Head of Year and Learning Mentor

Walthamstow School for Girls, London, E17 9RZ

23 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  As soon as possible

• Closing date

  24 February 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  30 January 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time: 36 hours per week , working 45.46 weeks per year (term time only)
• Contract type: Fixed term - Starting as soon as possible for up to one year - Maternity or parental leave cover
• Full-time equivalent salary: £38,256.00-£42,060.00 Acutal salary £33,354.77-£36,671.41

What skills and experience we're looking for

Head of Year and Learning Mentor (maternity post)

Salary Range: SO1- SO2

36 hours per week, 45.46 weeks per year

To start as soon as possible

• Do you feel passionate about working with young people to overcome barriers to learning and wellbeing, so that you ‘bring out the gift’ in each one, enabling them to belong and succeed?
• Are you a self-starter who is highly organised and keen to develop yourself in an inclusive school with both high standards and high levels of support?
• Do you have the skills and experience to take on a demanding role, knowing that you will enjoy the challenge and grow as a result?
• Would you like the opportunity to develop your leadership skills as part of an experienced and supportive team?

We are looking for a proactive and highly motivated Head of Year and Learning Mentor to lead and manage a year team. You must be passionate about supporting students and their families, working with them to create a sense of belonging and to instil our school values of Courage, Compassion, Aspiration and Integrity. You will have practical experience of safeguarding, child protection procedures and working with outside agencies.

As Head of Year, you must be able to lead a team of form tutors with both confidence and a clear, strategic vision. You will have a strong understanding of what inclusive pastoral care looks like and will be able to lead others in the consistent application of positive behaviour for learning strategies.

If you are excited by this unique opportunity and think you have the qualities we ae looking for, we would be delighted to hear from you.

This is a temporary post to cover a period of maternity leave, to start as soon as possible until the return of the substantive postholder.

What the school offers its staff

Walthamstow School for Girls is a wonderful place to work, learn, teach and lead. We are passionate about education being a vehicle for promoting equality for all and our mission is to empower young women to become leaders of the future. We are a truly comprehensive school, proud of our diversity and committed to social justice. Although we are an Outstanding School (Ofsted, December 2024), achieve exceptional outcomes and have consistently been in the top 10% of schools nationally for progress and attainment, our focus is on developing exceptional young women, not just on academic achievement.

• One of the lowest teaching time contact ratios in London, demonstrating that we have chosen to invest in our staff

• An understanding that work-life balance is important, including a commitment to staff wellbeing in our School Improvement Plan

• Structured and regular CPD sessions

• In addition to making allowances for staff to have cover for family events, we are piloting a whole school approach to flexible working which will be rolled out across the school in2025

• Home and Family weeks: termly non-meeting weeks throughout the year to support with reduced workload and staff wellbeing

• Beautiful school grounds, including staff terrace (in summer!)

• The possibility of flexible working contracts (37% of our staff are part-time)

• Regular wellbeing surveys and meetings; member of SLT with responsibility for staff wellbeing

• Employee Assistance: free 24-hour confidential counselling, help and information service

• Staff organised activities including a running club, yoga and Boxfit exercise sessions

• Cycle 2 work scheme

• Staff working in schools in Waltham Forest, regularly using computers, are eligible to apply for reimbursement towards some of the costs associated with eye tests and glasses

• Free on-site parking

• Free tea and coffee in the staff room

• Staff benefit from preferential admission criteria for their daughters

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.

Commitment to safeguarding

Walthamstow School for Girls is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS Disclosure.

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.

Applicant Pack April 2025.pdf - 746 KB (opens in new tab)

Non teaching HOY JD PS January 2026.docx - 99 KB (opens in new tab)

About Walthamstow School for Girls

• School type: Local authority maintained school, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 890 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Walthamstow School for Girls website
• Email address: m.madhani@wsfg.waltham.sch.uk
• Phone number: 02085099447
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/walthamstow-school-for-girls

Walthamstow School for Girls is a mainstream, non-denominational secondary school for girls aged 11-16. It is situated in Walthamstow, East London, and it has 900 pupils on its roll.

Walthamstow School for Girls' motto is “Neglect not the gift that is thee”. The secondary school has an exceptional track record of academic excellence, which is achieved through high expectations, inspirational teaching and learning experiences.

The school offers strong pastoral support, plus regular monitoring, target setting and dialogue with students and parents/carers. It is consistently among the top-performing non-selective schools in the country and the pupils take great pride in their school.

Walthamstow School for Girls is a wonderful place to work, learn, teach and lead. We are passionate about education being a vehicle for promoting equality for all and our mission is to empower young women to become leaders of the future. We are a truly comprehensive school, proud of our diversity and committed to social justice.

School location

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