Trust. The successful candidate will need to bring with them a proven track record of excellence, an unwavering belief that extraordinary academic success is possible, and a demonstrable ability to lead and inspire high performing leadership teams.

This role is pivotal in driving educational excellence, developing leadership capacity and ensuring the highest standards of teaching and learning, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Our schools are high profile but never complacent. The successful candidate will play a significant leadership role as part of an executive team. This is a unique opportunity for a talented leader with vision, drive and ambition to make a real difference to our students and community within a supportive multi academy trust leadership group.

In summary, the Executive Director of Primary will provide exceptional leadership to our primary schools, building on their existing successes, improving student attainment and achievement; secure sustained growth; play a role within the Mulberry Changemaker programmes, which support students’ personal development; undertake system-wide school improvement support; and actively promote the Mulberry Schools Trust.

What we’re looking for

We are looking for someone who can provide outstanding executive leadership, supporting Headteachers/Principals and Heads of School in our primary schools as well as contributing to the work of the central Multi Academy Trust team.

This role may be suitable for an exceptional Executive Senior Leader with primary experience who is ready for the next step and for whom there is the potential for taking on additional opportunities in an area of trust growth and improvement over time

Our Trust

The Mulberry Schools Trust was formed in 2017, when the Board of trustees and the Chief Executive Officer created a family of schools that has at its heart inclusion, equality of opportunity and a striving for educational excellence.

Schools as Community Hubs

We are committed to supporting young people to overcome the barriers that class, poverty and social exclusion can create, ensuring that all students are able to achieve their full potential. This has inspired us to build up a broad network of partnerships, invigorating student experience, opportunity, drive and success. 

There should be no barriers to a child’s future and society should, and can, be a level playing field. Aspiring for this to be reality we promise to:

• Emphasise high quality subject teaching, reinforced by excellent support for learning and intervention.

• Deliver inclusion services and other programmes that assist personal development.

• Provide excellent pastoral care so no student goes unsupported.

• Continually develop strong leadership and have high levels of expertise in education.

Our partners

We want our students in the Trust to have access to a plethora of professional connections which assist them in understanding and knowing how to navigate the wider world. To make this a reality we have a wide range external partners in higher education, business, industry, the arts and the sciences who contribute extensively and fundamentally to our extra-curricular activities, including:

Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd, Bank of America, the Royal Ballet and Opera, the National Theatre, the Women of the World Foundation, Barts NHS Trust, the Central School of Speech and Drama, the women of the future programme and others.

Bringing Down Barriers to Success

We are proud to inspire our students through diverse and representative leadership teams and welcome applications from all of the different communities we serve, regarding this as a strength. 

If you have the experience and passion to energise our next generation of leaders, creators and innovators, then we want to see how we can support you in that pursuit.

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and actively encourage people from a wide variety of backgrounds, experience and skills to join us and influence and develop our working practice. We particularly encourage applications from ethnic minority groups, and candidates who are disabled. All candidates who are as disabled and who demonstrate that they meet the shortlisting criteria will be invited for an interview, in line with the Equality Act 2010.

We want the best staff and we know that means a diverse staff in our Trust.

Encouraging a happy and healthy work environment

We take staff wellbeing seriously at Mulberry Schools Trust, here are just some of the great benefits for all staff.

• Teachers’ Pension scheme • Employee assistance programme and support • Free gym onsite in some schools open for all to use across the Trust • Subsidised staff meals • Annual programme of conferences and Trust wide events with high profile speakers • Cycle to work scheme • Annual service award •Long service awards 

How to apply?

We have an online application form on the TES website, and request that you complete the supporting statement in detail explaining why you are the perfect person for this exciting opportunity. Please be aware that we will not accept any CV’s.

We welcome applicants to inform us if you need any particular adjustments, arrangements or access needs as part of the recruitment process. We are also able to provide large font print job pack on request. We will also welcome in accommodating alternative application methods should they be requested.

If you have any questions about the role or the process, please get in touch with Shruti Kainth, Chief People Officer skainth@mulberryschoolstrust.org

Closing Date: Monday 20th January 2025, 8am

Interview Date: Shortlisted candidates will be informed of the interview day, likely to take place on a date week commencing 3rd February 2025

Post Start Date: 1st September 2025 (or earlier dependent on postholder notice)

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will require a satisfactory Enhanced DBS clearance. We are dedicated to equality and valuing diversity.

Candidates who are selected for interview will be informed following the shortlisting process and full details of the interview will be provided.

We will seek references on all shortlisted candidates and may approach previous employers for information to verify experience or qualifications before interview. Any relevant issues arising from references will be taken up at interview.