Head of School
The Meadows Primary School, Crewe, Cheshire, CW3 9JX14 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2026
Closing date
15 May 2026 at 9am
Date listed
1 May 2026
Job details
Job role
- Headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Early years, Key stage 1, Key stage 2
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- L2 – L6 - £53,069 - £58,569 – Pay Award Pending
Head of School job summary
At Meadows School, we are seeking an ambitious and values-driven leader ready to take the next step into Headship, or an existing Head of School looking for a new and rewarding challenge.
This is a unique opportunity to lead a vibrant, inclusive primary school where a strong sense of community, high expectations, and a commitment to every child’s success sit at the heart of everything we do. We are proud of our nurturing environment and our clear vision: Our vision is opening doors to the world though the power of learning.
Working alongside a committed and dedicated team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the school, driving standards, and ensuring an exceptional education for all pupils.
We are looking for a dynamic and aspirational leader who:
- Is an experienced senior leader (e.g. Deputy Head, Assistant Head, or equivalent), or an existing Head of School
- Has a strong track record of raising standards and improving outcomes
- Thinks strategically while maintaining a clear focus on effective day-to-day leadership
You will be passionate about primary education and deeply committed to child-centred practice, with excellent interpersonal skills, you will:
- Build positive, trusting relationships across the school community
- Communicate effectively with staff, pupils, and families
If you would like an informal discussion about working for Shaw Education Trust in this role, please contact Neil Warner, Interim Deputy CEO at (contact details can be found on advert attachment).
The Meadows is a nurturing, small school with a strong family ethos that fosters a true sense of belonging, pride in our community and compassion for all within our school family. We are committed to enabling every child to succeed both personally and academically through an innovative, inspiring and inclusive curriculum that develops independent, resilient learners with the confidence to exceed their potential. Carefully designed learning, enriched by a wide range of opportunities, ensures children gain deep, lasting understanding and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.
Guided by our motto, “Learning by caring and sharing,” we are passionate about developing reflective, tolerant and respectful global citizens who value both their own education and the wellbeing of others. We are seeking a hardworking, adaptable and reflective Head of School who shares this vision, demonstrates strong leadership, and values open, positive and effective communication with parents as a vital partnership in our children’s success.
Join Shaw Education Trust – Support, Teach, Lead… Make the Remarkable Happen.
At Shaw Education Trust, we believe every role holds the power to transform a life. Whether you're supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, or leading with vision, you’ll be part of something extraordinary.
We are a dynamic and growing family of Primary, Secondary, and Special Schools, proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury.
Our people are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their growth. Through high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent acceleration, and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled, confident professionals and we champion wellbeing, value every voice, and create a culture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a real difference.
You will join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and professional community fuel success. Every academy in our Trust has an equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital part in shaping tailored learning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.
Our values of opportunity, integrity, collaboration and equity drive our moral purpose. Our vision is “Opening doors to the world though the power of learning”. We do this through our mission which is working together to inspire communities where every school is valued, every voice matters and every learner thrives.
If you have the heart, passion, and drive to help shape lives and create futures filled with promise, we would love you to join our incredible team.
Together, let’s make the remarkable happen.
We believe that every child holds the power to be extraordinary!
That belief drives everything we do across our growing family of Primary schools. United by a passion for excellence, we work collaboratively—drawing on the latest research and bold innovation—to create vibrant, inspiring learning experiences that help every child shine.
Our Trust-wide, evolving 3D Primary Curriculum and forward-thinking Digital Strategy are crafted to spark curiosity, fuel imagination, and immerse children in energetic, meaningful learning. We are building more than just knowledge—we’re nurturing confidence, creativity, and a deep love of learning. Our schools are caring, stimulating places where children feel safe, empowered, and fully prepared for the journey ahead.
We know just how crucial these early years are! Research shows that the quality of primary education has the single greatest impact on a child’s academic growth—and their social and emotional development too, but we also know we are not in this alone. A child’s earliest experiences, shaped by strong partnerships between home, preschool, and school, form the foundation for lifelong success. That’s why we value our families as essential partners in every step of the journey.
We embrace the diversity of our schools and communities, and we support each one to develop bespoke programmes of study that reflect their unique context—programmes that help children explore deeper, think bigger, and dream bolder.
Shaw Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or Support Staff employment:
- An excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers Pension (Teaching Staff)
- Support Staff only based on working full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your first day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’ service including Bank Holidays)
- Access to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to support your well-being.
- Free DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers from hundreds of the biggest brands.
- Free Eye Tests
- Cycle to work scheme
- Access to our Institute of Education and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute and flourish in your role and in the Trust.
We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a rewarding one.
Colleagues within the Trust benefit from: Access to a full range of courses both in-house and professionally accredited. These courses include a variety of the National Professional Qualifications and the Early Carer Teacher Programme delivered by Shaw Education Trust as a delivery partner for Ambition Institute.
- Experienced leadership and subject-specific support.
- Guidance from former HMIs and serving Ofsted Inspectors within the Trust.
- Access to the Trust’s Institute of Education and SCITT.
- Opportunities to work with different schools within the Trust as a Professional Advocate.
- Participating in peer reviews.
- Access to a suite of online courses.
- Placement projects within our family of schools.
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
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About The Meadows Primary School
- School type
- Academy, ages 2 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- School size
- 105 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- The Meadows Primary School website
The Meadows is a small school where our family ethos creates a sense of belonging, pride in our community and a compassion for everyone in our school family. In October 2017, we converted to an academy within The Shaw Education Trust.
There are 3 mixed age classes and a small Reception class of 14 pupils. Our small size enables all our children to know each other and all our staff to know each and every child. Our motto is “Learning by Caring and Sharing”. Our children care for one another, their school environment, their community and the world which we all share.
Our aim is for all of our children to be successful learners, so they are able to grow, develop and mature into successful adults. Whilst we strive for high academic achievement, success at The Meadows is about happiness, making good choices and feeling proud of yourself. To be successful all children and adults have to overcome setbacks and show resilience. We believe that a successful lifelong learner is one who cares for others around them and is able to share resources, ideas and their knowledge with enthusiasm. At The Meadows Primary School, we aim to prepare our pupils to become good citizens of the future. Through our curriculum we teach pupils British values and how to celebrate diversity.
At The Meadows we have a community of which we can be proud. Our dedicated, highly motivated and friendly team of staff, governors and supportive parents care passionately about our school and the children who attend it.
School location
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