Deputy Head Pastoral

Blenheim Schools; Wood Green; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Mount House School in Barnet, North London, is seeking an outstanding Deputy Head (Pastoral) to lead safeguarding, student wellbeing and pastoral strategy within a small, nurturing co-educational setting.

As Designated Safeguarding Lead, you will collaborate with the Head and SLT to develop wellbeing initiatives, monitor attendance and behaviour, and support staff across year groups while maintaining a strong, compassionate presence in the school community.

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a strong academic background.
• Educated to degree level with an additional postgraduate leadership/management qualification an advantage.
• DSL trained (training can be arranged).
• Significant leadership experience in a school, with pastoral/safeguarding responsibility.
• Extensive knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policy and best practice.
• Experience leading and developing staff and driving high standards.
• Excellent communication, organisational and relationship-building skills.
• Strong understanding of attendance, behaviour and student support systems.
• Ability to lead with empathy, integrity and sound judgement in complex situations.
• Commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and student wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for safeguarding, pastoral care, wellbeing, behaviour and attendance.
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead and ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
• Develop and implement whole-school wellbeing and pastoral initiatives.
• Lead and support Heads of Year and pastoral staff.
• Monitor attendance, behaviour and welfare data to identify trends and interventions.
• Collaborate with parents, external agencies and local authorities on student outcomes.
• Oversee pastoral aspects of inspections, visits, trips and compliance areas.
• Contribute to school leadership, planning and improvement initiatives.
• Teach a reduced timetable and maintain a visible school presence.

Skills

QT Status

Degree-level education

Leadership qualification

DSL trained

Pastoral leadership

Safeguarding knowledge

Staff development

Communication

Attendance & wellbeing

Education

Degree level

Postgraduate leadership qualification

Job description

Lead the Past. Influence the Future

Job Title: Deputy Head (Pastoral)
Location: Mount House School, Hadley Wood, EN4 0NJ
Salary: £70,000.00 - £80,000.00 per annum (depending on experience, not pro rata)
Hours: 40 hours per week | Monday to Friday
Contract: Permanent | Term Time Only
Start: April 2027

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

About the School

Mount House School is a small, nurturing co-educational day school in Barnet, North London. With a maximum of sixty students per year group, every child is known, cherished and challenged, enabling them to flourish across academic and co-curricular life.

Set within a beautiful Georgian house opposite Hadley Common, the school offers a unique blend of countryside calm and easy access to London's cultural opportunities. Education has been the heart of this setting since 1940, and since becoming fully co-educational in 2022, Mount House has continued to develop as a community that values individuality, creativity and academic ambition.

The school emphasizes exceptional pastoral care and a "small is beautiful" ethos, where relationships are strong, support is personalized, and every student is empowered to reach their full potential. Our vision - Be You. Belong. Become. Is underpinned by the values of authenticity, confidence, community, compassion, aspiration and growth.

Role Purpose

We are seeking an outstanding and experienced leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Deputy Head (Pastoral). This is a key strategic role with responsibility for leading and developing the school's pastoral provision, safeguarding culture, student wellbeing, attendance and behaviour.

As Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), you will ensure the highest standards of safeguarding and student welfare, creating an environment where students feel safe, supported and able to thrive. Working closely with the Head, Senior Deputy Head and wider leadership team, you will play a central role in shaping pastoral strategy, supporting staff, and ensuring students receive exceptional care throughout their school journey.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic leadership for safeguarding, pastoral care, wellbeing, behaviour and attendance.
• Acting as the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead and ensuring compliance with all statutory requirements.
• Developing and implementing whole-school wellbeing and pastoral initiatives.
• Leading and supporting Heads of Year, Assistant Heads and pastoral staff.
• Monitoring attendance, behaviour and welfare data to identify trends and implement effective interventions.
• Working closely with parents, external agencies and local authorities to support student outcomes.
• Overseeing pastoral aspects of inspections, school visits, educational trips and key compliance areas.
• Contributing to whole-school leadership, strategic planning and school improvement initiatives.
• Teaching a reduced timetable and maintaining a visible presence within the school community.

About You

We are looking for an inspirational and compassionate senior leader with a strong track record in pastoral leadership and safeguarding. You will be committed to ensuring every student is known, valued and supported to achieve their full potential.

You will be a confident decision-maker with excellent interpersonal skills, capable of building strong relationships with students, staff, parents and external partners. Equally comfortable leading strategy and managing day-to-day pastoral matters, you will bring both vision and operational expertise to the role.

The successful candidate will have:

• Qualified Teacher Status and a strong academic background.
• Educated to degree level with an additional postgraduate leadership and/or management qualification an advantage.
• DSL trained (training can be arranged for the successful candidate if necessary).
• Significant leadership experience within a school setting, ideally with responsibility for pastoral care, safeguarding, behaviour or wellbeing.
• Extensive knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policy and best practice.
• Experience of leading and developing staff and driving high standards across a school community.
• Excellent communication, organisational and relationship-building skills.
• A strong understanding of attendance, behaviour and student support systems.
• The ability to lead with empathy, integrity and sound judgement in complex situations.
• A commitment to inclusion, safeguarding and the wellbeing of every student.

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious leader to make a significant impact on the lives of students while helping to shape the future direction of a thriving and supportive school community.

About Blenheim Schools

Blenheim Schools is a growing family of innovative, high-quality independent schools committed to enabling outstanding futures for every student. Our ethos centres on truly understanding each child, their talents, character and aspirations by providing a personalised, ambitious education that helps every child to thrive.

We deliver a broad, enriching curriculum supported by tailored teaching and exceptional pastoral care. We celebrate individuality, nurture confidence and champion every learner so they can discover their strengths and achieve their potential.

Joining Blenheim Schools means becoming part of a collaborative, forward-thinking community that values creativity, inclusion and professional growth. Our teams are united by a shared belief in the power of education to transform lives and by a commitment to delivering outstanding experiences for students and families.

We are proud to be a part of OFG Education who in 2025 were officially certified as a 'Great Place to Work' for the sixth year running.