Principal
Lift Winton, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 2PS20 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2026
Closing date
30 January 2026 at 2:05pm
Date listed
9 January 2026
Job details
Job role
- Headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £103030 - £118169 per annum
Principal job summary
Salary: L29-L35, £103,030 - £118,169 (negotiable for an exceptional candidate) + relocation package + wellbeing cash plan + pension scheme (TPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits
Start date: September 2026 (or earlier if possible)
We're looking for a values-driven, visionary Principal to lead Lift Winton, a school with strong foundations and huge potential. This is an exciting opportunity to take a thriving school even further, shaping the next phase of its journey while working alongside a committed team and supportive community.
About the role
This is a role for an ambitious school leader who understands the power of culture, curriculum and community. You'll join a school that is already well respected, both locally and across our trust, and you'll be supported by a forward-thinking regional and central team.
You'll lead with clarity, warmth and purpose, building on what's strong, while driving lasting, meaningful improvement.
About Lift Winton
Lift Winton is a popular and inclusive secondary school in the heart of Andover. Rated Good by Ofsted in 2023, we're proud of our reputation and the relationships that underpin it. Families work with us. Staff feel supported. Pupils are ambitious, and keen to succeed.
Our school boasts a wide range of outstanding facilities, including:
* A newly opened £5m expansion building with a full-size hall, two cutting-edge science labs and new classroom spaces
* A well-resourced inclusion space with breakout areas and bespoke classrooms for our nurture and SEND students
* A modern library, gymnasium, music suite, dance studios and animal management area
* Expansive school grounds and a high-quality multi-use games area
We're a school with big ambitions for our students, underpinned by a culture of high support and high expectations. We want every young person to thrive - in the classroom and beyond it.
Why this role is for you
You're someone who:
* Brings clarity of vision and courage to lead change
* Values the power of relationships and collaboration
* Thrives in a high support, high expectation culture
* Understands that great leadership is about service, not status
As Principal, you will:
* Set the school's strategic direction and lead its operational excellence
* Foster a strong culture of inclusion, ambition and joy in learning
* Build lasting partnerships with families and the local community
* Work closely with trust leaders to drive improvement across the network
Who we are
Lift Schools is a network of 58 schools across the country. We are diverse, inclusive and united by a single mission: to deliver an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day.
What we offer you
As a Lift Principal, you'll receive sector-leading professional development and wellbeing support, including:
* An individual development account of up to £100,000 over five years
* Unlimited one-to-one executive coaching
* Evidence-informed professional learning opportunities
* A year-long induction programme
* Study tours and immersive CPD experiences
* Professional sabbatical eligibility after five years
* Relocation package available
Who we're looking for
We want leaders who are:
* Self-aware - thriving in high challenge, high support environments.
* Network-minded - committed to improving outcomes across all schools.
* Intellectually curious - eager to use evidence-informed approaches to drive success.
Whether you are an experienced principal or an aspiring head ready for the next step, if you are driven, determined, and committed to creating lasting change, we would love to hear from you.
For an informal, confidential conversation, please contact Tanya Bentham
Closing date: Wednesday 4 February 2026, 9:00am
Interview date: Tuesday 10 February 2026 (Lift Winton) and Thursday 12 February 2026 (EdCity, London)
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.
Lift Schools are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our people and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.
Lift Schools embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.
We are a Disability Confident Employer and there is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Lift Schools is committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.
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.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About Lift Winton
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- School size
- 1031 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Lift Winton website
Lift Winton is a rapidly improving 11-16 school situated in Andover in the centre of Hampshire, a short commute from Winchester, Salisbury and many picturesque Hampshire villages.
We are a large secondary school (1031 students) and offer tailored learning opportunities and a creative curriculum which meets the needs of our whole school community.
Winton has many strengths and people who visit are always impressed with our outstanding students, excellent facilities and calm, purposeful learning environment.
Winton aims to provide an outstanding education for all of the local children. What we want is an outstanding Andover education system for Andover children. The vision needs to be that all three phases of education in Andover are all excellent. Winton is very much at the centre of this vision.
The most important part of any school is the quality of the teaching. When walking around the corridors at Winton you will see students engaged in their learning and being challenged to think. The expectation is to have a positive mindset, an 'I can...' attitude to their learning. Rather than thinking "I can't do", this students are encouraged to think 'I can't do this...yet'. Classrooms are positive because of the positive relationships between students and teaching staff. Expectations are high, with regular and meaningful homework and innovative and engaging classwork which embraces new ideas and new technologies.
Our Curriculum
Our vision for the delivery of a broad and balanced 11-19 curriculum is founded on the following key principles:
Students can progress at their own pace but with staff ensuring that there is always pace and challenge
Technologies e.g. ICT will be as available as electricity and seen as another utility, which will facilitate learning in different contexts;
Personalised learning will be a reality with a wide ranging curriculum, which provides far more choice and less prescription;
Learning experiences will be coherent, integrated and not fragmented with an emphasis on learning and skill acquisition and transferal;
The curriculum will develop lifelong learners who will be able to adapt to take up jobs in the future, which do not presently exist;
The curriculum will embrace wider curriculum opportunities that bring learning to life in vivid fashion;
The curriculum will reflect the values and beliefs outlined previously: personal development is integral to the outcomes of the curriculum and success measures for this curriculum.
Ofsted
Winton was recently inspected by Ofsted and for the second time running has been recognised as a “Good” school.
The report sets out how the school has high aspirations for all their pupils, preparing them for the next stages of life with a curriculum that is “relevant and ambitious.” Inspectors noted that staff at Winton appreciated leaders’ efforts to help manage workloads.
The school has also been praised for their decisive response to the challenges students face post-Covid, including forging positive relationships with pupils to better help their behaviour and personal development. The report recognises the efforts to create a healthy school culture, by creating a “strong system for support” that helps to improve all areas of school life. We warmly welcome any interested prospective candidates to come and see our school in person.
Who is Lift Schools?
Lift Schools is made up of 57 primary, secondary and special schools, educating more than 33,000 pupils across the country. We believe education can transform lives – and we want every child in our schools to achieve their full potential.
Our mission:
We will provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day.
With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives.
We will work with others beyond our network to benefit more children and communities.
School location
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