Principal

Salary:  L21 - L27, £82,825 - £94,758 (negotiable for an exceptional candidate) plus relocation package + well-being cash plan + pension scheme (TPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits

Hours: Full time 

Contract: Permanent 

Start Date: September 2025 (or earlier if possible)

Lead Wishmore Cross Academy in empowering students to thrive and achieve

Wishmore Cross Academy is seeking an inspirational and dynamic leader to guide our school community toward new achievements. As an all-through SEMH school with a strong therapeutic provision, we are dedicated to providing an inclusive, nurturing environment for children with autism, ADHD, and other special educational needs.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of Wishmore Cross Academy with the guidance and support of an experienced Executive Principal, where you will lead us through exciting changes, including the re-brand set for Spring 2025 and the planned expansion of our junior area. You will play a pivotal role in increasing our PAN to 120 over the next four years.

You will be supported, challenged, and given the autonomy to achieve our ambitious goals, as we continue to improve outcomes for our students and foster a culture of excellence. We are working closely with Surrey, the National Autistic Society, and local primary schools to ensure our students thrive both academically and personally.

This role is perfect for you if:

• You are passionate about transforming the lives of students with SEMH, autism, and ADHD.
• You have a clear vision for the future of the school and are excited to be part of a growing, ambitious community.
• You are a champion of therapeutic, inclusive education and high academic standards.
• You are a leader who thrives in a collaborative environment and is dedicated to driving meaningful change.

This is a challenging but rewarding position. As our leader, you will:

• Guide the implementation of our school’s therapeutic and academic strategies, in partnership with local services and the National Autistic Society.
• Lead the ongoing rebranding and help shape the new name, uniforms, and identity for the school.
• Empower both students and staff to achieve their full potential by fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
• Enhance the personal development provision with opportunities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, theatre trips, work experience, and access to local countryside and outdoor activities.

About Lift Schools

We are Lift Schools, a diverse and inclusive network of schools with a clear mission to provide an excellent education to every child in every classroom, every day. And we do this across each of our 57 schools.

We believe every child deserves the best education possible, regardless of background, geography or ability. We want to see them fulfil their potential – at school and beyond. To do this, we need exceptional leaders.

How you’ll be supported

We believe that talent drives performance. As a leader at Lift Schools, you’ll have the backing of a national network, work closely with the schools in your region, and benefit from a tailored programme designed to help you grow and succeed. 

We will give you the space and agency to champion your own development, underpinned by a dedicated package for learning and development. If successful, you will receive: 

• An individual development account of up to £100,000 over five years.Experiential learning, including study tours.
• High support and high challenge from a regional education director. 
• One-to-one ‘anytime’, unlimited frequency executive coaching. 
• Evidence-informed practice.
• A year-long induction programme.
• The option of a professional sabbatical after five years.

We’re looking for candidates for Wishmore Cross Academy who are: 

• Self aware: Those who thrive in a high challenge and high support environment, who want the space and agency to develop their leadership skills.
• Network-minded: Those who believe that the job is not done unless all schools in our network and beyond are serving their communities well.
• Intellectually curious: Those who have the confidence to work with an evidence-informed approach, with an unrelenting drive to be the best leader they can be. 

Whether you’re an existing or aspiring principal, if you are driven to serve young people, determined to be the best leader, and dedicated to creating lasting change for our community then we would love to hear from you.

For an informal (and confidential) conversation please contact Tanya Bentham via recruitment@liftschools.org. 

Closing date: 29 January 2025

School based assessment day date: 10 February 2025

Interview date: 13 February 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.

Lift Schools are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our people and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

Lift Schools embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and there is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.