Description
We are seeking an inspirational and ambitious leader to provide exceptional strategic and operational leadership as Principal. The Governing Body is looking for an individual with vision, integrity and a deep commitment to the mission and values of a Catholic College for the Community. The successful candidate will be a practising and committed Catholic, dedicated to ensuring that Carmel College remains a vibrant, inclusive and caring Christian environment, where students and staff are at the heart of everything we do.
With a focus on academic excellence and student success, you will have the drive, determination and expertise to shape the future of the college, continuing to deliver an outstanding sixth-form experience that inspires, challenges and empowers young people to achieve their full potential.
Key Responsibilities
The Principal is accountable to the Governing Body and is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the college and for proposing its strategic direction to the Board. They are expected to serve as the college’s Accounting Officer and as a member of the Governing Body. The Principal is also responsible for ensuring that the Catholic Ethos of the college is reflected in all aspects of college life.
Main Key Responsibilities
* To develop and sustain the Catholic Ethos.
* To assist the Governing Body to develop its strategic plan and ensure its successful implementation.
* To develop and sustain a culture of excellence and high aspirations for all students so that they reach their absolute potential.
* To motivate and inspire staff at all levels to deliver their highest quality performance and create a culture and ethos in which they can develop and flourish.
* To ensure the continued solvency and good financial health of the college.
* To build strong and sustainable partnerships with all external stakeholders.
For the full list of responsibilities and person specification please download the full recruitment pack.
Carmel College is a leading Catholic sixth form college located in St. Helens, Merseyside, specialising in Level 3 education. With a diverse student body of over 2,000, the college offers a comprehensive range of academic and vocational qualifications, catering for A Level and BTEC students, GCSE Maths and English Language resits, and a Level 4 Art Foundation course in partnership with the University of the Arts, London. The college also offers a wide variety of Foundation Degree courses at Level 5 in collaboration with The University of Liverpool. Furthermore, Carmel College maintains a well established Foundation Learning provision, offering Entry Level and Level 1 qualifications.
The college attracts students from over 100 schools across the region, with approximately 50% of students hailing from the St Helens and Knowsley boroughs, and the remainder coming from the wider Merseyside area. Carmel College is committed to providing a nurturing and academically rigorous environment, guiding students toward success in higher education and beyond.
As a respected member of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, the Maple Group (comprising 13 high performing sixth form colleges), and the Association of Catholic Sixth Form Colleges, Carmel College works collaboratively within its sector to deliver outstanding educational experiences. The college also partners with key organisations such as the Archdiocese of Liverpool School Improvement Trust to foster academic growth and community engagement.
Carmel College is proud to maintain formal partnerships with The University of Liverpool and University of the Arts, London, enhancing the educational pathways available to its students.
Our success lies in the fact that we recruit and retain excellent people who work exceptionally hard, driven by the Vision, Mission and shared values which underpin everything we do at the college.
At the heart of the Vision, Mission and shared values is the commitment to providing an outstanding sixth form education for our young people in a caring, Christian environment, one which makes a positive difference for these young people, improving their life chances and their life opportunities. In December 2024, the College was inspected and judged by Ofsted to be providing an Outstanding sixth form education for our young people. The college was also judged Outstanding in its denominational inspection carried out by the Archdiocese of Liverpool in February 2020.
We are incredibly proud to be an Outstanding college, providing an excellent sixth form education for our students, one which is reflected in the exceptional results they achieve and the exciting destinations to which they progress. Yet, as a proactive governing body and staff, we remain ever mindful of the need to challenge ourselves to strive for continuous improvement, to ensure that we always provide the very best sixth form education for the young people in the local community we serve.
We seek applicants with the vision, integrity and understanding of the Vision, Mission and values of a ‘Catholic College for the Community’, who will continue to drive our College forward. Our ideal candidate will be committed to build a future college that is vibrant, inclusive and provides a caring, Christian environment. We are looking for someone who will put staff and students at the centre of the work of the College, a College which prides itself on academic excellence and on delivering an outstanding sixth form college experience for young people.