Head

Lewes Old Grammar School; Lewes; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Lewes Old Grammar School seeks an exceptional educational leader to become its Head from September 2027. The role requires credible senior leadership experience, a strong track record in safeguarding, and a strategic mindset to grow a prestigious and financially sound independent school.

You will work closely with the Board of Trustees and senior staff to maintain academic excellence, personalised pastoral care, and a vibrant school community in Lewes.

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a good honours degree.
• Substantial senior leadership and management experience in a school.
• Proven record of improving educational outcomes.
• Thorough understanding of safeguarding and pupil welfare.
• Strong knowledge of independent school education, including marketing and admissions.
• Experience leading, developing and motivating staff.
• Strategic planning and implementation experience.
• Experience working with governors or trustees; ISI or Ofsted familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Lead the school and the senior leadership team with vision and integrity.
• Articulate and champion the LOGS difference in a competitive market.
• Strengthen pupil recruitment, retention and external profile.
• Drive academic excellence while maintaining personalised pastoral care.
• Ensure pupils receive a well-rounded education with character and adaptability.
• Attract, develop and retain outstanding staff and future leaders.
• Maintain strong financial position and long-term sustainability.
• Engage with parents, alumni and the local Lewes community.

Skills

Senior leadership

Marketing and admissions

Strategic planning

Budget management

Safeguarding knowledge

ISI/Ofsted familiarity

Education

QTS

Honours degree

Job description

Lewes, East Sussex | Full-time | Attractive salary package

Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Learning Since 1512

Bright Minds. Brave Hearts. Great Futures.

Lewes Old Grammar School (LOGS) is seeking an exceptional Head to lead our School from September 2027.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of England’s oldest schools and one of Sussex’s most distinctive independent schools at an exciting point in its history.

Founded in 1512, LOGS is a genuinely independent, co‑educational through school educating children from Pre‑reception through to Sixth Form. Our pupils are known as individuals, our class sizes are deliberately small, and our culture combines academic ambition with outstanding pastoral care, individuality and a strong sense of community.

We are looking for an inspirational and commercially aware educational leader who can build on a strong legacy and bring fresh insights and initiatives.

The opportunity

Our current Head, Robert Blewitt, is retiring after 24 years in post, having overseen a significant period of growth and development. The successful candidate will inherit a school with a strong reputation, a distinctive educational philosophy, committed staff and a secure financial foundation.

This is not a role for someone seeking simply to maintain the status quo.

Working closely with the Board of Trustees and the School’s senior leadership team, the new Head will have the opportunity to:

• articulate and champion the LOGS difference in an increasingly competitive independent schools market;
• strengthen pupil recruitment, retention and the School’s external profile;
• continue to drive academic excellence while preserving our personalised and supportive approach;
• ensure our pupils are equipped with the knowledge, skills, character and adaptability to thrive in a changing world;
• attract, develop and retain outstanding staff and future leaders;
• maintain the School’s strong financial position and long‑term sustainability;
• strengthen relationships with parents, alumni, feeder schools, local organisations and the wider Lewes community; and
• provide inspiring, visible leadership across every phase of the School.

Why Lewes Old Grammar School?

LOGS is unusual. We offer a genuine through‑school experience in which children can progress from their earliest years through to Sixth Form within one close‑knit educational community.

Bright Minds

small classes and personalised teaching that enables every pupil to develop their academic potential.

Brave Hearts

a culture built around kindness, hard work, involvement and making a difference, where individuality is celebrated rather than constrained.

Great Futures

an education that prepares young people for life beyond school, balancing ambition with wellbeing and giving every pupil a pathway towards their individual aspirations.

Recent parent feedback reflects the strength of this approach, with very high proportions agreeing that LOGS nurtures individuality, develops confidence and self‑belief, promotes kindness and respect, knows each child as an individual and provides excellent pastoral care.

The School also benefits from a strong financial platform, providing the successful candidate with the opportunity to focus on educational excellence, sustainable growth and the continued development of the School.

About you

We are seeking an exceptional educational leader with the credibility, experience and personal qualities to lead our distinctive independent school.

You will have:

• Qualified Teacher Status and a good honours degree;
• substantial successful senior leadership and management experience in a school;
• a proven record of improving educational outcomes;
• a thorough understanding of safeguarding and pupil welfare;
• strong knowledge of independent school education, including marketing and admissions;
• experience of leading, developing and motivating staff;
• strategic planning and implementation experience;
• experience of working effectively with governors, trustees or equivalent governing bodies; and
• experience of the ISI or Ofsted inspection regime.

Commercial awareness, an understanding of market positioning and reputation management, and experience of budget and resource management would be advantageous.

An exceptional place to live and work

Lewes is a vibrant and distinctive historic town set within the South Downs National Park, with excellent connections to Brighton, Gatwick and London.

The town offers an exceptional quality of life, combining independent shops, restaurants, arts and culture, historic architecture and a strong sense of community with easy access to beautiful countryside and the Sussex coast.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to become an important figure not only within the School but within the wider Lewes community.

An attractive salary package is available, commensurate with the size of the School and the previous experience of the successful candidate.

If you are an ambitious, inspirational educational leader who wants to shape the next chapter of a remarkable independent school, we would be delighted to hear from you.