Headteacher
Duncombe Primary School, London, N19 4JA20 days remaining to apply
Start date details
January 2027
Closing date
27 September 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
7 September 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: Full time 32 hrs per week, Monday to Friday
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- Salary range L18 to L23 (£91, 594 - £102,193 pa)
What skills and experience we're looking for
To lead and manage the school within an agreed strategicframework, so that it is effective, self-managing, self-evaluatingand self-improving, with high achieving pupils and staff.
To provide a strong educational vision, and to lead and co-ordinate staff to deliver the School Improvement Plan in fullconsultation with the governing body.
To be accountable to the governing body and to IslingtonCouncil for the overall performance of the school and itsday to day operation.
To provide governors with the information and analysis theyneed to hold the school to account, presented honestly and ingood time.
To act as, or to line manage, the Designated SafeguardingLead, and to maintain a safer culture throughout the school.
To protect children from abuse and maltreatment, prevent harmto their health or development, ensure they receive safe andeffective care, and act so that every child has the bestpossible outcome.
To apply effective child protection strategies and procedures, andto work with relevant agencies to protect children.
To ensure recruitment, selection, induction and trainingare conducted throughout with a safeguarding focus, inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education.
To develop, with the governing body and other stakeholders,an agreed strategic plan and vision with short, medium andlong term targets, grounded in realistic financial and resourceplanning.
To lead the consolidation of the school following the 2024merger, building a single culture and a single set ofexpectations.
To manage complexity and competing demands, and tomake decisions in a considered and consistent way.
To show openness, ambition and optimism for children, and tomake that visible every day.
To implement and develop the whole curriculum agreedwith the governing body.
To sustain a broad, cross-curricular approach that is childcentered and gives access to real experiences, including thearts, science and outdoor learning that Duncombe is knownfor.
To develop, monitor, evaluate and improve the quality ofteaching for all pupils.
To raise achievement and to set challenging, motivatingtargets for individual pupils and for the school.
To provide strategic leadership and a continuouscommitment to the inclusion of every child, in a school where25% of pupils have a special educational need and9% hold an Education, Health and Care Plan.
To ensure the entitlement of all pupils to equal opportunityand access to every part of the curriculum.
To ensure that provision for pupils with SEND is wellresourced, well understood by staff and reviewed rigorously forimpact.
To promote equality of opportunity in the appointmentand promotion of all staff.
To be responsible for the leadership and management of allschool staff.
To ensure staff understand the mission, values and ethosof the school, its current aims and their own part inachieving them.
To develop, support and encourage staff to achieve thehighest professional standards, while holding them toaccount through effective performance management.
To maintain open and effective professional dialogue atevery level, raising morale and protecting staff well being andworkload.
To recruit, retain, reward and motivate staff, with retentiontreated as a strategic priority rather than an administrative one.
To be responsible for financial management, including theintegration of financial, strategic and curriculum planning, themaintenance of secure procedures and systems, andadherence to all financial regulations of the council.
To protect the wider curriculum offer through carefulfinancial planning rather than allowing it to become the firstcasualty of a tight budget.
To develop and oversee a plan for the effective andimaginative use of the school site and buildings, and to leadon improvements.
To establish and maintain professional and productiverelationships with the governing body, staff, pupils, parentsand carers, other schools, the local authority, businesses andcommunity groups.
To communicate the expectations and boundaries of theschool clearly, kindly and consistently, and to hold to them.
To build a school culture and curriculum that reflects therichness and diversity of our communities, and tounderstand the cultural differences within them.
To create and promote positive strategies for challengingracial and other prejudice, and for dealing with harassment.
To ensure learning experiences are linked into andintegrated with the wider community, and to raise the profileof the school locally.
To sustain a positive ethos in which individuals feelvalued and personal endeavor and responsibility areencouraged.
To develop high morale, confidence and professional pride,and to set an example of professional standards andleadership.
To promote a suitable system of pastoral care for pupilsand staff, including liaison with families and outsideagencies.
To maintain good behaviour, supported by policies andpractices that promote self discipline and responsibleattitudes.
To promote and sustain a school environment that is safe,secure and conducive to learning.
Qualified Teacher Status, with evidence of appropriatesubsequent training and professional development.
National Professional Qualification for Headship, or acommitment to complete it.
Substantial leadership experience in a senior post in aprimary school.
A proven track record of raising academic standards,ideally in a school with a comparable level ofdisadvantage or special educational need.
A current understanding of national policy, curriculumdevelopment and the statutory framework within which maintainedschool operates.
Knowledge of what makes an effective school, and of thestrategies that can be deployed for school improvement.
Knowledge of what constitutes good teaching, and how toimprove the quality of teaching and learning.
A sound working knowledge of SEND provision, the EHCPprocess and inclusive practice.
An understanding of the impact of disadvantage onchildren and families, and of what schools can and cannotdo about it.
Strategic planning, and the ability to articulate a vision anddirection that other people want to follow.
The ability to develop people and hold them to accountthrough both informal and formal processes, in the interestsof the children.
Management skills in respect of performance data,finance, resources and people, including delegation,monitoring and evaluation.
Highly skilled listening and communication, with the ability tocreate confidence in children, parents, staff, council officers andgovernors alike.
The ability to build partnerships and networks that producetangible benefits for the school.
The ability to develop strategies for, and to lead, aculturally and socially diverse school population.
Resilience, tenacity and steadiness under pressure,with the judgement to think things through rather thanreact.
Emotional intelligence and empathy, combined with aclear willingness to lead.
Clear personal values, and the confidence to state themand be consistent about them.
Cultural sensitivity, and genuine curiosity about thecommunities we serve.
The ability to communicate boundaries and expectations withboth kindness and firmness.
Warmth, optimism and the ability to spread it.
A commitment to equality of opportunity, diversity,safeguarding and social inclusion.
Approach ability, and a visible presence in the daily life of the school.
What the school offers its staff
A staff team that has already proved what it can do
A governing body that knows what it wants and will support you to do it
Children whose personal development Ofsted rated Outstanding
Arts, science and environmental work recognised nationally
A school with real room to grow, and a community worth growing it for
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
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Duncombe Primary School
- Organisation type
- Local authority maintained school, ages 2 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- Size
- 378 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Email address
- louisedunn@duncombeprimary.co.uk
- Phone number
- 0207 272 5620
Do you genuinely want to make a difference every day? Do you believe in the transformational effect of an excellent education on children and young people?
Are you a passionate practitioner with a genuine commitment to inclusive and innovative education to raise standards for all? If so we’d love to hear from you.
Duncombe Primary School is a thriving and high performing school in Islington. We are looking to recruit two committed teachers to join our experienced, forward looking and supportive team. At the heart of our achievement is the belief that every child can flourish in a calm, structured and stimulating environment. As a result, pupil behaviour is exemplary and outcomes are high. Teachers are free to teach and experience real success in the classroom.
We have wonderful children and dedicated staff that go that extra mile every day.
Arranging a visit to Duncombe Primary School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email louisedunn@duncombeprimary.co.uk.
School location
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