Head of Admissions

TES FE News; London; On-site; GBP 200,000 +; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent school in London seeks a head of admissions to enhance access and manage pupil admissions. The ideal candidate will have significant management experience, an understanding of school admissions, and a commitment to inclusivity. Responsibilities include leading the admissions team, developing relationships with feeder schools, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The role offers an opportunity to shape access strategies as the school expands its community programs.

Qualifications

• Significant experience of school admissions.
• Understanding of complex organisations.
• Proven ability to engage diverse communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the admissions team to ensure exceptional experience.
• Develop relationships with feeder schools.
• Ensure compliance with admissions regulations.

Skills

Management experience

Leadership

Data analysis

Project management

Diplomacy

Creative thinking

Job description

Overview

Job Overview
The post of head of admissions is a significant role within the King’s community. This is an exciting time to join King’s, as we extend co-education throughout the King’s community over the next decade, increase access to the school through our bursaries programme, and prepare to establish our junior school on a newly developed campus just minutes from our main site. Accordingly, the head of admissions will play a key role in supporting the school in the next phase of its development as an ambitious, forward-looking and innovative organisation, in the lead up to our 200th anniversary in 2029, bringing to life our vision of making a King’s education accessible to any child who would flourish here. The successful candidate will work across the whole school, comprising both the junior and senior schools, with responsibility for ensuring the admission of pupils at all entry points to the school, from 7+ through to 16+, as well as working closely with the admissions team in Wimbledon Common Preparatory School.

As an important ambassador for King’s, the head of admissions plays a central role in communicating the school’s character and its strengths to prospective families and our wider community, working to ensure that we continue to be a first-choice destination for the most talented candidates and their families. The postholder is responsible for ensuring an exceptional admissions experience for prospective pupils and their families, for further developing and nurturing excellent relationships with all our feeder schools, for sustaining an optimum number of successful pupil applications, and for furthering the school’s aims in the areas of representation and accessibility in pupil admissions. As such, they play an important outward-facing role. At the same time, this is a role which requires careful and close liaison with staff across the school, to ensure that admissions events run smoothly and that the processes connected with admissions support all aspects of the school’s activity, in Mind, Spirit and Heart.

The head of admissions works closely with members of the senior management teams and extended leadership team in both the senior and junior schools. The postholder will have line management responsibility for the whole school admissions team and the bursaries and access officer; they will also play a key role in directing the work of the broader teaching and Professional service staff in relation to admissions with the aim of delivering an exceptional admissions experience for all prospective families at King’s events.

The successful candidate is likely to have management and leadership experience at a senior level, significant experience of school admissions, a deep engagement with the values and mission of King’s, and an understanding of complex and excellence-oriented organisations. We welcome applications from candidates with either a teaching or a professional services/support staff background.

The ideal candidate will have experience at a senior level working collaboratively with other leaders, as well as an understanding of the successful working of independent school admissions.

They will know how to get the best from others and have the skills to direct and empower their team to succeed and to help the school achieve its ambitions.

The Successful Candidate Will Be Able To Demonstrate

• A strategic approach to working across a complex organisation to further the school’s priorities, combined with a willingness to be involved in the day-to-day activities of the school
• Experience of leading and managing teams and forging working relationships, with a collegiate and supportive approach, an ability to inspire their teams, and a desire to positively contribute to the community of King’s
• High standards, a commitment to excellence, and a positive attitude to achieving goals
• Diplomacy with a professional work manner
• An energetic approach, ensuring that we are always evolving our practice in pursuit of excellence
• Creative thinking with the ability to see the big picture and effectively plan ahead
• A reflective, forward-looking approach, always ready to evaluate the school’s activity in these areas and to lead improvements as appropriate
• Strong ability to extract, manipulate and analyse data
• An understanding of the complexity of school admissions, the sector’s codes of conduct and GDPR regulations and the potential implications of decisions taken
• A proactive and self-motivated approach as an effective problem solver
• High levels of personal integrity, and a commitment to upholding the values of King’s
• A logical and strategic approach to maximising the effectiveness of the school’s activity in admissions
• Calmness under pressure, resilience and tenacity
• Experience in successful project management
• An active interest in harnessing digital technologies in the pursuit of excellence and extensive experience of using information management systems
• Ability to listen and adapt style to engage different stakeholders in different contexts
• Proven ability to engage complex and diverse communities
• Experience in cultivating and stewarding senior level stakeholders
• An affinity with the independent school sector, combined with a drive to ensure all King’s communications, marketing and admissions are outward-looking, accessible and inclusive
• An awareness and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare of children and a clear commitment to delivering best practice in safeguarding
• A clear commitment and the skills to promote an inclusive and diverse school community
• A commitment to the ethos of a world-leading independent school, and its aims to consistently deliver excellence across its academic and co-curricular programmes
• A commitment to the school’s work to make a King’s education accessible to any child who would flourish here, particularly through the school’s bursaries programme and plans to extend co-education through the school

King’s is one of the most successful schools in the world, with outstanding academic results, first-class pastoral care and a vibrant co-curriculum. Overlooking Wimbledon Common, the school is situated in one of the most attractive parts of south east England and benefits from exceptional grounds and facilities.

To apply for this role, please visit our website via the apply button.

Closing date: 9.00am on Tuesday 23rd September 2025.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.
King’s is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. King’s College School is fully committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusivity in its recruitment of teaching and support staff.