Principal

Principal Vacancy

Salary: £73,715 (L21) to £102,342 (L35)

Position commencing: September 2023

Closed date: 17th February 2023

Date of interviews Monday 13th March and Tuesday 14th March 2023

Employment type: Permanent / Full time

Thank you for your interest in the vacancy of Principal at Dartford Science and Technology College. This position has arisen due to the forthcoming retirement of the current incumbent. The governors are now seeking an exceptional individual to lead the school to even greater success.

DSTC is an 11-18 Foundation Co-operative Trust, girls’ non-selective school with 880 students on roll and a successful mixed sixth form. Skilful and careful leadership over a number of years has placed our school in an enviable position. We are oversubscribed and our students come to us with a range of backgrounds and abilities, including some who have passed the selection tests. The last two OFSTEDs have been “Good”. Inspectors noted in March 2022 “Dartford Science & Technology College is a welcoming and friendly school. There is a strong sense of community, based on excellent relationships between staff, pupils and parents. The school is a safe space for pupils to learn and develop as young citizens. One parent summed this up by describing it as ‘secure, supportive and encouraging.” Progress 8 is positive and the highest for a non-selective school in Dartford and North Kent, Post-16 results are good. The buildings are first class and the budget is secure. We are fully staffed with specialist teachers, behaviour and uniform are very good. Careers is a further strength at DSTC and Gatsby benchmarks are currently way beyond national averages at 90%.

The school has a good record of academic outcomes and pastoral support and our core

values of achievement, care and equality underpin our work, creating a happy and vibrant

School. This holistic approach ensures no student is left behind.

We recognise that great schools are more than gaining just good exam results and we have worked hard to create an exciting, engaging and broad curriculum for all students. At DSTC, we believe in getting the basics right so we have also focussed on developing a safe, calm and purposeful learning environment.

The school offers a strong STEM enrichment programme together with a wide range of extracurricular activities and cultural trips. Its superb sports facilities comprise a large sports centre and all weather surfaces. Our strong pastoral system is based around linear tutor groups and year groups led by Raising Standards Leaders supported by non-teaching pastoral leaders. We are an inclusive school and benefit from a highly successful SEND team. A House system has been a relatively recent innovation and is beginning to flourish.

Dartford is situated on the historic Roman Watling Street. It has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years, attracting many residents from Outer London, and this rapid growth is continuing in the Ebbsfleet area. The town has excellent public transport links and direct road access to the A2, M25 and the M20. We draw staff not only from the immediate locality but also from Outer London, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, the Medway Towns and East Kent.

To find out more about our school please explore our website, https://www.dstc.kent.sch.uk/ which provides links to our OFSTED report, recent letters and newsletters, our prospectus and other information.

This vacancy provides an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious leader. If you are excited by the prospect of leading our school in its next phase of development, we would be delighted to receive an application from you.