Deputy Head Academic - Upper School

With one Deputy Head retiring and one returning to Australia, Clifton College has taken the opportunity to review its Senior Leadership Team. The team is being expanded and restructured and the College is now looking to appoint three Deputy Heads for September 2021: Academic, Pastoral and Co-curriculum. This is an unusual and very attractive opportunity for three outstanding individuals to become members of a dynamic new Senior Leadership Team. As part of that team, the successful applicants will work together to realise the College’s exciting and ambitious development plans and to shape the future strategic direction of the school.

Founded in 1862, Clifton College is one of the leading independent boarding and day schools in the UK. The Upper School provides an exceptional all-round education for 724 girls and boys aged 13-18. 300 of these are boarders and 303 are in the Sixth Form. The Preparatory and Pre-Preparatory School cater for a further 525 pupils aged 2-13. Clifton's aim is to ensure academic excellence for all. Intellectual risk-taking is encouraged in an environment where students are free to question, free to discover, free to try and free to succeed.

The Deputy Head (Academic), who will have a track-record of excellence and wide experience in all aspects of teaching and learning, will lead the academic life of the school. He or she will inspire both staff and pupils, embrace the values of the College - Integrity, Spirit and Resilience - and make a significant contribution to helping this leading boarding and day school achieve its academic ambitions.

The pupils study a range of subjects to GCSE and A level. Teaching is organised on the basis of six days a week with academic lessons on Saturday mornings. Academic results are strong. In 2019 at A Level 46% of pupils achieved A* to A grades. More than 40% of the GCSE grades were A*, 8 or 9. 90% of students won a place at their chosen university, including places at a range of leading universities in the UK and overseas. Several of these students were successful in this via one or more of the five BTEC courses offered in our Sixth Form curriculum.

The life of the College is a full one, extending over weekends as well as weekdays. Each member of staff is required to play an active part in the co-curricular life of the College, and to serve as a tutor in a boarding or day House.

The successful candidate will be appointed by, and report directly to the Head of College, be a member of the Upper School Senior Leadership Team and play a key role in the strategic and operational management of the College as a whole.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious and forward-thinking academic leader to excel within one of the UK’s foremost schools.

For further information about the role and an application pack please visit https://www.rsacademics.com/vacancies/deputy-head-academic-clifton-college

Interested candidates are invited to contact RSAcademics by email or telephone, for an initial, informal discussion about the post:

Helen Flower, Candidate Search Consultant | +44 (0)7921 587752  | helenflower@rsacademics.com 

Michael Spens, Senior Advisor | +44 (0)7740 783564 |michaelspens@rsacademics.com

The closing date for applications is Thursday 11th February 2021 at 10.00am.

Clifton College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Clifton College is an equal opportunities employer.