Head - Sandroyd School

With a rich history dating back to 1880, Sandroyd is a leading independent boarding and day preparatory school, educating children aged 2 to 13. Set on the stunning Rushmore Estate, Sandroyd aims to provide a caring and supportive environment which promotes diverse opportunities inside and outside of the classroom. 

The school provides a unique educational experience that blends the best of a prep school education with a vibrant, forward-looking approach. Sandroyd pupils enjoy exceptional academic success and the school maintains an impressive track record of preparing children for top boarding schools across the UK. Despite its strong academic standing, equal importance is placed upon developing the essential character education of each child, with a significant amount of time spent on outdoor pursuits and co-curricular activities.  

The Governors are now seeking to appoint a new Head to succeed Alastair Speers in September 2025 after nine years of exceptional leadership. This is a rare opportunity to further develop this unique school through an ambitious and contemporary vision underpinned by the values and spirit which has made Sandroyd the special school it is today. With the platform having been firmly set, the next Head now has the opportunity to build upon the school’s successes and position Sandroyd as one of the country’s leading prep schools for years to come.

The successful candidate will bring a deep commitment to academic and pastoral excellence, proven experience of building and leading multi-disciplined teams, and a level of commercial acumen that will ensure the school’s position in a competitive marketplace is developed and its profile raised. The successful candidate will be visible and accessible, with first-class communication skills and a willingness to get involved in all aspects of school life. As a true champion of co-education and with a passion for the benefits of a boarding education, the next Head will harness Sandroyd’s current strengths and further develop its market position. 

Further information on Sandroyd can be found at: sandroyd.org  

A candidate brief can be downloaded from www.odgers.com/92413

A CV, completed application form and covering letter should be submitted by 9.00am on Monday 4 November. 

Sandroyd School 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.

The School may carry out online searches on shortlisted applicants and all applicants will be required to provide details of their online profile, including social media account names/handles, as part of their application.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The School is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions on a self-declaration form in advance of attending an interview (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.