Head
Prestfelde School
Shropshire
- New
- Salary:
- Competitive
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- September 2025
- Apply by:
- 3 February 2025
Job overview
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to lead an outstanding Shropshire preparatory school.
Prestfelde School, a thriving, fully co-educational day and boarding school for children aged between 3 and 13 years, is seeking an inspirational Head to further enhance its position as a leading UK preparatory school.
Located on the edge of the medieval border town of Shrewsbury, the school, which has around 325 pupils, was recently shortlisted for Prep School of the Year in the Independent School Parent Magazine awards and Pre-Prep School of the Year in the TES Independent awards.
2029 marks the school’s Centenary, emphasising an exciting time for the staff at Prestfelde, a strong team buoyed by several years of growth, investment and outstanding pupil achievement. Prestfelde’s latest ISI inspection report endorses its reputation for excellence.
As a member of The Woodard Corporation of Schools, a charity founded to provide high-quality education in an actively Christian school environment, the school has benefited from ambitious development and boasts enviable facilities.
This is a significant appointment. The successful candidate will provide strong leadership, be an energetic visionary but also possess a proven strategic ability, be a pioneer but with the necessary skills to communicate their foresight in a way that motivates and inspires the team and will recognise and value all that the team contributes whilst encouraging further achievement. They will work closely with the Governors, Bursar and Clerk to Council and the Senior Leadership Team to further build on the school’s excellent foundations. They will hold the genuine happiness of the children and the quality of the relationships that form the cornerstones of the school community at the heart of all they do.
If you believe you have the ambition, compassion and prescience required to lead Prestfelde School, we very much look forward to hearing from you.
Headspace Academics Limited is supporting this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.headspaceacademics.com/opportunities. Applications should be made to tf@headspaceacademics.com.
Closing date: 10.00am on Monday 3rd February 2025, with longlist interviews taking place in the week commencing Monday 10th February 2025.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to visit the school in the week commencing Monday 24th February, with shortlist interviews with the Governing Body taking place w/c 3rd March 2025.
About Prestfelde School
Prestfelde School is an independent, non-selective, co-educational, Christian preparatory school for children. It is situated in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and has day and flexi-boarding provision. There are approximately 350 students aged 3-13 on its roll.
Prestfelde was founded in 1929 by the Reverend GK Dovey. In 1949 it became part of the Woodard family of schools, a charitable trust that shares a Christian foundation and set of beliefs. The stunning 30-acre parkland site is home to a mixture of beautiful Victorian architecture, modern purpose-built teaching facilities, outdoor play areas, extensive sports grounds, and a swimming pool
Our children also benefit from our onsite Chapel and Theatre, purpose-built Music School, Design, & Technology workshop, Drama Studio, Library, two ICT suites, Art Studio, two Science Laboratories, Medical Centre and a Boarding House which offers children the opportunity to experience boarding in a flexible, supportive way.
Headteacher
Nick Robinson
Values and vision
Prestfelde School aims to offer a 21st-century education while maintaining its roots in tradition. Teachers provide a high quality education in an actively Christian environment. Prestfelde promotes a love of learning in all girls and boys. The School enables all its pupils to maximise their academic potential and to develop their individual talents in a caring, Christian community which fosters sensitivity, confidence, a sense of service and enthusiasm for life.
The School prides itself on an explicit set of core values which are at the heart of all that it does: Empathy, Aspiration, Perseverance, Selflessness, Respect, Unity, Confidence, Integrity, Courage and Humility.
These values are encapsulated in the five aims outlined as follows:
- To provide, within a Christian context, an all-round education which fosters a love of learning in all children, and which enables girls and boys to maximise their potential in all areas of school life.
- To maximise academic potential in all pupils.
- To recognise, promote and encourage individual talents.
- To produce well mannered, sensitive and self-confident young people by providing them with the encouragement and the opportunities to demonstrate selflessness, a sense of service and a zest for life.
To provide an environment – physical, emotional and spiritual – which motivates, challenges and supports each individual.
ISI report
We are thrilled and delighted that following our 2023 ISI inspection, the school has been awarded the highest possible grading. To be awarded “Excellent” in both categories of the quality of pupils’ academic and other achievements, and the quality of pupils’ personal development is something to be extremely proud of. I am particularly pleased that the report reflects what we see from our children every day at Prestfelde. Pupils are achieving highly across so many areas of school life; they are happy, caring and love learning. The dedication and expertise of our teaching staff, along with the attention to detail and professionalism of our support staff has been a key factor in achieving these grades, as well as ensuring that the School is fully compliant in all regulatory areas. This report recognises the work of our wonderful community, whilst providing a springboard for the future. Alongside our 2029 Centenary Strategy, this will ensure that Prestfelde retains its position as a UK leading independent prep school.
https://www.prestfelde.co.uk
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