Assistant Principal / Head of Sixth Form
Northstowe Learning Community, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB24 1DJ26 days remaining to apply
Start date details
1st September 2026
Closing date
20 April 2026 at 9am
Date listed
25 March 2026
Job details
Job role
- Assistant headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £66,368.00 - £73,105.00 Annually (FTE) Meridian Trust Secondary Leadership Band 3, L11-L15
Assistant Principal / Head of Sixth Form job summary
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL (with responsibility for Sixth Form)
Salary: Secondary School Leadership Band 3 PointsL11 - L15
We are seeking a kind, curious and hardworking leader to join Northstowe Learning Community in the whole school role of Assistant Principal with leadership responsibility for the Sixth Form. As Head of Sixth Form, you will play a key role in the development and growth of our Sixth form provision.
About Northstowe Learning Community (NLC)
Northstowe Learning Community brings together:
An 11-16 secondary school (NSC)
Northstowe Sixth Form (NSF)
Northstowe Primary School (NPS)
Situated on the Northstowe Education Campus, NLC is co-located with the Trust’s Martin Bacon Academy. This specialist provision provides an innovative experience for NSF students through full integration with the Northstowe Sixth Form. This creates a vibrant educational hub where inclusion, collaboration, and excellence are central to the student experience.
From September 2025, the school contains:
One Reception and one Year 1 class (as the primary builds to its full 3FE (630 capacity)
Approximately 760 students in Years 7-11 (as the secondary builds to its eventual 12FE 1800 PAN)
Around 112 sixth form students (44 students in Year 13 and 68 students in Year 12). The Sixth Form will grow over time to reach its capacity of 400.
NLC continues to grow rapidly in step with the new town of Northstowe, which will eventually be home to around 30,000 residents accommodated in up to 10,000 homes. The school is deliberately designed to play a key role in the provision of community facilities to reflect the Cambridgeshire Village College ethos.
Our Journey So Far
Northstowe Secondary College opened in 2019 with its first Year 7 cohort of just 71 students. In September 2024, the addition of both primary and sixth form phases marked a major milestone in our development, and the school was renamed Northstowe Learning Community to reflect its expanded and unified identity.
With the recent completion of Phase 2 of our building programme, NLC now features:
An additional new specialist block for 11-16 education
A state-of-the-art primary school building
A purpose-built sixth form centre
Phase 3 will commence once further housing development is confirmed. Once complete, Northstowe Learning Community will be one of the largest schools in the East of England, with capacity for approximately 2,800 students from Reception through to Year 13. The campus aims to serve all ages and abilities, taking a lead role in bringing people together to create a sustainable and empowered local community.
Our Ethos and Vision
At NLC, we are committed to providing outstanding teaching and pastoral care, creating a culture where students work hard, enjoy learning, and thrive. Our dedicated staff are warm, approachable, and determined to give every child the best possible start in life. This is more than a leadership role—it’s an opportunity to shape a major educational institution from the ground up, embedding values of achievement, kindness, and inclusion at every level.
As Assistant Principal for KS5, you will:
Provide visionary leadership that cultivates a culture of excellence, aspiration, belonging, and high expectations, supporting the strategic development and continued growth of NSF.
Lead the sixth form student experience, ensuring outstanding pastoral care and wellbeing support, and managing a dedicated, student‑centred team of sixth form tutors.
Oversee the strategic growth, admissions, and marketing of the sixth form, ensuring robust recruitment pathways and a strong public profile.
Provide high‑quality oversight and quality assurance of academic progress, working collaboratively with curriculum leaders to secure excellent outcomes.
Ensure the delivery of an exceptional enrichment programme that is embedded within the curriculum and aligned with the school’s How to Thrive framework.
Work in partnership with the careers lead to oversee post‑16 destinations, ensuring students are supported to secure aspirational and appropriate next steps.
Collaborate effectively with a committed and talented staff team across all phases, contributing to whole‑school leadership initiatives and shared professional culture.
The opportunity:
To join our motivated, friendly staff and students in a highly regarded multi-academy Trust with a strong community presence.
To work collaboratively with Senior Leaders within the Trust, sharing excellent and innovative practice and benefiting from the support and guidance of an experienced network of leaders.
To gain expertise and support from our wider trust network of specialist advisors with access to informal and formal professional development.
To contribute to the culture where students experience a positive and enriching education, ensuring teaching is underpinned by high levels of subject expertise and approaches which respect the distinct nature of subject disciplines.
The ideal candidate will have:
Proven leadership experience in a post‑16, secondary, or whole‑school context.
An excellent track record of improving student outcomes and supporting high‑quality teaching and learning.
Experience of leading pastoral care, safeguarding practice, or wellbeing initiatives.
Ability to build, lead, and motivate effective teams.
Strong understanding of sixth form provision, including enrichment, progression pathways, and destinations.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire confidence in students, staff, and families.
Commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where all students feel a sense of belonging and can thrive.
Ability to think strategically, manage competing priorities, and contribute to whole‑school development.
A passionate and uncompromising commitment to maintaining high standards of teaching and learning for all students.
Commitment to and evidence of continuous improvement and professional development.
About Meridian Trust -
Meridian Trust is a values-led organisation formed in 2011 that has risen to be one of the highest-performing academy trusts in the country. The Trust is founded on its commitment to a high-quality educational provision for all at the heart of local communities. Meridian currently operates primary, secondary and special schools across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
Meridian Trust offers a wealth of fantastic benefits for teaching and support staff which are highlighted below but are not limited to -
Apprenticeship and CPD opportunities which allow you to gain specialist knowledge in a role you are passionate about developing in.
Access to our benefits partner Vivup - benefits include an online GP, Lifestyle savings, support for mental health and wellbeing through the Employee Assistance Programme and many more
Cycle to work scheme
Teacher’s pension scheme
Healthcare benefits including free eye test vouchers and flu vaccinations
Free on-site parking
Discounts on a wide range of benefits from everyday essentials to holidays
To explore our full range of benefits, please visit https://www.meridiantrust.co.uk/jobs-and-training/benefits/.
How to apply:
For more information about the role please download the Recruitment booklet.
Applications must be submitted via My New Term. In line with safer recruitment practices, we are unable to accept CVs. If you have any questions about the application process or you would like to arrange a visit to the school, please contact Sarah Wakerley, HR Officer on recruitment@northstowe.education Please note our spring term ends on Friday, 27th March and we re-open for the summer term on Monday, 13th April 2026.
Closing date for applications is: Monday, 20th April 2026 (by 8am)
Interview dates: Thursday, 23rd and Friday, 24th April 2026
The Trust is committed to diversity and inclusion and equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments will be subject to pre-employment checks, including an enhanced check with the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS), as well as online searches.
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 Northstowe Learning Community
- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 19
- Education phase
- All through school
- School size
- 772 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Northstowe Learning Community website
School location
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