Principal

Nightingale Community Academy, London, SW17 7DF

19 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  11 February 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  22 January 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Key stage: Early years, Key stage 1, Key stage 2, Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: Inner London Leadership Pay Scale L30 – L35 (£115,380.00 - £129,139.00)

What skills and experience we're looking for

We are looking for an exceptional Principal who will inspire and lead a passionate team, nurture a culture of care and ambition, and ensure every young person has the support and opportunities they need to thrive. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting difference and lead a community committed to transforming lives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and Inspire: Drive the school’s vision and culture, providing strategic leadership, managing resources effectively, and ensuring a safe, ambitious, and supportive environment for all.

• Champion Student Success: Ensure every young person receives high-quality education, personalised support, and access to multi-agency services to help them thrive.

• Develop Staff Excellence: Inspire and develop staff through appraisal, professional development, and targeted training, building a strong, motivated, and skilled team.

• Engage the Community: Foster meaningful partnerships with families, governors, local authorities, and the wider community, promoting inclusion, collaboration, and shared success.

• Ensure Compliance and Accountability: Oversee safeguarding, SEND, health and safety, and statutory responsibilities, representing the school with integrity and maintaining the highest standards of governance.

Key Requirements:

• Qualified to degree level and above

• Qualified to teach in the UK

• Recent and relevant professional development

• Experience of effective and impactful leadership in an educational setting

• Excellent understanding of current developments and best practice in teaching and learning, particularly as it relates to achieving high rates of progress for SEN students

What the school offers its staff

OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:

Rewards & Benefits:

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.

• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.

• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)

• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme

• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)

• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

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

Nightingale Community Academy and Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Applying for the job

Apply for the job by following the link below.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Upload additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

Nightingale Academy Recruitment Pack 2026.pdf - 1.65 MB (opens in new tab)

About Nightingale Community Academy

• School type: Academy, ages 5 to 19
• School size: 137 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 5 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Nightingale Community Academy website
• Email address: CBoateng@nightingaleca.org
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/nightingale-community-academy

Nightingale Community Academy is a school for boys aged between 5 and 19 who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or Statement of SEN for social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

Some learners also have Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or other learning difficulties. At Nightingale Community Academy we are committed to raising the expectations of our learner group, removing barriers to learning and delivering attainment at the highest level.

“Since the start of the school in September 2016, the principal and his leadership team have shown a tireless determination to improve the education it offers. Their ‘no excuses’ approach means that nothing other than the highest quality of education is good enough”. (Ofsted February 2019) – (The full Ofsted Report, is now available on our website).

Nightingale Community Academy is committed to a multi-disciplinary approach to meeting learners’ needs, and promotes high quality professional development for all staff.

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