Principal Designate

St James Church of England Primary School, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN5 7AG

27 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  01 September 2026

• Closing date

  3 March 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  4 February 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £78,702.00 - £86,803.00 Annually (FTE) Salary Range L18 to L22. Salary for year 1 – negotiable whilst Designate

Principal Designate job summary

The Trust is seeking to appoint an inspiring, talented and dynamic leader to join St James CE Primary School in September as their new Principal Designate / Principal. This is a rare, innovative leadership opportunity.

The successful candidate will work alongside the current Headteacher as Principal Designate for 12 months until they take on the role independently in September 2027 as Principal. They will already have a proven track record in leadership, display a strong commitment to professional growth and the flourishing of all and be ready to take their next step in their career in a large, multi-cultural school.

As Principal Designate / Principal, you will be able to lead the school, inspiring and motivating staff to share the ambitions and high expectations for the school, its staff and for the children and their families. You will be able to work in partnership with all key stakeholders to ensure the school serves its community. You will promote the vision and direction of this successful primary school enabling it to build on its achievements to date.

St James CE Primary School is an inclusive, vibrant, welcoming school with a highly committed team of staff who work together to ’build bright futures’ for its children and staff. Staff seek to enable all pupils, regardless of their starting points, to flourish as individuals and reach their full potential.

Following a successful SIAMS inspection in May 2024, inspectors reported that ‘St James is a beacon of hope and possibility at the heart of a richly diverse community’. The school received a ‘Good’ grading from Ofsted in October 2021 and feedback from a very recent inspection in January 2026, under the new framework (report yet to be published), was very positive.

St James CE Primary School is proud to be a member of Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET), a forward-thinking academy trust which is fully committed to the ‘flourishing of all’.

We are looking to recruit someone who:

• Has proven leadership experience and excellent inter-personal skills who can motivate and inspire colleagues and children alike
• Is an excellent communicator and can build effective partnerships with all key stakeholders
• Understands and is committed to a relationship-led approach to pupils’ pastoral needs, behaviour management and to ensuring all children feel safe, happy, and able to learn
• Is an outstanding practitioner with excellent pedagogy and the ability to coach, guide and mentor staff on how to develop their teaching practice
• Embraces and is knowledgeable about inclusion
• Has good knowledge of the curriculum and has high expectations of children’s learning and outcomes and how to achieve them
• Has the ability to work effectively, flexibly, and independently and is a committed team member who prioritises staff and pupils
• Is a leader who embraces and promotes the Christian ethos of the school
• Is reflective and continually seeks to improve their leadership skills
• Is an energetic and enthusiastic individual who supports and challenges positively, driving change for the benefit of all.

In return, we can offer you:

• A flourishing school that is committed to inclusion and building relationships that serve the whole school community
• A school that promotes Christian values and respectful relationships in all that it does
• Welcoming, lively children who will inspire you to work hard for them
• A high quality committed staff team who are passionate about making a difference for the children of St James and their families
• A large trust, spanning Northamptonshire, Rutland and Peterborough, that is highly committed to professional development and provides access to a range of developmental and career opportunities
• A supportive trust that will challenge you positively and will encourage you to achieve your potential.

The Trust regards developing people as a key priority in order to achieve educational excellence. Hence, we invest in people to develop their individual skills and talents; all members of staff are appreciated for the part they play in a highly effective team. We strive to be an employer of choice; we are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued and at the heart of what we do.

We have a number of core benefits which include:

• Professional Development: We offer high quality, evidence-based professional development across a range of areas including leadership, teaching and learning, SEND and behaviour management. We support staff in accessing a wide range of qualifications, including Diplomas, Masters and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). As a large employer we pay into the Apprenticeship Levy Fund and are able to offer a wide range of apprenticeships to both new and existing staff.
• Professional Growth: We have removed traditional ‘performance management’ and have replaced it with ‘professional growth’; a different perspective and a new direction designed to challenge thinking, promote deep reflection, collaboration and change for the better. We listen to career aspirations and how we can support with your goals and next steps. There is no performance-related pay in the Trust - we view our staff as our greatest asset. Our professional growth processes exist to ensure that our staff are able to be the very best they can be. This in turn leads to achieving our core purpose: that every adult and every child flourishes.
• A Well-being Strategy: The Trust has a comprehensive well-being strategy encompassing five strands of well-being. There is an Employee Assistance Programme, providing practical and emotional support and an Employee Benefits Scheme, offering discounts on everyday essentials.

Visits to the school are warmly welcomed and encouraged.

The Trust welcomes interest from any senior leader / teacher from a church school / non-church school who shares the school’s values.

If you would like to discuss the role in more detail please contact Gill Broughton, Director of Education, by email to gill.broughton@pdet.org.uk.

To arrange a visit, please feel free to contact the current Headteacher Sarah Beach, who will be more than happy to show you around the school. Sarah can be contacted by email to head@stjames.pdet.org.uk

More information about the school can be found on the following website: https://www.stjames.northants.sch.uk/

Closing Date - 9am on Tuesday 3rd March 2026

Interviews Scheduled - Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th March 2026

The Trust is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children and successful applicants will need to provide two references and undergo a DBS and medical check provided by the school.

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

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and safer recruitment practice. An enhanced DBS check is required for all successful applicants and references will be requested prior to interview and will form part of the interview process. The successful applicant will also be expected to undertake a medical questionnaire and disclose information about spent convictions and cautions.

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 St James Church of England Primary School

• School type: Academy, Church of England, ages 3 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 445 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 3 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: St James Church of England Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/st-james-church-of-england-primary-school-northampton

St James CE Primary School is a relationship-led, two form entry primary school in the heart of Northampton. Part of the Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET), we have a strong Christian ethos and a county-wide commitment to children with SEMH needs through our Local Authority funded specialist provision.

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