Ark Alexandra Academy - Principal

Do you have the vision, passion and rigour to lead Ark Alexandra Academy at this important time in its development?

Ark Alexandra Academy seeks an inspirational Principal to lead the school to success in this exciting next stage of its journey and growth. You will be a rigorous and committed leader who remains resilient through challenges with the vision and skills to bring about sustainable improvement. You will have the highest expectations for all students, share the belief that an excellent education and strong community are central to transforming lives and ensure that every student is given the opportunity and conditions to succeed.

Ark Alexandra is a Church of England coeducational secondary school, welcoming students of all backgrounds from the local community. In September 2019, Ark William Parker Academy, a Church of England Academy for boys founded in 1619, merged with Ark Helenswood Academy for girls to form Ark Alexandra Academy. In 2019 the students of both schools achieved strong outcomes with 64% attaining grades 4+ in English and Mathematics and 45% attaining 5+ (compared to a national average of 40%). At Key Stage 5 students attained an average C grade with 53% of students achieving at least 3 grades A*– C.

Ark Alexandra Academy is part of the Ark network of schools, one of the largest and most successful multi-academy trusts in the country. 

Ark is renowned for its approach to staff development, with high quality training provided at every level for both teaching and non-teaching staff. Leaders within Ark benefit from being able to draw upon the resources and expertise of the network.

This year, the Great Teacher rubric has been launched. This tool is a driver for teacher development, and we believe all teachers, from novice to master, will benefit immensely from it. It is a hugely exciting time for anyone considering joining our network.

We are keen to hear from successful school leaders seeking a new challenge.

Ideal candidates will:

• Be fully aligned to the Ark Pillars and Values
• Have a clear understanding of what makes a great school
• Possess the technical and behavioural traits to lead a highly effective school
• Have experience of facilitating rapid and sustainable improvement within a school
• Be able to demonstrate impact in key areas of provision in current or previous roles
• Be a great teacher themselves. We are looking for a leader who really knows what great learning looks like in the classroom and how to achieve it
• Be able to secure a strong culture within the Academy, with the students and their families
• Be network-minded, collaborative and able to contribute meaningfully to our strategic development at regional and network level

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a newly merged school entering the next phase of its development. The successful candidate will have the full support of Ark to ensure that Ark Alexandra Academy makes a lasting contribution to its community, supporting local children to fulfil their ambitions.

For a confidential conversation please contact arkalexandra@minervasearch.com. 

For more information including how to apply, please visit https://www.minervasearch.com/arkalexandra

The closing date for applications is 02 March 2020 at noon, but early applications are strongly encouraged.

Salary: Highly competitive package, negotiable according to experience.  

Start Date: September 2020

Contract: Permanent, full-time 

Location: Park Ave, Hastings TN34 2PG

Closing date: 02 March 2020 at noon 

First Interview:  19 March 2020

Final Interview: 25 March 2020

We value diversity and are committed to safeguarding and promoting child welfare. The successful candidate will be subject to DBS and any other relevant employment checks.