Head of College (Vice Principal)

Leigh Academy Rainham, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 8GS

28 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  19 March 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  19 February 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Assistant headteacher
  • Deputy 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
• Pay scale: Highly competitive plus performance bonus and private healthcare

What skills and experience we're looking for

We are now recruiting for the role of Head of College (Vice Principal) for Leigh Academy Rainham.

Our successful candidate will be talented and a highly motivated leader with drive and commitment to excellence as well as strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate to a range of stakeholders. We are looking for an experienced professional who can demonstrate strategic leadership and excellent management, and a proven track record of success in raising standards.

This is an exciting time to join our leadership team. You will be expected to play a key role in continuing to shape the strategic vision for Leigh Academy Rainham whilst ensuring that our students develop their potential, achieve academic success and develop our core values. Reporting directly to the Principal, Alex Millward, the successful applicant will be a key member of the senior leadership and will have significant autonomy in leading their assigned College. They will take on key strategic leadership responsibilities across the whole academy defined by experience, expertise and interest, and provide line management for key subject areas.

We wish to hear from you if you are committed to changing our education world and are:

• an enthusiastic, energetic and ambitious leader with a successful track record at secondary level;
• a motivational and inspirational leader with high expectations of staff;
• confident and able to communicate a clear vision for the school;
• able to develop children to reach their full potential regardless of background or circumstance;
• approachable and keen to work with staff across the Trust to ensure wide success;
• able to establish and develop excellent relationships with the community and other stakeholders.

What the school offers its staff

This is a truly exciting leadership opportunity within a very successful and financially sound, mature and geographically local multi-academy trust that combines management freedom for effective leaders with secure central support that encourages collaboration for success.

You will be joining a supportive, committed and passionate team who work hard to ensure that all of our students achieve their potential.

This post provides an outstanding career opportunity to be part of driving our academy forward and to play a critical role in the next phase of the academy’s development. We invite candidates to indicate your preferred areas of leadership responsibility in your application for consideration.

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.

On the basis that interested candidates may be keen to visit the academy before making a formal application, you can arrange this by contacting Stella Poulter (Office Manager) - stella.poulter@rainham.latrust.org.uk. Visits will be offered and will be hosted by the Principal, Alex Cramlington. Please ensure you offer Stella a range of dates when you are available in your initial email to ensure we can coordinate a visit that works for both you and the academy.

Candidates wishing to have an initial conversation with the Principal about this role can also arrange for a telephone call. Those wishing to do so should also contact Stella Poulter (as above) in the first instance.

Closing date: Thursday 19th March 2026 (midnight)

Shortlisting date: Friday 20th March 2026

Interview date: Wednesday 25th March 2026

If you have any queries on any aspect of the application process or need additional information, please contact Holly Neve (Talent Manager) on 01634 412 263 or holly.neve@latrust.org.uk.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust, consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. Including online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about this in our Recruitment Guidance. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

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.

Job_Pack___Head_of_College_(Vice_Principal)___Leigh_Academy_Rainham.pdf - 1.11 MB (opens in new tab)

About Leigh Academy Rainham

• School type: Free School, ages 11 to 19
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 793 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Leigh Academy Rainham website
• Email address: joinus@latrust.org.uk
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/leigh-academy-rainham

In September 2021, we opened our doors to the 180 founding students of our co educational comprehensive school for 11-18 year olds. Already oversubscribed, our new school is firmly set to be a beacon of excellence for secondary education in Medway. The wellbeing and success of each individual child is at the heart of everything and we are driven by the belief that it is our role to ensure all pupils develop an appreciation of the limitless possibilities ahead of them. Every learner is entitled to an enriching, varied and personalised education; delivered through a broad and balanced curriculum that provides challenge, irrespective of need, starting point or background. It is our ambition that in our highly inclusive setting, all our students will flourish, becoming inquiring, compassionate and culturally aware young adults. We will work together to embed the essential skills, knowledge and attributes needed to be highly successful in achieving their own personal goals, as caring members of our community and as leaders in tomorrow’s world.

Our strong learning community works together and shares the value of collaboration; every member of our academy family works together to achieve success, cultivating a strong sense of belonging. Our belief in human-scale education, delivered through our college model, ensures every one of our students is known and valued. Strong pastoral care is at the heart of our academy and we place great importance on building strong partnerships with parents and carers.

Working in a brand new school is a unique opportunity. A flexible approach with a can-do ethos is required, as is drive, grit and boundless enthusiasm. We will be looking to recruit a staff body that has a multitude of talents to enable us to provide a rich academic and co-curricular offer from the outset and look forward to hearing what additional skills, talents and interests you could bring to a role at the Academy. A sense of humour is also essential!

Arranging a visit to Leigh Academy Rainham

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email joinus@latrust.org.uk.

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