Assistant Headteacher
| Posting date: | 07 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 02 March 2026 |
| Location: | Southport, Merseyside, PR9 9TF |
| Company: | Teaching Vacancies |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | a2857771-aa99-4d35-ab8a-988617339753 |
Summary
What skills and experience we're looking for
In addition to the application form, applicants are to provide a supporting statement (that is no longer than 2 sides of A4 in length in font size 11) that:
- Outlines your vision for a successful school in the next 3-5 years
- Outlines the strengths you would bring to Stanley High School and Southport Learning Trust
- Clearly outlines how your experience to date has prepared you for the advertised post, making reference to the person specification
Main Purpose:
The Assistant Headteacher will play a pivotal role in driving forward the next phase of improvement at Stanley High School, contributing strategically and operationally to the school’s ongoing journey of raising standards, strengthening culture, and securing excellent outcomes for all students. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the successful candidate will bring high-level leadership expertise, professional credibility, and a proven ability to influence practice at whole‑school level. We are committed to shaping the role around the skills, strengths, and passions of the successful applicant, aligning their expertise to the school’s current improvement priorities. This may include areas such as curriculum development, teaching and learning, behaviour and attitudes, inclusion, personal development, culture and ethos, or other aspects of school improvement where their leadership can have the greatest impact.
The Assistant Headteacher:
- Provide exemplary strategic leadership, modelling the highest expectations for staff and students.
- Lead key areas of school improvement that match their professional strengths and the evolving needs of the school.
- Contribute to the development of a positive, ambitious, inclusive culture rooted in our values and shared commitment to every child’s success.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across Southport Learning Trust, engaging with trust‑wide leadership networks, contributing to collective improvement projects, and strengthening alignment across schools.
- Play a significant role in ensuring that the school continues to build momentum, consistency, and excellence across all areas of its work.
What the school offers its staff
Trust Pension
On-Site Parking
Further details about the role
Qualifications, Knowledge, Experience and Skills:
- Qualified teacher status
- Degree relevant to teaching subject
- Evidence of recent and relevant continuous professional development
- Evidence of leadership training
- Evidence of successful middle leadership experience in a secondary school
- Experience of successfully managing a whole school project or initiative
- Successful experience of middle or senior leadership with clear evidence of impact
- Experience leading improvement in at least one key area such as curriculum, teaching and learning, behaviour, inclusion, or personal development.
- Broad knowledge of inclusion and SEND principles and how to support diverse learners effectively. NPQSL, NPQH, or equivalent leadership qualification
- Further postgraduate study related to education, leadership, curriculum, or SEND
Teaching and Learning:
- Experience of teaching in an 11-16 school
- Excellent classroom practitioner
- Demonstrable experience in analysing data to inform decision‑making and drive improvements in pupil outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding of all Key Stages in an 11-16 school
- Evidence of planning appropriate interventions and measuring impact on student outcomes to ensure students maintain good progress
- Ability to lead and develop initiatives to secure high standards of education
Leadership and Management:
- Experience of effective and successful leadership of a school team
- Understanding of relevant research and current educational developments
- Experience of leading rigorous and robust quality assurance and performance management
- Evidence of impact of leading successful whole school strategic initiatives
- Experience of working with other schools and institutions to improve learning outcomes
- Experience of contributing to successful staff development (e.g. coaching, mentoring, INSET for staff) Evidence of ability to challenge mediocrity and underperformance appropriately
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- The capacity to analyse complex information, make evidence‑based decisions, and communicate those decisions clearly.
- Experience of leading initiatives linked to attendance, safeguarding, ICFP, assessment, or other cross‑school priorities.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build trust, manage professional conversations, and foster strong relationships.
Strengthening the Community:
- Building relationships with stakeholders, outside agencies and other schools
- Promoting the school in the wider community through a variety of activities
- Working with parents/carers to improve student aspiration and achievement
Personal Attributes & Professional Values:
- A deep belief in the potential of every young person and a commitment to securing their success.
- A strong alignment with the values of Stanley High School and Southport Learning Trust.
- A commitment to inclusivity, equality, and safeguarding.
- The ability to model professionalism and maintain the highest expectations of staff and students.
- A collaborative approach and willingness to contribute to trust‑wide improvement work.
- The drive to contribute actively to the school’s ambitious improvement journey.
- A willingness to innovate, trial new approaches and contribute to the ongoing evolution of trust‑wide systems and practices.
- A passion for contributing to wider school life, enrichment, or community engagement.
Safeguarding:
- Is aware and able to manage effective safeguarding policies and procedures
- Ability to deal with sensitive issues in a supportive and effective manner
- Knowledge of statutory guidance and the ability to model safe and ethical practice
- A thorough understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and a commitment to promoting the welfare and safety of children and young people
Other Skills, Personal Qualities & Attributes:
- Honesty, integrity, commitment, resilience, reliance, enthusiastic and optimistic
- High standard of literacy, numeracy, oral and ICT skills
- Experience of using Arbor, FFT, 4Matrix and other software packages effectively
- Excellent role model for staff and students: good attendance, punctuality
Commitment to safeguarding
In accordance with our statutory obligations under Keeping Children Safe in Education Southport Learning Trust is required to conduct an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted candidates. This may help identify any incidents or issues that have happened and are publicly available online, which Southport Learning Trust might want to explore with you at the interview.
In addition to the application form, applicants are to provide a supporting statement (that is no longer than 2 sides of A4 in length in font size 11) that:
- Outlines your vision for a successful school in the next 3-5 years
- Outlines the strengths you would bring to Stanley High School and Southport Learning Trust
- Clearly outlines how your experience to date has prepared you for the advertised post, making reference to the person specification
Main Purpose:
The Assistant Headteacher will play a pivotal role in driving forward the next phase of improvement at Stanley High School, contributing strategically and operationally to the school’s ongoing journey of raising standards, strengthening culture, and securing excellent outcomes for all students. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the successful candidate will bring high-level leadership expertise, professional credibility, and a proven ability to influence practice at whole‑school level. We are committed to shaping the role around the skills, strengths, and passions of the successful applicant, aligning their expertise to the school’s current improvement priorities. This may include areas such as curriculum development, teaching and learning, behaviour and attitudes, inclusion, personal development, culture and ethos, or other aspects of school improvement where their leadership can have the greatest impact.
The Assistant Headteacher:
- Provide exemplary strategic leadership, modelling the highest expectations for staff and students.
- Lead key areas of school improvement that match their professional strengths and the evolving needs of the school.
- Contribute to the development of a positive, ambitious, inclusive culture rooted in our values and shared commitment to every child’s success.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across Southport Learning Trust, engaging with trust‑wide leadership networks, contributing to collective improvement projects, and strengthening alignment across schools.
- Play a significant role in ensuring that the school continues to build momentum, consistency, and excellence across all areas of its work.
What the school offers its staff
Trust Pension
On-Site Parking
Further details about the role
Qualifications, Knowledge, Experience and Skills:
- Qualified teacher status
- Degree relevant to teaching subject
- Evidence of recent and relevant continuous professional development
- Evidence of leadership training
- Evidence of successful middle leadership experience in a secondary school
- Experience of successfully managing a whole school project or initiative
- Successful experience of middle or senior leadership with clear evidence of impact
- Experience leading improvement in at least one key area such as curriculum, teaching and learning, behaviour, inclusion, or personal development.
- Broad knowledge of inclusion and SEND principles and how to support diverse learners effectively. NPQSL, NPQH, or equivalent leadership qualification
- Further postgraduate study related to education, leadership, curriculum, or SEND
Teaching and Learning:
- Experience of teaching in an 11-16 school
- Excellent classroom practitioner
- Demonstrable experience in analysing data to inform decision‑making and drive improvements in pupil outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding of all Key Stages in an 11-16 school
- Evidence of planning appropriate interventions and measuring impact on student outcomes to ensure students maintain good progress
- Ability to lead and develop initiatives to secure high standards of education
Leadership and Management:
- Experience of effective and successful leadership of a school team
- Understanding of relevant research and current educational developments
- Experience of leading rigorous and robust quality assurance and performance management
- Evidence of impact of leading successful whole school strategic initiatives
- Experience of working with other schools and institutions to improve learning outcomes
- Experience of contributing to successful staff development (e.g. coaching, mentoring, INSET for staff) Evidence of ability to challenge mediocrity and underperformance appropriately
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- The capacity to analyse complex information, make evidence‑based decisions, and communicate those decisions clearly.
- Experience of leading initiatives linked to attendance, safeguarding, ICFP, assessment, or other cross‑school priorities.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build trust, manage professional conversations, and foster strong relationships.
Strengthening the Community:
- Building relationships with stakeholders, outside agencies and other schools
- Promoting the school in the wider community through a variety of activities
- Working with parents/carers to improve student aspiration and achievement
Personal Attributes & Professional Values:
- A deep belief in the potential of every young person and a commitment to securing their success.
- A strong alignment with the values of Stanley High School and Southport Learning Trust.
- A commitment to inclusivity, equality, and safeguarding.
- The ability to model professionalism and maintain the highest expectations of staff and students.
- A collaborative approach and willingness to contribute to trust‑wide improvement work.
- The drive to contribute actively to the school’s ambitious improvement journey.
- A willingness to innovate, trial new approaches and contribute to the ongoing evolution of trust‑wide systems and practices.
- A passion for contributing to wider school life, enrichment, or community engagement.
Safeguarding:
- Is aware and able to manage effective safeguarding policies and procedures
- Ability to deal with sensitive issues in a supportive and effective manner
- Knowledge of statutory guidance and the ability to model safe and ethical practice
- A thorough understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and a commitment to promoting the welfare and safety of children and young people
Other Skills, Personal Qualities & Attributes:
- Honesty, integrity, commitment, resilience, reliance, enthusiastic and optimistic
- High standard of literacy, numeracy, oral and ICT skills
- Experience of using Arbor, FFT, 4Matrix and other software packages effectively
- Excellent role model for staff and students: good attendance, punctuality
Commitment to safeguarding
In accordance with our statutory obligations under Keeping Children Safe in Education Southport Learning Trust is required to conduct an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted candidates. This may help identify any incidents or issues that have happened and are publicly available online, which Southport Learning Trust might want to explore with you at the interview.