Principal
The Ruth Gorse Academy, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1HW16 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2025
Closing date
17 March 2025 at 8am
Date listed
27 February 2025
Job details
Job role
- Headteacher
Visa sponsorship
- Skilled Worker visas can be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- L37 to L43 (£120,524-£138,265)
What skills and experience we're looking for
A rare opportunity to lead a school that genuinely challenges the stubborn link between poverty and underachievement.
The GORSE Academies Trust is renowned for its work in transforming the life chances of children and young people from some of the most disadvantaged communities in the country and, firmly at the centre of this success, is The Ruth Gorse Academy.
The Ruth Gorse Academy has established a reputation for consistently being one of the top performing schools nationally. The provisional Progress 8 score for 2024 is +0.99 for all learners and +0.68 for disadvantaged students with over 80% of pupils being entered for the EBacc in 2024. In 2023 the Progress 8 for all learners was +0.92 and for disadvantaged students was +0.61. Ofsted re-confirmed The Ruth Gorse Academy as an Outstanding provider in October 2023 with the opening paragraph of the report aptly capturing life at the academy: “At The Ruth Gorse Academy, there are no barriers to pupils’ success. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged. Pupils are encouraged to be ambitious and confident. The school has set extremely high academic expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils meet these expectations with pride. This results in exceptionally strong academic outcomes.” As the report goes on to capture, life is not all about academic outcomes at The Ruth Gorse Academy. The school has a rich and vibrant culture where hundreds of young people each week are involved in a vast array of enrichment activities, including as part of GORSE’s BIG 3: rowing, karate and volleyball. Indeed, like the trust, The Ruth Gorse Academy is named after Ruth Gorse who was an inspiration to us all. Ruth tragically lost her life to cancer, but she led The Morley Academy’s PE department with flair and passion, ensuring that all children flourished, but especially those who were from lives characterised by privation. If you visit The Ruth Gorse Academy you will see the building layout reflects this passion with a wonderful open atrium and a state-of-the-art sports facility located prominently on the first floor.
We are exceptionally proud of all that has been achieved at The Ruth Gorse Academy. From its early Free School Days where there was only Year 7 to a decade on, so many fantastic things have been achieved, including being recognised nationally by NASEN for the academy’s work to support students with Special Educational Needs. We are seeking an outstanding and inspirational leader to take The Ruth Gorse Academy through the next chapter of its journey.
If you do decide to apply for this role, you will need to be a leader who embraces a culture of true inclusivity which ensures that every child and every professional has the right to succeed at a high level. You will also genuinely valuethe importance of partnership work and be able to display your support for our values which are built upon diligence, integrity, rectitude and kindness. You will have the vision and determination to build upon the portfolio of achievements that have already been achieved at The Ruth Gorse Academy and a strong track record of unwavering dedication to excellence; you will not only further develop the learning experience for every child in our school – you will have a continuing and profound impact on our whole community.
The successful candidate will enjoy a rich network of support and will have the opportunity to secure further progression, if desired, within our nationally recognised trust.
If you would like to arrange a visit, or to discuss the role, please contact Sir John Townsley, Chief Executive Officer or Leanne Griffiths, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in the first instance via Christine Watson at christine.watson@tgat.org.uk.
What the school offers its staff
As a trust, we want to ensure that professionals at every stage in their career have the opportunity to enjoy expert support and training. We are pleased to offer a generous benefits package to our team – as we work together to create a rewarding future for all including:
- Membership to a local government pension scheme.
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential professional advice and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- A commitment to continued investment in our professionals, supporting every member of staff throughout their career in the trust.
- Discounts and online offers at major high street/online retailers.
- £2k Cycle to work scheme.
Further details about the role
For further information about our academy please visit our website at www.ruthgorse.leeds.sch.uk
How to Apply:
If you’re as enthusiastic about this role as we are, a Job Description, Person specification and application form are available to download from the GORSE Academies Trust websitewww.tgat.org.uk/jobs, by email to christine.watson@tgat.org.uk, or by telephone on 0113 487 8888 (extension 4).
If you submit an electronic application, we will not require a hard copy. CVs are not accepted.
Closing date for applications: Monday 17 March 2025 (8.30am)
Applications to be returned to:Christine Watson, PA to Chief Executive Officer - christine.watson@tgat.org.uk
Proposed interview date: Friday 21 March 2025
We will consider any reasonable adjustments under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), to enable an applicant with a disability (as defined under the Act) to meet the requirements of the post.
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.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs are not accepted.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About The Ruth Gorse Academy
- School type
- Free School, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary
- School size
- 1274 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
- School website
- The Ruth Gorse Academy website (opens in new tab)
- Email address
- christine.watson@tgat.org.uk
Working as part of The GORSE Academies Trust, The Ruth Gorse Academy ensures that students receive an outstanding education that focuses on aspiration, high expectations and personalisation. Together these non-negotiable values instil in young people a self-belief that enables students to access the highest standard of higher education provision and employment. We believe that poverty and deprivation should, in no way, limit either the quality of a young person’s educational experience or the levels of achievement to which those students are able to rise. In July 2017 the exceptional nature of our work at The Ruth Gorse Academy was recognised by Ofsted; we would encourage you to read the Outstanding Ofsted report which is available on our website.
September 2018 brought with it the first cohort of Year 11 students at The Ruth Gorse Academy. We have no doubt that our students will reap the benefits of immersion within our outstanding culture in their examination results. We are passionate about ensuring our students have the opportunity to actively choose their next steps as opposed to having avenues closed off to them due to poor results or qualifications. Our students receive outstanding pastoral care, support and guidance and we would expect any successful candidate to be of a mind-set where they believe anything is possible. Likewise, our professional body also benefits from outstanding CPD and support which is personalised to your particular needs and experience.
Led by Sir John Townsley, the nationally renowned GORSE Academies Trust is strong and united. As a professional within the Trust, you will have regular opportunities to work in partnership with colleagues within the other secondary academies and across phase. At secondary level, two of the four secondary academies have been graded by Ofsted as Outstanding and The Ruth Gorse Academy has recently joined two other Trust secondary academies to achieve the World Class Schools Quality Mark Award.
School location
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