Director of Education (Secondary)
| Posting date: | 13 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Leadership Scale L27 - £103,721 |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 15 March 2026 |
| Location: | Sidcup, DA14 5AA |
| Company: | TKAT (The Kemnal Academies Trust) |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 3277 |
Summary
Job Advert
About Us
We are a group of schools with ambition for every child and pride in the communities we serve. We prepare young people for lives
of opportunity and contribution by offering a broad and rich education. And we know that it is the talented people who work here
who make this possible.
We are one of largest Multi Academy Trusts in the UK with over 3500 colleagues working together to serve over 22,000 children and
young people across our 45 school communities.
The Role
The Director of Education is a critical senior position in the Trust. While respecting and encouraging the Headteacher’s
Educational leadership, the DoE will help them shape their school’s vision and strategy, challenge school self-evaluation, mandate
intervention strategies where outcomes stall and call on the Trust’s system-leadership resources to ensure no school is left
behind.
You will report into the Executive Secondary Director of Education and work within the Kemnal Education team.
The Director of Education is ultimately accountable for the educational outcomes and safeguarding integrity of every child within
their region.
For full details about this job, including the person specification please download the attached candidate pack (available via the
link on the right hand side of the page).
What You Will Lead
Strategic School Improvement and Quality Assurance: Provide rigorous, evidence-based challenge and assurance by triangulating data
with on-the-ground intelligence, leading rapid recovery where performance dips, approving and sequencing School Improvement Plans,
and ensuring schools are Ofsted-ready and compliant.
Accountability and Performance Standards: Hold Headteachers to account for educational outcomes, inclusive provision, leadership
standards and financial stewardship, ensuring Trust targets are met and resources are used responsibly to support every pupil’s
success.
Trust Integration and System Development: Strengthen Trust-wide coherence by enabling horizontal improvement, leading
phase-specific system projects, spreading best practice and representing schools in Trust decision-making while protecting
capacity and local context.
Proactive Risk and Transparent Reporting: Identify early indicators of risk using cultural and workforce intelligence and provide
clear, timely reporting to the Executive Team and Board so performance and compliance issues surface early with no surprises.
Leadership Coaching and Support: Develop and coach school leadership teams through high-support, high-challenge relationships,
nurturing leadership potential, supporting stakeholder engagement and building sustainable leadership capacity across the Trust.
The Leadership Profile We Are Looking For
Essential
* Qualified teacher status and substantial senior leadership experience.
* Proven track record of leading sustained school improvement, including in challenging contexts.
* Experience of holding headteachers to account for outcomes and safeguarding.
* Strong understanding of inspection, accountability and regulatory frameworks.
* Credibility to coach, challenge and support senior school leaders.
* Commitment to inclusive education and reducing disadvantage.
Desirable
* Experience working across more than one school or within a trust or regional structure.
* Evidence of developing leadership capacity and succession.
* Experience of working with diverse communities and stakeholders.
What Kemnal Offers You
* Generous Pension Scheme: Secure your future with substantial employer contributions toward your long-term financial wellbeing.
* A well being app that supports exercise, mindfulness, and everyday healthy practices.
* Retail and Lifestyle Discount Scheme offering savings both online and in store, supporting everyday living costs, and beyond.
* Cycle To Work Scheme, supporting affordable access to bikes and promoting active, sustainable travel.
* Family Friendly Leave Policies, helping colleagues balance professional commitments with caring responsibilities at different
life stages.
* Eight-Week Mindfulness Programme, expert-led mindfulness course to support and develop mental resilience.
* Counselling Support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for colleagues and their eligible immediate family members.
* Tailored continued professional development, to support your in role and /or career progression ambitions.
How to apply
This is a role for a leader who believes that school improvement is both a moral responsibility and a disciplined craft.
Kemnal is committed to ensuring that no secondary school and no young person is left behind because of geography, circumstance or
inconsistency. The Director of Education plays a critical role in making that commitment real, by holding high standards,
intervening early, developing leaders and using the full strength of the Trust to improve outcomes where they matter most.
If you are a senior educational leader who is motivated by impact rather than status, who can balance challenge with trust, and
who wants to shape improvement at scale while staying close to the reality of schools, we’d love for you to apply.
Next steps
1. Download the candidate pack and review the full job profile.
2. Complete our online application including a personal statement explaining how you meet the Leadership Profile.
3. Save the interview dates (in the candidate pack).
Safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this
commitment. Offers of employment will be subject to the full safer recruitment process, including an enhanced disclosure and
barring service check.
Flexible working
We recognise the value of enabling our employees to develop their career and balance this with their commitments and interests
outside of work. We promote flexible working practices and opportunities to promote a positive work life balance.
Our Commitment - Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging
At Kemnal, we are committed to Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Belonging. We embrace and celebrate differences, value individual
experiences, aspirations, and achievements, and continuously learn how to grow better together. We actively encourage applications
from candidates of all backgrounds, as we believe diversity strengthens our community and drives us forward.
Access to interview
Be Who You Are at Kemnal - should you be selected and invited to interview please let us know if you require us to adapt the
recruitment process to enable you to participate as your authentic self. We want applicants to be able to engage with us in ways
that support who they are and we are committed to making adjustments within the recruitment process and within the workplace.
About Us
We are a group of schools with ambition for every child and pride in the communities we serve. We prepare young people for lives
of opportunity and contribution by offering a broad and rich education. And we know that it is the talented people who work here
who make this possible.
We are one of largest Multi Academy Trusts in the UK with over 3500 colleagues working together to serve over 22,000 children and
young people across our 45 school communities.
The Role
The Director of Education is a critical senior position in the Trust. While respecting and encouraging the Headteacher’s
Educational leadership, the DoE will help them shape their school’s vision and strategy, challenge school self-evaluation, mandate
intervention strategies where outcomes stall and call on the Trust’s system-leadership resources to ensure no school is left
behind.
You will report into the Executive Secondary Director of Education and work within the Kemnal Education team.
The Director of Education is ultimately accountable for the educational outcomes and safeguarding integrity of every child within
their region.
For full details about this job, including the person specification please download the attached candidate pack (available via the
link on the right hand side of the page).
What You Will Lead
Strategic School Improvement and Quality Assurance: Provide rigorous, evidence-based challenge and assurance by triangulating data
with on-the-ground intelligence, leading rapid recovery where performance dips, approving and sequencing School Improvement Plans,
and ensuring schools are Ofsted-ready and compliant.
Accountability and Performance Standards: Hold Headteachers to account for educational outcomes, inclusive provision, leadership
standards and financial stewardship, ensuring Trust targets are met and resources are used responsibly to support every pupil’s
success.
Trust Integration and System Development: Strengthen Trust-wide coherence by enabling horizontal improvement, leading
phase-specific system projects, spreading best practice and representing schools in Trust decision-making while protecting
capacity and local context.
Proactive Risk and Transparent Reporting: Identify early indicators of risk using cultural and workforce intelligence and provide
clear, timely reporting to the Executive Team and Board so performance and compliance issues surface early with no surprises.
Leadership Coaching and Support: Develop and coach school leadership teams through high-support, high-challenge relationships,
nurturing leadership potential, supporting stakeholder engagement and building sustainable leadership capacity across the Trust.
The Leadership Profile We Are Looking For
Essential
* Qualified teacher status and substantial senior leadership experience.
* Proven track record of leading sustained school improvement, including in challenging contexts.
* Experience of holding headteachers to account for outcomes and safeguarding.
* Strong understanding of inspection, accountability and regulatory frameworks.
* Credibility to coach, challenge and support senior school leaders.
* Commitment to inclusive education and reducing disadvantage.
Desirable
* Experience working across more than one school or within a trust or regional structure.
* Evidence of developing leadership capacity and succession.
* Experience of working with diverse communities and stakeholders.
What Kemnal Offers You
* Generous Pension Scheme: Secure your future with substantial employer contributions toward your long-term financial wellbeing.
* A well being app that supports exercise, mindfulness, and everyday healthy practices.
* Retail and Lifestyle Discount Scheme offering savings both online and in store, supporting everyday living costs, and beyond.
* Cycle To Work Scheme, supporting affordable access to bikes and promoting active, sustainable travel.
* Family Friendly Leave Policies, helping colleagues balance professional commitments with caring responsibilities at different
life stages.
* Eight-Week Mindfulness Programme, expert-led mindfulness course to support and develop mental resilience.
* Counselling Support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for colleagues and their eligible immediate family members.
* Tailored continued professional development, to support your in role and /or career progression ambitions.
How to apply
This is a role for a leader who believes that school improvement is both a moral responsibility and a disciplined craft.
Kemnal is committed to ensuring that no secondary school and no young person is left behind because of geography, circumstance or
inconsistency. The Director of Education plays a critical role in making that commitment real, by holding high standards,
intervening early, developing leaders and using the full strength of the Trust to improve outcomes where they matter most.
If you are a senior educational leader who is motivated by impact rather than status, who can balance challenge with trust, and
who wants to shape improvement at scale while staying close to the reality of schools, we’d love for you to apply.
Next steps
1. Download the candidate pack and review the full job profile.
2. Complete our online application including a personal statement explaining how you meet the Leadership Profile.
3. Save the interview dates (in the candidate pack).
Safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this
commitment. Offers of employment will be subject to the full safer recruitment process, including an enhanced disclosure and
barring service check.
Flexible working
We recognise the value of enabling our employees to develop their career and balance this with their commitments and interests
outside of work. We promote flexible working practices and opportunities to promote a positive work life balance.
Our Commitment - Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging
At Kemnal, we are committed to Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Belonging. We embrace and celebrate differences, value individual
experiences, aspirations, and achievements, and continuously learn how to grow better together. We actively encourage applications
from candidates of all backgrounds, as we believe diversity strengthens our community and drives us forward.
Access to interview
Be Who You Are at Kemnal - should you be selected and invited to interview please let us know if you require us to adapt the
recruitment process to enable you to participate as your authentic self. We want applicants to be able to engage with us in ways
that support who they are and we are committed to making adjustments within the recruitment process and within the workplace.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.