Deputy Director STEP Institute of Education

Step Academy Trust, Thornton Heath, CR7 6DL

26 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 January 2027

• Closing date

  7 October 2026 at 3pm

• Date listed

  11 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other leadership role
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time (Can be done as a job share)
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: STEP Leadership Pay Scale

What skills and experience we're looking for

Shape the future of teacher development, curriculum excellence and school improvement and teacher development across a growing Trust and beyond.

STEP Academy Trust is an exciting, dynamic place to work thatcan offer great opportunities to the right candidate. If you are ready to take the next step in your career, join us as we ‘Strive Together for Excellence in Partnership’.

This is an exceptional and exciting opportunity for an experienced senior leader to join the STEP Institute of Education as Deputy Director at a pivotal moment in its development. Working alongside the Director, you will play a leading role in shaping the strategic direction of the Institute and ensuring it is recognised as a sector-leading source of expertise in curriculum, pedagogy, professional development and school improvement.

As STEP Academy Trust enters an exciting period of growth, including expansion into new phases of education, you will play a key role in driving teacher and leadership development, supporting school improvement and building partnerships across the wider education sector.

About the role

The Institute's work is delivered through three key strands:

• Teaching School Hub
• Curriculum Hub
• Professional Support Hub

You will help lead strategic growth, oversee high-quality professional development programmes, and contribute to the Trust's wider educational vision and improvement agenda.

About you

We are seeking an accomplished educational leader with significant senior leadership experience and a proven track record of improving outcomes beyond their own setting. You may currently be a Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher or Trust leader with expertise in curriculum, teaching and learning, professional development or school improvement.

You will bring:

• Strong senior leadership experience in a school or trust.
• Expertise in curriculum, teacher development and educational improvement.
• Experience designing and delivering professional development programmes.
• Excellent partnership and stakeholder engagement skills.
• A commitment to evidence-informed practice and educational excellence.

The successful candidate must:

• Demonstrate a history of strategic leadership, particularly in relation to the leadership of people, curriculum and outcomes
• Exhibit a fervor for enhancing educational standards and providing high quality leadership by motivating others
• Demonstrate a commitment to growing your own leadership behaviours and the ability to learn from others
• Forge robust partnerships with staff, parents and the wider community, steering transformative change and shaping the future direction of the academies they lead
• Be able to manage time and resources efficiently and effectively in order to ensure excellent leadership in both academies
• Commitment to working as part of a wider team and an understanding and support of the Trust wide priorities and direction.

What the school offers its staff

Membership to Perkbox discount scheme

Subsidised Benenden Private Healthcare

Free school lunch

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.

For further information please contact Cheryl Gilbert (Recruitment Manager) for more information –cheryl.gilbert@stepacademytrust.org

The Job Description and Person Specification gives a fuller outline of the duties involved and can be downloaded from the website. Completed supporting statements should be written in line with the person specification.

STEP Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Closing date: Wednesday 7th October 2026

Interviews: Wednesday 14th October 2026

STEP Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. STEP Academy Trust believes that its workforce should reflect the local community and that all groups within the community should have equal access to the Trust’s employment opportunities.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. Applicants must hold the right to work in the UK.

Commitment to safeguarding

STEP Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

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.

STEP IoE Deputy Director - JD and Person Spec.pdf - 156 KB (opens in new tab)

About Step Academy Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• Website: Step Academy Trust website
• Email address: cheryl.gilbert@stepacademytrust.org
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/step-academy-trust

STEP Academy Trust a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) based in South London and East Sussex.

The name, an acronym, reflects the aspirational nature of the organisation – Striving Together for Excellence in Partnership. Inspired by the commitment to improve children’s life chances, STEP Academies work together to provide high quality learning experiences for all their pupils.

As a mission, vision and values driven Trust, STEP prides itself on delivering a high standard of education to all of our children, regardless of background. Delivering rapid educational transformation is essential, indeed, taking schools from Special Measures to Good is one of our Unique Selling Points.

STEP very much works around the notion of a family, guided by the STEP Compass. Collectively we believe that we can achieve things which wouldn’t be possible on our own.

We welcome our duties under the Equality Act 2010 and aim to promote a positive and welcoming culture where all forms of discrimination are actively challenged and a systemic approach to eradicating discrimination is seated at the heart of our organisation. STEP policies reflect our commitment to ensuring unbiased treatment that pupils, parents, carers, employees and prospective employees are entitled to expect. We believe that every individual has the right to be valued, respected and offered equal opportunities, access and treatment. STEP Academy Trust is committed to providing an inclusive and diverse culture and to eradicating discrimination and stereotyping to make our Academies truly inclusive and promote high achievement for all.

Arranging a visit to Step Academy Trust

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email cheryl.gilbert@stepacademytrust.org.

Head office location

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