Full Time Head Of School (L1-L3) With Approx. 0.7 Teaching Commitment
Start Date: 1st September 2024
The vision of Dean CE Primary School’s leaders is for the school to follow Jesus’s example to ‘love one another as I have loved you’ (John 15:12) by ‘Loving to Learn, Learning to Love’.
Dean School is a caring, happy community where, with the help of God, we nurture and support each other to grow as positive, enthusiastic learners who, with confidence, compassion and respect, can spread our wings and help make the world a better place.
The Local Governing Body and Executive Headteacher of our village school wish to appoint an outstanding practitioner to be our next Head of School and work closely with our Executive Headteacher and the Trust to build on our strong Christian foundation, share our whole school vision and help lead our school on the next stage in our journey. (*This is the readvertisement of this post following a one year appointment made last Summer term)
Dean CE Primary School is in a small village conveniently situated a few minutes’ drive from Cockermouth, Workington and Whitehaven, just outside the Lake District National Park, with magnificent views of the Lakeland fells from the school grounds. We seek to appoint a dynamic Head of School to build on the high standards of learning within our distinctively Christian ethos of mutual care, alongside a curriculum that is challenging and well thought through to nurture the whole child, taking account of well-being and personal development as well as academic achievement. We benefit from an active and supportive local community, including strong partnerships with parents (including PTA) and the local Church.
Dean CE Primary School offers an extended day with Breakfast and After school care on site, including a range of after school clubs. As part of the Good Shepherd Trust, we work in partnership with other schools in the Trust, sharing expertise, ideas and resources, benefiting from support with finances, school improvement and leadership as well as supporting each other (and sharing our Executive Headteacher). We also have strong links with the local schools within the Cockermouth Cluster and with Cockermouth School as one of its feeder schools. Our most recent Ofsted in June 2023 noted that, “Pupils enjoy coming to Dean CofE School” and that they are “kind, caring and considerate”.
We would like to hear from you if you will:
• lead our school family by example in pursuing our distinctive Christian vision;
• foster strong relationships within the whole school, whilst positively promoting our school in the wider community;
• be an approachable, collaborative, organised and inspirational leader; and
• lead by example as an outstanding classroom practitioner.
We can offer you:
• a dedicated and supportive staff team who are committed to work together for the benefit of our children, their learning and wellbeing, including the support of an experienced Executive Headteacher;
• a welcoming school with caring, well behaved children who are keen to learn, try to do their best and who are well supported by their parents and the Local Governing Body; and
• an opportunity to progress your career through continued professional development, as part of the supportive network of the Good Shepherd Trust family of like-minded schools.
Visits to the school by prospective candidates are encouraged and may be arranged by contacting the school. If you would like to discover more we would encourage a visit to the school website or Facebook page. Please contact Norah Alderson in the school office (01946 861408) or e-mail our Executive Headteacher [email protected] to make arrangements. Our school grounds are open over weekends if you wish to see our wonderful location.
Dean CE Primary School is committed to safeguarding, safer recruitment and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All shortlisted candidates will be subject to rigorous checks including professional references, qualifications, photo ID and a self declaration; the appointment will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, pre-employment and medical checks. Please note that in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023, an online search will be carried out as part of our due diligence on shortlisted candidates. To apply, please visit the school website www.dean.cumbria.sch.uk to download an application form and recruitment pack. All completed application forms are to be returned to:-
Mrs J Laker, Dean CE Primary School in hard copy or by email to [email protected].
The closing date for applications is 9.00am on Monday 26th February as shortlisting will take place Tuesday 27th February. Interviews are planned for Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th March.