King James School - Headteacher

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the role of Headteacher at King James’s School. We are delighted that you are considering applying to lead our ambitious school.

King James’s is a very special place. Rooted in over 400 years of heritage yet forward-facing in ethos and practice, we are immensely proud of the inclusive, caring, and aspirational community that exists here. The successful candidate will inherit a school with a strong sense of identity, a rich curriculum, and a well-established reputation and pastoral care.

Our students are at the heart of everything we do. Our staff, both teaching and non-teaching are dedicated and talented team who go above and beyond every day to enrich students’ lives within and beyond the classroom.

We are proud of our consistently strong performance, including A-Level outcomes that place us in the top 20% of providers nationally, and of our inclusive approach that ensures every child is known and supported to succeed, regardless of their starting point. As a comprehensive school serving a diverse community, we remain committed to delivering high-quality education for all.

We are seeking an inspirational and forward-thinking leader who will build on our successes and lead the school with integrity, courage, and a relentless focus on improvement. Our new Headteacher will bring clarity of purpose, a collaborative mindset, and a passion for developing others. They will play a central role in leading a committed staff team, strengthening relationships with families and our wider community, and shaping the school’s strategic direction in a changing educational landscape.

King James’s is federated with Boroughbridge High School and is a lead partner in the White Rose Alliance. We value collaboration and outward-facing leadership, and we see partnership working as integral to our development. Our Federated Governing Body is ambitious, supportive, and fully invested in the school’s success.

We would welcome you to visit us and experience first-hand the energy, warmth, and ambition of our school. 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 01609 532254. 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 and newsletters to get a feel for our school.

Thank you once again for your interest, we look forward to receiving your application and learning more about what you could bring to our community.

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Howard

Chair of Selection Committee
Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School Federation

Number on Roll: 1522
Commencing: January 2026
Salary: L33 £97,256 – L39 £112,601 - (Up to £8k relocation support)
Contract Term: Permanent

Our Opportunity:

King James’s School is part of a Federation with Boroughbridge High School which was formally established in January 2021. Formation of the Federation was the culmination of a period of over four years during which the two schools had worked increasingly closely. The partnership between the schools has enabled richer CPD through joint events, along with sharing of learning and expertise across the staff teams.

Our school is situated in the stunning market town of Knaresborough. The town is well connected to the A1 corridor and with easy reach of the Harrogate, York and Leeds.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a large, successful, oversubscribed North Yorkshire school. You will have the opportunity to develop and implement effective strategies, and provide settled, visible and values-led leadership to unite and energise staff, students and families alike. With a meticulous eye for detail, you must be able to support the diverse needs of pupils and staff to secure consistent outcomes for all pupils, whilst maintaining the ability to balance budgetary constraints.

About You:

The successful applicant must be able to demonstrate a proven record of success working with secondary age children, have recent and substantial school leadership experience, either as an existing Headteacher, Assistant Head or Deputy Head, and be committed to providing the children with a high-quality education and environment. You must exhibit confidence, empathy and a clear focus on continuing to build a healthy workplace culture to benefit the wellbeing of staff and pupils.

In addition, you will:

Be a resilient and credible leader with a strong moral compass, able to inspire confidence during times of change.
Hold deep understanding of school improvement, especially in relation to curriculum, behaviour, attendance, and outcomes for disadvantaged students.
Have strong financial acumen and experience of leading structural or organisational change.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and bring people with them.
Experience of leading a large secondary school, ideally within a federation or trust model.
Strategic vision, coupled with a practical ability to deliver improvement and manage complexity.

We can offer you:

An excellent opportunity to provide strategic leadership and direction whilst building upon the high standards already in place.
An opportunity to see the huge potential that exists and the time to make our school outstanding in secondary education.
A happy, caring and supportive school, with well-behaved children who respect each other and have a thirst for learning.
A Governing Body that is committed to providing support on all matters, including more sensitive or difficult issues - this includes the wellbeing of all staff members – and who are experienced, committed and passionate about our school and ensuring our children reach their potential.
Support from the Governing Board, our dedicated staff team, the Boroughbridge High School Headteacher and from the Yorkshire Schools Alliance.
An ambitious curriculum, which aims to give every pupil a love for learning and enriching opportunities.
A range of staff benefits, including discounts across major UK brands, childcare vouchers, wellbeing initiatives, free on-site parking, salary sacrifice schemes, and access to Health Assured employee assistance programme.

If you feel ready to be our next Headteacher and you can bring your experience, enthusiasm, commitment and energy to deliver our vision of excellence for our passionate pupils and motivated staff, we would love to hear from you.

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.

Key dates

Application closing date: Sunday 14^th September, 23:59
Shortlisting: Wednesday 17^th September
Interview: Wednesday 24^th and Thursday 25^th September

Visits

We strongly recommend that you visit us at the start of term ahead of our advert closing, so we can share with you why we are so proud of our school. If you would like the opportunity to visit at the start of term, please email Helen.

About Our School

King James’s School is a successful comprehensive school with a long-standing tradition of excellence, established under Royal Charter in 1616. We are committed to developing confident, responsible, and compassionate young adults who are equipped to play a positive role in society. Our historic identity and strong ethos are complemented by a forward-thinking approach to curriculum design and innovative teaching practices.

Knaresborough is a well-connected market town, situated near the A1 corridor and within easy reach of Harrogate, York, and Leeds. The town has a predominantly White British population, with a mix of affluence and pockets of deprivation. The school serves a largely low-deprivation area, with pupils entering broadly in line with national averages for prior attainment.

Housing developments in Knaresborough are expanding, which is expected to increase in-catchment admissions and reduce out-of-catchment places over time. The school’s catchment includes Knaresborough and the surrounding areas, extending across the River Nidd into Starbeck and Forest Moor (Harrogate), and eastwards to rural communities such as Tockwith, Long Marston, and Poppleton. Additional pupils travel from villages towards Boroughbridge and Wetherby.

Our Pupils

Number on roll

FSM - 242
Pupil Premium - 261
Ethnicity White British (Ethnicity no longer collected in census.) 1436 with English as first language (94.2%)
EHCP - 48
SEN - 225
LAC & Adopted from Care - 16

Our students are enthusiastic, community-minded, and eager to learn. Historically, visitors to the school, including inspectors, have often commented on students’ good behaviour in lessons and their co-operative, civilised and responsible manner. The last Ofsted inspection awarded the school Good for behaviour.

However, post-Covid, there has been a decline in pupil behaviour. While the overall culture remains positive, staff are managing increased low-level disruption, social-emotional needs, and dysregulated behaviour, which places added pressure on pastoral systems. The school have invested heavy into increased pastoral capacity underpinned by a Positive Regard culture and training.

Strong leadership from our new Headteacher will be key in ensuring every student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally, including undertaking a review and development of our behaviour systems to reflect this challenge.

Our Staffing Team

Key Workforce Statistics (as of 2025)

Total staff: (including teaching and support staff, not including relief staff e.g. exam invigilators and seasonal cleaners) 207
Teaching staff: 108
Support staff: (including administration, pastoral, technical, and premises roles) 99
Percentage of teaching staff with over 10 years’ service: 73%
Percentage of ECTs and staff in first 5 years of teaching: 15.74%
Gender profile: 156 female, 58 male
Part-time staff: 103
Leadership team size: 14 (including Headteacher)
Staff turnover (past 12 months): 15.94%
Staff absence rate (rolling 12-month average): 3.5%

King James’s School benefits from a talented and dedicated staff team who are deeply committed to the academic and personal development of all students. Our workforce includes a strong mix of early career teachers, experienced practitioners, and long-serving staff who contribute to the school’s sense of stability, continuity, and shared purpose. The serving leadership team is diverse and experienced.

We have a very strong commitment to the development and training of all staff, teaching and non-teaching. There is a strong culture of collaboration and professional learning, supported by well-structured induction, mentoring, and leadership development programmes, supported by the White Rose Alliance training school. Staff morale is positive and improved following a period of interim leadership. A clear sense of purpose and high expectations exists across the school community.

Key Workforce Strengths

High staff retention and continuity in key departments.
Strong subject knowledge and curriculum expertise.
Active engagement in whole-school improvement through middle leaders.
Commitment to pastoral care and inclusive practice.
Strong Business Services operations supporting the whole federation.
Good working relationships with all Unions.

Our Governing Body

We have an active and engaged federated Governing Body whose members take their responsibilities seriously. We work collaboratively and constructively with our Federation Headteachers and are united in our commitment to both of the federation schools and the responsibility we share for the schools’ long-term success. As a Governing Body we meet regularly to ensure our children receive the best school experience possible, in safe supported environments. Our Governing Body are fully committed to supporting the Headteacher in their new role.

The Federation model is a simple one with the Board governing both King James’s School and Boroughbridge High School. Each school retains its own Headteacher with full statutory responsibilities, including reporting to the Board. Several of the business operations and services are shared across the two schools.

Learning at King James’s School

Our academic standards remain consistently high, reflecting the expectations of the local community. Alongside academic achievement, we offer a varied extra-curricular programme supported by a strong sporting fixture programme and lunchtime activities. We actively encourage parents to share in the successes of their children. Our dedicated and skilled staff work tirelessly to ensure every student reaches their full potential.

We place a strong emphasis on deep subject knowledge and skills as a foundation for lifelong learning and understanding. While qualifications are important, our broader aim is to expand students’ intellectual and practical competencies beyond exam requirements.

We believe in the breadth of learning; our students study a wide range of subjects through both GCSE and A-level. It is important that our students develop their literacy, their physical and artistic competence, alongside empathy within a social and moral framework. We value the qualifications that students achieve, but we also want to ensure that we expand the knowledge and skills that students acquire, beyond those needed to pass the examinations.

Our curriculum fosters spiritual, moral, social, and cultural growth, promoting critical thinking and the ability to make meaningful connections across subjects. We view the curriculum as a tool to build cultural capital and support students in becoming informed, productive members of society. The intent of our curriculum is therefore to maintain breadth and depth until the end of Year 9 and to bring in choice, supported by effective careers advice and guidance at Year 7.

Read more about our curriculum offer here.

Ofsted wrote (2023):

“Curriculum planning is ambitious and meets pupils’ learning needs. Teachers have expert subject knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported. Students in the sixth form flourish. There is a broad range of subjects available. Pastoral support for sixth-form students is also highly effective.”

Whilst we are proud of our extensive curriculum offer, we recognise the growing challenge of forming strong pathways post-16. We are keen for our new Headteacher to strengthen our post-16 offer, including our own provision and external pathways to further education and the world of work.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Extra-curricular activities are vitally important at King James’s School and students can take part in a wide range of trips, creative and sporting activities. Learning is enhanced by fieldwork trips, visits to museums, art galleries, the theatre and sporting venues, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, annual ski and water sports trips to Europe, and exchange visits abroad.

Our sports facilities are excellent and students can choose from a wide range of sport and fitness-related activities, both recreational and competitive. Our highly successful school teams regularly compete against other schools. Expressive Arts are a particular strength of the school. Music and Drama productions are performed annually and the Art department showcases students’ work through a number of exhibitions each year.

The school also encourages participation for all through our active house system. Events run in most subject areas, the most spectacular being House Drama, which is organised by the senior students.

Ofsted wrote (2023):

“The long history of this school, dating back to 1616, is proudly celebrated. Pupils feel connected to Knaresborough’s heritage, particularly through their history lessons. A rich range of extra-curricular visits allows pupils to explore that heritage, and the wider world. Pupils learn to respect other cultures and faiths. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.”

Wellbeing of Staff and Pupils

We believe at King James’s School that all students should aim for the top and set no limits on what they can achieve. Our role is to remove any barriers and provide support to all learners so that they can fulfil their potential. We know that this can be achieved by promoting, understanding, and actively living our 3 key values every day of being ready, respectful and engaged.

Our policy is to promote an ethos where all students, parents and staff treat each other with respect. We insist on polite and civilised relationships. Our aims are incompatible with bullying: all forms of bullying are unacceptable, whether physical, verbal, emotional or cyber-based.

At King James´s, we believe that the way students behave is influenced more by the school´s atmosphere and expectations than through rigid rules and severe sanctions. Our aim is to foster a tolerant, friendly and purposeful atmosphere. Adults reinforce the aims and values of the school in their relationships with students and other adults, as well as in their expectations of the behaviour of students. Our expected student values are simple, to be READY, RESPECTFUL and ENGAGED.

We have a highly qualified nurse and pastoral support workers who can offer emotional support alongside day-to-day welfare support. Students also have access to a local authority nurse who can offer more bespoke counselling. Referral to this service can be made through respective Pastoral Officers.

Our Community

Relationships with parents, carers and the local community

The needs of our children always come first, and we work closely with parents and carers, strengthening those positive relationships that help contribute to the work we do.

King James’s School enjoys strong community relations and is the first-choice secondary for most families within its catchment. As testament to this positive relationship, the school is consistently full in each year group, despite a Published Admission Limit (PAL) of 270. The catchment area includes Knaresborough, its surrounding villages, and parts of eastern Harrogate. The school is also a preferred choice for families of students with SEND, reflecting its longstanding reputation for inclusive provision.

Parents - engagement is generally positive, though weaker results post-COVID have impacted Sixth form recruitment. There is an opportunity to strengthen parental involvement through work experience placements, guest speaker contributions, and financial support initiatives. Parents and stakeholders value the school’s inclusive ethos and civic presence, but expectations remain high for academic outcomes and post-16 provision.
Staff - are committed and supportive, but there is a clear need for strong, visible leadership with a strategic vision to drive improvement.
Wider Community links are strong. Links with Boroughbridge High School are still developing across teaching and learning and could offer a foundation for wider collaboration for our new Headteacher. Exploring the potential of the federation model or a split-site arrangement may support long-term growth and sustainability.

Relationship with the Local Authority

We have strong relationships with our contacts at North Yorkshire Council and can access support through a variety of services, including HR and School Improvement. Staff are also made aware of training opportunities through the LA and our leaders and designated safeguarding lead attend LA organised meetings/training/networking sessions.

Wider networks

King James’s School leads the White Rose Alliance, a school-based teacher training provider operating across North and West Yorkshire in partnership with local schools, York St John University, and Leeds Trinity University. We are committed to developing the next generation of outstanding teachers.

The school is a key community hub in Knaresborough, with strong ties to local stakeholders. It hosts a wide range of out-of-hours activities and is home to numerous clubs and community groups.

A standout feature is the state-of-the-art 3G pitch, funded through significant local and FA investment and used by both the school and regional football clubs year-round. The site also houses Knaresborough Tennis Club and supports various sporting, leisure, dance, and educational organisations.

We have a thriving alumni network and out Alumni Association has over 600 members, and we hold several special events throughout the year including concerts, exhibitions, a special enrichment week for students and a Gala Dinner which was attended by almost 200 members of the Alumni Association.

This strong civic presence reflects the school’s inclusive ethos and its central role in enriching the wider community, and we are keen that our new Headteacher continues to strengthen our community presence.

Ofsted Inspection and School Data

Ofsted

Key Findings from Ofsted Inspection – January 2023

Overall Judgement: King James’s School continues to be a good school.

Strengths

Pupils feel safe, supported, and well cared for; bullying is rare and swiftly addressed.
Strong school values (‘ready, respectful, engaged’) are embedded in daily practice.
Pupils are enthusiastic, articulate, and confident learners.
Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with effective planning and strong subject knowledge.
High-quality provision for students with SEND.
Sixth form students flourish with access to a broad curriculum and strong pastoral support.
Rich extra-curricular offer and educational visits enhance pupils’ cultural understanding.
Good pupil behaviour overall; low-level disruption is managed effectively.
Personal, social, and health education (PSHE) is well designed and delivered, including in the sixth form.
Effective safeguarding arrangements: leaders respond quickly and robustly to concerns.
Governance is strong, with regular challenge and strategic support.

Areas for Improvement

Reading intervention: Support for early-stage readers needs to be more targeted and frequent. The current approach should be streamlined to improve fluency and phonic knowledge.
Careers education: While improving, opportunities for meaningful engagement with the world of work are limited. The careers programme should be strengthened to raise aspirations and improve readiness for adulthood. There will need to be a full review across the federation to meet the expectations of the new guidance.

Summary: The school retains its strong historic identity and high standards, supported by effective leadership and a committed staff team. Students benefit from a positive culture of learning, strong curriculum planning, and robust pastoral care. Improvement areas are clearly identified and actively being addressed, particularly in relation to early reading and careers provision. Although a broad curriculum offer is in place, EBacc entry remains below national expectations but open to all students. Leaders continue to promote the full EBacc to students.

Pupil achievement, attainment and progress

Attendance

Overall attendance at that time of the summer census was 90.86%

Budget position

The year-to-date revenue surplus for April 2025 was £77.7K. Total revenue reserves were £221K with additional capital reserves of £145.9K. The capital reserves are all ringfenced or committed.

The current budget highlights a concerning trend of rising costs outpacing revenue, resulting in a growing operating deficit over the medium term. The forecasts reflect the latest grant funding methodology. Despite these pressures, the in-year position improved modestly in 2025/26 due to curriculum-related savings, new grants, targeted curriculum savings and increased teacher training numbers. The in-year deficit is now forecasted to be £60.4K. The reasons for the deficit include:

a near cash-flat grant funding settlement, limiting income growth.
part-funded cost-of-living pay adjustments, increasing staffing costs.
the impact of the Teaching Assistant review, adding additional expenditure pressures.
a decline in Sixth Form recruitment, reducing anticipated funding.
rising facility costs.
the implementation of restructuring 2 years ago, which added unsustainable medium-term staffing costs to the structure.

Staffing costs, both teaching and non-teaching, are projected to rise to over 87.50% of total income by 2026/27. This level is considered financially unsustainable. A deficit of £224K is forecast for 2026/27, underlining the urgent need for significant efficiency savings. The new Headteacher will therefore need to undertake and implement a full staffing and curriculum review to ensure financial sustainability for the school.

Our Ambitions and Priorities

Following a period of leadership transitions over the past five years, the school now requires a Headteacher who can provide stable, strategic leadership and drive forward key priorities. These include:

Short and Mid-term Priorities

Staffing

Workforce Review: Lead a comprehensive review to ensure a flexible and resilient staffing structure that can respond to curriculum, pastoral, and budgetary pressures.
Operational Leadership: Oversee the transition from a Director of Business Services to a Business Manager model, supported by a Deputy Head, and ensure operational continuity through gap analysis.
Recruitment and Retention: Sustain high-quality recruitment in a competitive market, particularly in shortage subjects such as Science, while building on existing strengths.
Staff Wellbeing and Workload: Support staff wellbeing and manage workload in the context of rising expectations, increased demand for flexible working, and financial constraints.
Absence Management: Address high levels of staff absence and associated agency costs, including long-term sickness, parental leave, and growing demands related to medical appointments and dependent care.

This leadership transition presents an opportunity to build on strong foundations and lead the school into its next phase of staff and student development.

Strategic Planning and School Improvement

Governance Support: Support the governing body through a transition to a new Chair of Governors, ensuring continuity and strategic alignment.
Specialist Provision: Investigate cost-effective access to enhanced specialist support in areas such as Alternative Provision, SEMH, and SEND.
Student Outcomes and Engagement: Secure consistent outcomes at KS4 to boost Sixth Form recruitment, improve attendance among key student groups, and raise attainment for disadvantaged students.
Curriculum Development: Continue the development of the reading and oracy programme, enhance the SEMH Hub curriculum, and strengthen the careers offer to better prepare students for the world of work.
Leadership Stability: Provide strong, sustainable leadership following a period of transition, ensuring clarity of vision and consistency in school improvement efforts.

Long term Ambitions

Undertake/implement a full workforce review to support a balanced budget and secure long-term financial stability. This will include a comprehensive curriculum review and an evaluation of all leadership and management responsibilities.
Strengthen Ofsted readiness by
- Securing measurable improvements in core subjects, with a clear focus on evidencing progress
- Embedding and evaluating new behaviour systems, ensuring they demonstrably improve conduct and learning across the school
- Demonstrating impact in the previous areas for improvement and ensuring they have not declined.
Support the Governing Body in reviewing the federation’s status to identify the most effective short and medium-term options and opportunities, ensuring the best outcomes for students and our communities.
Financial security: While King James’s School maintains a balanced budget, capital funding remains limited; currently around £30,000 annually. This restricts the school to only superficial site improvements and falls short of meeting the significant and ongoing needs of its buildings and infrastructure. Addressing this funding gap will be essential to support long-term development and ensure the learning environment matches the school’s ambitions.

The school is well-positioned to shape its future, supported by a strong quality of education and committed staff and governors. The new Headteacher will play a pivotal role in guiding strategic decisions and driving improvement across these key areas.

Living and working in North Yorkshire

Knaresborough

Knaresborough is full of surprises, a warren of medieval streets and stone staircases that weave their way up and down the hill. The town centre is perched on the cliffs above the River Nidd and the imposing railway viaduct across the Nidd Gorge offers an amazing view to visitors as they arrive by train.

What’s best about Knaresborough?

There are plenty of things to do in Knaresborough all year round. The marketplace in the centre of the town offers a great place to enjoy a cup of tea or something delicious and home baked. On a Wednesday stalls fill the market place offering tasty produce, wholefoods, plants and flowers, as well as pretty much anything else you can imagine, in the ever-popular Knaresborough Market.

At the base of the cliffs on which the town sits, you will find a delightful promenade that traps the sun in summer, with a coastal feel despite being more than 60 miles from the sea making a great place to enjoy an ice-cream or indulge in the tradition English pastime of ‘simply mucking about in boats’.

You can find out more here.

Harrogate

Welcome to Harrogate – a Victorian spa town and rural district that contains the medieval city of Ripon, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and four charming but very different market towns; Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Masham and Pateley Bridge.

In the heart of Yorkshire, this is your perfect base for a day, a weekend or a week. Indulge your passions and your senses and visit the Harrogate area for a memorable break. With such a varied range of events in Harrogate, you will find there is always something taking place to capture your interest

For a comfortable stay you will find a comprehensive range of accommodation in Harrogate offering something for everyone, from convenient and cosmopolitan townhouses to remote and idyllic country cottages.

Your visit can be as active or as indulgent as you like when you explore things to do in Harrogate. With the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep there is plenty of scope for adventure activities during your stay, from mountain biking to rock climbing and abseiling, or just a bracing walk across the fells. Whatever your interests, let us inspire you to make more of your visit.

You can find out more here.

North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is England's largest county and one of the most rural. The area comprises the Yorkshire Dales (opens in a new tab) and North York Moors (opens in a new tab), three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a stunning coastline around Scarborough and Whitby. There are ruined castles and abbeys, serene gardens, unique breweries, thrilling rides and industrial heritage. The area hosted the phenomenal Tour de France ‘Grand Depart’ in 2014 and has since created the Tour de Yorkshire, an annual event with global recognition. Our success in supporting these events led to Harrogate hosting the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2019.

North Yorkshire has plenty to offer the outdoor enthusiast. From the hard gritstone of Almscliff and Brimham rocks to the limestone of Malham, Gordale and Kilnsey climbing venues are in abundance. The Yorkshire Dales is the premier area for caving and for mountain biking; there are the bridleways of the Dales and North York Moors as well as the renowned trail centre at Dalby Forest. There are a small number of sailing clubs on reservoirs around the county and fantastic surfsport venues and sea kayaking on the east coast.

While the county is rightly known for its wide open spaces, it also incorporates attractive market towns including Pickering and Helmsley, traditional seaside towns, the Spa town of Harrogate and the ancient city of York - the most visited city outside of London. There are a wide range of shopping, leisure and cultural facilities as well as excellent schools, universities, road and rail links, there really is everything to offer you and your family as a place to work, live and enjoy!

Travelling further afield we have convenient connectivity, with close proximity to metropolitan cities of Leeds and Newcastle, with little over two hours commute on the main train line to London. We border the Lake District, Lancashire, County Durham, and Yorkshire & Humber regions with all they have to offer.

Application Documentation & Guidance

When applying please consider the following supporting documents:

Download Person Specification - Headteacher (.docx) (opens in a new tab)

Download Job Description - Headteacher (.docx) (opens in a new tab)

Application guidance, including policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders

The supporting information section of your application should clearly evidence your ability to meet the requirements we have outlined in the person specification. This will be used to shortlist applicants for this role and therefore it is imperative that you provide evidence as requested.

References

When completing your application, please provide two employment referees. One of these must be from your most recent employer.

Your application plays an important part in your selection. As part of the application process, you may have been asked to demonstrate within this application form how you meet some or all of the criteria or key competencies outlined in the person specification. The supporting information section of your application should clearly evidence your ability to meet these requirements. This will be used to shortlist applicants for this role and therefore it is imperative that you provide evidence as requested. Rather than simply repeating your career history, look at the skills and experience required by the job and provide evidence that you possess them by giving specific and detailed examples which include a focus on outcomes and on your own contribution to the scenario. Try to use different and varied examples wherever possible.

When completing these sections, do not forget the skills and experience you have gained outside full-time work. Outlining your previous work experience or other responsibilities may help you to uncover skills which you have taken for granted and which are clear signs of your ability to do the job.

Should you require the application form in a different format, please contact Resourcing Solutions.

Canvassing

Should your application be for a local authority school, you must not try to influence an elected Council Member, any council employee or a member of the school governing body, to act in your favour, as this will disqualify you. If you are related to a Councillor, a Council employee or a governor you must indicate this in the relevant section of the application form.

Data Protection

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 by reading our privacy notice.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

The post you are applying for requires you to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service criminal records check for work with children, with a barred list check if you work in regulated activity. This check for disclosure of criminal history will include spent convictions, pending prosecutions / current court proceeding and police enquiries.

Should you be shortlisted, you will be asked to disclose full details of your criminal history prior to your interview. This includes any information deemed relevant as part of Keeping Children Safe in Education which may arise in an online search undertaken on shortlisted candidates. This information may be discussed with you at your interview in order to assess job related risks, but we emphasise that your application will be considered on merit and ability and you will not be discriminated against unfairly. Failure to disclose this information will result in any offer of employment being withdrawn.

Please also see the policy statement on the Recruitment of Ex-offenders below.

Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-offenders (Source www.gov.uk)

As an organisation assessing applicants’ suitability for positions which are included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order using criminal record checks processed through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), this school complies fully with the DBS code of practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly.
This school undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a criminal record check on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed.
This school can only ask an individual to provide details of convictions and cautions that it is legally entitled to know about. Where a DBS certificate can legally be requested (where the position is one that is included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975 as amended, and where appropriate Policy Act Regulations as amended) this school can only ask an individual about convictions and cautions that are not protected.
This school is committed to the fair treatment of its staff and potential staff, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependents, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.
This school has this written policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders, which is made available to all DBS applicants at the start of the recruitment process.
This school actively promotes equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcome applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records. Candidates are selected for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience and criminal record information is only requested from short-listed candidates.
A disclosure is only requested from the DBS after a thorough risk assessment has indicated that one is both proportionate and relevant to the position concerned. For those positions where a criminal record check is identified as necessary, all application forms, job adverts and recruitment briefs will contain a statement that a DBS certificate will be requested in the event of the individual being offered the position.
This school ensures that all those who are involved in the recruitment process have been suitably trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences.
This school also ensures that they have received appropriate guidance and training in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex-offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
At interview, or in a separate discussion, this school ensures that an open and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.
This school makes every subject of a criminal record check submitted to DBS aware of the existence of the code of practice and makes a copy available on request.
This school undertakes to discuss any matter revealed on a DBS certificate with the individual seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.

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.

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