Deputy Head (Academic) at More House School

TES FE News; Farnham; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An inclusive educational institution located in Farnham is seeking a Deputy Head (Academic) to lead the academic curriculum and support staff development. The role requires proven leadership skills, commitment to inclusive education, and strategic planning. Responsibilities include managing academic outcomes and deputising for senior leaders. This full-time position offers a competitive salary and extensive professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Free meals

Professional development opportunities

Pension scheme

Free parking

Access to fitness gym

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Proven experience in educational leadership.
• Understanding of curriculum design and implementation.
• Commitment to inclusive education.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage the academic curriculum.
• Lead and support senior and middle managers.
• Deputise for Head of School and Headmaster.

Skills

Collaborative leadership

Strategic planning

Communication

Empowering teaching

Education

Teaching qualification

Relevant leadership training

Job description

Overview

Leaders in inclusive, aspirational education for children and young people with literacy and language-related special educational needs.

Full-time, permanent, non-residential position for January 2026 or April 2026 – for the right candidate, a September 2026 start may be possible.

Role Overview

Located south of Farnham on the beautiful Surrey and Hampshire border, More House School is an independent boarding and day school for more than 500 boys aged 8 to 18, delivering a broad and rich mainstream, academic curriculum across key stages 2, 3, 4 and 5, including GCSE, A’ Level, BTec and university entrance. The School is celebrated as a national centre of excellence, and is consistently awarded the highest grade in inspection.

Pupils are clever and empowered to overcome the barriers posed by their special educational needs. All pupils take a breadth of GCSEs and most continue in the School’s Sixth Form (of approximately 80 students). Despite all pupils facing adversity in their learning, More House School achieves public exam results above the national averages at GCSE and A’ Level, and a majority of leavers progress to university.

The Governors and Headmaster now seek an inspirational leader who, supported by senior colleagues, will drive our culture of collaboration and high-aspiration, taking a leading role in shaping the School’s forward approach to inclusive and empowering teaching and learning.

With proven experience in bringing people together and leading teams to improve, our new Deputy Head (Academic) will recognise the opportunities this role provides, and will demonstrate collaborative leadership skills to unite colleagues in designing and implementing innovative, effective solutions that maximise benefit for pupils in accordance with the School’s vision, mission and values. S/he will be highly ambitious for themselves and for all pupils, determined in identifying and pursuing opportunity for continued improvement of our provision.

The Deputy Head (Academic) is a member of the Core Leadership Group (CLG) and wider Senior Management Team (SMT). Reporting directly to the Principal Deputy Head (Head of School), s/he will work very closely with him, and with the other members of the CLG to deliver the School’s vision and mission. As a Deputy Head, the postholder will be required to deputise for the Head of School and the Headmaster as required.

The School

Nationally celebrated, More House School provides an exceptional and inclusive mainstream education for intelligent boys with Specific Learning Difficulties and weakness in their developmental language skills. Providing a transformative education repeatedly recognised as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted over more than a decade, we offer a specialised learning environment for day and boarding boys from Year 4 to Year 13. Our pupils are taught to recognise their strengths and develop their self-belief so that they achieve independence and extraordinary results at GCSE, BTec and A’ Level, above the national averages. A majority progress to university.

The School has an 86-year history of supporting boys with additional challenge in their educational experience. Now with 510 pupils, the School has grown significantly in recent years and has the largest number on roll ever. It is recognised as being the largest SEND-specialist provision in the United Kingdom and is heavily involved in outreach work and university-led research. Three quarters of pupils have their places funded by their local authorities.

The Academic Curriculum

The academic curriculum is designed to expose pupils to as broad as possible a range of academic and vocational learning experiences which promote pupils’ understanding of themselves and of their natural aptitudes, awareness of society and the world, and the acquisition of knowledge and skills which enable them to be successful and to progress to an aspirational future. The principle of a wide and empowering curriculum delivered through genuinely inclusive classroom teaching extends across all age-groups. All pupils are prepared for, and study a breadth of GCSEs and equivalent Level 2 BTEC qualifications. In Years Ten and Eleven, every pupil studies a minimum of five GCSE or equivalent courses, although the majority of students study seven or eight, and some study more.

For more information on our Academic Curriculum, please visit our website for the full job description: https://www.morehouseschool.co.uk/vacancies/teaching-and-therapeutic-staff-vacancies/permanent-full-time-deputy-head-academic

About This Post

The Deputy Head (Academic) has responsibility to the Headmaster for the design and implementation of the School’s academic curriculum, and for the academic progress and outcomes of all pupils. S/he reports directly to the Principal Deputy Head (Head of School) and provides strategic leadership for, and day to day management of the team of curriculum senior and middle managers, including the Director of Pupil Progress, the Examinations Officer and heads of departments. The Deputy Head (Academic) is supported by a full-time, dedicated Academic Administrator.

The postholder will also deputise for the Head of School and Headmaster as required and be a member of both the Core Leadership Group (CLG) and the wider Senior Management Team (SMT). Chaired by the Headmaster, the CLG comprises the Principal Deputy Head (Head of School), the Deputy Head (Academic), the Deputy Head (Head of Residential), the Assistant Head (Pastoral), the Chief Operating Officer and the Head of the Learning Development Centre, and is the most senior decision-making body within the executive. The postholder will meet regularly with the governors’ Teaching, Learning and Therapy Committee, together with other senior colleagues.

For more information on the responsibilities of the post, please visit our website for the full job description: https://www.morehouseschool.co.uk/vacancies/teaching-and-therapeutic-staff-vacancies/permanent-full-time-deputy-head-academic

Training

Teachers with a genuine wish to develop their skills in making learning opportunities successful for neurodivergent learners thrive at More House School.

The School provides staff with extensive, specialist training in developing classroom and wider practice effective in supporting intelligent pupils with literacy and developmental language weaknesses, and associated special educational needs, to succeed and to transform their futures.

Within their first year, new members of the staff are supported through a programme of weekly induction-training sessions, delivered on Monday afternoons from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

During this first year, new staff also complete the School’s fully-funded and CPD nationally-accredited Level 3 Award ‘Effective SEND Support’, with opportunities for further progression.

The above training complements the School-wide, continuous programme of INSET training and preparation days, and other ongoing training and development opportunities. The School is strongly committed to supporting teachers’ career development.

Person Specification

For the full person specification please visit our website: https://www.morehouseschool.co.uk/vacancies/teaching-and-therapeutic-staff-vacancies/permanent-full-time-deputy-head-academic

Hours

7.30am until 4.30pm four days a week during term-time and 7.30am until 5.30pm one day a week (Mondays) during term-time (this later time is a requirement only during the first three terms, for the purpose of new-staff induction, although it is recognised that the seniority and breadth of responsibility of the post means that opportunities to meet with colleagues after the school day can be extremely valuable).

There is no Saturday provision other than for the very few full-boarders, and there is no requirement for teaching staff to attend School during the weekend, other than once a year, for Founder’s Day. School open days typically take place during the normal working week; not at weekends.

Note: academic terms are typically shorter than those in the state-maintained sector, and School holidays are therefore significantly longer. The teaching day starts with form-time at 8.30am with day-pupils arriving from soon after 8am. The teaching day finishes at 4.20pm, with after-school clubs and activities continuing until 5.30pm, which is the latest time ordinarily when day-boys go home.

Attendance on GCSE and A’ Level pre-release and results days to ensure the smooth running of necessary functions and the best experiences of pupils and their families, and of staff.

Attendance at School events outside these hours from time to time, as well as In-Service Training (INSET) days towards the beginning or end of School holidays.

Remuneration And Support

• Annual salary, paid in monthly instalments: extremely competitive recognising the seniority of the post, and in accordance with qualifications, experience and recognised skills;
• Pension (defined contribution scheme with employer’s contribution at 21.3% including Death In Service and Income Protection benefits) – there is a different option: eligible employees may choose to be in membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) but make up the difference in employer’s contribution from a cap of 21.3% to the TPS requirement, through adjustment in salary – further information is available;
• Sick-pay;
• Employee Assistance Programme;
• Parking – free on-campus parking within the School’s beautiful grounds;
• Meals – excellent meals whilst working, at no cost in the School’s refectory;
• Fitness gym – free use of the School’s fitness gym facilities;
• Comprehensive induction programme offered, and ongoing professional development supported through INSET days and training opportunities.

Safeguarding

This role is deemed to be one of working in regulated activity, meaning that the post-holder may expect to come into unsupervised contact with children and young people frequently in the discharge of their duties on-campus. As such, the expectations of conduct, required of all adults working at More House School, apply to this position, as does a full Safer-Recruitment vetting process of any appointee. A key responsibility of all adults working within the School is that of ensuring the effective safeguarding of all children and young people, through adherence to the School’s policies; full-training is given.

To Apply

Please visit our website and complete the online application form:

https://www.morehouseschool.co.uk/vacancies/teaching-and-therapeutic-staff-application-form

Closing date

Closing date for applications: Monday, 6th October 2025, at 4pm

Interviews

Interviews expected to be held on: Monday and Tuesday, 13th and 14th October 2025, at More House School, Frensham

Interested candidates are welcome to make an appointment to visit the school for an informal visit.

The School reserves the right to interview appropriate candidates in advance of the above-named dates, and to appoint. Interested candidates are therefore strongly urged to submit their application as soon as possible.