Assistant Principal - Behaviour

The Cornerstone Academy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4BQ

9 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 September 2026

• Closing date

  14 May 2026 at 12pm (midday)

• Date listed

  5 May 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher
  • Assistant headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Key stage: Key stage 3, Key stage 4
• Working pattern: Full time: 7.5hrs a day - weekdays. 37.5 per week.
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: Leadership scale L8 - L10 depending on experience

What skills and experience we're looking for

Assistant Principal for Behaviour

Required for September 2026

Location: Poole Dorset, BH15 4BQ

Salary: Competitive United Learning Pay Scale (Leadership pay range)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time (37.5hrs)

Start date: September 2026

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and committed individual to define and maintain the vision, ethos and direction of the pastoral provision and support for behaviour and attitudes across the school.

The Cornerstone Academy is proud to be part of United Learning, a large and growing group of schools offering a life‑changing education to children and young people across England. As part of the Trust, we achieve more by working together than any single school could alone. Our shared intranet, United Hub, streamlines processes, reduces workload and connects colleagues, supporting an improved work–life balance.

We reward our staff with wide career opportunities—across Primary, Secondary, Academy and Independent sectors—providing excellent professional development, competitive benefits and the satisfaction of helping every child reach their full potential.

We are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued and appreciated. Asa group we can reward you better than any school could alone, and this includes your employee benefits.

We want to bring out the ‘best in everyone’ so, when you join us, you can be confident that you will receive the opportunities, guidance and materials you need to excel in your role and contribute your best.

Visitors to The Cornerstone Academy frequently comment on how distinctive, pioneering and caring the school is - an environment that is transformative for both students and staff. We are incredibly proud of our team and all we achieve together.

About You

You share our belief that every student can achieve the very highest standards and are committed to helping them do so. You will be:

• An outstanding leader and classroom practitioner with a genuine passion for education and a commitment to improving the life chances of every student.
• Highly organised, detail‑driven and relentless in your pursuit of high standards.
• Resilient, solution-focused and able to lead others with credibility and integrity.
• A team player who contributes fully to the academy’s inclusive and aspirational ethos.
• An experienced senior or middle leader with a proven track record of success.
• Committed to professional growth and staying informed about current educational practice.

About the Role

The postholder will lead Behaviour and Pastoral Provision across the Academy, with responsibility for the Head of Year Team and collaborative work with students, families, teachers, Department Leads and Heads of Year to secure the best possible outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Be a constant, visible presence around the school - persistent and insistent in maintaining high standards for students and staff.
• Lead on strategic leadership for behaviour, pastoral care and student attitudes, aligning with the school’s vision and ethos.
• Lead and develop whole-school behaviour systems, including rewards, sanctions, exclusions and reintegration processes.
• Drive ongoing school improvement through rigorous self‑evaluation.
• Support staff development through instructional coaching and high‑quality feedback.
• Provide effective training and professional development through line management and CPD.
• Monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and implement strategies for improvement.
• Promote high standards of behaviour, attendance and punctuality.
• Ensure all students are appropriately safeguarded.
• Support and quality‑assure whole‑school policies through regular monitoring and evaluation.
• Build strong, effective relationships with staff and earn professional credibility.
• Attend and contribute to weekly SLT meetings.
• Report progress to the Governing Body and United Learning where appropriate.
• Engage in continuous professional development to maintain up‑to‑date practice.
• Carry out all duties of the Senior Leadership Team to the highest standard.

This role aligns with the leadership structure at The Cornerstone Academy and may be subject to review or refinement as needed.

Who This Role Is For

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Is passionate about student pastoral care, achievement and committed to securing the very best outcomes.
• Thrives in a forward‑thinking, supportive and collaborative environment.
• Is ambitious for themselves, their colleagues and, above all, their students.
• Wants to play a central role in shaping the future direction of a distinctive and proudly inclusive academy.

Closing date: Thursday 14th May - noon

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 19th May with selected candidates taken through to day two on Wednesday 20th May

Please be available for interview on the dates detailed above; you will be advised by close of play on Friday 15th May if you have been successfully shortlisted.

Please note we reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

For further information about this post and to apply please visitour website

Vacancies | The Cornerstone Academy

or United Learning Careers website

https://unitedlearning.org.uk/A-Career-In-Our-Group/Vacancies

We do not accept CV’s

If you have any questions regarding this role or would like to arrange a visit to the academy please email Samantha Arnold at arnolds@cornerstoneacademy.org.uk

This school is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, governors and volunteers to share the same commitment.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.

What the school offers its staff

Teaching is an incredible career, that changes lives for the better. Teachers deserve to be rewarded, and our pledge, to all our academy teachers, is that by working for us you will benefit from more pay, more time, and more support.

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

Apply for the job by following the link below.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

Assistant Principal - Behaviour Jan 2026 Job Description (1).pdf - 323 KB (opens in new tab)

About The Cornerstone Academy

• School type: Academies, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 682 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: The Cornerstone Academy website
• Email address: arnolds@cornerstoneacademy.org.uk
• Phone number: 01202 676789
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/the-cornerstone-academy

People often say after their first visit to The Cornerstone Academy how distinctive the academy is, how pioneering we are and yet also how our care and compassion clearly permeates all our work in all the best ways. Imagine, then, how transformative that environment is for the children who study and grow into adults here. This also applies to our staff; we have a fantastic team and we are all very proud to be working at The Cornerstone Academy.

As part of a cluster you will also benefit from being able to work closely with colleagues across five United Learning secondary academies in Bournemouth and Poole, and the potential to become a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) or Lead Practitioner.

Arranging a visit to The Cornerstone Academy

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email arnolds@cornerstoneacademy.org.uk.

School location

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