Associate Principal

The Brooke Weston Trust is proud to have been selected to provide a new Free School in the Cambridgeshire area.

We believe the Wisbech Free School is one of the most exciting and important career opportunities to arise in North Cambridgeshire for many years.

The school will be the 12th school in our family of primary and secondary schools based across Northamptonshire and North Cambridgeshire. The Trust has a close relationship with the local community and already runs the other secondary school, Thomas Clarkson Academy, and Peckover Primary School, in Wisbech.

We are due to open the Phase One modular building to provide additional capacity for 90 students in September 2024. Students and staff are expected to move into the new building in during the 2026/2027 academic year, subject to planning, where it will grow into a 120 PAN school.

We are therefore looking for an exceptional individual with the moral purpose, knowledge and leadership skills required for working in areas of high disadvantage and delivering a culture of achievement for young people.

The Associate Principal will shape the future direction of this new school and help to make a lasting impact on the community. This is your opportunity to be the difference, creating an environment for children to thrive.

The successful candidate will be able to draw on substantial previous experience either as an Associate Principal or Vice Associate Principal with a demonstrable track record of delivery and sustained school improvement in a similar context.

Purpose of the job 

To provide professional leadership and operational management of the Wisbech Free School and achieve high standards in all areas of the Academy’s work.

Summary of role

The Associate Principal will lead the Wisbech Free School and will be supported by the Executive Principal for Secondary Education in Wisbech. A core responsibility of this role is to establish and maintain strong operational synergies with the sister school, Thomas Clarkson Academy.

The Associate Principal is expected to uphold the vision and values of the Trust and promote the success of Wisbech Free School, whilst protecting the Trust’s brand and reputation.

The Associate Principal is responsible for furthering standards of achievement within a culture of inclusivity and aspiration, and for upholding high standards of conduct by the Academy community of staff and students at all times.

The Associate Principal will:

• Lead and develop the Academy from its inception, securing the commitment of all stakeholders to a culture of constant improvement.
• Establish high levels of academic performance whilst promoting a whole Academy ethos of inclusion and a compassionate approach to student care and wellbeing.
• Ensure that the Academy has effective pastoral systems for all student and staff welfare matters and works effectively with Trust expert personnel where needed.
• Ensure all staff safeguard student health and well-being both on the Academy premises and when engaged in authorised Academy activities elsewhere.
• Apply strategies which promote high standards of attendance for students and staff.
• Organise and implement an agreed curriculum which addresses the needs of all learners and adheres to the BWT curriculum strategy framework as defined by the Director of Education.
• Secure and sustain effective inclusive learning and teaching through the curriculum which meets statutory requirements and the Academy’s educational vision.
• Lead, motivate, support, challenge and develop all staff, providing effective induction, continued professional development and performance management in line with Academy strategic plans.
• Ensure staff accountabilities are understood and agreed and are subject to review and evaluation.
• Monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and standards of achievement to ensure the Academy meets or exceeds academic targets agreed with the Director of Education.
• Ensure there is an agreed and effective assessment framework feeding into an effective recording and reporting system.
• Implement a robust and rigorous process of ongoing review and continuous improvements in all aspects of the Academy, both educationally and operationally.
• Ensure the Academy works with Trust personnel to develop an effective marketing strategy including activities supporting student and staff recruitment.
• Deal with parental concerns/complaints, seeking to respond to work-related matters within the same working day wherever possible.
• Represent the Trust in a range of situations as required by the Director of Education or CEO.
• The Associate Principal may carry out particular additional duties, as agreed with the CEO, and will contribute to the overall development of the Trust.

Supported by the Executive Principal for Secondary Education in Wisbech, the Associate Principal will:

• Challenge, support and inspire students and staff by offering a vision and clear direction of improvement for the Academy.
• Model exemplary practice which upholds the values and expectations of the Trust.
• Champion a culture of excellence within the Academy with school improvement and ambition at its core.
• Recognise and celebrate outstanding practice in all areas.
• Develop in all students and staff versatile skills, attitudes and resilience required for lifelong learning in a rapidly changing world.
• Build a collaborative learning culture within the Academy and actively engage with parents and carers, partners and other schools to build effective learning communities.
• Be responsible for the delivery of the agreed development plan priorities.
• Lead the Academy’s education work with exemplary commitment, setting high professional standards and ensuring that the education vision is clearly articulated, shared, understood and demonstrated by staff, students, parents/carers and the wider community.
• Work with the Local Governing Body to ensure that they are kept fully informed of all aspects of Academy performance and current issues.