Head of Key Stage 4
The Park Community School, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 9AX19 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2026
Closing date
21 April 2026 at 9am
Date listed
2 April 2026
Job details
Job role
- Head of year or phase
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 4
Working pattern
- Full time: This is a permanent position working 1.0 FTE, 39 weeks per year.
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- Leadership Scale 10-12 - £64,691 - £67,898 FTE
What skills and experience we're looking for
What the school offers its staff
Please see Job Description & Person Specification for more information.
Further information about the job
The Vacancy
Salary: Leadership Scale 10-12- £64,691 - £67,898FTE (This will be paid pro-rata to reflect hours and weeks worked)
Working Pattern: This is a permanent position working 1.0 FTE, 39weeks per year.
About the role
The successful candidate will take a strategic and influential role in driving excellence across Key Stage 4, leading initiatives that further strengthen student attainment, attendance and behaviour. As an Associate Member of the Senior Leadership Team, they will make a significant contribution to our whole-school improvement journey, shaping the future direction of our provision.
They will provide inspiring leadership for Year 10 and Year 11, working closely with Heads of Year and other staff to guide, support and challenge students so they thrive academically, socially and personally. They will play a leading role in maintaining good behaviour and ensuring the most vulnerable students remain included in education. As part of a highly committed and successful Head of Year team, they will help foster a culture where every student feels supported to succeed.
The post holder will be passionate about enabling young people to aspire to be their best, work hard, conduct themselves with integrity, and make the most of every opportunity. As Head of Key Stage 4, they will ensure the delivery of exceptional pastoral and academic support, creating a culture in which all pupils can flourish and achieve their very best.
While applicants from any subject discipline are warmly encouraged, we would particularly welcome candidates who can also contribute to the development of our new Key Stage 3 alternative provision pathway. However, the central focus of this role is the leadership and continual enhancement of Key Stage 4 - cultivating strong behaviour, character and a positive culture.
Key Accountabilities:
1. Student progress: ensure students make exceptional academic and personal progress through their time at Park.
- Oversee, develop and deliver impactful strategies that you and your Head of Year will deliver to support students in engaging more successfully with school and lessons, supporting positive outcomes for the cohort.
- To be accountable for driving and leading a positive culture within the Key Stage. Strategically leading the Heads of Year in ensuring that the Year Groups ethos reflects wider school values and that there are consistent high expectations established for excellent behaviour, kindness and respect. This culture will be embedded through the use of Year Group assemblies, tutor time and additional opportunities and events organised by the Head of Year and Head of Key Stage.
- Heads of Key Stage will be responsible for the quality assurance of tutor time and assemblies and will use data from incidents to support the pastoral programmes in each Key Stage to address concerns and proactively support a positive culture and the personal development of students.
- Heads of Key Stage will ensure that students leave school as well rounded, confident, independent individuals no matter their starting point. The wellbeing, motivation and engagement of students within school will be developed across each Key Stage, including disadvantaged students.
- Take an active role in tracking the outcomes, both pastorally and academically of disadvantaged students and support / develop initiatives to consistently narrow the gap between disadvantaged and the wider cohort, supporting their engagement, attendance and motivation within lessons and wider school activities.
- To be accountable for monitoring the effective administration and completion of processes around suspensions by the Heads of Year. To be accountable for collating evidence for permanent exclusions and creating the exclusion pack in a timely manner for SLT to review.
2. Inclusion (Progress, SEND, Behaviour, Attendance and Safeguarding):
- Strategic Leadership of pastoral / progress review meetings after each data collection. Attended by both Heads of Year, Progress Leaders and appropriate members of SLT. SISRA used to analyse student data to examine those who underachieve and those with low AtL. Additional pastoral monitoring and support of targeted students put in place.
- To be accountable for strategic development of impactful strategies to improve attendance for all groups
- To work ensure the entire Key Stage team communicates and works in partnership with other staff and agencies, in supporting vulnerable students, with both additional SEND or safeguarding needs.
- Oversee, develop and deliver impactful strategies that achieve an attendance for the cohort that is above national average. Work with the Heads of Year to ensure families are both supported and challenged to improve attendance and strategies and interventions are tracked to monitor successes.
Why Join Us?
You will become part of a dedicated team working to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive. We offer:
- A supportive and collaborative working environment
- Opportunities for ongoing training and professional development
- The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to young people’s lives
If you’re enthusiastic about supporting students and would enjoy contributing to a positive and purposeful school environment, we’d love to hear from you.
This role requires an enhanced DBS disclosure.
To apply for this role please submit your application online; your supporting statement should outline your suitability for the post.
The closing date for applications is 9amon 21st April2026, interviews will be held on Tuesday 28th April 2026.
Successful applicants will be subject to an online search.
The Harbour Schools Partnership require all applicants to be eligible to work in the UK with no restrictions, as we are unable to offer sponsorship/work visas. You will be required to provide proof of Right to Work at interview stage.
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
Please complete the online application.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Apply for this jobAdditional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About The Park Community School
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- School size
- 1435 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- The Park Community School website
- Email address
- emma.gilroy@thsp.org.uk
Nestled close to the beautiful North Devon coast and at the edge of Exmoor, The Park Community School is one of two 11-16 comprehensive schools in Barnstaple. Park was opened in 1972 following the re-organisation of selective education in the town; however, the origins of the school date back to 1910, with the site housing both the Boys and Girls grammar schools. Many elements of the original buildings remain and these help to link the school to its proud and strong history.
The school currently educates 1472 students, mainly from the town of Barnstaple and outlying villages. In recent years, the popularity of the school has meant that the geographical catchment has increased, with many students now travelling some distance to join us. Most year groups are currently oversubscribed.
The school is a founding member of The Tarka Learning Partnership (TLP), an academy trust with a vision to empower young people in North Devon through learning. The Trust includes Park’s main feeder primary schools - Eden Park Academy, Sticklepath Community Primary Academy, Landkey Community Primary Academy, Roundswell Community Primary Academy, Newport Community School Primary Academy, Fremington Primary School along with North Molton Primary School. TLP also includes the Devon Primary SCITT, a partner dedicated to primary school teacher training.
TLP supports Park and ensures academic rigour, collaboration and the further development of teaching and learning. Park also has strategic alliances with the North Devon Academic Board, and is a member of South West Institute for Teaching (SWIFT) and the North Devon Teaching School Alliance. This reflects a key focus of our vision and governance to ensure continual school development.
As part of the Tarka Learning Partnership we are a Safe Employer and thorough checks will be carried out as part of our commitment to Safer Recruitment. We do not accept Curriculum Vitae. Any successful candidate would be subject to a fully enhanced DBS check, and would be expected to adhere to our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy as well as other mandatory policies
Arranging a visit to The Park Community School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email emma.gilroy@thsp.org.uk.
School location
Similar jobs nearby
Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed
Find more school jobs in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay