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Welcome, and thank you for your interest in our Executive Headteacher opportunity

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in our inspiring Executive Headteacher opportunity. We hope that the information we have provided encourages you to make an application to our welcoming and inclusive school.

Follifoot and Spofforth Church of England Schools are a federation of two small schools with a joint governing body.  Our vision and Christian values are at the heart of our work to nurture each individual child, build positive relationships with everyone and value everyone’s uniqueness.  Together we love, learn and thrive.

  • "Pupils’ love of reading is fostered well from the Reception class to Year 6. Children in Reception enjoy listening to familiar stories. Older pupils confidently discuss the books that they have read."

    - Ofsted, 2023

  • "The curriculum for personal, social and health education has been carefully designed to ensure pupils learn important content at the right time."

    - Ofsted, 2023

We are proud to welcome our confident and articulate children to their school every day. They enjoy leading worship and being part of our school productions.  A strength of our schools is the clear Christian vision understood and driven by our leaders and governors.  As small village schools, community is also important to us.  Each school has a strong link with the local church and the Church Reverend.  Pupils attend Church for festivals throughout the year and Collective Worship is provided at both schools.

We want all our children to be excited by learning, to take risks, seek challenge, ask questions and persevere. The education and pastoral care we offer prepares them effectively as lifelong learners. Relationships between staff teams, staff and children and staff and families are strong; a reflection of our view that every member of the Federation plays a significant part in its success.

For an informal, confidential conversation about the role please email Helen Poole, who has been engaged to support us with recruitment to this key role, or call on 01609532254. We would encourage you to come and visit in advance of your application and see for yourself the enthusiasm that our pupils have for their education. Such a visit is not part of the selection process, and whether applicants have visited will not influence the outcome. We would also encourage applicants to have a look at the school website (opens in a new tab) and our news pages (opens in a new tab) to get a feel for our school federation.

I hope you find the information provided useful and informative and that it will encourage you to apply. On behalf of the governing body, thank you again for your interest in Follifoot and Spofforth Primary Schools.

Yours faithfully,

Emma Booth and Marianne Tharby,

Co-chairs of Governors

 

 

 

 

Learn more about our Executive Headteacher opportunity

Post: Executive Headteacher
Number on Roll: 107 (inc. nursery) – Spofforth'; 41 – Follifoot
Commencing: September 2025
Salary: L12 – L18 (£65,286 - £75,675)
Contract Term: Permanent

Our Opportunity:

The Federation of Follifoot and Spofforth Primary Schools are friendly and welcoming small village schools in the heart of the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. The Headship of one village school is a unique one; with this opportunity you will have the benefit of getting to know two caring communities and personally build relationships with children in both schools, whilst determining long term opportunities and identifying the benefits these can bring to the federation.

This is a rewarding and challenging position where you can make an immediate impact. You’ll lead two rural schools with distinctive strengths and opportunities. With confidence, empathy, and strategic insight, you will foster a healthy workplace culture that benefits both staff and pupils whilst being a key figure of influence in shaping the strategic direction of the Federation in consultation with the Governing Body, Diocese and Local Authority.

About You:

You will be an experienced Headteacher with a proven track record of raising educational standards, driving school improvement, and fostering a culture of high expectations and achievement. Your expertise will enable you to quickly identify areas for development, implement effective strategies, and deliver tangible improvements that benefit both pupils and staff.

With exceptional leadership ability, you will excel in communicating effectively and whether working with pupils, staff, parents/carers, governors, or external stakeholders, you will inspire confidence, trust, and collaboration. Your ability to listen, empathise, and communicate will be essential to engage the school community as well as establishing a cycle of reflection with a view to continual improvement.

You will relish the opportunity to step into a challenging role, bringing your energy and determination to tackle complex issues head-on. You will thrive in a dynamic environment where your leadership can make an immediate and meaningful impact. Your resilience and adaptability will allow you to navigate the unique challenges of working across a federation, while your focus and strategic thinking will lay the groundwork for sustainable improvements. As a skilled leader, ideally possessing a SENCO qualification, you will balance the diverse needs of pupils, staff, and the wider school community, ensuring that every decision aligns with the schools’ ethos, values, and long-term goals.

We can offer you

  • Strength in our Christian Vision and ethos and the ethos this inspires in our community of children, staff and parents/carers.
  • An excellent opportunity to provide strategic leadership and direction in a supportive environment
  • Happy, caring and supportive schools, with children who respect and care for each other and have a thirst for learning.
  • A Governing Body who are committed and passionate about our schools and eager to support your work
  • Significant support from a dedicated staff team ready to grow under your leadership, in addition to ongoing support from the Local Authority and Diocese

For an informal, confidential conversation about the role please call Helen on 01609 532254 or email. Helen has been engaged to support us with recruitment to this exciting opportunity.

Visits

We strongly recommend that you visit us so we can share with you why we are so proud of our school, and you will have the opportunity to see what we have to offer.  If you would like the opportunity to visit, please email Helen.

Key dates

Application closing date: Midnight on Tuesday 25th March 2025

Interviews: Thursday 3rd & Friday 4th April 2025

Information About Our School

Information About Application and Guidance

We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We have a robust child protection and safeguarding policy. and all staff will receive training relevant to their role at induction and throughout employment at the school. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Please note this post is in regulated activity and exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS criminal records and barred list check for work with children. An online search may be undertaken as part of the recruitment process on information available in the public domain. Candidates should disclose anything that may be relevant in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

North Yorkshire Council (NYC) advertise vacancies and process applications on behalf of schools and external organisations (third parties) in North Yorkshire. NYC are not responsible for the recruitment/employment practices of third parties and accept no liability in relation to the vacancy and any subsequent recruitment/employment processes. Further information on how we process your data can be found here.

Posted in Current Vacancies, Senior leadership position, Vacancies