Headteacher

Co-op Academy Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 7HD

22 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  1st April 2026 or earlier

• Closing date

  25 November 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  3 November 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: 111,990 - £132,943

Headteacher job summary

Headteacher – Co-op Academy Leeds  

An exciting opportunity for an accomplished and ambitious school leader to build on strong foundations, raise achievement and shape the next chapter of Co-op Academy Leeds.

Co-op Academies Trust is seeking to appoint an outstanding Headteacher to lead Co-op Academy Leeds through an important and ambitious next phase of its development.

We are looking for an experienced, inspirational and highly effective educational leader with the professional credibility, strategic expertise and proven record of school improvement to secure consistently high standards and exceptional opportunities for every young person.

Our next Headteacher will bring the credibility, strategic insight and operational expertise required to lead a large and diverse secondary academy. They will combine ambition and high expectations with sound professional judgement, resilience and the ability to inspire confidence among students, colleagues, families and the wider community.

This is a rewarding and demanding leadership opportunity. We are seeking someone who brings the experience, determination and sound professional judgement to translate ambitious expectations into sustained, measurable improvement, while inspiring colleagues and the wider academy community to share in that success.

Why Co-op Academy Leeds?

Co-op Academy Leeds is a school with a strong sense of community, considerable potential and a clear ambition to achieve more.

Our students and families represent a rich diversity of cultures, languages and experiences. This diversity is one of the academy's greatest strengths and creates a distinctive, stimulating and rewarding environment in which to lead.

We are proud of the commitment of our staff, our inclusive ethos and the positive relationships developed with families and community partners. These provide an important platform for the academy's continued development.

We also recognise the challenges associated with educational disadvantage and the importance of strong, consistent leadership in ensuring that every student can succeed.

Our next Headteacher will have the opportunity to make a substantial and lasting difference: building on what is already working well, addressing areas requiring further improvement and establishing the consistently high standards of education, achievement, attendance and behaviour that our students deserve.

This will require a leader who understands the realities of leading a diverse secondary school, can identify and deliver the priorities that matter most, and has the confidence, experience and determination to secure improvement at pace without losing sight of the people and community at the heart of the academy.

Importantly, you will be supported in this work.

As part of Co-op Academies Trust, you will benefit from the expertise, resources, professional collaboration and constructive challenge of a wider family of schools. You will work closely with experienced Trust and regional leaders, drawing on specialist support in school improvement, curriculum, inclusion, safeguarding and operational leadership.

You will have the opportunity to lead with purpose and ambition, supported by a Trust that shares your commitment to high standards, inclusion and improving young people's life chances.

The leader we are looking for

We are seeking a highly accomplished educational leader who combines a demonstrable record of whole-school improvement with the strategic capability, operational expertise and personal qualities needed to lead a demanding and ambitious secondary academy.

You will bring:

A strong and demonstrable record of improving educational outcomes, with evidence of delivering measurable improvements in standards, teaching and learning, school culture and student achievement.

Substantial senior leadership experience, with significant responsibility for whole-school strategy, improvement, performance and accountability, ideally within a diverse or challenging secondary school context.

A clear understanding of what drives successful school improvement, including the ability to establish priorities, implement effective systems and secure consistent, sustainable practice.

High expectations and proven expertise in raising standards, particularly in relation to achievement, attendance, behaviour, curriculum quality and the quality of education.

A deep understanding of educational disadvantage and inclusion, with the experience and determination to remove barriers to achievement and improve outcomes for all students.

The confidence, resilience and professional judgement to lead effectively, make difficult decisions when necessary and maintain a relentless focus on the priorities that will make the greatest difference.

The ability to build, develop and hold to account effective leadership teams, creating a culture of professional trust, shared ambition, strong performance and collective responsibility.

A commitment to visible, values-led leadership, building strong relationships with students, staff, families and the wider community while maintaining consistently high expectations.

Above all, we are interested in the impact you have made as a leader: the improvements you have secured, the challenges you have successfully addressed, the people you have developed and your ability to demonstrate how your leadership has made a lasting difference.

A leader who combines ambition with purpose

We want a Headteacher who believes passionately that educational disadvantage must never determine a young person's opportunities or achievements.

You will be a visible, credible and inspiring presence, combining warmth, empathy and cultural understanding with clarity, determination and an unwavering commitment to high standards.

You will know how to bring people with you, develop leadership capacity and create a positive, purposeful culture in which students flourish and colleagues are supported, challenged and empowered to deliver their best.

Our Co-op values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity, together with our four Ways of Being Co-op, will underpin your leadership and the academy's continued development.

You will understand that the most successful schools combine genuine care and inclusion with high expectations, strong accountability and an unshakeable belief in what young people can achieve.

An opportunity to lead meaningful and lasting change

This is an important appointment for Co-op Academy Leeds and an exciting opportunity for a leader ready to make a significant impact.

You will inherit a school with committed staff, a Good Ofsted judgement, strong community connections and the backing of an established multi-academy trust. You will also inherit a clear and ambitious improvement agenda, with the opportunity to shape the academy's future and secure stronger outcomes for its students.

We particularly welcome applications from successful Headteachers and exceptionally accomplished senior leaders who can demonstrate substantial whole-school leadership experience and a proven record of securing improvement in demanding educational settings.

Whether you are an established Headteacher seeking a new challenge or a highly experienced senior leader who has already demonstrated the capability to lead at whole-school level, we will be interested in the strength of your experience, the impact of your leadership and your readiness to deliver our ambitions for Co-op Academy Leeds.

If you are an ambitious, values-driven leader with the expertise, determination and commitment to take a good school forward and make an exceptional difference to the young people and community it serves, we would be delighted to hear from you.

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

Co-op Academies Trust as an aware employer is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults as its number one priority. This commitment to robust recruitment, selection and induction procedures extends to organisations and services linked to the Trust on its behalf. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. We value variety and individual differences, and aim to create a culture, environment and practices at all levels which encompass acceptance, respect and inclusion. All our colleagues are expected to demonstrate a commitment to Co-operative values and principles.

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.

About Co-op Academy Leeds

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 974 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Co-op Academy Leeds website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/co-op-academy-leeds

Co-op Academy Leeds is a ‘Good’ school (Ofsted, Nov 2022) and on the back of our recent successes we’re fully committed to getting even better.

Here at Co-op Academy Leeds, we aim to ensure everyone has the opportunity to flourish, both academically and socially. We expect students and staff to have the courage to aim high, the commitment to persevere – even when the going gets tough – and the mindset which will allow them to grow.

Teaching and learning sit right at the heart of everything we do – nothing else matters if the learning culture is not good enough. We focus relentlessly on ensuring staff receive regular, relevant and useful professional development, much of which is provided and delivered by our in-house Teaching & Learning Team. Anyone who joins us is expected to contribute to this sharing culture.

We have high expectations – and unstinting moral values. As an integral part of Co-op Academies Trust, we espouse the core Co-op values (Self-help, Self-responsibility, Solidarity, Democracy, Equity and Equality) and have adopted the 4 Ways of Being Co-op: Be yourself, always; Do what matters most; Show you care; Succeed together.

We also enjoy the significant support of the Trust and the Sponsor, which brings with it a range of opportunities and benefits, alongside a less “formal” package of colleagues working together to look after their well-being and forge stronger relationships.

We really are all about providing the best we can for everyone – making sure our students leave here and move on to better things, whatever their starting points and backgrounds.

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