Director of Education

The White Hills Park Trust Ltd; Wollaton; On-site; GBP 101,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

The White Hills Park Trust is seeking a Director of Education to provide strategic leadership for educational performance, improvement and standards across the Trust. You will work closely with the CEO, Trust Board and school leaders to shape and deliver educational strategy and ensure high-quality teaching, curriculum and outcomes.

This role emphasizes inclusion, leadership development across the Trust, and delivery of a coherent, ambitious curriculum (including a Trust-wide AI curriculum)

Qualifications

• Proven track record of school improvement.
• Strong leadership and communication abilities.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking and change management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for educational performance, improvement and standards across the Trust.
• Shape and deliver the Trust’s educational strategy with the CEO and executive team.
• Lead development of a coherent and ambitious curriculum across primary, special and secondary schools.
• Develop leadership capacity across the Trust and support Headteachers and senior leaders.
• Ensure safeguarding, wellbeing and child protection are embedded in educational practice.
• Lead inclusion initiatives to close gaps for disadvantaged learners and SEND pupils.

Job description

Director of Education - White Hills Park Trust, Interchange 25 Business Park, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5QG.

Salary: L28 to L32 - £100,540 to £110,892

Closing date for applications: 9.00 am 16 November 2026

Shortlisting: 19 November 2026

Interviews: 2 December 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the position of Director of Education, providing strategic leadership for educational performance, improvement and standards across the White Hills Park Trust.

At the White Hills Park Trust, we are deeply committed to providing an excellent education for every child and young person across our schools. Our ambition is clear: every learner should receive an exceptional educational experience that enables them to thrive academically, socially and personally. Achieving this requires strong leadership, a coherent educational vision and an unwavering focus on high standards and continuous improvement.

The Director of Education will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the Trust’s educational strategy, working closely with the CEO, Trust Board, Executive Team and school leaders. The successful candidate will lead a culture of high expectations, professional collaboration and sustained improvement, ensuring that our schools deliver consistently high-quality teaching, curriculum and outcomes.

A key priority will be developing leadership capacity across the Trust. The Director of Education will work closely with Headteachers and senior leaders, providing appropriate support and challenge, strengthening self-evaluation and school development planning, and sharing evidence-informed practice across our schools.

Inclusion will be at the heart of this role. We are committed to removing barriers to achievement and ensuring that disadvantaged learners and pupils with SEND receive an excellent education and achieve ambitious outcomes. The Director of Education will provide strategic leadership for inclusion, working with Headteachers and SENDCos and ensuring that equity, aspiration and high expectations are embedded throughout the Trust.

The role will also lead the development of a coherent and ambitious curriculum across our primary, special and secondary schools, responding to emerging national priorities and ensuring our learners are equipped for the future. An important aspect of this work will be leading the development of a Trust-wide AI curriculum, alongside innovation in teaching, learning and pedagogy.

The successful candidate will also ensure robust quality assurance and compliance across the Trust, supporting schools to meet the expectations of Ofsted, the DfE and other regulatory bodies, while working closely with our safeguarding leadership to ensure that safeguarding, wellbeing and child protection remain fundamental to educational practice.

The White Hills Park Trust is proud to be a collaborative organisation where people matter. We believe strongly in developing our colleagues, building leadership capacity and creating a culture in which schools learn from one another and share a collective responsibility for improving the lives of children and young people. As a member of the Executive Team, the Director of Education will also contribute to the Trust’s wider strategic planning, risk management, resource prioritisation and system leadership.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, ambitious and values-led educational leader who can combine strategic vision with a proven track record of school improvement. You will bring credibility, strong communication and influencing skills, sound professional judgement and the ability to build trusted relationships while providing effective challenge.

Above all, you will share our commitment to excellence, inclusion and equity, and our belief that every child, regardless of background, need or starting point, deserves the very best education we can provide.

I hope you will consider applying for this important role and contributing to the continued development and success of the White Hills Park Trust.

Please note that the Trust’s head office is based on Interchange 25 Business Park, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5QG although travel around all Trust schools will be required as part of the role.

The White Hills Park Trust welcomes applications from all, irrespective of age, disability, sex, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnership.

The Trust is committed to the principles of the Framework for Ethical Leadership in Education and expects all leaders to embody these values in their daily work.

All posts are subject to safeguarding responsibilities (relevant to the role), including the duty to protect and promote the welfare of children and young people, and to adhere to the Trust’s safeguarding policies and procedures.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, including a barred list check where appropriate. It is an offence for a person barred from engaging in regulated activity with children to apply for a role involving such activity.

References will be called prior to interview and online searches may be carried out on shortlisted candidates as part of due diligence checks

Claire Shaw

CEO