Salary: £55,747 - £61,534
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: 1 FTE
Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire
About the Role
Topcliffe CofE Academy is seeking an exceptional and inspirational Head of School to lead our outstanding school. This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for all pupils and supporting staff to deliver the highest standards of teaching and learning. This role will have a teaching commitment.
Working closely with the Executive Headteacher, the successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the school, driving school improvement, and ensuring a safe, inclusive, and high-performing learning environment.
Visits to the school are warmly welcomed and will take place on:
Tuesday 14th April 2026 at 3:45pm
Monday 20th April 2026 at 3:45pm
Please contact the school office to book a place on 01845 448227.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support the Executive Headteacher in leading the strategic development and day to day management of the school.
- Maintain highly positive relationships with pupils, parents, staff, and the wider community.
- Maintain the high standards of teaching, learning, and curriculum delivery.
- Lead and develop staff through coaching, mentoring, and professional development.
- Monitor pupil progress and implement strategies to raise attainment and achievement.
- Promote a strong culture of safeguarding, wellbeing, and inclusion.
- Collaboratively self-evaluate and plan for future focus areas.
The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
- Leadership experience.
- A proven track record of raising standards and improving outcomes for pupils.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and organisational skills.
- A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
- The ability to inspire, motivate, and develop staff and pupils alike.
- Strong knowledge of developing oracy with explicit teaching of talk, vocabulary, and reasoning.
- Expertise in leading an effective mixed-age curriculum.
- Ability to lead a high-performing, well-supported staff team through coaching and focused CPD.
Our school vision:
Growing, believing, achieving together
“Love your neighbour as yourself and do to others as you’d have them do to you.”
This teaching enables us to grow and flourish as positive and hopeful citizens of tomorrow’s world, believing there are no limits on what we can achieve if we are kind and work together.
This vision makes our school a truly special place to learn, as together we live out our core Christian values of compassion, respect and community.
Further information about the academy can be found on the academy website https://www.topcliffeacademy.org/.
How to apply
Please return your completed application form to Caroline Broadbent at HR@elevatemat.org or post to School Lane, Topcliffe, Thirsk, YO7 3RG. Please ensure that all parts of the application are completed. We do not accept CVs as part of the selection process. REC/TOP/000001178.
Key documents
Head of School - job description and person specification.pdf
Head of School - application form.doc
Key Dates
School visit dates: 14 and 20 April 2026 at 3:45 pm
Closing date for applications: 27 April 2026
Interview date: 06 May 2026
Start date: 01 September 2026
Topcliffe CofE Academy is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
North Yorkshire Council (NYC) advertises vacancies on behalf of schools and external organisations (third parties) in North Yorkshire. NYC is not responsible for the recruitment/employment practices of third parties and accepts no liability in relation to the vacancy and any subsequent recruitment/employment processes. Enquiries regarding the vacancy or practices should be made directly with the third party.