Assistant Principal

Harris Academy Purley is looking for an Assistant Principal to join our Senior Leadership Team this September. This is an opportunity for an experienced Assistant Principal, or a talented Head of Department looking for promotion, to join our thriving academy. If you are a qualified teacher who is aspiring senior leader looking for promotion into your first Assistant Principal post, or experienced Assistant Principal looking to join a thriving all through academy, then we can offer a supportive academy within a highly successful MAT. We want to hear from talented individuals who want to continue the success of our academy, and share our vision for providing and outstanding environment for teaching and learning.

Your opportunity

This is an exciting leadership position which would suit a highly motivated middle leader seeking an SLT post within supportive, friendly and highly experienced academy team. You will have a wealth of opportunities to develop as a leader with the Harris Federation and we can offer you a range of bespoke courses and qualifications through our Teaching School, including our Aspiring Leaders NPQH for aspiring principals.

Succession planning is a key part of our success as a Federation, and we believe that we are at the forefront of developing the next generation of Leaders. We can help prepare you for your next Senior Leadership challenge, investing in your knowledge and expertise through regular support, coaching and a wide range of professional development and training. Your ambitions are ample to the growing success of our academies, maintaining this means putting your ambitions first with a strong career progressive culture. Join us in our mission to positively contribute to cultivating an exceptional learning environment for all our students.  

What we are looking for

The successful applicant should share the vision, ethos and policies of the Academy to help develop effective teaching and successful learning, whilst promoting high levels of achievement and self-esteem for all pupils irrespective of background, ethnicity, gender or disability. You will help lead and manage Academy Improvement Plan which identifies priorities and targets for ensuring pupils achieve high standards and make good progress, increasing teachers’ effectiveness and securing school improvement and to take responsibility for appropriately delegated aspects of it.

• QTS (or equivalent) and an undergraduate degree
• Experience an Assistant Principal or Head of Department, or equivalent level position
• Experience of managing a team of staff

About Harris Academy Purley

Harris Academy Purley is an oversubscribed 11-19 co-educational academy with currently 1050 students on roll, situated on the Croydon/Surrey border. We are judged Outstanding by Ofsted, and benefit from state-of-the-art facilities in a purpose-built building. We are a happy, hard-working and highly ambitious community in which students and staff treat on another with care and respect, combining traditional values of discipline and good manners with contemporary best practice in teaching and technology. The academy’s leadership team and staff share an expectation that each and every student who joins Harris Academy Purley achieves his or her “personal best”. With an emphasis on Enterprise, the academy strives each and every day to create a culture and ethos which promotes curiosity, initiative and leadership in all our young people.

Why work at Harris Academy Purley?

• “This is an outstanding academy. High quality teaching promotes learning and enjoyment for all students.” – Ofsted 
• The opportunity to be part of an oversubscribed, 'Outstanding'-rated academy
• A superb, modern working environment with state-of-the-art facilities
• A happy, hard-working and highly ambitious community in which students and staff treat one another with care and respect
• Generous Harris benefits and rewards package

NEXT STEPS

Please download the job pack for a full job description and person specification.

In line with the Government’s announcement, our academy is closed until further notice. However, during this period it is our intention to continue with critical recruitment for key positions starting in September 2020. In place of academy interviews, alternative options will be offered so that no one is at a disadvantage, and applicants should expect telephone or virtual interviews, with onsite academy interviews in special cases. We want to reassure applicants that effective measures have been implemented to ensure their health and wellbeing whilst on academy premises.

Please call 020 8681 1141 to arrange an informal conversation with the Principal to discuss the role in more detail.

Harris Benefits

As part of the Harris Federation, we can offer you a range of benefits, including:

• A network of fellow senior leaders and Principals with a wealth of knowledge and expertise
• Support and mentoring from some of the best executive leaders in education
• Unrivalled opportunities for leadership progression and preparing you for your first Principalship
• Pension scheme (TPS) and access to our Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan, covering a range of health and wellbeing benefits
• Plus, the opportunity to work with our amazing students!

Click here for a full list of Harris benefits. 

The Harris Federation

The Harris Federation is the leading large Multi Academy Trust in the country for both primary and secondary education. We have an established reputation in transforming education in London and an unrivalled track record in achieving success through rapid school improvement.

Harris is a Federation and not a chain; each academy is different, reflecting the particular aspirations and leadership style of its Principal. Our vision is that Harris academies work collaboratively in sharing school improvement strategies, and support one another as part of the wider Harris Federation.

We look for talented leaders who want to help transform education in London, and create exceptional places of learning.

Please note: academies may hold interviews as and when applications are received, and this job may be withdrawn at any point without notice. You will still be able to add information until the closing date, but you will not be able to submit your application. With this in mind, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Harris academies are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. In line with our commitments to safeguarding, the Harris Federation uses preferred agencies and is unable to work with any agencies where Terms of Business have not been agreed by both parties prior to an engagement. Harris Federation is fully committed to equality and to valuing diversity as an employer and a provider of education. Click here to view our full equality and diversity statement.