Principal

Michael Hall is the largest Steiner Waldorf School in the UK and the longest-running Waldorf School in the world, educating children and young people from age 2 to 19. At the beginning of this academic year, we have 440+ pupils on roll with 106 staff.  

The School was established as the first English speaking Steiner Waldorf School in London in 1925 and moved to its current beautiful grounds in Forest Row, East Sussex after the Second World War. We are looking forward to celebrating our centenary next year. The School has a vibrant pupil body, dedicated staff and loyal parents and also plays an important part in the life of our surrounding community with many families moving into the area to attend.  

Reporting to the School’s Trustee Board, the Principal will be responsible for all aspects of school life relating to the education of the pupils; the management of the teaching staff and non-teaching staff, the management of the School’s assets, and the financial sustainability of the School.

The Principal will: 

• Set a clear and inspiring vision for the School, taking colleagues with you on that journey
• With the Trustee Board, formulate the aims and objectives of the School, providing strategic leadership for their implementation
• With the Trustee Board and Senior Leadership Team establish policies for achieving these aims and objectives
• With the School’s SLT, manage staff and resources to develop the organisation’s capacity and capability to realise the School’s vision
• Monitor and report progress to the Trustee Board
• Lead by example and model best practice regarding professional conduct, workload, and personal development
• Develop and deliver a 21st Century Waldorf education in compliance with Government and OFSTED regulations for early years and schools
• With financial astuteness and commercial acumen, further develop and implement the School’s Development Plan

Person Specification 

The successful candidate will possess the following qualifications although consideration will be given to alternative qualifications or experience:

• Qualified teacher status
• A university degree
• At least 2 years of Senior Leadership Experience

The successful candidate will have the following experience: 

• Successful senior leadership and management experience in a school
• Good teaching experience
• Knowledge of Steiner Waldorf Education  
• Involvement in school self-evaluation and development planning
• Successful line management and staff development
• Proven ability to identify and acknowledge excellence  
• Proven ability to identify and resolve under performance effectively and decisively
• Experience of successful preparation for school inspections
• Knowledge and experience of working effectively with a governing body
• Successful experience of curriculum development
• Using monitoring and evaluation strategies that raise the quality of teaching and learning
• Establishing a collaborative school vision of excellence and equity
• Commercial and marketing acumen that will help the school attract parents, pupils, and investment 

The successful candidate will have the ability to: 

• Communicate a vision and inspire others
• Communicate effectively
• Build effective working relationships
• Model high quality teaching for others
• Assess information to set targets and identify weaknesses and strengths
• Understand the business model of a fee-paying school and provide the necessary leadership to ensure the School’s continued commercial success  
• Work under pressure and prioritise effectively

The successful candidate will be committed to: 

• Safeguarding, equality, and diversity
• Maintaining confidentiality at all times
• Getting the best outcomes for all pupils
• Promoting the ethos and values of the School 
• Maintaining discipline, and positive relationships with pupils
• The environment and sustainable values.  

Duties and responsibilities: 

• Communicate the School’s vision clearly and with commitment
• Ensure a high standard of educational provision across the School
• Build positive relationships with all members of the school community and the School’s strategic partners
• Build positive relationships with parents, carers, pupils, alumni, and the Forest Row community
• Keep up to date with developments in education and school inspection criteria
• Ensure the continued financial well-being of the School with accountability for the School’s financial budget (costs and revenue generation)
• Ensure that the School maximizes its commercial opportunities in order to continue to invest in its educational offering  
• Develop and implement the School Development Plan
• Seek training and continuing professional development 
• Set and expect ambitious standards for all pupils  
• Ensure excellent teaching in the School 
• Establish a culture of openness, collaboration, and cooperation amongst staff to ensure that best practice is shared 
• Identify emerging talents and aspiring leaders and support them into their roles and careers  
• Hold all staff accountable for their professional conduct and practice
• Ensure the School’s systems, policies and processes are fit for purpose 
• Provide a safe, calm, and well-ordered environment for all pupils and staff
• Work with the Trustees to ensure they have all the information they need to govern effectively 
• Create an outward-looking school, working with other schools and organisations to secure excellence for all pupils  
• Create and embed an effective monitoring, evaluation and review cycle across the School 
• Head of Exam Centre  
• Work closely with the admissions team, SLT and Trustees to promote the School and ensure that pupil numbers remain stable