Head of School

Are you looking for your next challenge? Are you an experienced leader looking for the opportunity to make a positive impact and lead colleagues to make rapid and sustained school improvement? Folkestone Academy is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, inspirational leader with knowledge, vision and a passion for education to drive standards within the Academy.

You will be an outstanding practitioner, highly motivated and dedicated, who can consistently deliver and model best practice in order to support our mission to set a new standard in non-selective education, empowering our pupils to succeed. 

Folkestone Academy community strongly believes that its purpose is to serve the young people of the local coastal community with a powerful education. As a faculty, we are committed to supporting our pupils in becoming confident in their ability, with a sense of purpose and a vision for their futures. The role of Head of School will be integral in achieving this.

The ideal candidates will:

• Have proven leadership experience, positively impacting on pupil progress, raising attainment and developing excellence
• Be a robust and resilient leader, committed to going above and beyond to ensure rapid school improvement in a challenging environment 
• Be able to challenge and motivate others to achieve outstanding practice
• Demonstrate excellent behaviour management strategies to motivate, reward and encourage pupils to reach their full potential and assist pupils in breaking down barriers inside and outside of education
• Be committed to working with children, parents and staff to raise standards
• Understand how children learn best and never give up on them
• Have experience effectively coaching, mentoring and working alongside others to share good practice
• Have the drive to make a real difference to the lives of pupils in an area of disadvantage
• Be able to work effectively as ‘first amongst equals’ in the senior leadership team and across the trust
• Believe that a knowledge-led curriculum is essential for deep learning and leveling the playing field for all 
• Have a deep understanding of the secondary curriculum, especially in key stage 3
• Be ambitious for the Academy, it’s pupils and the Trust

In return, we can offer:

• Fabulous children who want to learn
• A motivated leadership team who are driven to make an impact on the education and lives of our pupils
• Ongoing CPD and support for future career progression
• Cross-trust collaboration, the opportunity to be part of a wider team of schools and make a real difference
• Supportive governors and a dedicated staff team who are continually willing to learn
• Coaching from an experienced executive principal
• A genuine opportunity to lead, make a difference and be part of our continuing journey.

Turner Schools is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) based in Folkestone on the beautiful Kent coast.

Turner Schools is committed to ensuring success without selection for our pupils and students by teaching them the core knowledge and life skills they need to thrive in the modern world. Turner Schools is committed to leading schools where children thrive and knowledge matters.

Our mission is to set a new standard in non-selective education, empowering our pupils and students with cultural capital. In this way we will contribute to the regeneration of the region; we call this mission sea-change.

Following Aristotle's philosophy, we believe that educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. Accordingly, we have encapsulated the Trust's ethos and values in the acronym HEART meaning we have:

H: High Expectations - of yourself, of others, including in terms of aspiration for the community and children we serve, conduct and standards in the widest sense

E: Enthusiasm - in attitude and to nurture it in others be they pupils/students/scholars, parents or colleagues; an

A: Academic subject-based curriculum - tried and tested subjects delivered in coherent sequence

R: Reading for all - achieving chronological reading age as well as love of this enabling and vital skill; and

T: Teamwork - recognising that together we can achieve more than we can alone.

Our HEART model gives stakeholders, staff, pupils and parents a common language.

Our schools include:

Folkestone All Age Academy; Morehall Primary; Martello Primary; and Turner Free School.

Folkestone Academy is part of Turner Schools, which is committed to giving a powerful education to local families through schools where children thrive and knowledge matters.

Turner Schools is committed to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. It expects all staff and volunteers to share this same commitment. Any appointment is subject to satisfactory recruitment checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Two references are required prior to commencement of employment. We are an equal opportunities employer.

For further information on Turner Schools, please visit www.turnerschools.com

Due to the current situation of school closures within the UK, interviews may be conducted by alternative methods such as Skype and interview arrangements will be confirmed if successfully shortlisted.