Vice Principal

John Smeaton Academy, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS15 8TA

10 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2025

• Closing date

  28 April 2025 at 9am

• Date listed

  7 April 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Assistant headteacher
  • Deputy 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: L21-25

What skills and experience we're looking for

Are you an ambitious and inspirational leader ready to make a real impact? Do you have the vision, drive, and passion to empower young people to succeed? Are you determined to break the stubborn link between disadvantage and performance? If so, we invite you to apply for the role of Vice Principal at John Smeaton Academy, part of The GORSE Academies Trust.

A Unique Leadership Opportunity

John Smeaton Academy has been on an incredible journey of transformation. Once one of the lowest-performing schools in Leeds, we have rapidly progressed to become a ‘Good’ school in all areas (Ofsted, April/May 2024). This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of an academy that is now a beacon for its community.

As Vice Principal, you will work alongside an exceptional leadership team, driving continued school improvement, embedding high expectations, and ensuring that every student ‘Secures the Gift of Choice’ through academic and pastoral excellence. A key part of the Vice Principal remit will be Teaching and Learning; you will be responsible for driving performance through the implementation of GORSE Code which includes aspects such as Purple Zone (where students work in silence and grapple with their learning), Iterative learning and assessment (where prior learning is systematically revisited) and Green for Growth (where students respond to marking and feedback).

As Vice Principal you will work in close partnership with the GORSE central team as well as colleagues at John Smeaton Academy and across the trust more broadly. This way of working allows for exceptional Continued Professional Development and offers a supportive working environment. You will be joining a high performing team at an exceptionally exciting time.

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.
  

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.

Skilled Worker visas can 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.

Additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

Vice Principal JD and Person Specification.pdf - 329 KB (opens in new tab)

Principal Letter - VP role April 2025.pdf - 134 KB (opens in new tab)

About John Smeaton Academy

• School type: Academy, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary
• School size: 604 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: John Smeaton Academy website
• Email address: recruitment@johnsmeatonacademy.org.uk
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/john-smeaton-academy

School location

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