Assistant Headteachers
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Swanlea School
Tower Hamlets
- £85,092 - £92,878 per year
- Expired
- Salary:
- L18-22
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- January 2026
- Apply by:
- 26 June 2025
Job overview
We are an 11-19 OFSTED outstanding school with a culture of high expectations based on our Swanlea Values. Most of our students’ progress on to top universities including Oxford and Cambridge. Despite our successes, we are not complacent, and we believe that we have the capacity to further improve. Swanlea students are proud of their school, and we have extremely supportive parents/carers and governors. We are highly committed to the development of all colleagues as evident in our comprehensive CPD programme.
Swanlea School is in one of the most deprived areas in the UK; 50% of our students receive the Pupil Premium. Our students may come from disadvantaged backgrounds, but they do not lack ambition for their futures, and neither do we as reflected in our no excuses culture. Our highly motivated and hard-working staff are driven by the moral imperative that our young people can achieve highly.
We are the highest-performing school in Tower Hamlets and one of the leading schools nationally, with consistently outstanding GCSE and BTEC outcomes that prepare our students for success in modern Britain. Following recent internal promotions, we are seeking to appoint two Assistant Headteachers to join our SLT team. The roles will involve leadership responsibilities across several key areas: inclusion, learning and teaching, raising standards (including early entry options), pastoral systems, attendance, rewards and enrichment. Specific roles will be finalised after appointment, considering the strengths and experience of each individual. These posts would suit experienced Assistant Headteachers looking for a new professional context, or strong middle leaders ready to contribute to and grow within a high-performing team. This is a valuable opportunity to play a central role in our strategic direction in our journey towards exceptional.
As you would expect, we are looking for the best senior leaders, colleagues who are prepared to sweat the small stuff to get the job done. A good honours degree and qualified teacher status are essential. You will be able to demonstrate unwavering commitment to raising student progress and standards. Like us, you believe that social disadvantage is no barrier to achievement and that every student can share in the joy of education. Most importantly, you will possess integrity, good humour and moral purpose.
In return, we can offer the following:
· A competitive salary with inner London weighting and pension scheme;
· “Never cover” for all teachers;
· A highly regarded senior, middle & emergent leadership programme;
· A broad and wide-ranging staff development programme, delivered by outstanding experts;
· A central location with excellent transport links;
· Outstanding facilities and resources to support teaching and learning;
· A friendly and diverse student and staff community;
· Discount scheme that offers savings on purchases, including groceries, eating out, entertainment, etc;
· Season ticket loan scheme;
· Cycle to work scheme;
· Free eye tests and discounted eye-care scheme;
· Access to confidential emotional and practical advice support services.
To apply, please send your application form to recruitment@swanlea.co.uk. You can find the application form on our school website https://swanlea.co.uk/vacancies
Closing date: 9am on Thursday 26th June 2025
Interviews: Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025
Additional Information
Visits to the school: 4.30pm on Wednesday 18th June - please email recruitment@swanlea.co.uk
Swanlea School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All posts are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and references. The school reserves the right to implement social media checks on prospective clients. References will be taken up prior to interview. Please find our safeguarding policy at https://swanlea.co.uk/.
Attached documents
About Swanlea School
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Federation Vision – Stronger Together
Who are we?
Our three schools came together in 2024 to strengthen the educational offer for our children and to increase our capacity to be agile in responding to the changing needs of our community.
Together the Weavers Federation are working towards building an amazing, shared leadership team, providing quality education and support for our children and families. We have strengthened our practice and built our federation teams.
Our schools are stronger together, more resilient and our future is focused on blending the leadership and teaching expertise whilst maximising the use of shared resources. This will allow strategic flexibility to optimise our resources in the most effective way to allow our children to thrive and advance. Together the Weavers Federation are working towards building an amazing, shared leadership team, providing quality education and support for our children and families. We have strengthened our practice and built our federation teams.
What are the federation principles whilst we learn to work together?
High Ambition: To inspire all our children to have a love of learning so that they strive to achieve and be successful in doing so.
Broad Horizons: To provide a stimulating, progressive curriculum which offers enrichment opportunities for all children respecting their rights, responsibilities and individuality.
Proud Traditions: To take pride in our unique schools, celebrating each school’s traditions whilst growing in partnership to develop a new shared learning culture.
Integrity: Choosing to do the right things, based on wisdom, research and values, even when it’s hard or no-one is looking so that we have trust between us and the community.
Swanlea School is a large, vibrant and thriving secondary school in the centre of London. With approximately 1000 students on roll and a further 210 at KS5, staff at Swanlea work alongside outstanding colleagues to achieve outstanding student outcomes in all key stages.
In April 2024, OFSTED graded Swanlea as outstanding in all categories for the third time in a row. Prior to this in July 2015, we were awarded Teaching School status as part of our journey to achieving excellence and we continue to strive to deliver outstanding outcomes across all key stages and subject areas. We are committed to the continuous professional learning of all staff.
At Swanlea School, our mission is to be exceptional in Teaching, Leading, and Learning. Our mission focuses on developing well-rounded individuals who are equipped for success in a diverse world. Our core values at Swanlea School are to Respect, Aspire, and Achieve.
At Swanlea, we aim to:
- Cultivate socially confident, responsible, resilient, and independent learners.
- Create respectful, empathetic, and active citizens who value the principles of democracy, liberty, and the rule of law within British society.
- Develop young people who are highly numerate, literate, and articulate, instilling in them a lifelong love of learning.
- Promote cultural capital and celebrate diversity, fostering an understanding and appreciation of differences among individuals.
- Nurture aspiration and ambition, challenging all students to reach their full potential and preparing them for the global workplace.
- Support student wellbeing, safety, and healthy lifestyles, helping them manage their academic, personal, and social lives effectively.
Social Confidence:
Personal Development is a process that involves the world of the young person. In this subject strand, pupils have opportunities to explore a range of topics and develop Whole Curriculum Skills and Capabilities. Pupils learn about:
- Self-Awareness
- Personal Health
- Relationships.
Personal Development encourages pupils to become personally, emotionally, socially and physically effective, and to lead healthy, safe and fulfilled lives. It also encourages them to become confident, independent and responsible citizens, making informed and responsible choices and decisions throughout their lives.
The PD programme enables all students to understand the demands and expectations of modern society outside of a domestic and academic environment. These lessons encourage students to think about their present behaviours and what they can do to make informed choices regarding safe and respectful behaviours in society, career pathways, further education, health and well-being.
Lessons address critical information creating a window for students to broaden their horizons and elevate their ambitions. Students experience a range of aged-related lessons, where they engage in discussions, pair/group work, as well as building literacy skills such as writing on demand and comprehension. These deepen their understanding of key concepts in the three strands. Consequently, pupils develop holistically and with confidence, resilience and are better informed to be active citizens in British society.
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