Old Swinford Hospital School
Deputy Head (Academic)
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Job Overview
Old Swinford Hospital (OSH) is seeking a dynamic and inspirational leader to become our Deputy Head (Academic) from April 2027. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to join one of the country’s leading state boarding schools at a particularly dynamic and ambitious moment in its recent history and development.
Welcome to OSH
OSH is a warm, inclusive, and upbeat school community, where teachers enjoy teaching motivated and interesting young people in a calm and orderly atmosphere.
We enjoy a very good academic reputation, but we are not all about league tables. This school prides itself on a balance of academic achievement and outstanding opportunity for our students to develop as well-rounded people.
OSH is so much more than an 11-18 state school. It is a vibrant and morally driven community that seeks to send out into the wider world young people who can genuinely make a difference to the common good. Our former pupils may be found in Parliament; the media; the military; medicine; banking and finance; public service; science and research; the creative arts, and the law. What they all have in common is an optimism about who and what they are, and what they can achieve. They are both aspirational and humble. We work hard to keep them grounded, but always aiming high.
The environment, both in and out of the classroom, for pupils to grow, develop, and enjoy their schooling, is underpinned by a deep commitment and can-do attitude shared by our staff, from teachers to cooks and sports coaches to the medical team.
Job Overview
The Deputy Head (Academic) is a key senior leadership role at Old Swinford Hospital. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Deputy Head (Academic) will work closely with the Headmaster and colleagues to provide leadership across the School and ensure that our academic provision and student achievement remain of the highest standard, enabling every one of them to fulfill their potential.
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The successful candidate will be the School's academic leader, driving excellence across curriculum, teaching, learning, assessment, and student outcomes. They will support, develop, and hold accountable Heads of Departments, focusing on high standards of curriculum planning, teaching, learning, and assessment across the whole school. The successful applicant will also play a key role in the School’s strategic development and is expected to be a driving force behind the generation of new ideas and opportunities that will shape the School's future.
The post-holder will combine an ambitious and innovative vision for the school’s academic future with the emotional intelligence required to motivate, inspire, develop, and empower a dedicated, talented, and highly committed teaching team. Above all, they will be a visible, inspiring presence within the school, championing excellence in teaching, learning, and scholarship while embodying the values of OSH.
The successful candidate will serve on the Senior Leadership Team as one of two Deputies, supporting the Headmaster directly in all aspects of strategic planning and leadership of the school.
The Senior Leadership Team comprises: The Headmaster, Deputy Head (Pastoral), Deputy Head (Academic), Assistant Head (Teaching and Learning), Assistant Head (Head of 6th Form), Assistant Head (Director of Safeguarding), and the Bursar.
Who are we looking for?
The Person We Are Looking To Appoint Will Be:
- An outstanding classroom practitioner with a strong track record of academic leadership
- Experience of leading curriculum development and improving student outcomes
- Proven leadership skills and senior or middle management experience
- Ability to make use of appropriate data to analyze the performance of students and set targets
- Proficiency in the use of digital technology for teaching and learning
- Well-developed communication and presentation skills
- Well-developed team-working skills
- A keen eye for detail and accuracy
- Highly developed skills of organization
- Demonstrate strategic vision and the ability to lead change effectively
- Possess excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence
- Be committed to the values, ethos, and wider life of a boarding school community
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Desirable
- Experience of leading one or more whole-school initiatives, ideally to include digital technology
- Experience of leading an academic department
- Experience of chairing committees
- Experience of delivering successful outcomes under pressure
Personal Qualities
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to motivate and inspire others (students and staff) to achieve
- Calm under pressure
- Willingness to play a full part in the extracurricular life of the School
- An affinity with the ethos of Old Swinford Hospital
- A sense of humour and perspective
Remuneration
A remuneration package will be agreed depending on qualifications and experience.
As a state boarding school, OSH offers a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to become involved in boarding leadership beyond the School day. Candidates interested in joining the Senior Boarding Team can benefit from an enhanced remuneration package, including a boarding allowance and an attractive, modern four-bedroom family house.
Equal Opportunities
Old Swinford Hospital welcomes applications for employment from all sectors of the community.
Suitability to Work with Children
Old Swinford Hospital is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants are required to undertake an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.
The School reserves the right to close the job advert early where sufficient applications have been received, and so we encourage early applications to ensure consideration for the post.
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