Principal

PRINCIPAL 

Contract: Permanent

Actual Salary: L18 - L22 (£78,702 - £86,803)

Start Date: April 2026 or sooner

Your opportunity to lead an Outstanding Primary academy in the heart of Weston super Mare.

Following the current Principal’s move into a more senior role within the Trust, we are seeking an energetic, values‑driven and dynamic leader to join Haywood Village Academy.

Haywood Village Academy is a primary school serving children from Pre‑school through to Year 6 and is proud to be part of the Cabot Learning Federation. Colleagues at Haywood Village are professional, enthusiastic and deeply committed to supporting every child to achieve both academically and personally. There is a strong culture of inclusion, shaped by our shared vision of High aspirations – Valuing learning – Achievement for all, and pupils thrive within this supportive and aspirational learning environment.

Working closely with the wider leadership team, the Principal will ensure the smooth and effective leadership of this successful school, building on its strengths while driving continued improvement. The successful candidate will be an effective communicator, skilled in building positive relationships with staff, pupils and families, and committed to high‑quality teaching and learning. They will bring resilience, clarity and ambition, alongside a strong commitment to equality, collaboration and professional growth, ensuring Haywood Village Academy continues to provide an exceptional education for its community.

Why CLF?

We are a diverse and inclusive community of 36 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but we’re all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. We’re proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others.

We are an equal opportunity employer and proud to serve a diverse student population and our communities. We strongly believe that representation matters. We particularly encourage applicants from those groups in order to represent the students we serve, as well as wider underrepresented groups including gender, transgender, age disability, sexual orientation or religion.

What we can offer you: 

• Access to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. 
• Comprehensive induction and ongoing support for career development and wellbeing.  
• Sector-leading professional development entitlement and opportunities. 
• Collaboration with colleagues across the trust through subject communities and specialist networks. 
• Shared CLF curriculum, written and curated by trust experts, reducing individual teacher workload.   
• Career enhancing and progression opportunities within the trust and through the CLF Institute. 
• A collaborative culture which supports workload. 
• Well-being support through an Employee Assistance Programme. 
• Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs. 
• A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay. 
• Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on-site parking and many more! 

Recruitment timeline:  

• Academy Tours: w/c 12th January 2026

• Closing date: 2 February 2026

• Shortlisting: 3 February 2026

• Interviews*: 12th & 13th February 2026

We welcome visits from potential candidates. If you would like to arrange a school visit prior to the closing date, please contact our Operations Manager Nicki Shapiro at Haywood Village Academy – Nicki.Shapiro @clf.uk

*This is a two-day process (a first full assessment day, with the final interview on day two).

How to apply:

Please complete a full application form via the Eteach website. As part of our commitment to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we do not accept CVs – a full education and employment history must be provided through the application form.  

Please note: there is a requirement on page 24 of the Candidate Information Pack for you to include requested information within the Supporting Statement section of the application form. This information will be reviewed during short-listing, as part of your application for this role. The Supporting Statement section does not allow anything over an 8,000-character limit - this is equivalent to 2/3 pages of text in Word, depending on spacing/formatting used. The application form will highlight how many characters you have used/if you reach the limit. 

Updates regarding an application, which could include an invite to interview, will be sent to the email address used when registering an account. 

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer, we are dedicated to equity and inclusion and commit to interviewing applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria. We aim to provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and support employees throughout their employment. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or require any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process please let us know how we can assist.  

The Cabot Learning Federation are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This role has significant responsibility for ensuring safeguarding practice within the academy. This role involves working with children on a daily basis and is therefore in regulated activity. 

The successful applicant will, in accordance with statutory guidance, be subject to a comprehensive pre-employment checking process including references from current and previous employers, health, right to work in the UK and a child disqualification check. The checks will also include an enhanced DBS check and a further check against the appropriate barred list.