Senior Deputy Headteacher

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An esteemed educational institution in Ipswich seeks a Senior Deputy Head (Academic and Co-Curricular). The role involves overseeing the Senior School's daily operations, ensuring academic excellence, and managing co-curricular programmes. The ideal candidate will have strong academic credentials, school management experience, and the ability to inspire others. A competitive salary and benefits, including free lunch and access to gym facilities, are offered. Apply by submitting your application form via email.

Benefits

Free lunch in the School Dining Hall

Use of swimming pool and fitness gym

Employee wellbeing app with 24/7 GP access

Cycle to Work Scheme

Pension scheme with employer contribution

Qualifications

• Track record of raising academic standards.
• Demonstrable interest in academic and co-curricular areas.
• Experience of initiating and overseeing whole-school changes.

Responsibilities

• Day to day running of the Senior School.
• Overseeing academic and co-curricular programmes.
• Leading operational oversight for planning and structures.

Skills

Strong academic credentials

Significant and varied school management experience

Experience in leading change

Ability to lead and inspire others

Willingness to work with integrity

Education

Good Honours degree

Job description

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Job Description

• Ipswich School
• Address: Henley Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3SG
• Salary: Competitive, to be discussed at interview
• Hours: Full time, in accordance with the academic calendar and the expectations of the role
• Contract: Permanent, starting from September 2026
• Reference: 0503

Ipswich School has been listed as one of the top 100 schools in the country and is certainly one of the foremost independent schools in East Anglia. We were established prior to 1399 and moved to our present site in 1852.

Renowned for its academic excellence, diverse extracurricular opportunities, and exceptional facilities, Ipswich School is committed to nurturing students' intellectual, emotional, and personal growth. We are a co-educational school with around 1000 pupils aged between 3 months and 18 years and we operate a five-day week.

Our Senior School has almost 800 pupils aged from 11 to 18 (90+ of whom Board with us during term time), and we have a Prep School with around 200 pupils aged from 5 to 11 years.

The Lodge Day Nursery provides the very best care for our youngest children aged from 3 months to 5 years. There are representative sports on Saturdays. Games, CCF, Community Service and a variety of other activities take place on Thursday afternoons.

About the role

The role of Senior Deputy Head (Academic and Co-Curricular) is integral to the successful running of Ipswich School.

You will, in effect, be responsible for the day to day running of the Senior School, overseeing all facets of both the academic and co-curricular programmes.

At the core of an Ipswich School education is a desire to inspire pupils so that they leave us with a body of knowledge, a portfolio of skills, and a strong sense of self-worth and self-knowledge. We want them to develop skills in collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. This role therefore lies at the heart of all that we do as a School, and you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the School achieves its core aims and objectives inside and outside of the classroom.

You will act as a beacon of best practice, leading from the front and supporting colleagues to help pupils achieve their potential. Your responsibilities will include leading on the overall strategic objectives and operational oversight for academic and co-curricular planning and structures in the School.

About you

You will be technically extremely competent, and will possess the ability to form strong interpersonal relationships, which form such an integral part of the role. You will be hard-working, resilient, humorous and, we hope, ambitious: this role forms an ideal platform for advance to Headship, in due course.

You will have experience of initiating and overseeing whole-school changes, and will have genuine, demonstrable interest in both academic and co-curricular areas of school life.

Essential skills and experience

• Strong academic credentials (good Honours degree), a track record of raising academic standards, and high competence as a classroom practitioner.
• Significant and varied school management experience at middle-management level.
• Experience in leading change and improvements across both curricular and co-curricular areas.
• The proven ability to lead and inspire others, and to deputise for the Head with credibility.
• Willingness to work with integrity as part of a range of teams, whilst also being prepared to express an independent view.

Highly desirable skills and experience

• Additional leadership or management qualifications.
• Senior management experience.
• In-depth knowledge of the 'science of learning', including recent developments.
• Experience of leading teams, managing change and delivering improvements across Co-curricular areas.
• Interest in the opportunities and challenge presented by developments in digital technology, including AI.
• Evidence of managing successful, whole school changes.
• Understanding of the importance of Marketing and Development, and a related willingness to promote the School with energy, creativity and style.
• A proven interest in the co-curricular life of a school: delivering or supporting.

Hours of work, salary and benefits

• This is a full-time, permanent post, subject to the satisfactory completion of a 12-month probationary period.
• Due to the senior nature of this role, and the range of responsibilities involved, flexibility with working hours is essential.
• The starting salary for this role will be competitive and will depend on your skills and experience.
• Remuneration terms will be discussed with shortlisted candidates at interview.
• Free lunch is provided in the School Dining Hall during term time when the kitchen is in operation, and staff are able to use the School's swimming pool and fitness gym free of charge (in compliance with appropriate rules and regulations).
• You will have access to Smarthealth, an employee wellbeing app with 24/7 GP access and mental health support, and a Cycle to Work Scheme.
• All Teachers are eligible to join a pension scheme with Royal London, with an employer contribution of 15%. The Scheme also provides critical illness cover, income protection and death in service cover.

For more information

Please read the Job Description (pdf).

To find out more, please visit our website.

How to apply

To apply, please submit your completed Application Form (Word) to our Director of HR by email to [e-mail]

Alternatively, please post your application to: Director of HR, Ipswich School, 25 Henley Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3SG, by the closing date.

Closing date

12pm, 7 January 2026.

Interview dates

21 January 2026 and 29 January 2026.

Please advise us of any special requirements you may have if you are called for interview. If your special requirements mean that you need to submit this application in a different format, please email [e-mail]

Important please read before applying

Ipswich School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the job, including checks with past employers and an Enhanced Disclosure via the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service).

This job does not have a Suffolk Jobs Direct online application form. The 'Apply Now' button below only allows you to submit a job alert, not an online application.