Deputy Headteacher
Leadership Scale L18 – L22
Start date – Easter 2026
The Castle School is seeking to appoint a Deputy Headteacher (Pastoral) who will provide professional and inspirational leadership for the school to ensure its continued success, improvement and development. The Deputy Headteacher will deputise for the Headteacher in all matters as required.
The successful candidate will work within our SLT structure and will lead the Pastoral team. You will work alongside our Headteacher, current Deputy Headteacher (Curriculum) as well as our three Assistant Heads. Following our recent outstanding OFSTED in October 2023, we are seeking to appoint a driven colleague who understands our ethos and culture, that wants to make a difference for all children in our school but also can identify the further areas for development that we know we have. You will be invested in significantly and will work with a Strategic Leadership who work tirelessly to fulfil our vision and aims. You will need high levels of stamina and a strong sense of moral purpose and in return you will have clarity of vision and high challenge and high support.
This is a key strategic role in our school, and we will give you opportunities to develop leadership and management, to work with some of the best teachers and support staff in the country and to develop your leadership from some of the best in the profession. The detail of the role will be discussed with you so that we strengthen what you are already good at and give you opportunities to develop in preparation for Headship if that is what you wish. Headship is not for everyone but there is a commitment to supporting you to achieve this through significant investment in your professional development. However, we are just as keen to meet candidates who wish to be deputies and to make that their sustained role.
The benefits a working in the Blackdown Education Partnership (BEP) will be a source of support and opportunity. Collaboration and a shared sense of purpose is evident across the Trust. Strong professional relationships are at the core of what we do.
We can offer you: An opportunity to work in an experienced and supportive team from whom you can learn, develop and grow. A friendly, busy and dynamic workplace where each day is different from the last. A competitive salary. Wider opportunities to be involved across our Trust. An energised and professional working environment. The Castle School is a special place to work, we expect a lot from our colleagues and the culture here ensures our students get the best possible education.
Disclosure Level: Enhanced Start date: Easter 2026
CVs are not accepted, please complete the application form in full.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 under the Exceptions Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020). This means that both spent and unspent convictions and cautions may need to be disclosed. However, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ under filtering rules and do not need to be disclosed. Guidance on what should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974
Blackdown Education Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We particularly welcome applications from underrepresented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexuality or religion.
The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS). As part of our due diligence process when shortlisting, we may carry out an online search of publicly available material to identify any incidents or issues which we might want to explore with the applicant at interview.
References: References will be taken up on short-listed candidates that will include questions about past disciplinary actions or allegations in relation to behaviour with children, previous employers may be approached for information to verify particular experiences or qualifications before interview.
Data Protection Act: Information held by Blackdown Education Partnership complies with and is stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. If your application is successful, the information you have provided in the ‘Personal Details’ section will be used for payroll purposes and may be disclosed to the Inland Revenue. It will be disclosed within the school for security and administration.
BEP Privacy Statement–Recruitment: Please see our website for further information.