Head Of School
Grandpont Nursery School, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 4QH100 days remaining to apply
Start date details
Job Start Date: January 2027(applications for alternative starting dates will be considered)
Closing date
2 October 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
24 June 2026
Job details
Job role
- Headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- between £58,569 to £64,691
Pay scale
- L6-10
What skills and experience we're looking for
The successful applicant will:
• Be an excellent teacher, with strengths in working with children across the full early years age range, and who is able to lead and inspire our children and staff
• Be an ambitious leader, who will continue to develop our school on the next stage of its journey
• Bring experience of and passion about working in a diverse community • Have a strong, clear vision of the importance of high-quality nursery education
• Be dedicated to the progress and well-being of all children We can offer the appointee:
• The exciting opportunity to lead a vibrant, friendly and effective school committed to growing and to making a lasting difference to children and families • A well-resourced and stimulating learning environment
• A dedicated and hard-working staff team
• Coaching and mentoring from an experienced executive headteacher and support from a wider team of highly-experienced senior leaders
• A beautiful working environment, in an easily accessible location with excellent transport links
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression Working closely with the federation executive headteacher and governors, you will be responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day running of the nursery school.
You will have proven experience of senior leadership or headship and be looking for the next step in your career.
Visits are encouraged, by prior arrangement. Please contact Rachel Duncalfe, Grandpont Business Manager, by phone (01865) or email rachel.duncalfe@grandpontnurseryschool.co.uk to arrange a visit or if you would like to arrange an informal conversation about this post.
To apply, please email rachel.duncalfe@grandpontnurseryschool.co.uk for an application form.
Completed application forms must be emailed to rachel.duncalfe@grandpontnurseryschool.co.uk by noon on 2nd October 2026. Interviews will be held on 13th October 2026.
What the school offers its staff
Do you want to lead a vibrant, forward thinking and diverse nursery school that places children, learning and the community at the heart of everything it does?
The governors of Grandpont Nursery School are looking for an ambitious, creative and dedicated professional to join us as head of school. This role includes some teaching responsibilities. Grandpont Nursery School and Day Nursery School nestled next to the Grandpont nature reserve, is a highly successful and vibrant early years setting, and is located in beautiful purpose built modern accommodation and has an extensive outside area. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for an aspiring leader to take their first step into headship within a supportive and collaborative environment.
This is a unique opportunity to be part of a nursery school that provides a high-quality start in life,
taking children from the age of 10 months up to 5 years old, through a curriculum grounded in the
school values of Nurture, Respect and Love. Our vision for our Nursery School is: Through careful
consideration and gentle interactions, we work to ensure that through love, respect and
responsive caregiving, our children and our families feel nurtured and together we all thrive.
Through an environment rich in nurturing interactions, carefully planned experiences and
resources, we offer our children and families the opportunity to reach their potential.
We use the ethos of nurturing care to ensure that we support our whole community to be and feel
the best that they can be.
Our nursery school is a vital part of the community. We have a rich variety of different cultures in
our school. We are proud to offer a safe, welcoming space for families, where children thrive and
parents feel supported. In addition to our educational provision, we host a community food hub
and a popular stay and play group, helping to meet the wider needs of local families.
The successful candidate will benefit from the support and mentoring of an experienced executive
headteacher, making this an ideal opportunity for someone stepping into headship for the first
time or wishing to develop their headship career.
The purpose-built Nursery school is spacious with windows at a level perfect for the children to
enjoy the outside on the inside. There is space for children to investigate, explore, and create
alongside spaces to be quiet, reflect and regulate.
All classrooms and the day nursery have direct access to specially designed outdoor learning
environments that provide opportunity for discovery and enriching experiences in the natural world
around us. We prioritize outdoor learning and have a dedicated forest school on site.
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
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 Grandpont Nursery School
- School type
- Local authority maintained school, ages 2 to 4
- Education phase
- Nursery
- School size
- 44 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 2 to 4
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Grandpont Nursery School website
- Email address
- rachel.duncalfe@grandpontnurseryschool.co.uk
- Phone number
- 01865 242900
Grandpont Nursery School & Childcare is a well-established nursery in Oxford that provides care and early years education for children from around 10 months to 5 years old. Located on Whitehouse Road beside the Grandpont Nature Reserve, it offers a nurturing, play-based learning environment with extensive outdoor facilities, including forest-school-style learning opportunities. Following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, the nursery focuses on children's wellbeing, inclusion, and individual development, helping them build social, emotional, and educational skills in a supportive setting.
Arranging a visit to Grandpont Nursery School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email rachel.duncalfe@grandpontnurseryschool.co.uk.
School location
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