Deputy Principal
Unified Academy, Dorking, RH5 4DB28 days remaining to apply
Start date details
to be confirmed
Closing date
13 November 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
16 October 2026
Job details
Job role
- Deputy headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 1, Key stage 2, Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Working pattern
- Full time: Full time, all year round
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- Fringe Leadership Group L14-L18 FTE £72,763 - £79,341
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are seeking an ambitious, trauma-informed, inspirational, and compassionate Deputy Principal to join our Senior Leadership Team. Working closely with the Principal, you will help shape the strategic direction of our school, championing an environment of high quality teaching and learning where our students feel safe, valued, and empowered to succeed. You will be a driving force in balancing therapeutic support with an ambitious, accessible curriculum.
Key Responsibilities:
- Therapeutic & Strategic Leadership: Shape a trauma-informed school culture that reduces barriers to learning and prioritizes emotional regulation.
- Curriculum & Engagement: Lead an innovative, flexible curriculum that blends academic progress with vital life skills and vocational opportunities.
- Positive Behaviour Support: Oversee robust, non-punitive behaviour support frameworks, working closely with therapists and external agencies.
- Staff Empowerment: Coach, mentor, and build resilience among a dedicated team of teachers, teaching assistants, and pastoral staff.
- Safeguarding: Act as a key leader in safeguarding, ensuring strict compliance and exceptional care for vulnerable learners.
Key Requirements:
- Qualified Teacher Status
- Substantial and recent experience of teaching pupils/students with special needs, including autism, to a high standard
- Experience of working effectively with young people who present with a range of challenging behaviour
- Proven ability in building and leading a staff team
- Generate enthusiasm for new ideas in both students and staff, and inspire others with confidence and professional autonomy
What the school offers its staff
OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
Rewards & Benefits:
• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Employee Car Lease Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme).
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme.
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme).
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
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Unified Academy
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 9 to 16
- Size
- 82 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 9 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Website
- Unified Academy website
- Email address
- SFahy@unifiedacademy.org
School location
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