Head

Welcome from the Chair of Governors

Thank you for your interest in Halliford School and our position of Head.

May I welcome you to our wonderful school, and I hope that what you will read here and on our website will encourage you to come and see for yourself what makes Halliford such a magnificent school.

After nine transformational and exceptional years under the current Headmaster James Davies’s leadership, we find ourselves in an enviable position. Despite the challenges the independent sector faces currently, Halliford School has a full roll already for this September. In addition, during our latest ISI Inspection in November 2025, we were absolutely thrilled that Halliford School was awarded a significant strength for ‘the development of pupils’ leadership skills, enabling pupils to articulate their opinions and ideas with confidence, contribute meaningfully to decision-making and play a substantial role in the school and wider community’. The report further noted that ‘leaders and governors articulate a clear and ambitious vision that places pupil leadership and opportunities for pupils to share their views with leaders at the centre of school life’.

You would therefore be joining us at a most auspicious time in our history as we strive to build on these magnificent outcomes and to take Halliford School forward to the next exciting stage of our development.

As the Chair of Governors, my fellow Governors and I are working with the students and staff here to create a school where we strive for excellence in all that we do. We are looking for an ambitious and dynamic individual to develop and lead our highly successful HMC Senior Day School. The successful individual will need to be a highly visible leader to all members of the school community and capable of building strong relationships with all parties.

My role, along with my fellow governors and colleagues on the senior management team, is to support and empower our dedicated members of staff, as they strive to provide an education that enables each of our students to become the very best version of themselves that they can possibly be. In appointing our next Head we are seeking to find a person of exceptional talent who will lead and inspire our staff to foster a culture of energy and vitality for learning, where possibilities for our students are endless.

Core to our educational philosophy is recognising that every child is unique and that the key to reaching their true potential lies in an education that is as full as it is diverse. Our approach of striving for academic excellence is perfectly complemented by a dedication to developing a wide variety of interests, helping our young people build their aspirations and instilling in them confidence and resilience for the future.

If you are an educational leader who genuinely believes that every young person deserves to be nurtured and to celebrate their success, whatever form that may take, then we should very much like to hear from you.

With kind regards

Kenneth Woodward

Chair of Governors

How to Apply

Applicants should submit a CV (including comprehensive details of key achievements and responsibilities) along with a covering letter addressed to the Chair of Governors. The letter should fully address the competencies outlined in the job description and person specification, include current salary details, notice period, and outline the candidate’s interest in Halliford School.

Applications should be sent to bursar@hallifordschool.co.uk no later than Tuesday 5th May 2026 at 08:30am. Longlisted candidates will be contacted directly to complete an Application Form, which will include the names and addresses of three referees. Referees will not be approached until the final stages and not without prior permission from candidates.

Longlist interviews will take place on Friday 15th May 2026, Monday 18th May 2026, and Tuesday 19th May 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and a selection day on Thursday 4th June 2026.

We are proactively committed to creating a diverse staff body which reflects the community that we teach. At Halliford School we value diversity and inclusion; we want to attract the best people for the role. This is regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs.

Halliford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff, volunteers and visitors to share our commitment. We are an equal opportunities employer and the successful candidate will be subject to enhanced DBS disclosure and employment reference checks. You must be eligible to work in the UK.

All applications will be acknowledged by email.

Offers of employment are subject to the receipt of a minimum of three references which are satisfactory to the School. Please refer to our Recruitment Selection and Disclosure Policy which can be found on the school website.