Headteacher

Embsay Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6RH

21 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2025 or January 2026

• Closing date

  15 June 2025 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  23 May 2025

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
• Pay scale: L12 - L16 £65,286 - £72,162

What skills and experience we're looking for

Our Opportunity:

Are you an inspiring and compassionate leader ready to make a lasting impact?

The Headship of a village Church school is a truly unique opportunity. At Embsay Church of England Primary School, you’ll join a close-knit, caring community where you can build meaningful relationships with every child and family. We are seeking a Headteacher who combines warmth and adaptability with strategic thinking and ambition. Our new leader will not only nurture our strong ethos and high standards but also help us “future-proof” the school—developing both our buildings and our pupil numbers to ensure long-term sustainability. This role calls for a skilled professional who can balance the budget, manage and inspire staff, lead on safeguarding as DSL, analyse data to drive improvement, and maintain strong relationships with our supportive community. You will also take the lead in specific areas of school development and be the visible, trusted face of the school.

About You:

You are a confident and compassionate leader, ready to take on the unique challenge of leading a village school with a rich heritage and a forward-facing vision. You understand the importance of gaining buy-in from the local community while navigating the weight of historic expectations. With rising SEND needs and financial pressures, you bring a sharp eye for balancing budgets, deploying staffing effectively, and ensuring that every child receives the support they need to thrive. You will bring a clear and strategic approach to school improvement, with a strong grasp of curriculum leadership, financial planning, and stakeholder communication. You will not only be the face of the school but also its driving force—someone who can inspire, unite, and lead through change.

To succeed in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Confidence – to make informed, decisive choices and lead with assurance.
• Public Relations skills – to shape and maintain a positive reputation while fostering strong relationships with parents, governors, and the wider community.
• Strategic thinking – to develop and execute long-term plans that align with the school’s goals and sustainability.
• Strong communication – to articulate ideas clearly, navigate difficult conversations, and inspire trust and collaboration.
• Change management – to lead the school through necessary transformation with clarity and care.
• Adaptability and resilience – to respond effectively to shifting demands and unforeseen challenges.
• People-centred leadership – to mentor staff, build strong teams, and cultivate a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Pedagogical awareness – to understand and support high-quality teaching and learning across the school.
• Business acumen – to manage resources ethically and accountably.
• Innovation mindset – to drive creativity, progress, and continuous improvement.
• Wellbeing advocacy – to champion the mental health and wellbeing of staff and pupils alike.

What the school offers its staff

• A primary school in a picturesque setting with a dedicated and hardworking team.
• Happy and friendly children who respect each other and have a thirst for learning.
• A culture which allows all staff to thrive and develop.
• An opportunity to see the huge potential that exists and the time to make Embsay Primary School a beacon of excellence in primary education.
• Significant levels of support from the Local Authority, Diocese, Governing Board and a staff team who are experienced, committed and passionate about our school.
• A Governing Body committed to providing support on all matters including more sensitive or difficult issues and including the wellbeing of all staff members.
• The school is part of a Cluster where the Headteachers meet regularly. This provides a support network for sharing ideas and best practice.

Further details about the role

Microsite & Queries

We encourage you to visit our microsite for further information and to view the job description and person specification.ty.

Visits

We strongly recommend that you visit us so we can share with you why we are so proud of our school, and you will have the opportunity to see what we have to offer. We will be holding open an open afternoon and evening separately on 9th June 2025 between 1pm and 6pm. If you would like the opportunity to visit, please emailAshley Benfordto book your space

Key dates

Application closing date:15th June 2025

Shortlisting:18th June 2025

Interviews:23rd and 24th June 2025

When applying please take into account the following supporting documents:

Person Specification

Job Description

Application guidance, including policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offendersThe supporting information section of your application should clearly evidence your ability to meet the requirements we have outlined in the person specification. This will be used to shortlist applicants for this role and therefore it is imperative that you provide evidence as requested.

References

When completing your application, please provide two employment referees.

North Yorkshire Council (NYC) advertise vacancies and process applications on behalf of schools and external organisations (third parties) in North Yorkshire. NYC are not responsible for the recruitment/employment practices of third parties and accept no liability in relation to the vacancy and any subsequent recruitment/employment processes.

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 are not accepted.

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.

About Embsay Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

• School type: Local authority maintained school, Church of England, ages 4 to 11
• Education phase: Primary
• School size: 198 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Embsay Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School website
• Email address: ashley.benford@northyorks.gov.uk
• Phone number: 07814 932 389
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/embsay-church-of-england-voluntary-controlled-primary-school

Arranging a visit to Embsay Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email ashley.benford@northyorks.gov.uk.

School location

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