Emerging Principals Programme - Senior Vice Principal

More than one location, City Of London Academies Trust

16 days remaining to apply

Job start date
1 September 2025
Closing date
3 February 2025 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
17 January 2025

Job details

Job role: Assistant headteacher
Headteacher
Other leadership roles
Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage: Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Working pattern: Full time
Contract type: Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary: L20 - L25 £88,891 - £99,241
Additional allowances: Teachers Pension

What skills and experience we're looking for

About the Role

The Emerging Principals Programme (the ‘Programme’) is designed to prepare and empower ambitious candidates who aspire to lead a Secondary school. This Programme is dedicated to developing educational leaders who are ready to take on the challenges of leading schools that serve pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, inspiring their communities to achieve excellence. The Programme is specifically tailored for talented and experienced Vice Principals who are committed to advancing their careers and assuming Principal roles within the next two years.

About Us

City of London Academies Trust believes strongly in the transformational nature of education operating schools in areas of significant disadvantage. We understand that strong outcomes lead to improved life chances for our students, so we are unashamedly academic and unapologetically results driven. Each of our schools adopt a ‘warm/strict’ approach, combining high expectations with care and support. Our level of care means we never compromise on standards or expectations, ensuring that no student’s background becomes a reason for lowering the bar. Our schools maintain exemplary standards of behaviour, with systems, rituals and norms that instil strong habits. As a result, our schools provide an environment where our teachers can teach, and students can learn without disruption. We take great pride in fostering an exceptionally positive learning environment and we work meticulously to maintain our strong ethos and culture.

COLAT is driven by an unwavering ambition to be the best. We believe exceptional leaders and teachers create outstanding schools, transforming lives and shaping the future of every student. We currently oversee seven secondary academies, three primary academies and one sixth form centre all located in north, south and east London. We combine the heritage and tradition of the Corporation of London with a genuinely innovative, enterprising, and entrepreneurial ethos. We are also committed to providing training and development to all our staff, plus excellent career advancement opportunities within our evolving Trust.

About you

We are seeking a candidate with the potential, commitment, and proven track record to become a Principal within two years. You will embrace the Trust’s ‘warm/strict’ philosophy, recognising that a strong culture, exemplary behaviour, a knowledge-rich curriculum, and effective direct instruction pedagogy are essential to achieving outstanding outcomes. Driven by urgency and a passion for excellence, you firmly believe that students from disadvantaged backgrounds can thrive in an environment that prioritises academic achievement, high standards, and personal growth.

You will have the ability to cultivate and sustain a positive school culture where both students and staff are motivated to reach their full potential. Your dedication to maintaining high expectations will ensure that behavioural standards and academic rigour remain uncompromising. As a proactive leader, you will consistently prioritise culture creation, character development, and student outcomes.

With a keen eye for detail, you will quickly identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to foster continuous development. You will lead with urgency, holding both yourself and others accountable, and create a results-driven environment that maximises student success through effective teaching practices.

What the school offers its staff

Teachers’ or Local Government Pension schemewith a generous contribution from the Trust
Continuing Professional Development
Occupational maternity and adoption payfollowing 26 weeks ofcontinuous service
Sabbatical leave entitlementfor up to one year (unpaid) after five years’ continuous service
Cycle to Work scheme
Travelcard Loan scheme
Corporate gym membership rates
Annual training and development opportunitiesin addition to in-house school INSET and staff development
Access to City of London housing allocation scheme.

Further details about the role

How to Apply

If you match our ambition and want to join our dedicated team of professionals, we want to hear from you. Candidates must complete the application form and provide a personal statement in no more than two sides of A4 addressing the following questions:

1. Why do you aspire to be a Principal?

2. What is your educational philosophy?

3. As Principal, how would you lead a school to a progress 8 score of +1.5?

Your application must include full contact details (address, telephone numbers and email addresses) and details of two referees.

For each referee, please provide their name, position, organisation, telephone numbers and email addresses. One of these referees must be your current or most recent employer. If you do not wish us to contact referees at this stage, please make this clear on your application.

If you require any other details, or would like an informal discussion, please contact enquiries@cola.org.uk

Selection Timeline

Closing date for applications is noon, Monday 3 February 2025.

We plan for selection activities and interviews to take place during the week commencing 10 February 2025.

City of London Academies Trust supports Equal Opportunities Employment.

The role is covered by part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 and therefore the ability to speak fluent spoken English is an essential requirement for this role.

City of London Academies Trust Company Registration No. 04504128.

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 are not accepted.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

How to apply (opens in new tab)

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Upload additional documents

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

Emerging Principals Programme - Senior Vice Principal Candidate Information Pack.pdf - 445 KB (opens in new tab)

About City Of London Academies Trust

Type: Multi-academy trust
Website: City Of London Academies Trust website (opens in new tab)
Email address: jayshri.butler@cityoflondon.gov.uk
See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/city-of-london-academies-trust (opens in new tab)

Established in 2016, City of London Academies Trust prides itself on its pursuit for educational excellence and believes strongly in the transformational nature of education, operating schools in areas of significant disadvantage. We understand that strong outcomes lead to improved life chances for our students, so we are unashamedly academic and unapologetically results driven. Each of our schools adopt a ‘warm/strict’ approach, combining high expectations with care and support. Our level of care means we never compromise on standards or expectations, ensuring that no student’s background becomes a reason for lowering the bar. Our schools maintain exemplary standards of behaviour, with systems, rituals and norms that instil strong habits. As a result, our schools provide an environment where our teachers can teach, and students can learn without disruption. We take great pride in fostering an exceptionally positive learning environment and we work meticulously to maintain our strong ethos and culture.

COLAT is driven by an unwavering ambition to be the best. We believe exceptional leaders and teachers create outstanding schools, transforming lives and shaping the future of every student. We combine the heritage and tradition of the Corporation of London with a genuinely innovative, enterprising, and entrepreneurial ethos. We are also committed to providing training and development to all our staff, plus excellent career advancement opportunities within our evolving Trust.

Our Trust comprises 10 schools across Hackney, Islington, Newham and Southwark supporting almost 10,000 students. Our primary provision (three schools) is rated Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted, providing children with the best possible start to their education. Our standalone 16-19 Free School, Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre (NCS), is also rated Outstanding in all areas and stands out nationally in the top 1% of schools for student outcomes, with 95% of its students securing places at Russell Group and Ivy League universities each year. For our secondary provision, one is graded Outstanding in all areas, with the rest at least Good, and four with Outstanding features. Considering that 55% of students across the Trust are eligible for Pupil Premium, these are huge successes and are testament to the vision, hard work and commitment of staff across our schools.

This is an exciting time to be part of the City of London Academies Trust, and we very much hope that you will be inspired to want to join us. We are committed to investing in the next generation of COLAT people who will embody the Trust’s culture, values and ethos.

We invite you to explore our website to find out more about the Trust, our academies and our people. Come and join our team to help continue to deliver exceptional outcomes.