Assistant Principal

Lift Ryde, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 3LN

21 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  ASAP

• Closing date

  15 October 2026 at 1:30pm

• Date listed

  24 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Assistant headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: £70022 - £77676 per annum

Assistant Principal job summary

Are you ready to help shape the future of education? Lift Schools is looking for an Assistant Principal who is passionate about making sure every child receives excellent teaching, in every classroom, every day.

Lift Schools is built on a clear mission: providing an excellent education for every child. We create inclusive learning environments where students thrive, supported by skilled teachers who receive meaningful development opportunities. Our values guide everything we do, and we believe in working together to achieve shared goals. Would you like to be part of a team where your contribution makes a real difference to children's lives?

Your new school
A promotion of a senior leader within Lift Ryde has meant a rare and exciting opportunity has arisen to join our highly determined, focused leadership team as Assistant Principal. We are a thriving, oversubscribed school with exceptionally high standards, and our results speak for themselves. Above national average KS5 results where SENd and Disadvantaged students out perform their peers. At KS4our outcomes at both 4+ and 5+ are broadly inline with the national average with many subjects above the national average. Our curriculum is broad and balanced with state of the art facilities allowing us to deliver a GCSE and KS5 offer that ensure all students move into their desired post 16 and 18 destinations. We make a promise that every child will have a trip/ off Island experience and last academic year ran over 400 experiences. We are proud to serve our community whilst maintaining our highly inclusive approach, we are looking for a driven leader who shares our unwavering commitment to outstanding pastoral care, academic excellence and student outcome to join us.

The school is led by Will Doyle, Principal who is proud to serve a community he grew up in and a school in which he attended as a child. Will is driven by a desire that every child can achieve and is proud that Lift Ryde is highly inclusive. Judged as 'Good' by Ofsted in November 2022, Lift Ryde is a school that pupils feel proud to attend, with a calm and orderly environment. Staff are also proud to work at the school and recognise that leaders are considerate of their workload.

About the role
As Assistant Principal, you'll be a key member of our Senior Leadership Team. You'll help guide the school's strategic priorities, working closely with colleagues to create positive learning environments. This is a chance to make a lasting impact on students, staff, and the wider school community. What kind of legacy would you like to create?

Key responsibilities

• Support the school improvement plan and guide daily operations
• Coach and develop middle leaders and teaching staff through appraisal and training
• Help shape whole-school strategies in areas such as curriculum, student welfare, or behaviour
• Model high-quality teaching and support colleagues to create engaging, inclusive lessons
• Use student progress and performance data to identify strengths and inform improvement plans
• Build and maintain positive relationships with parents, carers, and external partners

What you'll need to succeed
You'll be a qualified teacher with Qualified Teacher Status and experience as a middle leader. You'll have a track record of achieving excellent progress for all children, no matter their starting point or background. Can you show how you've supported colleagues to grow and improve their practice?

We're looking for someone with excellent communication skills, who can work with others to solve problems and achieve goals together. You'll be curious, reflective, and motivated by a genuine desire to improve the lives of children and young people. Does this sound like you?

How we support you
At Lift Schools, we believe talent drives performance. We offer you:

• Career development and training: Access a wide range of statutory and developmental training to boost your career.
• Our partnership with One World powers our innovative Instructional Excellence Program. We also offer a comprehensive range of CPD programs, including Ambition Institute's Early Career and NPQ offerings, tailored to both individual and network needs.
• Generous benefits: From your pension plan to healthcare and financial support, we've got you covered.
• Lifestyle perks: Enjoy discounted gym memberships and travel deals.

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

Lift Schools is committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

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.

About Lift Ryde

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 1461 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Lift Ryde website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/ryde-academy

Located on the picturesque Isle of Wight, Lift Ryde is a secondary school catering to students aged 11 to 18. Currently hosting 1,431 students, the school's popularity is on the rise, with plans to accommodate up to 1500 students. Ofsted inspectors graded the school as 'Good' in all categories in November 2022, acknowledging Lift Ryde as a "rapidly improved school" where students take immense pride in their attendance, and staff feel well-supported.

Boasting bright and airy classrooms equipped with cutting-edge technology, the facility includes designated studios, workshops, and laboratories for practical subjects, along with a range of excellent sporting facilities. This is a fantastic school to work for, with an excellent local reputation.

Who is Lift Schools?

Lift Schools is made up of 57 primary, secondary and special schools, educating more than 33,000 pupils across the country. We believe education can transform lives – and we want every child in our schools to achieve their full potential.

Our mission:

We will provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day.
With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives.
We will work with others beyond our network to benefit more children and communities.
Every adult in a school has the power to transform lives, and that’s why talented people are essential to us. Our ambition to give every pupil the best start in life relies on our dedicated teachers, teaching assistants, senior leaders, and admin teams. We attract dynamic individuals and provide the space to reimagine what’s possible.

That’s why your career is as important to us as it is to you. We want you to develop, we want you to grow, and we want you to feel valued.

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