Vice Principal

Salary: Leadership Pay Scale Points 19-22 (£77,551 - £83,461 per annum)

Start Date: September 2025

Thetford Academy is looking for an exceptional leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Vice Principal. The successful candidate will be passionate about our vision of ensuring our children will be resilient and independent. They will be valued individuals who are confident to express themselves creatively and be provided with a wealth of experiences outside of a typical classroom to ensure they are happy and engaged.

The successful candidate will be familiar with how to run a highly successful school, and capable of both setting strategy and implementing effectively. This is a unique opportunity for the right candidate to join a school with great outcomes that aspires to transform educational standards locally and nationally.

You will have the opportunities to help your career flourish, in a supportive and stimulating environment. We are committed to offering excellent professional opportunities and learning opportunities for all our staff, through careful support and personalised CPD. We offer a structured and specific induction programme that has been praised by staff for its support and expertise.

Before applying, please read the attached Recruitment Pack and Job Description, for more details about the role. We ask that you read this pack carefully, especially the “Planning your application” section from page 11. This will support your application ensuring you have the opportunity to tell us about your relevant skills, experience and qualifications that relate to the job description and person specification in addition to details of your references covering the last 5 years.

The main responsibility of this role will be:

• To work with the Senior Leadership Team to lead the continued development across the school.
• To support the strategic development, share good practice and plan and deliver collaborative activities beyond the school for the benefits of our pupils.
• To ensure smooth operational running of the school.
• To ensure all staff are aware of all school procedures and policies
• To ensure implementation of the statutory requirements for all inclusion aspects of the work of the school
• To present the school and its partners positively both within and beyond the school.
• To carry out the professional duties as set out in the current Teachers Standards and School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions documents.

The ideal candidate will have:

• An appropriate degree and Qualified Teacher Status
• Successful involvement in performance management, self-evaluation process and data analysis as an aid in personal and team improvement, development and change
• Successful experience in leading and managing pedagogic changes at a team, and preferably whole school level
• Proven practice in leading, motivating and supporting staff to achieve high standards
• The statutory requirements concerning Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, SEND and Child Protection

Thetford Academy is a remarkable place to work and is at the academic and cultural heart of the community. Pupils are taught a curriculum to prepare them for challenges they may face whilst building an appreciation and understanding of the world and achieve this by teaching pupils to develop a set of values and habits to allow them to contribute to their community, and beyond.

The school’s vision is that every pupil can succeed, both in their academic results and as an outgoing and positive member of the local, national, and global communities. Thetford Academy achieves this by ensuring that everyone commits to achieving outstanding progress, enjoying, and engaging in their learning, and being prepared to take on challenge without the fear of failure.

We are part of the Inspiration Trust, twice ranked as the country’s top family of comprehensive schools for pupil progress, and strongly believe in the importance of giving the widest educational opportunities to all young people, regardless of their background. We have strong networks across the Trust, with opportunities to work with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to offering excellent professional and learning opportunities for our staff, with a busy programme of continuing professional development courses delivered by some of the country’s best educational thinkers and practitioners.

The Inspiration Trust is a Multi Academy Trust, committed to delivering the very best educational experience for the young people of Norfolk and Suffolk, across 17 schools. We are ambitious for our schools and communities and want to create Britain’s highest performing federation of 3-19 schools and transform education in the East. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding.

For information on what it is like to live and work in Thetford, click here. Thetford Academy has been rated as Good overall by Ofsted, after an inspection in March 2020. The report says that the school has 'a curriculum that ensures pupils deepen their thinking' and that pupils 'feel valued and cared for.'

When you join Inspiration Trust's thriving network of talented teachers, leaders and support staff, you join an organisation that supports you to be the best you can be. The Trust offers a varied professional development programme for employees.

We are committed to offering excellent professional opportunities for our staff, through careful support and personalised CPD. We offer a structured and specific induction programme.

The Trust also offers:

• Generous holiday entitlement
• Teachers' Pension Schemes with generous employer contributions
• Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme giving access to a range of services including claim back costs for Eye Care and prescriptions and access and access to 24/7 virtual GP Service and mental health support (Terms and conditions and restrictions apply).
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Retail Benefits offering discounts with many shops and suppliers
• Corporate membership of the Norwich Theatre Royal
• Salary sacrifice schemes, including home technology, smartphones and healthcare plans, including Dental insurance and Gym membership discounts (Terms and conditions and restrictions apply).
• Free Parking (on most sites)

*Some benefits are only available following successfully passing probation

If you would like to know more about this exciting opportunity, then please contact Ilona Haye, PA to Principal (ilonahaye@inspirationtrust.org).

To apply for this role please click the Apply button to complete the online application form.

Closing date for applications: 12pm on Friday 31st January 2025

Interview date: Wednesday 12th February 2025

Inspiration Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All staff appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. We are an equal opportunities employer.