Headteacher - Woodborough Woods Foundation C of E Primary School

Core purpose

The Headteacher is responsible for providing highly effective leadership and management, securing excellent outcomes and an exceptional day-to-day experience for every child.

The post holder will sustain a clear and compelling vision, ensuring that the school’s ethos is lived out in practice and enables pupils and adults to flourish. They will lead the school with clarity and purpose, working in partnership with the Trust and the wider school community to secure sustained improvement and long-term success.

In the light of the school’s Church of England foundation, the Headteacher will actively model and embed the school’s Christian vision and values across all areas of school life, ensuring they shape strategic decision-making, priorities, policy and everyday practice.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Strategy

• Provide clear, visible and values-led leadership, setting direction and building a strong, shared culture across the school.
• Lead, model and sustain a distinctively Christian ethos and culture, ensuring the school’s vision is understood, lived and evident in practice.
• Ensure that the school’s Christian vision actively informs strategic decision-making, shaping priorities, policy and practice across the school.
• Translate the school’s vision into clear priorities, improvement planning and consistent day-to-day practice.
• Ensure the impact of the vision is evident in relationships, behaviour, inclusion, curriculum and wider school life.

• Establish clarity, consistency and accountability at all levels.
• Build leadership capacity so that improvement is sustained through effective teams.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the diocese and local church, parents, carers, community and other agencies or individuals with a connection to the school
• Work in partnership with the Trust to align school priorities with wider strategy and contribute to collaborative improvement.

Quality of Education

• Secure a high-quality, well-sequenced curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils.
• Lead a relentless focus on strong teaching, learning and assessment, ensuring pupils learn well and achieve strongly over time.
• Establish robust quality assurance and self-evaluation to inform improvement priorities.
• Ensure effective use of assessment information to inform teaching and support pupil progress.
• Prepare the school effectively for Ofsted, SIAMs and other external scrutiny.
• Ensure the provision of high-quality Collective Worship that is inclusive, invitational and reflective of the school’s Christian foundation.

Inclusion, Culture, Behaviour and Wellbeing

• Build a calm, safe and inclusive culture where pupils are treated with dignity and respect.
• Ensure consistently strong behaviour and attitudes through clear routines and expectations.
• Lead effective approaches to attendance and engagement with families.
• Ensure meaningful personal development opportunities for pupils within and beyond the curriculum.
• Promote staff wellbeing and ensure systems are sustainable and proportionate.

Safeguarding and Statutory Compliance

• Hold overall responsibility for safeguarding, ensuring a strong safeguarding culture and full compliance with statutory guidance.
• Ensure policies and procedures are robust, implemented consistently and regularly reviewed.
• Ensure compliance with all statutory responsibilities including safeguarding, health and safety, equality and data protection.

People, Organisation and Operations

• Lead, develop and retain a high-performing staff team through clear expectations and effective professional development.
• Ensure effective deployment of staff and resources to support school improvement priorities.
• Oversee effective operational leadership in conjunction with Trust support services.
• Ensure clear and professional communication with all stakeholders.

Partnership and Community

• Build and maintain strong relationships with parents and carers.
• Strengthen partnerships that enhance the school’s provision and pupil experience.
• Maintain and develop effective relationships with the local church, Diocese and wider community, ensuring these partnerships strengthen the school’s Christian character and enrich pupils’ experience.
• Contribute to wider Trust collaboration and school improvement where appropriate.

Leadership Behaviours (Aligned to Trust Framework)

• Inspire confidence, offering clarity, consistency and credibility.
• Build strong relationships, rooted in trust, respect and professional generosity.
• Communicate with purpose, ensuring messages are clear, consistent and aligned with Trust priorities.
• Hold themselves to account, acting with integrity, humility and reflective practice.
• Champion inclusion, ensuring every child and adult is valued, respected and supported.
• Lead improvement with discipline, using evidence, precision and follow-through to secure sustained impact.