Assistant Headteacher
Leventhorpe, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9BY19 days remaining to apply
Start date details
Easter or September 2027
Closing date
23 November 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
4 November 2026
Job details
Job role
- Assistant headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- L12 - L16 including Outer Fringe Allowance
Assistant Headteacher job summary
We are seeking an exceptional and compassionate leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Assistant Headteacher and play a pivotal role in shaping the next chapter of Leventhorpe's continued success.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and ambitious school leader who is passionate about creating an environment where every young person feels safe, supported, included and empowered to achieve their full potential.
This is an important role for the school. As Assistant Headteacher, you will provide strategic leadership for behaviour, belonging and student experience (including wellbeing) across the school. Working collaboratively with staff, students, families and external agencies, you will help ensure that every learner can access an ambitious curriculum and thrive both academically and personally.
A natural communicator with a calm authority, the successful candidate will be confident in managing behaviour, balancing multiple priorities and supporting others to meet high standards. They will bring empathy, clarity and professionalism to their work with staff, students and parents and will lead by example in all aspects of school life.
You will be instrumental in driving school improvement, employing creative solutions to problems, strengthening inclusive practice and ensuring that students requiring additional support are identified early and receive the guidance they need to succeed. This role offers the opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of young people while contributing to the wider strategic leadership of the school.
Leventhorpe is a distinctive and highly successful school where academic ambition sits alongside genuine warmth, nurture and a strong sense of community. We have a committed, hard-working and friendly team of staff in our school, supporting our students to achieve great outcomes both in the classroom and beyond. As a forward-thinking school, we embrace innovation and continuously seek new ways to enhance learning and improve outcomes for our students. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work closely with an experienced Senior Leadership Team and contribute significantly to the school's ongoing development and future direction.
As an oversubscribed Business and Enterprise Academy, Leventhorpe also serves as the lead school for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) within the Bishop's Stortford Educational Trust (BSET), providing exciting opportunities for professional collaboration and leadership development.
If you are an inspiring, ambitious senior leader driven by the pursuit of excellence, commitment and respect, we would be delighted to hear from you.
In return, Leventhorpe can provide:
- Excellent facilities: To accommodate our expanding roll, Leventhorpe has completed an extensive multi-million-pound capital build programme, including a new Science and Sixth Form block and a state-of-the-art Performing Arts and English block. Previous investment included a sports complex which features a sports hall, fitness suite, dance studio, 3G all-weather pitch and floodlit tennis courts
- A positive working environment in a heavily oversubscribed school with an excellent academic record and high standards. We place strong emphasis on student learning and achievement
- First rate personal career development with high local and regional profile through our work with the Bishop’s Stortford Educational Trust (BSET)
- Exceptionally dedicated colleagues and enthusiastic students
- Priority admission for children of staff after a qualifying period
We welcome daytime visits to experience the school at work, by appointment with Wendy Shannon, Operations Manager. To arrange a visit, please email the HR Team hr@leventhorpe.net
Closing date for applications is 12.00 noon Monday 23rd November 2026.
Interviews will commence from the week beginning 30th November 2026.
Leventhorpe is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to apply for an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). For further guidance please refer to the Policies and Documents section of our MyNewTerm profile. It is an offence to apply for a role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.
Further information about the job
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 Leventhorpe
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- Size
- 1463 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Website
- Leventhorpe website
Overview
Leventhorpe School is an outstanding mixed, 11-19 secondary school and sixth form in the historic market town of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. The school became a Business and Enterprise Academy in August 2011. The intake at age 11 is drawn mainly from the pleasant and prosperous towns of Sawbridgeworth and Bishop's Stortford and from the surrounding villages. Demand for places in the school is very high with over four applications for each place.
In 2016 the school expanded its roll from 6 forms of entry to 8 forms of entry in order to meet local demand. To accommodate our expanding roll Leventhorpe is undergoing an extensive £12 million capital build programme including a Science and Sixth Form block, state of the art Performing Arts and English block recently completed. In recent years investment has included a £6 million Sports Complex (sports hall, fitness suite, dance studio, all weather pitch and floodlit tennis courts), £1 million Learning Resource Centre, re-modelling of Design & Technology facilities and £150k annual investment in ICT provision.
The school places a high priority on academic achievement as demonstrated at the last full OFSTED inspection when the school was graded “Outstanding” in each of the five categories. All staff are expected to play their role in ensuring the best possible outcomes for each and every student. We are proud of our historic pass rates in all subjects, with a large percentage of our highest grades achieving well above the national average. Teachers, students and parents place a very high value on behaviour and care which helps to promote a highly cohesive and effective learning community.
Leventhorpe is also the lead school for School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) within the Bishop’s Stortford Educational Trust (BSET) and has strong links with universities. The school hosts placements for trainees in a wide choice of subjects and is a long-standing partner school with Cambridge University for PGCE.
Significant investment has been made in staff training to develop approaches to teaching and learning. There is a strong focus on developing high performing teams at different levels in the organisation. This has helped to form a culture with shared vision and values and a constant drive to improve learning opportunities for students.
Subject departments are organised on a Faculty basis. The responsibility for the preparation of schemes of work and for monitoring their delivery lies with the Head of Faculty, overseen by a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The school places a high value on assessment for learning and each student undergoes regular assessments in each subject.
The School upholds traditional values of uniform, discipline, homework, punctuality and polite behaviour. Each of Years 7 – 11 is organised into mixed ability tutor groups and overseen by a Head of Year who oversees the academic and social development of students as they progress through the School. Form Tutors monitor their form members’ progress and liaise closely with pastoral heads.
In addition, each tutor group is assigned to one of eight Houses: Barnard, Cutforth, Fawbert, Lawrence, Moore, Newsom, Rivers and Wilkins. House Leaders organise a host of lively house events throughout the year such as talent competitions, quizzes and sporting events.
An extensive extra-curricular menu is available to all students. A comprehensive timetable of clubs offers something for everyone, from Rock Band to Astronomy Club. A strong emphasis is placed on supporting students not just in lessons but also outside the curriculum. Staff and students' interest and enthusiasm in these groups is high. Music and drama productions are staged frequently to support the musical life of school. 10% of students are admitted on the basis of musical aptitude into year 7. Students are also encouraged to represent the school in a variety of sports.
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