A warm welcome and thank you for expressing an interest in the post of Deputy Headteacher at Shaftesbury School.
I am delighted to be able to share this exciting opportunity to join our school as a Deputy Headteacher at an important stage in our journey. We are a highly supportive 11–18 secondary school serving a rural community, with approximately 800 students and a strong commitment to ensuring that every young person is known, valued and supported to succeed. Our school sits at the heart of the community it serves. We are proud of the relationships we build with students and families, the dedication of our staff, and the belief that education has the power to transform life chances. We know our strengths, we are honest about the challenges we have faced, and we are determined about the future we are building.
We are seeking to appoint an exceptional Deputy Headteacher who shares our moral purpose, ambition and belief in the potential of every child. This is a significant appointment and a rare opportunity to help shape the next phase of the school’s development. We are looking for a leader who combines strategic thinking with warmth, visibility and credibility; someone who can inspire colleagues, secure high standards and make a tangible difference every day.
As Deputy Headteacher, you will work closely with me, our senior leadership team and colleagues across the school to drive improvement, strengthen teaching and learning, and ensure the very best outcomes for our students. You will need to be an outstanding communicator, a resilient and reflective leader, and someone who thrives on both challenge and opportunity. In return, we offer the chance to make a genuine impact in a school where leadership matters, where relationships are valued, and where there is real scope to shape systems, culture and future success. If you are an ambitious and values-driven leader ready to take the next step, or an experienced Deputy seeking a role where you can make a lasting difference, I would be delighted to hear from you.
At the heart of our school is a clear and purposeful vision: “Be the Best You Can Be”. This vision underpins all that we do for our students, staff and wider community. We are committed to developing young people who flourish academically, socially and personally through our core values of Belonging, Empathy, Service and Thrive. This vision and our values are deeply rooted in our Christian Ethos and in Jesus’ second Great Commandment; “Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself”. This shapes the culture of our school: one where every individual is welcomed, treated with dignity, encouraged to serve others, and supported to grow into the very best version of themselves.
We are looking for someone with high expectations, someone who can motivate and someone who is willing to go the extra mile for our young people. You will join a school that is full of activity, opportunity and optimism. We operate a centralised behaviour management system to support staff workload. We have fantastic facilities, including a staff gym, an industrial hospitality facility for our Catering courses, five ICT suites, a 6th Form and Staff Café, a fully resourced Library, staff refereshments every day, a multi-faceted Steps to Support programme for our young people, a staff well-being charter and staff counselling.
There is further information about the school on our website www.shaftesburyschool.co.uk. You are very welcome to visit us in advance of an application. Please contact the school office for any further information. On behalf of the staff, children, and governors we look forward to meeting you.
if you have any queries or wish to have a confidential conversation about the role, then please contact Mike Phillips at our advisors, Pentir on 07830-313915
Warmest of Wishes,
Stephanie Bowen
Head of School
