7 days remaining to apply

  • Start date details

    1st January 2026

  • Closing date

    20 October 2025 at 1pm

  • Date listed

    13 October 2025

Job details

Job role

  • Assistant headteacher

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Working pattern

Full time

Contract type

Permanent

Full-time equivalent salary

£55,747.00 - £61,534.00 Annually (FTE) LDR 4 - 8

Assistant Headteacher - Early Years job summary

Assistant Headteacher: Early Years, Inclusion & Strategic Resources (Pupil Premium)

Are you ready to lead change where it matters most?

Cottage Grove is seeking an inspirational, highly motivated, and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as an Assistant Headteacher. This is a vital and influential role that focuses on ensuring every child, particularly those from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds, gets the very best start to their education.

This position is ideal for an experienced leader or an ambitious middle leader ready for the next step, who can demonstrate exceptional impact in the key areas of early years development and strategic resource management.

Key Areas of Responsibility

The successful candidate will hold a broad and high-leverage portfolio designed to close gaps and maximise impact across the school:

1. Strategic Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Lead (Nursery & Reception)

  • Be the lead professional for the Early Years (Nursery and Reception), ensuring high-quality teaching, rigorous assessment, and excellent outcomes for the children’s earliest stages of learning.
  • Drive continuous improvement in the EYFS environment, curriculum, and pedagogy to maximise readiness for Key Stage 1.

2. Strategic Pupil Premium Lead (Inclusion & Equity)

  • Be the accountable leader for the school’s Pupil Premium (PP) strategy, expenditure, and demonstrable impact, working to close attainment gaps across all key stages.
  • Lead the identification, implementation, and rigorous evaluation of research-informed interventions for disadvantaged pupils, reporting impact directly to the Headteacher and Governors.

3. Oversight of Student Placement and Wrap-Around Care

  • Lead the effective coordination and development of the school’s Wrap-Around Care provision (breakfast and after-school clubs), ensuring it provides a safe, engaging, and coherent extension of the school day.
  • Strategically manage the placement, training, and deployment of Student Placements and Volunteers, maximising their positive contribution to the school environment while maintaining rigorous safeguarding standards.

We are looking for a leader who is:

  • A Strategic Thinker: Able to analyse data (especially PP trends and the EY Framework) and translate it into clear, measurable actions.
  • An Exceptional Practitioner: Proven experience of outstanding teaching, particularly within the EYFS or Key Stage 1.
  • A Champion of Inclusion: Passionate about equity and ensuring that every child, regardless of background, thrives.
  • A People Developer: Skilled in coaching staff, motivating volunteers, and building effective teams.

What we offer:

  • The opportunity to shape strategic school improvement in a supportive and collaborative Senior Leadership Team.
  • Dedicated leadership time and high-quality CPD opportunities.
  • A welcoming school community committed to the success of all its pupils.
  • The opportunity to work within a growing trust

We strongly encourage visits to the school. Please contact Lee Branscombe, Headteacher, via email; head@cottagegrove.co.uk to arrange a visit.

NB: The position is being advertised for a week as we would like to recruit for a January start.

The Gateway Trust is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.
Visas cannot be sponsored.
If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

View advert on external website (opens in new tab)

About Cottage Grove Primary School and Nursery

School type
Academy, ages 2 to 11
Education phase
Primary
School size
477 pupils enrolled
Age range
2 to 11
Ofsted report
View Ofsted report
School website
Cottage Grove Primary School and Nursery website
See more jobs
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/cottage-grove-primary-school-southsea

School location

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