Vice Principal

Our children face significant challenges. Yours is to become Principal within two years.

Smith’s Wood Academy isn’t just a school. It’s a place that changes lives. At the heart of Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust, we serve 780 students spanning years seven to eleven. Two-thirds of our pupils are from disadvantaged backgrounds and join us with limited ambitions. You’ll help ensure that they leave us with real belief in their own abilities and the confidence to aim high.

Make no mistake: this is education at the sharp end. We’ve progressed significantly from the Special Measures judgment in March 23, increasing attendance by 5% in the last academic year alone, reducing persistent absence by 10% and improving behaviour beyond all recognition from two years ago. But there’s still a long way to go, and we need you to take us there.

Your own journey will be as remarkable as those of our students. As a Trust, we will invest in you through our Aspiring Leaders Programme to become a future Principal within Fairfax MAT. That means we need someone who shares this vision and has the ability, tenacity and ambition to ensure it happens.

Already a senior leader, ideally at the Vice Principal level, you will join us with an impressive record in pastoral leadership, spanning behaviour management, attendance and safeguarding. Equally importantly, you will be decisive, visionary, passionate and assertive when necessary, making you capable of dealing with anything that arises and delivering profound improvement in all circumstances. Above all, you’ll need to command the loyalty and respect of our dedicated staff, who love making a difference to students’ futures. In fact, 95% of our people said at our latest inspection that they feel proud to work here.

If you have what it takes, your long-term career could take you anywhere within the Fairfax Trust. You can also expect a strong salary package and a comprehensive range of benefits, which we are happy to tailor for an exceptional professional.

If you’re ready for the challenge of your life, please apply.

Applicants are welcome to visit Smith’s Wood Academy on Tuesday 8 or Wednesday 9 April 2025 between 9am and 11am. Please contact Linda Roe on l.roe@smithswood.fmat.co.uk to arrange this.

Closing date: 9.00am on 28 April 2025.

Interview date: 7 and 8 May 2025.

Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will therefore be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as well as providing evidence of qualifications.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974.