Head Teacher
Harper Bell Seventh-day Adventist School, Birmingham, West Midlands, B12 0EJThis job expired on 20 October 2025 – see similar jobs
Start date details
January 2026
Closing date
20 October 2025 at 10am
Date listed
3 October 2025
Job details
Job role
- Headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £73,105.00 - £84,699.00 Annually (FTE) Salary: L15 – L21 (point dependent on experience)
Head Teacher job summary
🌟Join Us at Harper Bell Seventh-day Adventist School 🌟
Harper Bell is a small, diverse, one-form-entry voluntary-aided primary school in the heart of Birmingham, serving a warm and vibrant community. Rooted in our inclusive ethos and strong spiritual foundation, we are proud of the close-knit relationships that make our school truly special.
We are at a defining moment in our journey — with renewed energy and determination to raise standards, strengthen leadership, and deliver the very best outcomes for all children. This is a rare and exciting opportunity for a visionary, resilient, and inspirational leader to shape the future of our school and leave a lasting legacy.
The Governing Board is seeking a Headteacher with the passion, drive, and expertise to lead transformative change and bring long-term success to our pupils, staff, and community.
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✨ The Difference You Will Make
As our new Headteacher, you will:
Provide bold, decisive, and visionary leadership that builds on recent progress and accelerates improvement.
Lead with moral purpose and resilience, guiding our school with clarity and strength through this important period of growth.
Respond rapidly and effectively to the priorities highlighted in our most recent Ofsted report, ensuring focused action planning, strong staff development, and rigorous monitoring.
Embed a rich, ambitious, and balanced curriculum that raises achievement and meets the needs of every child.
Inspire and empower staff to deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality.
Create a culture of excellence — motivating, supporting, and holding staff accountable so that every pupil thrives.
Be a visible, approachable leader who builds trust with pupils, staff, families, and the wider community.
Forge strong partnerships with parents, governors, the local authority, and our faith community, including the wider Seventh-day Adventist education network.
Celebrate and promote our Christian values and the principles of Adventist education (educating the whole person), ensuring they remain central to school life.
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🌱 About You
To flourish in this role, you will:
Bring recent, proven experience of primary school leadership, ideally in a context where significant improvement was required or achieved.
Have the confidence and expertise to drive whole-school improvement, with a clear grasp of the current Ofsted framework and the processes of self-evaluation.
Possess exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills — inspiring others while providing challenge and support.
Be a strategic leader, capable of managing budgets, driving staff performance, and leading change with clarity and confidence.
Be deeply committed to inclusion and dedicated to achieving the very highest standards for every child, regardless of background.
Be willing to promote the ethos and values of the school.
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✨What We Offer
A pivotal leadership opportunity: the chance to lead a school through its next stage of recovery and transformation, with real scope to shape culture, curriculum, and strategy.
Support for your growth: access to mentoring and professional development through the BUC Education Department, local authority partners, and national SDA education networks.
A values-driven community: children, staff, and families united by strong Christian values of love, service, and aspiration.
Wellbeing and flexibility: We recognise the importance of work-life balance and are willing to consider flexible working arrangements, where possible, to support staff wellbeing.
Strong governance and partnerships: a committed Governing Board and wider church and community support to help you succeed in post.
A unique context: Harper Bell is the only Seventh-day Adventist voluntary-aided school in the UK, giving you the opportunity to lead a distinctive, faith-based school with national significance.
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✨✨This is not just a headship — it is an opportunity to transform lives, strengthen a community, and build a future. If you are ambitious, courageous, and ready to make a lasting difference, we would love to hear from you.✨✨
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Visits and Applications
We warmly encourage prospective candidates to visit the school. Visits must be arranged in advance with the Office Manager, Dorcas Dawati, via phone on 0121 693 7742.
School Visit Dates: Tuesday 7 October; Tuesday 14 October
Application Pack: Available via our website: https://www.harperbellsdaschool.co.uk/job-vacancies or by emailing: info@hbsda.bham.sch.uk
Closing Date: Monday 20 October 2025 at 9:00am Interviews: Thursday 23 October 2025
Please note we do not accept CVs.---
Safeguarding and Additional Information
Harper Bell Seventh-day Adventist School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safer recruitment practices; the successful candidate will be subject to enhanced DBS clearance and all necessary pre-employment checks. If any safeguarding concerns are identified, we reserve the right to withdraw your application.
A copy of the school’s Safeguarding Policy, including Child Protection Policy can be found on our website: https://www.harperbellsdaschool.co.uk/key-information/policies
As part of our due diligence of all shortlisted candidates, and in line with KCSIE (Keeping children Safe in Education) and safer recruitment, we will:
complete online searches. If anything is identified as part of these checks, they will be discussed with you at interview.
require all applicants to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the UK with no restrictions, as we are unable to offer sponsorship/work visas.
ask for verification of your qualifications.
References will be requested prior to interview. At least one reference must be from your current or most recent employer.
The appointment will also be subject to satisfactory medical clearance (confidential health questionnaire). In line with governing body policy, the role may also be subject to a probationary period.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. The post is not part of Birmingham City Council employment, and successful applicants will be directly employed by the school’s governing body.
Equal Opportunities Harper Bell Seventh-day Adventist School is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. Appointment will be made on merit, and we are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in line with our Christian ethos.
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.
About Harper Bell Seventh-day Adventist School
- Organisation type
- Local authority maintained school, Seventh Day Adventist, ages 4 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- Size
- 138 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
Join the Harper Bell SDA Primary School Team – Where Passion Meets Purpose
Harper Bell SDA Primary School, located in Birmingham, is more than just a place of learning—it's a vibrant, inclusive community dedicated to nurturing the minds and hearts of the next generation. Rooted in Christian values and a strong ethos of inclusivity, the school welcomes staff and pupils from all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and the unique value of every individual.
Why Work With Us?
Inspiring Mission: Make a meaningful impact by fostering children's intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth in a nurturing environment.
Supportive Culture: Collaborate with passionate educators who are committed to excellence and student success.
Professional Development: Access ongoing training and career advancement opportunities to help you grow and thrive.
Wellbeing Focus: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance in a school that prioritises staff wellbeing.
Competitive Package: Benefit from a competitive salary and attractive benefits.
Inclusive Environment: We are proud of our inclusive ethos—everyone is welcome, regardless of race, religion, gender, or background.
If you're passionate about education and want to be part of a school that values both excellence and compassion, Harper Bell SDA Primary School could be the perfect fit for your next career move.
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