Assistant Headteacher
Salary: Scale L15
Start date: September 2025
We are seeking to appoint a leader of exceptional quality to join our Senior Leadership Team as the school expands. We are looking for a passionate and committed leader, who will be able to enthuse our students, and who is keen to continue to develop professionally.
Potential candidates will be senior leaders who have a proven track record of school improvement with the belief that they can make a difference. You will need to have outstanding leadership skills, energy and ambition to bring out the best in our school, staff and students.
As part of our senior leadership team you will be expected to lead the school community by example. We expect you to provide professional leadership for the school which secures its success and continuous improvement, ensuring high quality education for all its students and outstanding standards of learning and achievement as we ‘Aspire to Become Elite’.
You will be joining a supportive, successful and highly motivated team that have our school motto of, ‘Aspire to Become Elite’ at the heart of their enhanced, rich curriculum model. The students are role models and ambassadors for our school’s ethos.
We are a co-educational school in year 7 since September 2024 (with boys only up to year 11) and a co-educational Sixth Form. The school has a newly refurbished subject block and subsequently every classroom across the school now has a ViewSonic interactive screen. In addition, we have invested in our all facilities across the school: new heating system reducing our carbon footprint, revamped technology including food room, whole school repainted, and wall art, new interactive whiteboards, in addition to sporting facilities; upgraded our indoor swimming pool, invested in our sports hall and conditioning centre, all weather pitches: MUGA, an all-weather football dome and our new performance and conditioning centre of excellence, available to both staff and students. Academically the school has a progress measure above national average. Our curriculum is clearly mapped and was a strong “good” as part of our Ofsted 2021.
To get a glimpse of our vibrant school community and facilities, check out our school video [here], showcasing our students, staff, and the dynamic environment you'll be a part of.
The Forest School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service clearance being received.
For all information, please visit the school website, and to apply please complete the Support Staff Application Form returning it to mailto:recruitment@forest.academy. Unfortunately, CVs will not be accepted.
The Interview Process
If selected, the interview process will test and assess your fulfilment of the requirements for this position. The interview process will include consideration of your suitability to work with children and the interview panel will ask questions on safeguarding children/young people.
Please apply as soon as possible as shortlisting/interviews will be ongoing up until the closing date. Should a suitable candidate be appointed, the advert may close early. We reserve the right to interview and opt out early if we receive a large numbers of suitable applications.
The school will complete online searches on all candidates and reserves the right to do so on receipt of all applications.
CLOSING DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS is Monday, 24th March at midday.
It is our normal procedure to request references on candidates prior to interview.
The Forest School Support and Professional Development
A range of support and professional development opportunities are available at The Forest School from working with all other local schools through the secondary federation, the local School Alliance Association and Wellington College. We offer many staff CPD opportunities through the National Qualifications. CPD and Staff wellbeing are highest on our agenda.
· Highly effective behaviour and inclusion system with a supportive Centralised detentions to reduce teacher workload
· Superb CPD including from our outstanding ‘Teaching and Learning Team’
· OFSTED ‘good’ (June 2021)
· Friendly and supportive working environment
· An active Staff Association and wellbeing team
· A comprehensive Induction programme for ECTs and new staff Allocation of a professional mentor (ECTs)
· A comprehensive CPD opportunity with National Qualifications
Please note, we may consider and interview as applications are received; we have the right to appoint a suitable candidate on receipt of application. This is policy procedure as we are aware of the competitive market and wish to recruit the correct person. Submissions from agencies will not be accepted.
We look forward to hearing from you.