Headteacher

Excelsior Academy; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 113,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution in England is seeking a dedicated Headteacher to lead its inclusive Academy starting in April 2026. The successful candidate will possess strong leadership skills and a commitment to community engagement. This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on educational standards and drive continuous improvement. Excelsior Academy is dedicated to creating an exciting and transformative learning environment for its diverse student body.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead educational improvement in a school setting.
• Experience in engaging with parents, staff, and the community.
• Knowledge of safeguarding practices and educational priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Academy in line with its vision and values.
• Encourage continuous improvement through high expectations.
• Manage resources effectively to enhance educational standards.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Strategic planning

Curriculum development

Education

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Experience as a Head of School or Headteacher

Job description

Headteacher

Overview

• Contract Type: Permanent
• Working Pattern: Full time
• Advert Start Date: 29/09/2025
• Advert End Date: 15/10/2025 09:00
• Salary: Headteacher Group 7, Range L33 - L37 (£113,646 to £125,345)
• Hours per week: 32.5
• Job Category: Schools - Leadership
• Vacancy ID: 286094
• Employment Location: Excelsior Academy, Denton Road, Newcastle NE15 6AF
• Number of posts: 1
• Closing date: 15 Oct

Further Information

Excelsior Academy offers transformative education at the heart of a vibrant and highly diverse area of Newcastle. We proudly serve a community that, whilst it has experienced long term disadvantage and challenge, is ambitious for the future. Excelsior is a coeducational Academy which opened in 2008. Over the next few years, the primary phase will gradually close with the Academy reverting to provision of education for the 11-18 age range.

Excelsior is the founding academy of Laidlaw Schools Trust, an inclusive multi academy trust which specialises in raising aspirations in disadvantaged communities across the Northeast of England. LST academies benefit from additional support for welfare and personal development provision, as well as strong shared services including School Improvement support. Whilst the Trust shares common values and some aspects of aligned practice/ approach, each academy is a distinctive institution serving their unique community.

Due to the retirement later this year of our current Headteacher, the Trustees are seeking to appoint an inspirational, values led individual to lead Excelsior Academy starting April 2026, or earlier if possible. This full-time role is an exciting opportunity to lead a large, inclusive Academy into the next, exciting stage of its development. The Academy is on a journey of rapid improvement, with a positive recent Ofsted monitoring visit and improving academic outcomes. Over the coming year, Excelsior will benefit from the Laidlaw Foundation's investment in the LST pupil one to one device strategy, driving innovation in teaching and learning, improvement in workload and enhancement of accessibility for all our pupils.

The successful candidate will possess the vision, knowledge, experience and tenacity to enable the entire Excelsior community to move forward together. They will be skilled in engaging staff, children, parents and carers in their vision for the academy's continuous improvement. Our new Headteacher will have a track record of establishing and driving high expectations, be fully committed to inclusion and community connection and have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of current educational priorities in all key stages.

Excelsior is a dynamic, fast paced environment and this post will offer a fresh challenge to an individual with experience as a Head of School or a Headteacher of a smaller school. They will possess the interpersonal skills to inspire and develop individuals and teams, and the ability to raise educational standards in all aspects of school life. Our new Headteacher will have the ability to work with governors and other stakeholders, undertake strategic planning, resource management and curriculum development.

To see the full Job Description and Person Specification for this role please refer to the attached supporting documents where you will also find a Candidate Information pack with full details of our benefits package.

We invite interested applicants to visit Excelsior Academy and meet key members of the team. To arrange a visit or a confidential discussion with our Strategic Director for Quality of Education and Secondary Matters, please contact Hannah Kiernan.

The closing date for applications is 9am on Wednesday 15th October 2025

Interviews are likely to be held on Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st October 2025.

We are an equal opportunities employer strongly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their commitment to children's safeguarding. All successful appointments will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a range of other pre-employment recruitment checks. For shortlisted candidates, we will conduct an online search as part of our screening.

Supporting documents:

• Job Description - Headteacher EA - Final.pdf (214.5 KB)
• Person Specification - Headteacher EA - Final.pdf (175.05 KB)
• Headteacher Information Pack - EA - Final.pdf (2.33 MB)

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Additional Information

Due to the retirement later this year of our current Headteacher, the Trustees are seeking to appoint an inspirational, values led individual to lead Excelsior Academy starting April 2026, or earlier if possible. This full-time role is an exciting opportunity to lead a large, inclusive Academy into the next, exciting stage of its development. The Academy is on a journey of rapid improvement, with a positive recent Ofsted monitoring visit and improving academic outcomes. Over the coming year, Excelsior will benefit from the Laidlaw Foundation's investment in the LST pupil one to one device strategy, driving innovation in teaching and learning, improvement in workload and enhancement of accessibility for all our pupils.

The successful candidate will possess the vision, knowledge, experience and tenacity to enable the entire Excelsior community to move forward together. They will be skilled in engaging staff, children, parents and carers in their vision for the academy's continuous improvement. Our new Headteacher will have a track record of establishing and driving high expectations, be fully committed to inclusion and community connection and have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of current educational priorities in all key stages.

Excelsior is a dynamic, fast paced environment and this post will offer a fresh challenge to an individual with experience as a Head of School or a Headteacher of a smaller school. They will possess the interpersonal skills to inspire and develop individuals and teams, and the ability to raise educational standards in all aspects of school life. Our new Headteacher will have the ability to work with governors and other stakeholders, undertake strategic planning, resource management and curriculum development. We are an equal opportunities employer strongly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their commitment to children's safeguarding. All successful appointments will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a range of other pre-employment recruitment checks. For shortlisted candidates, we will conduct an online search as part of our screening.

Excelsior Academy offers transformative education at the heart of a vibrant and highly diverse area of Newcastle. We proudly serve a community that, whilst it has experienced long term disadvantage and challenge, is ambitious for the future. Excelsior is a coeducational Academy which opened in 2008. Over the next few years, the primary phase will gradually close with the Academy reverting to provision of education for the 11-18 age range.

Excelsior is the founding academy of Laidlaw Schools Trust, an inclusive multi academy trust which specialises in raising aspirations in disadvantaged communities across the Northeast of England. LST academies benefit from additional support for welfare and personal development provision, as well as strong shared services including School Improvement support. Whilst the Trust shares common values and some aspects of aligned practice/ approach, each academy is a distinctive institution serving their unique community.