Ryde School seeks to appoint a Head of Prep. The post holder will oversee the day-to-day running of the Prep section of the School (from ages 2-11) and be part of the wider School’s Senior Leadership Group. The successful candidate will be able to take up the post in January 2026, April 2026 or sooner.
Ryde School, situated on the Isle of Wight, minutes from the mainland and international links yet also a short walk from the beach, is a wonderful and rewarding place to work. The School is set in grounds of over 17 acres in the town of Ryde with beautiful views across the Solent. It is within easy walking distance of the terminals which link Ryde to Portsmouth by hovercraft (10 minutes) or catamaran (22 minutes). London Waterloo is only two hours away by train from Ryde.
The Prep School is housed in three distinct parts of the School:
Prep: Years 3-6 are located opposite All Saints' Church, on the south-facing corner of the main school site. The buildings are a mixture of cleverly-adapted Victorian villas with contemporary modern venues, incorporating the Prep School Hall, Music Centre, Science Laboratory, the Hive (our STEM centre) and the classrooms. Outside, a large playground, found adjacent to the School’s central lawned quadrangle, provides a safe and secure space for break times.
Pre-Prep: Reception and Years 1 & 2 are located in our Fiveways building which is across the road from Years 3-6. This facility has spacious classrooms, its own dining room, a library, an IT room, a hall and a good-sized playground behind it. From 2026, the Pre-Prep will be relocated to the main school site in our Oxford Lodge building next to our Westhill Nursery. The building (currently our music school) will be converted to accommodate these age groups. The new Head of Prep will therefore play a key role in the establishment of this new facility.
Westhill Nursery: The new building was opened in September 2023. Formerly the Head Master’s house, the building was converted into a bespoke Nursery facility with its own dining room, garden and outside play area.
There are currently 183 pupils on roll from age 2-11. Typically, almost all children move from our Upper Nursery age group into Reception. For September 2025, cohorts are single-form until Year 5 when they become two-form. Almost all pupils in the Prep School then progress into the Senior School for Year 7.