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Headteacher

St Werburgh's and St Columba's Catholic Primary School, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 3AD

26 days remaining to apply

Job start date
1 January 2026
Closing date
19 September 2025 at 9am
Date listed
14 July 2025

Job details

Job role: Headteacher
Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage: Key stage 1, Key stage 2
Working pattern: Full time
Contract type: Permanent
Pay scale: L12-L21

What skills and experience we're looking for

St. Werburgh’s and St Columba’s is a happy, vibrant and successful primary school in the outskirts of Chester in the Diocese of Shrewsbury. Rooted in Gospel values, we provide a warm, nurturing environment, with committed staff, supportive Governors, enthusiastic learners and a wide school community. We are committed to developing the whole child academically, spiritually and socially to follow in Jesus’ footsteps to love, learn and laugh.

Our much loved Headteacher is due to retire in December 2025 and Governors are looking to appoint an ambitious, creative and determined leader to continue driving our school forward.

Our school enjoys a strong reputation, with a supportive community that embraces its vision and Catholic ethos. This is an excellent opportunity for a practising Catholic who is dynamic, forward-thinking, and able to collaborate effectively with staff, pupils, senior leaders, and governors to help lead our school.

We are seeking a Headteacher who:

Is a committed and practising Catholic with a strong personal faith.
Will be a visionary leader, capable of building upon our existing strengths while driving forward further improvement.
Strong strategic vision and excellent communication skills
Has the ambition, creativity and determination to ensure every child receives the best education.
Will inspire and support staff, value collaboration and maintain strong partnerships with parents, the parish and wider community.

What the school offers its staff

- Consistently strong and above average SATS outcomes

- RE inspection April 2025

- OFSTED inspection July 2024

- Eco school with Distinction

- Arts mark Gold

- Gold school games award

We are very proud of our most recent inspection (July 2024) where inspectors made the following judgements:

- Pupils relish being part of the happy school community. They do their best to live up to the school motto and ‘love, learn, laugh’ as much as possible.

- Pupils enjoy welcoming new friends into their school. Pupils build exceptionally strong relationships with each other and with staff.

- Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils play well together, making sure that everyone is included.

- Pupils are curious and committed learners. They have a thirst for knowledge. There is an industrious atmosphere in school. As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve highly across the curriculum.

There is a lot of information about our school within this application pack and on our school website: https://www.lovelearnlaugh.org.uk/

Visits to our school are most welcome and can be booked by appointment with Mrs Sarah Farrell our School Business Manager admin@lovelearnlaugh.org.uk

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.

Completed application forms should be returned via email to Julie.English@dioceseofshrewsbury.org no later than 9am on September 19th 2025.

Interviews will be held on the 25th & 26th September 2025

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.