Head of School

Cognita; Greater London; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Alleyn’s Hampstead Nursery & Junior School, part of Cognita’s North London partnership, invites applications for Head of School. You will provide strategic leadership across nursery and junior phases, reporting to the Head of Alleyn’s Hampstead and leading the Senior Leadership Team.

You will champion safeguarding, pupil wellbeing and attainment, balance academic excellence with commercial accountability, and build strong relationships with families, staff and the Cognita network to sustain

Qualifications

• Must hold Qualified Teacher Status.
• Strong understanding of curriculum development.
• Safeguarding knowledge and independent schools sector experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across Nursery and Junior School and act as ambassador for students, staff and parents.
• Lead the Senior Leadership Team and drive educational excellence, school improvement and sustainable growth.
• Balance academic leadership with commercial accountability while safeguarding pupil welfare.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Education

Qualified Teacher Status

Job description

Alleyn's Hampstead Nursery & Junior School

Cognita has formed apartnership with the Alleyn’s Schools Group to establish two leadingindependent day schools in north London. This pioneering collaboration bringstogether one of the world’s most influential education groups, Cognita, whicheducates over 100,000 students across 20 countries, and Alleyn’s, southLondon’s finest co-educational day school and Co-educational School of the Year2025.

As part of this partnership, North Bridge House Regent’s Park Prep and NorthBridge House Hampstead have become Alleyn’s schools. Alleyn’s Regent’s Parksuccessfully transitioned in September 2025, welcoming pupils aged 3–11.Alleyn’s Hampstead followed in September 2026, offering an exceptionaleducation for pupils aged 2–18 and bringing the distinctive Alleyn’s ethos ofacademic excellence, creativity, and care to north London.

The school now has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of School to join our fantastic team.

About the Role:

We are seeking an exceptional and inspiring school leader to serve as Head of School, providing strategic leadership and acting as a trusted ambassador for students, staff and parents. Reporting to the Head of Alleyn’s Hampstead and leading the Senior Leadership Team, you will be responsible for driving educational excellence, school improvement and sustainable growth across the Nursery and Junior School. This role combines academic leadership with commercial accountability, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality educational experience aligned to both Cognita and the Alleyn’s Schools Group vision and standards. The successful candidate will champion safeguarding, wellbeing and pupil achievement, develop and retain high-performing teams, oversee financial and operational performance, and build strong partnerships with families, the wider community and the Cognita network to support the school's continued success.

Who We Are Looking For:

We are seeking an accomplished and values-driven educational leader with a strong track record of teaching excellence, strategic leadership and school improvement. The successful candidate will hold Qualified Teacher Status and possess a deep understanding of curriculum development, safeguarding and the independent schools sector. They will combine educational expertise with strong commercial awareness, enabling them to balance exceptional pupil outcomes with sustainable school performance. Warm, approachable and highly credible, they will be an inspiring frontline leader who builds strong relationships with pupils, parents and colleagues, while fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture. With excellent communication skills, resilience and integrity, they will be confident in making difficult decisions, managing competing priorities and leading change. Above all, they will be passionate about developing others, building leadership capacity and creating a thriving school community where both pupils and staff can flourish.

The ClosingDate for Applications is: Wednesday 28th October 2026

ShortlistingDate: Week commencing the 5th of November 2026

Interviews: Wednesday 11th of November 2026

Final Interviews: Thursday 12th of November 2026

Cognita Schools is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is available on the school website. Details on Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is included within the Application Guidance.

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.