Principal

Lower Meadow Primary School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S8 8EE

24 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  23 March 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  27 February 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £74,562.00 - £86,391.00 Annually (Actual) LS15-21

Principal job summary

Principal - Lower Meadow Primary Academy
Full Time | Permanent
Salary: LS15-21 (£74,562 - £86,391)
Start Date: September 2026
Closing Date: 23rd March 2026
Interviews: 16th & 17th April 2026

Lead a school with ambition, compassion and a relentless commitment to every child

Are you a values‑driven leader who believes in the potential of every child, regardless of background, need or circumstance?
Do you build trust quickly and lead through strong relationships with families, staff, governors and the wider community?

Lower Meadow Primary Academy is seeking an exceptional Principal to lead our diverse, inclusive and highly committed school community. This is a significant leadership opportunity in a complex and rewarding school, requiring clarity of vision, ambition, resilience and deep compassion.

About the Role

As Principal, you will set the strategic direction, culture and high expectations that enable all pupils to thrive. You will:

• Lead the continued improvement of teaching, learning and curriculum across Early Years and primary phases
• Champion inclusion, wellbeing and safeguarding across a community with significant SEND, EAL and mobility needs
• Build and empower a skilled, dedicated staff team committed to delivering excellence for every child
• Foster strong relationships with families, governors, external agencies and the wider community
• Work closely with Astrea colleagues to implement a consistent, research‑informed approach rooted in the Trust’s values of Scholarship, Curiosity and Tenacity

This role offers the opportunity to lead a school that has undergone significant transformation—including a “Good” Ofsted judgement in 2025—and is now ready for its next ambitious chapter.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking a Principal who is:

• A passionate, values‑driven leader with unwavering belief in every child’s potential
• Resilient, visible and motivational, with experience leading in a complex school context
• Skilled at raising outcomes, particularly for pupils with SEND
• Knowledgeable about high‑quality teaching, curriculum and pedagogy across Early Years and primary
• A strategic thinker who balances long‑term planning with day‑to‑day operational excellence
• A leader who develops, supports and challenges staff at all levels
• An exceptional communicator who builds positive relationships and inspires confidence
• Collaborative, reflective and committed to partnership working across the Trust
• Committed to Astrea’s inclusive ethos and to modelling integrity, professionalism and high expectations

Applications are welcomed from experienced Principals and from Deputy Heads / Vice Principals with substantial leadership experience in larger primary settings, particularly those serving challenging catchments.

Why Lower Meadow?

Lower Meadow is a richly diverse community with:

• 255 pupils plus a Nursery
• Sheffield’s Level 5 Hearing Impairment Unit onsite
• 44 pupils with EHCPs and 65 at SEND K
• 30% of pupils speaking English as an Additional Language
• 69% disadvantaged learners

The school benefits from significant Trust support, including centralised curriculum resources, leadership development, monthly Principal training and fortnightly Regional Director visits. This is reflected in the enhanced salary banding.

Find Out More

We strongly encourage all prospective applicants to arrange an informal conversation or visit. Please contact Regional Director, Russell Gray, at: Russell.Gray@astreaacademytrust.org

Commitment to Safeguarding and EDI

Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, enhanced DBS checks and due‑diligence processes.

We value diversity and welcome applications from underrepresented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

In line with the Immigration Act 2016, all public‑facing post holders must demonstrate fluent English.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you are ready to lead with ambition, compassion and clarity and to make a lasting difference for the children and community of Lower Meadow, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and be part of our mission to help every child learn, thrive and succeed.

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

Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All posts are subject to satisfactory background checks including references and enhanced DBS checks. 

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 Lower Meadow Primary School

• School type: Academy, ages 2 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 297 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 2 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Lower Meadow Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/lower-meadow-primary-school

Lower Meadow Primary Academy is a 3-11 Academy; we sit in South Sheffield on the border with Derbyshire and chose to join Astrea Academy Trust in July 2016. We have a strong team that drive school improvement and strive for the best outcomes for all children.

The Academy is seeking to attract a talented, knowledgeable, and committed team member who can demonstrate high aspirations for all our children along with the enthusiasm and resilience to support all aspects of a child’s education. The successful candidate will have the
opportunity to work in a supportive, professional learning community that seeks excellence and play a key part in the next step of our journey towards Outstanding.

Lower Meadow Primary Academy has been on a journey of improvement over the last six years and we were pleased to be recognised as a “Good” school by Ofsted in 2019. Our emphasis is on consistently high quality teaching and learning throughout school and across all areas of the
curriculum to raise children’s outcomes and allow them to move onto secondary school fully prepared. We believe strongly in building our children’s aspirations and helping them to become good learners so they can build on their successes each year and achieve their full potential. We use the Astrea Values to help build children’s life skills and prepare them fully for secondary school. Our children behave well and enjoy coming to school. All staff are committed to providing the very best for all children. Teamwork is a strong part of our ethos, with a supportive and nurturing staff and a culture of continual improvement in all that we do.

Those we recruit can demonstrate that they share our values, have the child at the centre of everything they do, are highly motivated to work with colleagues to continuously develop their skills, pursue professional excellence and are committed to providing the highest standards consistently. If you feel that you can support our ethos, we would be delighted to receive your application.

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