Senior Assistant Headteacher - Achievement

The Astley Cooper School, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 7HL

42 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  January 2027

• Closing date

  19 October 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  7 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Assistant headteacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: Competitive Salary
• Additional allowances:

  Competitive Salary

Senior Assistant Headteacher - Achievement job summary

An exciting opportunity to join The Astley Cooper School and play a key role in shaping our continued success

Are you an inspirational and ambitious senior leader with a proven track record of securing outstanding attainment and achievement? Are you passionate about innovation, creativity and ensuring every learner is engaged, enthused and supported to reach their full potential?

The Astley Cooper School is seeking an exceptional Senior Assistant Headteacher with a teaching commitment in Science to join our ambitious and forward-thinking school.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated senior leader who can combine strategic leadership with outstanding classroom practice and make a significant contribution to the continued development of our school.

We are looking for a leader who can demonstrate a sustained track record of outstanding attainment and achievement, together with the vision, creativity and determination to inspire students and staff. You will be someone who is committed to raising standards, developing colleagues and creating innovative approaches that engage and enthuse learners.

About The Astley Cooper School

The Astley Cooper School is an increasingly popular and oversubscribed secondary school in Hemel Hempstead. We are proud of our diverse school community and are committed to providing the very best opportunities for all our students and staff.

Situated on the edge of Hemel Hempstead, the school benefits from excellent transport links, with easy access to the M1 and M25 as well as the local train station.

We are continuing to build a strong culture of success, with high expectations for all our students. Our ambition is that every young person leaves us as a successful, well-rounded and confident individual, prepared to succeed in the modern world.

Our challenges are significant, but this is what makes working at The Astley Cooper School so rewarding. We are a school with ambition, energy and a clear determination to improve outcomes and opportunities for our students.

The role

As Senior Assistant Headteacher, you will be a key member of the senior leadership team and will play an important role in shaping the strategic direction and continued improvement of the school.

You will combine your leadership responsibilities with teaching Science, providing an opportunity to remain closely connected to classroom practice and the experiences of our students.

You will contribute to the development and delivery of whole-school priorities, working collaboratively with colleagues to raise standards, develop staff and ensure the very best outcomes for our students.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

• A sustained track record of outstanding attainment and achievement.
• Successful experience of leading significant areas of school improvement.
• The ability to develop and implement innovative and creative approaches to teaching and learning.
• A proven ability to engage, enthuse and progress learners, including those who may face additional barriers to achievement.
• Strong strategic leadership and the ability to translate vision into successful outcomes.
• A commitment to developing a culture of high expectations and continuous improvement.
• The ability to inspire, challenge and support colleagues to achieve their best.
• A strong understanding of curriculum, assessment and effective teaching and learning.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills.
• The resilience, creativity and determination to lead effectively in a challenging and rewarding environment.

Leadership responsibilities

The Senior Assistant Headteacher will have responsibility for a significant whole-school leadership portfolio, working closely with the Headteacher and wider senior leadership team.

Responsibilities may include:

• Leading whole-school improvement priorities.
• Raising attainment and achievement.
• Teaching and learning and quality assurance.
• Curriculum development and innovation.
• Assessment, progress and the effective use of data.
• Behaviour, attitudes and attendance.
• Staff development, coaching and professional learning.
• Developing leadership capacity across the school.
• Supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged learners.
• Contributing to safeguarding and student welfare.
• Supporting school self-evaluation and improvement planning.
• Working with staff, students, parents, governors and external partners.

The successful candidate will be expected to make a significant contribution to the strategic leadership of the school, with specific responsibilities aligned to the priorities of the school and the candidate's experience and expertise.

We are looking for an exceptional leader who

• Has a proven record of sustained outstanding attainment and achievement.
• Is an inspirational and highly effective Science teacher.
• Has significant leadership experience within a secondary school setting.
• Has a demonstrable impact on whole-school improvement.
• Is innovative, creative and willing to challenge traditional approaches where this will improve outcomes for learners.
• Can develop learning experiences that engage and enthuse students.
• Has a strong track record of improving the progress and achievement of learners.
• Can inspire and develop colleagues through effective coaching and professional development.
• Has high expectations and is committed to securing the very best for every student.
• Is strategic, analytical and able to make evidence-informed decisions.
• Is visible, approachable and able to build strong relationships across the school community.
• Is resilient, solution-focused and able to lead effectively through challenge and change.
• Shares our ambition to create a school where students and staff can thrive.

What we can offer you

At The Astley Cooper School, we recognise that our staff are central to our success. We are committed to supporting colleagues to develop professionally and personally, and offer:

• A competitive salary
• Membership of the Teachers' Pension Scheme
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
• Vivup - a Hertfordshire County Council cashback scheme
• A comprehensive CPD programme for all colleagues
• A supportive, ambitious and committed leadership team
• Opportunities to shape whole-school improvement
• The opportunity to develop and implement innovative approaches to education
• A collaborative professional environment
• Opportunities for continued professional development and career progression

Be part of our journey

This is an exciting time to join The Astley Cooper School. We are ambitious for our students, ambitious for our staff and committed to creating a culture where everyone can succeed.

If you are an exceptional senior leader and inspirational Science teacher with a proven track record of securing outstanding attainment and achievement, and you have the creativity, vision and determination to make a significant difference, we would love to hear from you.

Come and join us as we continue to build a culture of success, challenge expectations and help our students achieve more than they thought possible.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; we encourage you to apply at your earliest opportunity as we may appoint and close the advert early. If you have not heard from the school by the closing date of this advert, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

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

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

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 The Astley Cooper School

• Organisation type: Local authority maintained school, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 914 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: The Astley Cooper School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/the-astley-cooper-school

The Astley Cooper School is an 11-18, co-educational, secondary school on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

For many years, Astley Cooper School was a smaller than average secondary school but its numbers are rising because of its considerably improved academic standards and good reputation. The school is proud to be part of the Government’s Priority School Building Programme. This huge investment in our school has seen our cohort numbers increase as well our profile in the community. The school has state of the art facilities including a leisure centre, swimming pool and new science laboratory/classrooms benefiting staff, students and our wider community for many years to come.

Extra curricular activities on offer to all students at the school include sport, art, music, drama, dance, residential and cultural trips and visits.

School location

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